The savage fighting at Glendale (also known
as Frayser's Farm) marked the fifth day of
the 1862 Seven Days Campaign. As the Army of the Potomac withdrew toward
the James River, Confederates under General Robert E. Lee attempted
to cut off its escape route, split the retreating army in two and defeat
it in detail. Fighting was intense, with approximately 6,500 casualties,
including five generals wounded and one captured.
Although the Confederates were briefly able to break the Northern line, a gallant counterattack by two Federal divisions enabled the Union army to hold the crossroads and later retreat to nearby Malvern Hill, where it set up a strong position for the next day's battle.
Threat: The area surrounding Richmond, Va., is a patchwork of battlefields from dozens of engagements, many of which are only minimally preserved. The development pressures currently being felt at Glendale are typical of those in the city's rapidly growing suburbs and are steadily getting worse. Only 262 acres of the 7,800-acre Glendale battlefield are preserved, even after recent successes at the site.
The area around Glendale has numerous impending construction projects. Groundbreaking has begun on three developments in the area -- Glendale Estates, Glendale Woods and the Estates at Willis Church -- and three others are pending. The latest proposal is for a 56-acre, 29-home project on Darbytown Road that will stand within musket range of preserved battlefield land.
CWSAC classified Glendale as a Priority I, Class B battlefield.
