An eminence below Chapin's Bluff, constituting a part of the defences of
Richmond in the
Civil War. On the night of Sept. 28, 1864.
Generals Ord and
Birney, with a considerable force of National troops, crossed the
James River on muffled pontoon bridges to attack the
Confederate works below Chapin's Bluff, the heaviest of which was
Fort Harrison.
Ord stormed and carried the fort before reinforcements could reach its thinned garrison.
With the fort were captured a long line of intrenchments, with twenty-two pieces of heavy ordnance and about 300 men. In the assault
General Burnham was killed and
Ord severely wounded.
The
Nationals lost about 700 men killed and wounded.
The strong work was renamed
Fort Burnham, in honor of the slain general.
Then
Fort Gilmer, a little farther on, was assailed by the Nationals, with a loss of 300 men. Meanwhile
Birney, with 3,000 colored troops in advance, attacked the
Confederate works at
Spring Hill, on New Market Heights.
These were commanded by
Gen. Charles Paine.
The
Spring Hill redoubt was very strong.
On its front was a marsh, and it was further defended by an
abatis. The eager troops swept across the marsh, scaled the heights, Sept. 29, carried the works at the point of the bayonet and secured the key-point to the
Confederate defenses in that quarter.
Before the storming party reached the works 200 of them fell dead, and not less than 1,000 were killed, wounded or captured.
The Confederates attempted to retake
Fort Harrison, Oct. 1, 1864.
The troops were under the immediate direction of
General Lee.
They were driven back, with a loss of seven battle-flags and almost the annihilation of
Clingman's North Carolina brigade.
Meanwhile
General Kautz had pushed up and entered the
Confederate outer line,
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281]
within 3 or 4 miles of
Richmond, when he was attacked and driven back, with a loss of nine guns and 400 of his men made prisoners.
The Confederates were in turn assailed by the 10th National Army Corps, and, after a severe battle, were driven back, with a loss of 700 men and three brigade commanders.
