Greater Richmond Area

Last Update: 10/JANUARY/2009

Compiled by Pete Payette - Š2009 American Forts Network

Early Richmond Forts
(1609, 1610, 1637, 1676, 1685), Richmond
Early colonial settlements included Capt. Francis West's Fort (aka Fort West (1)) (1609), near South 9th Street, and Fort Nonsuch (or None Such) (1609), established by Capt. John Smith at the Indian palisaded Powhatan Town, on the north bank of the James River, probably near Almond Creek (state marker V-49 "Powhatan" located on Osborne Turnpike just south of Oakland Road). They were abandoned after Monacan Indian raids. Lord De La Warr's Fort was established on the opposite (south) bank in 1610 by Governor Thomas West. It too was soon abandoned. A trading post was later established at the site of Fort West in 1637.
The second settlement attempt of the area, James River Fort (1676), was a fortified community and trading post on the south bank of the James River (Manchester) near Goode Creek, established by William Byrd I. It was refortified in 1685. Richmond as a city was founded in 1737. Origins of Richmond state marker located on Franklin Street at 17th Street.

Fort Charles (2)
(1645 - 1649 ?), Richmond
A VA colonial militia fort built near the head of navigation on the James River somewhere below the falls. Dismantled for the lumber soon after its use ended.

Westham Arsenal
(1779 - 1781), Westham
A major state militia supply depot located on the north bank of the James River at Westham Creek. It was the target of the British raid under turncoat General Benedict Arnold, in which all the remaining supplies not removed west were destroyed. The depot was not rebuilt after the war. The town, originally named Beverly, was founded in 1752. British Invasion of Richmond state marker located on Broad Street at Patrick Henry Park.

Camp Mitchell
(1812), Richmond
A VA state militia training camp. Undetermined location.

Militia troops were encamped near Malvern Hill (Henrico County) sometime during the War of 1812.

Civil War Defenses of Richmond
(Richmond National Battlefield Park) || CIVIL WAR RICHMOND
(The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar)
(1862 - 1864), Richmond and vicinity
The main NPS park unit includes the 1864 Confederate works of Battery Kershaw, Battery Gracie, Battery (?), Battery Terrill, Battery Clingman, Battery Hagood, Battery Kirkland, Fort Colquitt, Fort (Battery) Alexander, Fort Gilmer, Fort Gregg (1), Fort Johnson, Fort Harrison (2) (renamed USA Fort Burnham after capture) (state marker), Battery White, Fort Hoke, Fort Maury, plus several other small unnamed batteries and miles of earthworks. Historic monuments are located on Mill Road at Battlefield Park Road; on New Market Road at Battlefield Park Road (Fort Gilmer); on Varina Road about 1 mile south of Mill Road (Fort Harrison); on Darbytown Road about 0.5 mile east of Strath Road; and on Darbytown Road about 0.2 mile east of Laburnum Ave.. The Union built Fort Brady and Battery IV (eight guns) after Fort Harrison was captured and the trench lines were shifted. Chaffin's Bluff, including Smith's Battery and Coles Run Battery (four guns), opposite Drewry's Bluff, was fortified by the Confederates beginning in May 1862. Battlefield Tour - Fort Gilmer to Fort Brady

Outside the main park unit lies the CSA forts of Drewry's Bluff (20 guns) (1862 - 1865) (known as Fort Darling to the Union) (state marker #1 || state marker #2), and Parker's Battery (1864). Drewry's Bluff also served as the land station for the Confederate Naval Academy (which was based on the school ship C.S.S. Patrick Henry) and Marine Corps Camp of Instruction from 1863, as well as the home station of the CSA James River Squadron, and was surrounded on the north and west (present-day Bellwood area) by extensive earthworks. Historic monuments located on Fort Darling Road (Fort Darling); on Perrymont Road about 0.1 mile north of Norcliff Road; on US 1 about 0.2 mile south of Willis Road; and on US 1 at Wonderview Road (Half-Way House). Downriver near Bellwood Manor was Battery Brooks. There was also Battery Semmes and Battery Wood on the James River. Fort (Battery) Stevens and Battery Dantzler (six guns) (formerly Fort Howlett or Howlett's Battery), both from 1864, are part of the Chesterfield County Parks System. There was also Fort Jackson (3) (no remains). These works formed the Confederate Howlett Line (state marker on VA 10 east of I-95).

Union earthworks at the June 1862 Beaver Dam Creek - Mechanicsville Battlefield, originally about one and one-half miles, no longer exist except for about 50 yards of trenches and one battery on the eastern side of the creek.

Cold Harbor Battlefield (June 1864) had six miles of Confederate and Union earthworks, in a general north-south line between Old Cold Harbor and New Cold Harbor, with about two miles that are nicely preserved along the auto tour route, including Union works at the Garthright House (Hanover County Parks).

