- Joined
- Jun 21, 2012
- Location
- Louisville, KY
Fort Harrison is located on the south side of Richmond, Virginia near the James River. This fort was a large earthern fortification built as part of the defenses of Richmond. Construction first began on this large fort in 1862 and was completed in 1863. The orginal earthworks ranged from 15-25 feet high and 15-20 feet wide protected by a dry ditch. The fort was named after Lt. William Harrison of the Confederate Army.
The fort was orginally garrisoned by large numbers of Confederate troops tasked with defending the capitol of Richmond however by 1864 because of the redeployment of troops during the ongoing Siege of Petersburg Fort Harrison's garrison had fallen to around only 200 troops.
The Union Army recognizing the weaknesses in the Confederate line launched an attack on September 29, 1864 in what would later become known as the Battle of Chaffin's Farm. During the attack the small Confederate garrison under Major Richard Taylor was quickly overrun and Union troops took command of the fort. The following day Confederate forces launched a counterattack however it proved unsuccessful.
Union forces quickly began constructing more fortifications at Fort Harrison this time facing the Confederate capitol of Richmond. Northern forces also renamed the fortification Fort Burnham after Brig. General Hiram Burnham who was killed on the September 29th assault on the fort. Following the actions of September 30th the Confederate troops recognized that another assualt would be futile established new lines which brought that portion of the line around Richmond to a stalemate. Fort Burnham would remain in Union hands for the remainder of the war.
In 1865 following the war troops abandoned the fort which over time remained, for the most part, untouched. Today the fort, once again named Fort Harrison, serves as part of the Richmond National Battlefield Park and is under the charge of the National Park Service. Visitors can tour Fort Harrison's earthworks and view various pieces of artillery along with the ruins of various magazines and "bombproofs" built for the protection of troops under bombardment. There is also a visitor center on site that is open during the summer months. (Picture Below)
http://www.nps.gov/rich/historyculture/fort-harrison.htm
http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Harrison_(4)
Also be sure to check out all other "forgotten forts" in the Forgotten Forts Series Index (Link Below)
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-index.80901/
The fort was orginally garrisoned by large numbers of Confederate troops tasked with defending the capitol of Richmond however by 1864 because of the redeployment of troops during the ongoing Siege of Petersburg Fort Harrison's garrison had fallen to around only 200 troops.
The Union Army recognizing the weaknesses in the Confederate line launched an attack on September 29, 1864 in what would later become known as the Battle of Chaffin's Farm. During the attack the small Confederate garrison under Major Richard Taylor was quickly overrun and Union troops took command of the fort. The following day Confederate forces launched a counterattack however it proved unsuccessful.
Union forces quickly began constructing more fortifications at Fort Harrison this time facing the Confederate capitol of Richmond. Northern forces also renamed the fortification Fort Burnham after Brig. General Hiram Burnham who was killed on the September 29th assault on the fort. Following the actions of September 30th the Confederate troops recognized that another assualt would be futile established new lines which brought that portion of the line around Richmond to a stalemate. Fort Burnham would remain in Union hands for the remainder of the war.
In 1865 following the war troops abandoned the fort which over time remained, for the most part, untouched. Today the fort, once again named Fort Harrison, serves as part of the Richmond National Battlefield Park and is under the charge of the National Park Service. Visitors can tour Fort Harrison's earthworks and view various pieces of artillery along with the ruins of various magazines and "bombproofs" built for the protection of troops under bombardment. There is also a visitor center on site that is open during the summer months. (Picture Below)
http://www.nps.gov/rich/historyculture/fort-harrison.htm
http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Harrison_(4)
Also be sure to check out all other "forgotten forts" in the Forgotten Forts Series Index (Link Below)
http://www.civilwartalk.com/threads/forgotten-forts-series-index.80901/