Fort Darling
Fort Darling (Drewry's Fort, Drewry's Bluff) was a
Drewry's Bluff
On 17 March 1862 Captain Augustus H. Drewry a local landowner (after whom the name Drewry's Bluff is taken) moved in with his artillery unit and began constructing earthworks, defenses and installing 3 large guns (1 ten-inch and 2 eight-inch
Defenses Bolstered & Their First Test
In May the garrison was joined by the crew of the CSS Virginia, who had scuttled their ship with the fall of Norfolk on May 9. With them, defenses were expanded further and obstacles sunk into the James River and 6 more guns placed in a battery upriver. Men worked around the clock for the anticipated battle.[1]
Then on May 15, 5 Union Navy vessels steamed towards Richmond. Led by
For 3 hours and 20 minutes the battle ensued. The fire from Fort Darling high on the bluff and the battery on the riverside made it too dangerous for the 3 wooden ships to advance, the ironclad Monitor and Galena advanced on the defenders. After 18 hits pierced Galena's armor and caused fires to start, the attack was called off and Rodgers turned around. It became known as the Battle of Drewry's Bluff.[1]
Preparations
For two years Fort Darling saw no more action, in that time the naval Captain Sydney Smith Lee (General Robert E. Lee's brother) took command. Defenses were strengthened along with better accommodations, barracks, chapel, etc.[4] In that time Fort Darling served as a training site for training ground for the Confederate States Naval Academy, as well as the Confederate Marine Corps Camp of Instruction.[1]
Then on May 5, 1864 the Union returned, this time landing 30,000 troops at
Evacuation
Following the Battle of Namozine Church began the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond on April 2, 1865. The troops, marines and sailors of Fort Darling joined the movement westwards and eventually surrendered after the Battle of Appomattox Court House on April 9. On April 4 the obstacles in the James River were cleared and Abraham Lincoln passed the fort on his way to Richmond.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Drewry's Bluff". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "The Battle of Fort Darling/Drewry's Bluff (First)". www.mycivilwar.com. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- JSTOR 4247473.
- ^ "Proctor's Creek". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
External links
- Plan of defenses at Drewry's Bluff January 1863, Gilmer Maps Collection, University of North Carolina