At the Totopotomoy Creek Battlefield (May 1864) near Rural Point, Confederate and Union entrenchments are located along both sides of Totopotomoy Creek. The Union also had an unfinished redoubt near Bethesda Church, near Newman on the Mechanicsville Turnpike (US 360). Remnants of the various works still exist near the Bethesda Church site (owned by the A.P.V.A.), and also in some heavily wooded areas near Pole Green and Academy (private property). Historic monuments are located on Studley Road about 0.7 mile west of Shelton Pointe Drive; and on Studley Road about 0.8 mile east of Avondale Drive. In 2006 about 124 acres of the battlefield including the Shelton House ("Rural Plains") and large sections of earthworks became part of the NPS Richmond National Battlefield Park (opened to the public in September 2011).

Traces of Union earthworks exist at the June 1862 Seven Pines - Fair Oaks Battlefield near Sandston (three lines in north-south direction). Traces of Union works (June 1862 Seven Days Battles) still exist at Golding's Farm on North Washington Street in Highland Springs. Numbered Union works in this area were:
Redoubt #1 (8 guns) a lunette south of Seven Pines towards White Oak Swamp,
Redoubt #2 (6 guns) a redan south of Seven Pines,
Redoubt #3 (aka Casey's Redoubt) (5 guns) an irregular pentagon in Seven Pines about 200 yards south of Williamsburg Road,
Redoubt #4 (aka Fort Sumner) (9 guns) a pentagon north of Williamsburg Road south of the railroad, due west of Fair Oaks Station,
Redoubt #5 (aka Fort Richardson (2)) (6 guns) a pentagon north of the railroad near the Quarles House in Fair Oaks,
Redoubt #6 (6 guns) a square at Golding's Farm.
McClellan's First Line state marker || McClellan's Second Line state marker || McClellan's Third Line state marker

Located within the city was an unnamed CSA training camp (1861) at Western Square (present-day Monroe Park), later becoming the barracks of the Richmond City Guard, and later in 1864 the Stuart Military Hospital (Union Camp Winthrop in 1865); and the Belle Isle Prison Camp on Belle Isle on the James River. There were several facilities used as prison barracks during the war, most notably the Libby Prison on East Cary Street at South 20th Street. Union prison/parole camps in 1865 included Camp Lee (1) and Camp Winder, both former CSA training camps. A Confederate Ordnance Laboratory was located on Brown's Island.

Richmond was surrounded by three defensive fortification rings beginning by late 1862. The Outer Defense Line circled about five miles out on the north and east sides of the city, for a total linear length of about 65 miles. Chickahominy Bluff has three two-gun earthwork batteries remaining (marker on US 360); and the preserved remnants of Brook Hill Fort (three guns) are located along Upham Brook Run north of the present city line at Brook Hill in the Brook Run shopping center (state marker and monument on US 1 (Brook Rd.) about 0.25 mile north of I-95). Sheridan Maneuvers East state marker on US 1 about 0.1 mile north of Azalea Ave.. An Outer Defense state marker is located on Broad Street (US 250) just north of Dickens Rd. (no remains). Another monument is located on Westbrook Ave. at Hermitage Road. The Outer Line was extended east after the Battle of Seven Pines from the James River to the Chickahominy River. Remnants of one or two two-gun batteries and 300 yards of earthworks are located on the grounds of Richmond International Airport near the Virginia Aviation Museum. A monument is located on Williamsburg Road about 0.1 mile west of Sandburne Parkway; and a monument for CSA Fort Lee (2) is located on Charles City Road about 0.3 mile east of South Airport Drive.
The Intermediate Defense Line was about two to three miles out from the city, composed of 25 forts and batteries (state marker located at Laburnum and Chamberlayne Aves.). Other historic markers are located on Mechanicsville Turnpike (US 360) about 0.2 mile north of Laburnum Ave. (East Highland Park); on Brook Road at Walton Ave.; on Monument Ave. just west of Roseneath Road; on River Road at Three Chopt Road; on Williamsburg Road (US 60) at Eanes Lane; and on Darbytown Road about 0.1 mile east of Shirleydale Ave.. The remnants of a small fort or battery are located in the Windsor Farms area near Canterbury and Clovelly Roads (monument erected 1958). These two outer defense lines were never fully completed, and rarely manned.
The Inner Defense Line was about 12 miles long, located just outside the war-time city limits, and consisted of 17 numbered "star" forts and seven outworks for 218 guns. The Inner Defense works were essentially completed before Petersburg fell. Most of these works no longer exist today. Approximate locations of the numbered forts were:
#1 on the James River near Almond Creek.
#2 at Osborne and New Osborne Turnpikes, with outworks.
#3 at Darbytown and Williamsburg Roads.
#4 at "O" and 36th Streets, with an outwork at 40th and "M" Streets.
#5 at Nine Mile and Creighton Roads.
#6 at Mechanicsville Turnpike and I-64.
#7 at Richmond-Henrico Ave. and Willow Street, with outworks. (a Battery Street is nearby)
#8 in Battery Park.
#9 on the present-day Virginia Union University campus.
#10 historic monument (1915) on Monument Ave. just west of Strawberry Street, with outworks on Broad Street behind the present-day Science Museum of Virginia (traces still extant).
#11 at Main Street and Stafford Ave. (?); or at Cary Street and Davis Ave. (?).
#12 in Maymont Park.
#13 at Riverside Drive and 20th Street.
#14 at Riverside Drive and Forest Hill Park (Reedy Creek).
#15 at Midlothian Turnpike and 32nd Street.
#16 historic monument on Holly Spring Ave. about 0.1 mile north of Hopkins Road.
#17 historic monument (1929) on US 1 at Harwood Street.
(NOTE: Exact locations could not be determined from maps at hand.)

