Name: The Second Battle of Deep Bottom
Other Names: New Market Road, Fussell’s Mill, Bailey’s Creek, Charles City Road, and White’s Tavern
Location: Henrico County
Campaign: Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-March 1865)
Date(s): August 13-20, 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock [US]; Gen. Robert E. Lee and Maj. Gen. Charles Field [CS]
Forces Engaged: Corps
Estimated Casualties: 4,600 total
Description:During the night of August 13-14, the Union II Corps, X Corps, and Gregg’s cavalry division, all under command of Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, crossed James River at Deep Bottom to threaten Richmond, coordinating with a movement against the Weldon Railroad at Petersburg. On August 14, the X Corps closed on New Market Heights while the II Corps extended the Federal line to the right along Bailey’s Creek. During the night, the X Corps was moved to the far right flank of the Union line near Fussell’s Mill. On August 16, Union assaults near Fussell’s Mill were initially successful, but Confederate counterattacks drove the Federals out of a line of captured works. Heavy fighting continued throughout the remainder of the day. Confederate general John Chambliss was killed during cavalry fighting on Charles City Road. After continual skirmishing, the Federals returned to the southside of the James on the 20th, maintaining their bridgehead at Deep Bottom.
Result(s): Confederate victory1
Full Summary2: On June 21st, Grant ordered Foster’s Brigade of Butler’s Army of the James to cross the James from Bermuda Hundred — and establish a bridgehead at Deep Bottom. Deep Bottom is a piece of land next to James River and is about ten or eleven miles from Richmond and posed a major threat to Richmond since the bridgehead could be reinforced at any time and the Federals could mount expeditions from it to capture Richmond. The Confederates on hand were commanded by Gen. Custis Lee. They did not even attempt to drive the Federals back across the river.
In late July 1864 Grant sent the X Corps and Sheridan’s cavalry to threaten Richmond. He hoped to force Lee to recall troops from Early’s army in the Shenandoah Valley. The result was the First Deep Bottom Campaign of July 27-29, 1864. Although they won two minor battles, the Federals failed to capture Richmond. However, they did succeed in forcing to Lee to strip his Petersburg defenses of most of his infantry, and this deception allowed Burnside to attack on July 30th with only three Confederate divisions opposing him.
Grant launched the Second Deep Bottom Campaign because he mistakenly thought that Lee had sent several divisions of infantry to reinforce Early in the Shenandoah Valley. Grant sent the II Corps, part of the X Corps and Gregg’s cavalry division to threaten Richmond and force Lee to recall the infantry divisions from Early.
Early on the morning of August 14th, the X Corps crossed the pontoon at Deep Bottom and attacked the skirmishers from Field’s division who composed the Confederate left flank. These skirmishers were deployed along the Kingsland Road, half a mile south of the main Confederate entrenchments on New Market Heights. The X Corps drove in the skirmishers and the Confederates fell back to New Market Heights.
Portions of Anderson’s Georgia Brigade occupied the Confederate left and defended some seacost howitzers the Confederates had assembled to shell Deep Bottom. The Georgians were driven back and the howitzers were captured.
Shortly after this action ended, Hancock’s II Corps landed from ocean going steamers at Tilgman’s Wharf and two divisions threatened the Confederate left flank. A cavalry brigade succeeded in repulsing two Union attacks and gave the Confederates time to shift Field’s infantry to the left. Two of Anderson’s regiments helped repulse the final Union attack of August 14th below Fussell’s Mill on the Darbytown Road.
On August 15th, Hancock shifted the X Corps from the Union left to the Union right and on the 16th, the X Corps attacked the Confederate line above Fussell’s Mill. The Confederates gave way and the X Corps occupied their trenches, but the Federals attempts to penetrate into the Confederate rear were halted, partly due to the efforts of two of Anderson’s regiments. Anderson’s brigade helped recapture the lost Confederate works.
This was the end of the Second Battle of Deep Bottom, although further skirmishing continued until Hancock’s Federals withdrew on August 20th. Again Lee shifted most of his army north of James River to protect Richmond — and the weakened Confederates at Petersburg were unable to prevent Warren’s V Corps from occupying the Weldon Railroad.
Bibliography:
First Person Accounts:
Siege of Petersburg Documents Which Mention This Battle:
- 864hab: Union Forces Battle of Deep Bottom 13-20 August 1864
- August 23, 1864 Detroit Free Press: From the Seventh Infantry
- Confederate Army Strength at Second Deep Bottom by Bryce Suderow
- Octave Bruso Diary: Week of August 7, 1864
- Review: The 13th South Carolina Volunteer Infantry C.S.A. by Mike Wadsworth
- September 10, 1864 Anglo-African: From the 29th Connecticut Regiment
- September 2, 1864 Richmond Examiner: Battle of Fussell's Mill
- The Petersburg Campaign: The Destruction of The Weldon Railroad: Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, and Reams Station: August 14-25, 1864 by John Horn
- The Second Battle of Deep Bottom CWPT Map
- The Second Battle of Deep Bottom Wikipedia Map: August 14-20, 1864
- The Second Battle of Deep Bottom: August 14-20, 1864
Source:
- CWSAC Battle Summary ↩
- Summary for the Second Battle of Deep Bottom used with permission by Bryce Suderow ↩