Battles In the Vicinity of Lyman Stuart's Capture
May 6, 1864 - May 20, 1864
Harper's Weekly JULY 23, 1864
Chester Station
LOCATION: Virginia
CAMPAIGN:Bermuda Hundred
DATE:1864-05-10
Battle of Proctor’s Creek
(Site of Lyman Stuart’s Capture)
LOCATION: Virginia
CAMPAIGN: Bermuda Hundred
DATE: 1864-05-06
Ware Bottom Church
LOCATION: Virginia
CAMPAIGN: Bermuda Hundred
DATE: 1864-05-09
In conjunction with the opening of Grant's Overland Campaign, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's Army of the James, 33,000 strong, disembarked from transports at Bermuda Hundred on May 5, threatening the Richmond-Petersburg Railroad. On May 6, Hagood's brigade stopped initial Federal probes at Port Walthall Junction. On May 7, a Union division drove Hagood's and Johnson's brigades from the depot and cut the railroad at Port Walthall Junction. Confederate defenders retired behind Swift Run Creek and awaited reinforcements.
art print by Mark Maritato
On May 9, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler made a thrust toward Petersburg and was met by Bushrod Johnson’s Division at Swift Creek. A premature Confederate attack at Arrowfield Church was driven back with heavy losses, but Union forces did not follow up. After skirmishing, Butler seemed content to tear up the railroad tracks and did not press the defenders. In conjunction with the advance to Swift Creek, five Federal gunboats steamed up the Appomattox River to bombard Fort Clinton, while Hincks’ U.S. Colored Troops infantry division struggled through marshy ground from the land side. The gunboats were quickly driven off, and the infantry attack was abandoned.
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On May 10, elements of Maj. Gen. Robert Ransom’s division conducted a reconnaissance-in-force against a portion of Butler’s army that was destroying the railroad at Chester Station. The Confederates attached near the Winfree House, and the Federals retired to their Bermuda Hundred lines.
Port Walthall Junction
LOCATION: Virginia
CAMPAIGN: Bermuda Hundred
DATE: 1864-05-06
In conjunction with the opening of Grant's Overland Campaign, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's Army of the James, 33,000 strong, disembarked from transports at Bermuda Hundred on May 5, threatening the Richmond-Petersburg Railroad. On May 6, Hagood's brigade stopped initial Federal probes at Port Walthall Junction. On May 7, a Union division drove Hagood's and Johnson's brigades from the depot and cut the railroad at Port Walthall Junction. Confederate defenders retired behind Swift Run Creek and awaited reinforcements.
Swift Creek
LOCATION: Virginia
CAMPAIGN: Bermuda Hundred
DATE: 1864-05-06
On May 9, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler made a thrust toward Petersburg and was met by Bushrod Johnson’s Division at Swift Creek. A premature Confederate attack at Arrowfield Church was driven back with heavy losses, but Union forces did not follow up. After skirmishing, Butler seemed content to tear up the railroad tracks and did not press the defenders. In conjunction with the advance to Swift Creek, five Federal gunboats steamed up the Appomattox River to bombard Fort Clinton, while Hincks’ U.S. Colored Troops infantry division struggled through marshy ground from the land side. The gunboats were quickly driven off, and the infantry attack was abandoned.