# Fort Darling > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fort_Darling > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Fort_Darling.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Darling > Source revision: 1304355303 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Confederate military installation during the American Civil War}} [[File:CScolumbiadFtDarling.jpg|thumb|324px|The 10 inch [columbiad](/source/columbiad) gun at Fort Darling]] '''Fort Darling''' (Drewry's Fort, Drewry's Bluff) was a [Confederate](/source/Confederate_States_of_America) military installation during the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War) located at [Drewry's Bluff](/source/Drewry's_Bluff), a high point of 80–100 feet overlooking a bend in the [James River](/source/James_River_(Virginia)) south of [Richmond](/source/Richmond%2C_Virginia) in [Chesterfield County, Virginia](/source/Chesterfield_County%2C_Virginia). It protected the Confederate capital of Richmond from Union naval attacks throughout most of the war. == Drewry's Bluff == On 17 March 1862, Captain Augustus H. Drewry a local landowner (after whom the name Drewry's Bluff is taken) moved in with his artillery unit and began constructing earthworks, defenses and installing three large guns (one ten-inch and two eight-inch [columbiad](/source/columbiad)s),{{cite web|title=Drewry's Bluff|url=https://www.nps.gov/rich/learn/historyculture/drewrys-bluff.htm|publisher=www.nps.gov|access-date=18 November 2012}} the installation of which was overseen by General [Robert E. Lee](/source/Robert_E._Lee)'s eldest son Brigadier General [G.W.C. Lee](/source/G.W.C._Lee).{{cite web|title=The Battle of Fort Darling/Drewry's Bluff (First)|url=http://www.mycivilwar.com/battles/620515b.html|publisher=www.mycivilwar.com|accessdate=18 November 2012}} Fort Darling was to defend Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy, in anticipation of a Union attack by gunboats from along the river. == Defenses bolstered and their first test == {{main|Battle of Drewry's Bluff}} thumb|Obstructions placed in the James River around Fort Darling In May 1862 the garrison was joined by the crew of the [CSS ''Virginia''](/source/CSS_Virginia), who had scuttled their ship with the fall of Norfolk on May 9. With them, defenses were expanded further and obstacles sunk into the James River and six more guns placed in a battery upriver. Men worked around the clock for the anticipated battle. Then on May 15, five Union Navy vessels steamed towards Richmond. Led by [Commander John Rodgers](/source/John_Rodgers_(American_Civil_War_naval_officer)), the [USS ''Monitor''](/source/USS_Monitor), [USS ''Galena''](/source/USS_Galena_(1862)), Port Royal, [Aroostook](/source/USS_Aroostook_(1861)) and [Naugatuck](/source/USRC_Naugatuck){{cite web|title=American Civil War Naval Action May 15, 1862|url=http://www.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va012.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304075558/http://www.nps.gov/abpp/battles/va012.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2015|publisher=nps.gov|accessdate=18 November 2012}} engaged the defenses at Fort Darling at 7.45 am. The concussion from the 10-inch gun was so strong that eight miles away the windows in Richmond rattled with the firing of the Confederate's cannons; however, it broke its carriage with the first shot and was inactive for the rest of the battle. thumb|left|The five Union ships lined up against Fort Darling, Richmond's only defense For 3 hours and 20 minutes the battle ensued. The fire from Fort Darling high on the bluff and the battery on the riverside made it too dangerous for the three wooden ships to advance, the ironclad Monitor and Galena advanced on the defenders. After 18 hits pierced Galena's armor and caused fires to start, the attack was called off and Rodgers turned around. It became known as the [Battle of Drewry's Bluff](/source/Battle_of_Drewry's_Bluff). == Preparations == For two years Fort Darling saw no more action. In that time the naval Captain [Sydney Smith Lee](/source/Sydney_Smith_Lee) (General Robert E. Lee's brother) took command. Defenses were strengthened along with better accommodations, barracks, chapel, etc.{{Cite journal|last=Kay|first=William Kennon|title=Drewry's Bluff or Fort Darling?|journal=The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography|year=1969|volume=77|issue=2|pages=191–200|jstor=4247473}} In that time Fort Darling served as a training site for the [Confederate States Naval Academy](/source/Confederate_States_Naval_Academy), as well as the [Confederate Marine Corps](/source/Confederate_States_Marine_Corps) Camp of Instruction. Then on May 5, 1864, the Union returned, this time landing 30,000 troops at [Bermuda Hundred](/source/Bermuda_Hundred%2C_Virginia) only 15 miles south of Richmond, under the command of Major General [Benjamin F. Butler](/source/Benjamin_Butler_(politician)). Within a few days they had reached Fort Darling managing to take over some of the outer defenses, but indecisive generals failed to consolidate their hold. Soon 18,000 Confederate infantry under General P.G.T Beauregard arrived and routed the attackers on May 16. Fort Darling and Richmond had again seen the Union driven off.{{cite web|title=Proctor's Creek|url=http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va053.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518004129/http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va053.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 18, 2008|publisher=www.nps.gov|accessdate=18 November 2012}} == Evacuation == Following the [Battle of Namozine Church](/source/Battle_of_Namozine_Church) began the evacuation of [Petersburg](/source/Petersburg%2C_Virginia) and Richmond on April 2, 1865. The troops, marines and sailors of Fort Darling joined the movement westwards and eventually surrendered after the [Battle of Appomattox Court House](/source/Battle_of_Appomattox_Court_House) on April 9. On April 4, the obstacles in the James River were cleared and [Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln) passed the fort on his way to Richmond. == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == * [http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/gilmer/id/110 Plan of defenses at Drewry's Bluff] January 1863, Gilmer Maps Collection, University of North Carolina {{Authority control}} {{Coord|37|25|16|N|77|25|35|W|type:landmark_region:US-VA|display=title}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Darling, Fort}} Category:Chesterfield County, Virginia, in the American Civil War Category:Virginia in the American Civil War Category:Confederate States Marine Corps Category:American Civil War forts in Virginia Category:1862 establishments in Virginia --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Fort Darling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Darling) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Darling?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.