Second Battle of Deep Bottom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Second Battle of Deep Bottom
Part of the American Civil War
Date August 14–20, 1864 Location Henrico County, Virginia Result Indecisive
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Winfield S. Hancock	Robert E. Lee Charles W. Field
Strength
28,000	8,500–20,000
Casualties and losses
2,899 total 327 killed 1,851 wounded 721 missing/captured	1,500 200 killed 900 wounded 400 missing/captured

The Second Battle of Deep Bottom was an important fight during the American Civil War. It happened from August 14 to 20, 1864, in Henrico County, Virginia. This battle is also known by other names like Fussell's Mill or New Market Road. It was part of the larger Siege of Petersburg, where Union forces tried to capture the cities of Petersburg, Virginia and Richmond, Virginia.

During the battle, Union Major General Winfield Scott Hancock led his troops across the James River. Their goal was to threaten Richmond. This would force Confederate forces to move away from Petersburg and the Shenandoah Valley. On August 14, Union soldiers attacked near New Market Heights. Later, they moved to attack Fussell's Mill. Union attacks were successful at first, but Confederate counterattacks pushed them back. After several days of small fights, the Union troops went back across the James River on August 20. The Confederates stopped the Union threat. However, they had to spread out their forces, which was what the Union hoped for.

About Deep Bottom

Deep Bottom is a place on the James River in Henrico County, Virginia. It is about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Richmond, Virginia. The river here has a horseshoe-shaped bend. It was called "Deep Bottom" because the river was very deep at this spot. It was a good place for soldiers to cross the river.

In 1864, Union Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant began a siege of Petersburg, Virginia. This meant his army surrounded the city. Grant wanted to cut off supplies to the Confederate capital, Richmond. Earlier attacks on Petersburg had failed.

In July 1864, the First Battle of Deep Bottom happened. Grant sent Union troops to threaten Richmond. He hoped this would make Confederate troops leave Petersburg. The Union forces could not break through the Confederate defenses. But the plan worked, and some Confederate troops did move. This allowed Grant to try another attack at Petersburg. However, that attack, called the Battle of the Crater, was a big loss for the Union.

At the same time, Confederate Lieutenant General Jubal Early was causing trouble in the Shenandoah Valley. He was threatening towns in Maryland and Pennsylvania. General Robert E. Lee, the Confederate commander, was worried. Grant then sent General Philip Sheridan to deal with Early. Lee moved some of his troops to help Early if needed. Grant thought Lee had moved even more troops away from Richmond. So, he decided to try another attack near Richmond. This would either stop Lee from helping Early or weaken the defenses around Petersburg again.

General Hancock was chosen to lead this new attack. On August 13, his troops crossed the James River. They used pontoon bridges, which are temporary bridges made of boats. Some of his troops marched to City Point, Virginia. From there, they pretended to sail north to help Sheridan. But their ships turned around and brought them to Deep Bottom instead. This trick was meant to surprise the Confederates.

Who Fought Here

Union Army

Confederate Army

The Battle Begins

Second Battle of Deep Bottom      Confederate      Union

August 14: Union Attacks

On August 14, all of Hancock's Union troops were across the James River. They were divided into different groups. Major General David B. Birney's X Corps was on the left. Other Union divisions were in the center and on the right. Birney's troops were ordered to attack New Market Heights. The other Union groups tried to go around the Confederate left side. General Gershom Mott's division was to push toward Richmond. General Francis C. Barlow's divisions were to attack Fussell's Mill. Cavalry led by General David McMurtrie Gregg was to protect the right side and look for a chance to ride into Richmond.

Birney's troops pushed back some Confederate guards. But they were stopped by strong defenses at New Market Heights. The other Union troops moved slowly because of the extreme heat. Many soldiers became sick from heat stroke.

Barlow's men finally met Confederate soldiers around midday. The Union generals were surprised by how many Confederates were there. Confederate Major General Charles W. Field had a full division dug in. More Confederate soldiers were arriving to help. Because Barlow's attack was slow, the Confederates had time to bring more troops and cannons to Fussell's Mill. Barlow's attack on the mill was pushed back. However, Birney's corps managed to capture some Confederate trenches and four cannons.

Even though the Union attacks didn't fully succeed, they did what Grant wanted. General Lee became convinced that Richmond was in serious danger. He started moving more Confederate troops to defend it. Grant ordered Hancock to keep attacking on August 15. Hancock decided to focus on the Confederate left side again. He ordered Birney's corps to march at night to join Barlow's line. It was raining, but still very hot. More than a third of Birney's men fell out of line due to exhaustion.

August 15–16: More Fighting

Birney's night march was delayed by rough land. So, Hancock's plan for an early morning attack on August 15 had to be canceled. Birney's troops reached Fussell's Mill in the afternoon. They spent the rest of the day resting and checking the area. Birney decided it was too late to attack that day.

On the morning of August 16, Gregg's cavalry rode toward Richmond. They met Confederate cavalry led by General William Henry Fitzhugh Lee. A full day of fighting followed. The Union cavalry pushed the Confederates back but were eventually forced to retreat. Confederate General John R. Chambliss was killed during this fight.

The Union infantry had a better start. General Alfred Terry's division broke through the Confederate line. A Confederate brigade, led by General Victor Girardey, was hit hard and retreated. Girardey was killed. General Field later said, "Not only the day but Richmond seemed to be gone." However, the thick woods made it hard for the Union commanders to see how much they had gained. They couldn't use their advantage before Field brought in more troops to fill the gap. Colonel William C. Oates led a counterattack and was wounded. General Robert E. Lee himself arrived and saw the fighting.

August 17–20: The End of the Battle

No major fighting happened on August 17. A truce was called so both sides could collect their dead and wounded soldiers. Lee planned a counterattack for August 18. It was supposed to be a cavalry attack with an infantry attack at Fussell's Mill. But the plan was not well organized. Neither the cavalry nor the infantry made much progress before dark. That night, Hancock sent some of his troops back to Petersburg. By the night of August 20, Hancock saw that Lee was not making any more moves. So, he pulled his forces back across the James River.

What Happened Next

The Union army had about 2,900 casualties, including some from heat stroke. The Confederate army had about 1,500 casualties. General Gregg, a classmate of the killed Confederate General Chambliss, took care of Chambliss's body. He later sent it to Chambliss's widow.

Like the First Battle of Deep Bottom, this Union attack did not break through the smaller Confederate defenses. However, the main goal was achieved. The battle forced General Lee to move troops away from Petersburg and Bermuda Hundred. This also stopped him from sending more help to General Early in the Shenandoah Valley.

Battlefield Today

The American Battlefield Trust and its partners have helped save 173 acres (0.70 km²) of the Second Deep Bottom battlefield. This area is only 11 miles (18 km) from Richmond. It still looks much like it did during the Civil War. The land around Fussell's Mill, where heavy fighting took place, has also been preserved.

See also

In Spanish: Segunda batalla de Deep Bottom para niños