First Battle of Deep Bottom

Darbytown or Strawberry Plains

Henrico County, VA  |  Jul 27 - 29, 1864

Two weeks after Union forces arrived to invest the Confederate defenders of Petersburg, the battle lines of both sides settled into a stalemate. Since Cold Harbor, Lieut. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant was reluctant to mount a large frontal attack against well-entrenched Confederates. By late June, Grant's lines covered most of the eastern approaches to Petersburg, but neither side seemed ready to risk an offensive move. Determined to break the stalemate, Grant agreed to plans to blow up part of the Confederate defenses with an explosive-filled mine.  To draw down possible reinforcements in that area, an offensive was planned for July 27th near a stream east of the James River opposite Bermuda Hundred known to locals as Deep Bottom. For two days, the Union Second Corps under Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock, augmented by two brigades of cavalry under Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan, engaged in a series of sharp fights with Confederates under Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson as both sides jockeyed for position along New Market Road on the north bank of the river. Although Hancock’s forces performed well, they were unable to advance west from Deep Bottom and threaten Richmond.  Nevertheless, the battle successfully diverted Robert E. Lee’s men and attention in the days before the mine was blown on July 30th, resulting in the Battle of the Crater.

 

All battles of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign

Petersburg
City of Petersburg, VA  |  Jun 15 - 18, 1864
Result: Confederate Victory
Est. Casualties: 11,386
Union: 8,150
Confederate: 3,236
First Battle of Deep Bottom
Henrico County, VA  |  Jul 27 - 29, 1864
Result: Confederate Victory
Est. Casualties: 1,167
Union: 488
Confederate: 679
The Crater
Petersburg, VA  |  Jul 30, 1864
Result: Confederate Victory
Est. Casualties: 5,289
Union: 3,798
Confederate: 1,491
Second Deep Bottom
Henrico County, VA  |  Aug 13 - 20, 1864
Result: Confederate Victory
Est. Casualties: 4,399
Union: 2,899
Confederate: 1,500
Reams Station
Dinwiddie County, VA  |  Aug 25, 1864
Result: Confederate Victory
Est. Casualties: 3,561
Union: 2,747
Confederate: 814
New Market Heights
Henrico County, VA  |  Sep 29 - 30, 1864
Result: Union Victory
Est. Casualties: 5,900
Union: 4,150
Confederate: 1,750
Fort Harrison
Henrico, Virginia  |  Sep 29 - 30, 1864
Result: Union Victory
Union: 4,150
Confederate: 1,750
Peebles' Farm
Dinwiddie County, VA  |  Sep 30 - Oct 2, 1864
Result: Union Victory
Est. Casualties: 4,140
Union: 2,900
Confederate: 1,240
Hatcher's Run
Dinwiddie County, VA  |  Feb 5 - 7, 1865
Result: Inconclusive
Est. Casualties: 2,539
Union: 1,539
Confederate: 1,000
Fort Stedman
Petersburg, VA  |  Mar 25, 1865
Result: Union Victory
Est. Casualties: 3,850
Union: 950
Confederate: 2,900

Related Battles

Henrico County, VA | July 27, 1864
Result: Confederate Victory
Forces Engaged
28,200
Union
24,000
Confed.
4,200
Estimated Casualties
1,167
Union
488
Confed.
679

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