Bellona Arsenal
(1816 - 1837, 1863 - 1865), Richmond
A state arsenal located on the south bank of the James River, just outside the city limits. It was sold in 1837. The Confederate government leased the old arsenal and nearby Bellona Foundry during the Civil War. Also known as Richmond Arsenal. Ruins still exist.

Camp Lee (2)
(1898), Richmond
A Spanish-American War state muster camp located at the old State Fairgrounds.

Camp Stuart (1)
(1916), Richmond
A state guard mobilization camp for the Mexican Border Crisis of 1916. Undetermined location.

New Bridge Batteries
(1862), near Simkins Corner
Four Union six-gun earthwork batteries were constructed on the north bank of the Chickahominy River to protect the northern and eastern approaches to the New Bridge during the June 1862 Seven Days battles. No remains. Located near the present-day Creighton Road and I-295 interchange.

Camp Bottoms Bridge
(1814), Bottoms Bridge
A large state militia camp on the Chickahominy River.

Camp H. C. Corbin
(1898), near Poplar Spring (?)
A Spanish-American War mobilization camp for black state troops, located along the C&O Railroad about ten miles southeast of Richmond.

Chesterfield Courthouse Camp
(1780 - 1781), Chesterfield
A training camp and rendezvous established for all Southern reinforcements for the Continental Army. State marker on VA 10.

Coxendale Forts
(1612 - 1622), Coxendale
An early settlement established by Sir Thomas Dale, across the James River from Henricus, protected by four forts or blockhouses known as Fort Charity (aka Fort Hope in Faith), Fort Elizabeth, Fort Patience, and Fort Mount Malady (a protected "sickhouse" and hospital complex). The palisaded 12-acre town was abandoned after the 1622 Indian raids. The present course of the James River has changed over the years.

Citie of Henricus
(Henricus Historical Park)
(1611 - 1622), Dutch Gap
The seven-acre palisaded settlement on Farrar Island is currently under reconstruction. This was the second permanent settlement in the state, and was originally intended to replace Jamestown as the capital. The settlement had three streets, and there were five watchtowers, one at each corner of the palisade. Sir Thomas Dale used a Dutch fortification technique to dig a ditch and construct a palisade behind the ditch to protect the village. The great ditch became known as "Dale's Dutch Gap". In 1622 Indians entered the fort and used the colonists' own weapons to slay them. The town was not resettled. The actual town site no longer exists due to river course changes over the years. State marker located on VA 5 about 0.3 mile east of I-295.

Dutch Gap Battery
(1864), Dutch Gap
The Dutch Gap Canal was to be a Union shortcut through the winding James River, cutting off nearly five water miles - and thus bypassing this Confederate battery and also Batteries Howlett, Wood, and Semmes. CSA Signal Hill Battery (2) was located across the river from where Union troops were building the canal. The Confederates were constantly firing on the Union troops and caused numerous delays of the canal's construction. A Union battery was built just to the east of the canal for protection. The war ended before construction was fully complete. The canal was finished in 1871 and a lighthouse was built here.

Cobb's Hill Redoubt
(1864), near Varina Grove
A Union redoubt protected a signal station east of Four Mile Creek above New Market Road (VA 5).

Deep Bottom Earthworks
(1864), Deep Bottom
Union infantry parapets and a gun battery surrounded the landing and pontoon crossing on the James River, near the mouth of Roundabout Creek (Three Mile Run). An outer line of six redoubts and redans provided further protection, including one work named Battery Wilcken.

Bermuda Hundred Line
(1864), Chesterfield County
Union forts (no remains), west of the present-day route of I-295, included Fort (Battery) Sawyer (near Dutch Gap), Fort (Battery) Spofford, Fort (Battery) Parsons, Fort (Battery) Wilcox, Fort (Redoubt) Drake (trace remnants exist along VA 10 at the head of Johnson Creek), Fort (Redoubt) Carpenter (2), Battery Perry, Fort (Redoubt) McConihe, Battery (Redoubt) Anderson, Battery Marshall, Fort (Battery) Pruyn, Fort (Redoubt) Dutton (2), Battery Walker, Fort (Redoubt) Wead (part of Chesterfield Co. Parks System), Battery Burpee, and Fort Zabriskie on the Appomattox River near Port Walthall. The "Bottle" state marker located on US 1 about 2.8 miles north of Colonial Heights city line.

Undetermined location: Fort Wisconsin.

NEED MORE INFO: Street names: Fort McHenry Parkway, Fort King Drive, and Fort Hill Drive in western Henrico County; Fort Sumter Road in western Chesterfield County, Fortview Drive in eastern Chesterfield County. Fort Alvis in eastern Henrico County.

Towns:

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