Richmond Threatened in 1864-Again
Heavy Fighting at Fussell's Mill

     Sometimes it is difficult to sort out the seemingly endless series of battles fought north of the James River in 1864.  In addition to First and Second Deep Bottom, the armies clashed at the first and second battles of Darbytown Road, and in the largely forgotten episode known as Second Fair Oaks.  To further complicate matters, most of these affairs had multiple names.  First Deep Bottom, for example, is frequently called Enroughty's Farm, Strawberry Plains or Gravel Hill Church.  This page is dedicated to elevating the Second Battle of Deep Bottom, also known as Fussell's Mill, Charles City Road, and White's Tavern, from among the mass of late-1864 battles near Richmond.

     By mid-August the armies had been locked in a tedious contest at Petersburg for two months.  An initial effort to shake things up in late-July failed at the Crater and First Deep Bottom.  Although that Union offensive ended unhappily for Ulysses Grant, he remained committed to the concept of simultaneous operations on both sides of the James River.  The best way to ensure success at Petersburg was to stay aggressive near Richmond.  A two-front war aided the more powerful Union army by stretching Confederate lines even tauter.  With that in mind, Grant arranged another two-headed effort.

     The respected and able Winfield S. Hancock led a force consisting of his own Second Corps and most of the Tenth Corps from the Army of the James, across the river on August 14.  Hancock's command looked impressive on paper, but events showed that even numerical superiority and experienced leadership were not enough to ensure victory. 

     After crossing the famous river on August 14, the lead units of the Tenth Corps fell upon Confederate defenders from General Charles Field's division.  In a peculiar episode along the River Road (modern Route 5), New York troops captured several large seacoast howitzers employed by the ordnance-poor Confederate army.  This promising start raised Union hopes.  But brutal, soggy, August heat made aggressive marching difficult.  One experienced New York regiment suffered greatly:  "Many officers as well as non-commissioned officers and privates, succumbed to the heat, and were led or carried to the rear.  Some were taken with spasms, and sometimes whole groups fell together…."  Meanwhile General Field wisely arranged his line into a compact formation, which forced Hancock to attempt an end-around to the north and entailed still more marching.  Sapped of his usual brisk decisiveness, General Hancock failed to achieve anything on August 15.  Confederate reinforcements hustled northward from Petersburg to protect Richmond, as General Grant had hoped they would. 

     The heaviest fighting of the campaign-and some of the stiffest action north of the James at any point during the last ten months of the war-occurred on August 16.  With a mixed Confederate force from several different divisions blocking his way, Hancock finally struck the northern end of the Confederate infantry line near the Darbytown Road.  A bold frontal assault by the men of Alfred H. Terry's division shattered the Southerners' line.  Newly promoted general Victor J. B. Girardey, commanding a Georgia brigade, fell dead while attempting to rally his whipped troops. 

   Parts of several Confederate brigades responded to the crisis, drawn to the fracture in their line from all parts of the field.  The fresh regiments restored the line after a tough fight.  Hancock, Terry, and the many brigade commanders involved on the Federal side of things could blame the unhappy conclusion on their own failure to exploit the breakthrough, or on their inability to at least occupy the attention of the adjacent Confederate infantry and prevent it from responding to the breakthrough.  Field's men (buoyed by the presence of R. E. Lee on the 16th) felt as if they had saved Richmond, although the true extent of the Federal threat is debatable.

     While the infantry struggled, the one Union cavalry division that accompanied Hancock north of the James fought a separate battle to the north, on the Charles City Road.  The blue-clad horsemen were supposed to ride north of Richmond and wreck a railroad, though they never came close to achieving that.  Another Confederate general-in this case John Chambliss from Virginia-was slain in this action.

     Four days of inactivity finished the Second Deep Bottom Campaign.  When Hancock returned south of the James on August 20, he counted 2900 casualties in his command, one-quarter of them prisoners of war.  Confederate losses may have approached 1500.  Excessive heat, lassitude at headquarters, and the strength of an entrenched defender combined to produce another failed Union operation north of the James.  But casualty figures are not the only method by which to gauge the result of a campaign.  Although Hancock had not succeeded tactically or operationally, his week north of the James had indeed drawn a substantial body of Confederates away from Petersburg.  Ulysses Grant seized that opportunity to assault the Weldon Railroad below Petersburg.  The battles there on August 18, 19, and 21, led to the destruction of that significant Confederate rail line.

An Unwelcome Letter

The following letter pertains directly to the fight at Fussell's Mill, yet it is only one example of thousands of such letters written from all over Virginia during the war.  The author served in the 9th Maine Infantry.  His rough and hasty penmanship has been partially cleaned up for easier reading, though many misspellings are retained.

Bermuda Hundreds, Va.
August 24, 1864

Mrs. Barrows:
     Tis with a sad heart that I write you this morning.  Oh that I could write something to cheer your sad heart but such cannot be the case.  Our Noble Commander was never in better spirits in the morning just before the battle he even expressed a desire to go in a battle he said he thought we could gain a good name if we were engaged.  At last the order came for us to advance which we did in splended manner.  Our gallant commander taking lead of our little company.  We came nearer the enemy.  They open a deadly fire on our thin ranks but still we press forward determined to drive the foe.  At last the order comes for us to charge.  Cheer after cheer went up.  Then the charge was made.  Our Captin was in advance of the Regiment some five yards.  Shouting and swinging his hat he looked noble.  Most all of the Officers were shot and the command fell to Him.  He like a hero fought us till we were surounded and were obliged to retreat which we don in good order.  We went off the field singing the good old song Rally round the Flag.  The mesengers of death were thining our ranks fast and it pains me to say Our Beloved Captin fell not very far from the rebels works.  The face of every man was sad the boys loved him as a father tears droped from those hardy cheeks.  He was the pride of the regiment.  The Brigade thought very highly of him.  But alas he has gon he fills a Soldiers grave.  He fell and died like a Hero.  Oh the Company mourn his loss.  He was our Father.  He could not do enough for his boys.  Twas his study to know how he could please the boys and make them happy.  Rest assured that [the] Company mourn with you they feel your loss and it grieves us very much.  Oh when is this war going to come to a close.  God speed the day.  The town of Sumner have great cause to weep.  Her best sons are falling and bleeding every day for their Country and flag.  Captin was the Hero of Sumner.  He willingly gave up his life for his Country.  He possessed all the good qualities that man could have.  He was kind gentle honest and true to his Flag.  We was in hopes we could recover his Body but I believe the rebels buried him.  They discribed his body to some of the boys.  If I had seen him fall I would have gone and got his body but I was carrying the Colors and did not miss him till twas too late.  Oh tis sad times.  Oh the company all mourn his loss and wish to let you know that they are mourners with you and his friends.  I cannot but help thinking of those happy days we spent at home.  Little did I think so many of my comrads would fill a soldiers grave so soon.  I have been hit twice....Please accept the kind wishes of the Company.  I am your friend....