Construction of the Howlett Line

The earthworks here were constructed after the Battle of Ware Bottom Church. Before that, this area was the advanced picket line for the Army of the James and likely consisted of a series of rifle pits dug by Federal soldiers. After capturing this advanced line, the Confederates likely connected the pits with a shallow rifle trench facing east. As battle lines stabilized, they deepened and widened the existing ditch and dug a parallel outer line, throwing dirt onto the center to create a large mound. The resulting earthwork was about 30 feet wide, with a moat in front and a rifle trench on the back. Named for a home at the north end of the line on the James River, the Howlett Line stretched for over 3 miles from the James River to the Appomattox River. These fortifications were the “cork in the bottle” that prevented Butler from moving toward Richmond. The works were built with a slope that allowed Confederate defenders to sweep the ground in front of them with rifle fire, while head logs or sand bags provided cover and a narrow opening for aiming and firing. Federal soldiers approaching the trench would have faced a seven-foot-deep moat and then a twenty-five-foot-wide parapet. If forced from these works, the defenders could fall back to reserve lines in the rear. This construction maximized effectiveness while minimizing the labor needed to create it.

Virginia · United States