Battle of Ware Bottom Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Ware Bottom Church
Part of the American Civil War
Date May 20, 1864 (1864-05-20) Location Chesterfield County, Virginia 37°20′40″N 77°23′29″W / 37.344444°N 77.391389°W / 37.344444; -77.391389 Result CSA (Confederate) victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Butler	P. G. T. Beauregard
Strength
10,000
Casualties and losses
1,500

The Battle of Ware Bottom Church happened on May 20, 1864. It was a fight between the Union and Confederate armies. This battle took place during the American Civil War.

Benjamin Butler led the Union troops. P.G.T. Beauregard was in charge of the Confederate forces. The Confederates won this battle. After their victory, Butler's Union soldiers stayed in their defenses at Bermuda Hundred. The Confederates then started building strong defensive walls. These walls became known as the Howlett Line.

The Historic Ware Bottom Church

Ware Bottom Church was a very old church in Virginia. Sadly, it was destroyed during the fighting. The church stood until June 18, 1864. It became a problem for a Confederate group called Parker's Virginia Battery. This battery was only a few hundred yards west of the church. Union sharpshooters were using the church to bother the Confederate gunners.

In 2009, a local company gave two acres of this historic site to the Richmond Battlefields Association. This helped to protect the land where the church once stood.

Protecting the Battlefield

The Richmond Battlefields Association received two acres of the Ware Bottom Church site. Also, the Civil War Trust and its partners have worked to save more of the battlefield. They have bought and protected about 22 acres (0.089 square kilometers) of this important historical land. This helps make sure that future generations can learn about what happened here.

Images for kids

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  Map of battlefield core and study areas.