Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road facts for kids

Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road
Part of the American Civil War
A drawing of the action on the 27th, by Alfred Waud.
Date October 27, 1864 (1864-10-27) – October 28, 1864 (1864-10-28) Location Henrico County, Virginia Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin F. Butler	James Longstreet
Units involved
X Corps XVIII Corps	Longstreet's corps
Casualties and losses
1,603	100

The Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road was a fight during the American Civil War. It happened on October 27–28, 1864, in Henrico County, Virginia. This battle was part of the larger Richmond-Petersburg Campaign. It is also sometimes called the Second Battle of Fair Oaks.

Union forces tried to attack the Confederate defenses around Richmond. The goal was to break through and capture the Confederate capital. However, the Confederates successfully stopped the attack. The Union suffered many more losses than the Confederates.

Background: The Big Picture

This battle was part of a long effort by Union General Ulysses S. Grant. He wanted to capture Petersburg and Richmond. These cities were very important to the Confederacy. Grant's plan involved attacking from different directions. This battle was one of those attacks. It aimed to stretch the Confederate defenses thin.

The Union Army's Plan

The Union attack was led by Major General Benjamin Butler. His forces were part of the Army of the James. General Butler planned a two-part attack. One part would move along Darbytown Road. The other would head towards Fair Oaks.

Union Commanders and Main Units

The main Union forces involved were:

• The X Corps, led by Brigadier General Alfred H. Terry.
• The XVIII Corps, led by Major General Godfrey Weitzel.

These corps included many different divisions and brigades. They were made up of soldiers from various states.

The Confederate Army's Defense

The Confederate forces were ready for the attack. They had strong defenses around Richmond. These defenses were part of General James Longstreet's corps.

Confederate Commanders and Main Units

The main Confederate forces involved were:

• Longstreet's Corps, led by Lieutenant General James Longstreet.
• Charles W. Field's Division, which played a key role in stopping the Union attack.
• Robert F. Hoke's Division.
• Cavalry units led by Major General W. H. F. Lee and Major General Matthew Butler.

These units worked together to defend their positions.

The Battle Unfolds

The Union attack began on October 27, 1864. Major General Butler sent his troops forward. The X Corps attacked along Darbytown Road. At the same time, the XVIII Corps marched north towards Fair Oaks.

The fighting was tough. When the XVIII Corps reached Fair Oaks, they met strong resistance. Major General Charles W. Field's Confederate division fought back hard. The Union troops were pushed back. They could not break through the Confederate lines.

The Confederates then launched a counterattack. They managed to capture about 600 Union soldiers. This was a big blow to the Union forces. The Confederate defenses held firm. They were not broken.

Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant had launched several attacks north of the James River. This one was stopped most easily by the Confederates. The battle ended on October 28. The Union forces had to retreat.

Aftermath

The Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road was a clear Confederate victory. The Union army suffered 1,603 casualties. This included soldiers who were killed, wounded, or captured. The Confederates had very few losses, fewer than 100.

The Richmond defenses remained strong. The Union's goal of capturing Richmond was not achieved in this battle. For his brave actions during the battle, First Lieutenant William Rufus Shafter was awarded the Medal of Honor.