Richmond-Petersburg Campaign

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Fort Brady

Visiting Richmond National Battlefield Park
The concentration of Civil War resources found in the Richmond area is unparalleled. The National Park Service manages 13 sites, giving visitors an opportunity to examine the battlefield landscapes, to hear the stories of the combatants and civilian residents, and to understand the complex reasons why Richmond came to symbolize the heart and soul of the Confederacy.

Regulations
This is a partial list of park regulations. Site is open sunrise to sunset. Report suspicious activities to any park employee or call 804-795-5018. In emergencies call 911.
Alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
All natural and cultural resources are protected by law.
Relic hunting is prohibited. Possession of a metal detector in the park is illegal.
Hunting, trapping, feeding, or otherwise disturbing wildlife is prohibited.
Weapons are prohibited inside all park buildings.
Pets must be on a leash.
Recreation activities like kite-flying, ball-playing, and frisbee throwing are prohibited.
Motor vehicles and bicycles must remain on established roads.

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Richmond-Petersburg Campaign
October 1864 - April 1865

After the partially successful Union attacks against the Confederate lines at Fort Harrison and on Chaffin's Farm in September 1864, the two sides settled in for long-term operations. The winter of 1864-1865 witnessed a proliferation of entrenching. Soldiers in both blue and gray shoveled dirt endlessly. They built new forts to protect artillery, and mile after mile of parapets for infantry. When one army extended a line, the other army usually mirrored it.

The dynamic James river flowed through the middle of it all, adding a naval element to what had been a land-based campaign. Fort Brady, which stands intact today, became a valuable asset for Union generals. Its presence helped counter similar Confederate forts across the James. It also became the keystone in a series of riverside earthen fortifications whose presence instilled caution in the Confederate States Navy.

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Fort Brady

In October 1864, just days after Fort Harrison was captured by Union troops, Federal engineers designed a 2½-mile-long line of fortifications connecting Fort Harrison to Fort Brady here on the James River. Their plan called for strategically placed artillery redoubts connected by infantry trenches along the entire length.

For nearly a month the First New York Engineers, assisted by the 127th United States Colored Troops, labored to complete the work. In addition to building earthworks, they cut down trees for several hundred yards in front of the works and strengthened the defenses with sharpened tree limbs know as abatis. By November 1864, the menacing field and siege artillery moved into position, virtually ensuring a Federal presence on this side of the James River for the remainder of the war.

Show me all markers in:  Henrico, VA  |  Henrico County  |  23231  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Fort Brady Trail
Battle of Trent's Reach
Powder Magazine
Powder Magazine
Guns of Fort Brady
Guarding the James
Dutch Gap Canal
USCTs At Dutch Gap
The Tides
Dutch Gap

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