Battle of Darbytown Road

After a massive two-pronged Union attack on September 29, 1864, captured New Market Heights and part of Richmond’s outer defenses, including Fort Harrison, Confederate commander Robert E. Lee ordered efforts to retake the lost line. A counterattack the next day failed, but on October 7 Lee launched a second attempt with cavalry and two divisions of infantry in his last major offensive north of the James River. The attack opened successfully when Gen. Charles Field’s infantry division, supported by cavalry, overwhelmed Federal cavalry under Gen. August Kautz along Darbytown Road. Field then turned south against Gen. Alfred Terry’s Federal division on New Market Road, but Gen. Robert Hoke’s supporting force remained inactive. Without that support, Field’s three brigades advanced alone against Federal troops protected by earthworks and armed with Spencer repeating rifles, while Federal artillery added devastating fire. In the short, bitter struggle nearly 1,000 men fell, and by noon the firing ended as the Confederate survivors withdrew.

Virginia · United States