Battle of Drewry's Bluff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Drewry's Bluff |
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| Part of the American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 John Rodgers |
 Ebenezer Farrand William Mahone John Taylor Wood |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 3 ironclads 2 gunboats |
~8 artillery pieces 1 fort 1 shore battery |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2 ironclads damaged 2 gunboats damaged 27 killed or wounded |
1 fort damaged 15 killed or wounded |
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The Battle of Drewry's Bluff, also called the Battle of Fort Darling, happened on May 15, 1862. It was fought in Chesterfield County, Virginia, during the American Civil War. This battle was part of the Peninsula Campaign.
Four Union Navy warships, including the strong ironclad ships USS Monitor and Galena, sailed up the James River. Their goal was to check the defenses of Richmond, Virginia. Richmond was the capital city for the Confederate side.
However, the Union ships ran into trouble. They faced hidden obstacles underwater. They also met very accurate cannon fire from Fort Darling at Drewry's Bluff. The fort's cannons badly damaged the Galena. This forced the Union ships to turn back.
Why the Battle Happened
In the spring of 1862, Union Major General George B. McClellan led an attack towards Richmond. His plan was to land troops at Fort Monroe and march them towards the city. This was part of the larger Peninsula Campaign.
After the fall of Yorktown, the Confederate army moved back. The only thing stopping the Union from controlling the lower James River was the Confederate ironclad ship, CSS Virginia.
But on May 10, the Confederates had to leave Norfolk. This meant the Virginia could not sail safely to Richmond. So, on May 11, the Confederates sank their own ship. They did this to stop the Union from capturing it. This opened up the James River for Union gunboats.
The main defense for Richmond from the river was Fort Darling. This fort was built on Drewry's Bluff. It was about 7 mi (11 km) downriver from the city. The fort was on a sharp bend in the river.
Confederate soldiers, marines, and sailors defended the fort. They were led by Navy Commander Ebenezer Farrand. The fort had eight cannons. Some of these cannons were taken from the sunken Virginia. These guns could control the river for miles.
There were also sharpshooters hiding along the river banks. Below the bluff, the Confederates placed an underwater barrier. This barrier was made of sunken ships, logs, and chains. It made it very hard for enemy ships to move in the narrow river.
The Battle Begins
On May 15, a group of U.S. Navy ships sailed up the James River. They were led by Commander John Rodgers. Their mission was to test Richmond's defenses.
The group included the ironclad gunboats USS Monitor and Galena. The Galena was Rodgers' main ship. There were also two wooden gunboats, Aroostook and Port Royal. The unique semi-submersible ironclad USRC Naugatuck was also part of the group.
At 7:45 AM, the Galena moved close to the fort. It stopped about 600 yd (550 m) away. Before Rodgers could fire, two Confederate cannonballs hit the Galena. Its armor was not very strong.
The battle lasted more than three hours. The Galena stayed almost still and was hit 45 times. Many of its crew were killed or wounded. The Monitor was also hit often. But its much thicker armor protected it well. The Monitor fired steadily at the fort.
The Naugatuck was not damaged as much. But its main cannon, a 100-pounder Parrott rifle, exploded. This forced it to leave the fight. The two wooden gunboats stayed farther away. They were mostly out of range of the fort's big guns. Around 11:00 AM, the Union ships pulled back.
After the Battle
During this battle, Corporal John F. Mackie made history. He became the first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.
The strong fort at Drewry's Bluff stopped the Union advance. It was only 7 mi (11 km) from the Confederate capital. The Confederates had seven killed and eight wounded. Richmond remained safe from a river attack.
Commander Rodgers told General McClellan that troops could be landed closer to Richmond. Later, in 1864, during the Siege of Petersburg, Union forces did land nearby. They landed at Bermuda Hundred, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Richmond. They advanced to within three miles (4.8 km) of Drewry's Bluff. This showed how important Fort Darling was in protecting Richmond.
Gallery
- Drewry's Bluff
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Drewry's Bluff, 1865.
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Drewry's Bluff, August 2016.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Drewry's Bluff para niños
