Plum Point near Barhamsville in New Kent County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Battle of Eltham's Landing

Close Call for John Bell Hood

— 1862 Peninsula Campaign —

Battle of Eltham's Landing Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2021

1. Battle of Eltham's Landing Marker

Inscription.

Battle of Eltham's Landing. Close Call for John Bell Hood. , In April 1862, Union forces under Gen. George B. McClellan began a major campaign to capture Richmond, marching west from Fort Monroe up the Peninsula between the York and James rivers toward the Confederate capital. A Confederate army half their size opposed them. Slowly but inevitably, the Federal juggernaut overcame three Southern defensive lines and was soon camped in Richmond's eastern suburbs. New commander Robert E. Lee, however, led a Confederate offensive that drove the Union army away during the Seven Days' Battles at the end of June., By May 4, 1862, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's army was retreating west toward Richmond from Yorktown as Union Gen. George B. McClellan's army followed. McClellan, to accelerate the Federal advance on the Confederate capital and to interrupt Johnston, shipped half his force up the York River to West Point, the terminus of the Richmond and York Railroad at the junction of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers. A mile to the northeast at Brick House Point on the York River, Gen. William B. Franklin's division began disembarking on May 6, as Confederate cavalry scouts watched from the hills in front of you., The next morning, Confederate Gen. Gustavus W. Smith sent Gen. W.H.C. Whiting's division forward, with Gen. John Bell Hood's Texas brigade in the lead and Col. Wade Hampton's Legion on Hood's right, to block Franklin's division as it moved south toward Barhamsville. As Hood rode north at the head of his column, he crested a steep hill to the west of here and suddenly encountered a detachment of skirmishers from Co. F, 16th New York Infantry, approaching from the other side. Federals opened fire, and Cpl. George Love drew a bead on Hood. Texan John Deal, however, fired first, sending a bullet whizzing past Hood, killing Love instantly and probably saving Hood's life. The New Yorkers quickly retreated to the main Union Line., Whiting disengaged about 2 P.M. and rejoined Johnston to continue the retreat to Richmond. Smith later gave Hood's brigade "the largest share of the honors of the day at Eltham.", New Kent County is working with its citizens to preserve and to interpret other parts of the Eltham's Landing Battlefield. Please visit www.co.new-kent.va.us for updated information.

In April 1862, Union forces under Gen. George B. McClellan began a major campaign to capture Richmond, marching west from Fort Monroe up the Peninsula between the York and James rivers toward the Confederate capital. A Confederate army half their size opposed them. Slowly but inevitably, the Federal juggernaut overcame three Southern defensive lines and was soon camped in Richmond's eastern suburbs. New commander Robert E. Lee, however, led a Confederate offensive that drove the Union army away during the Seven Days' Battles at the end of June.

By May 4, 1862, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's army was retreating west toward Richmond from Yorktown as Union Gen. George B. McClellan's army followed. McClellan, to accelerate the Federal advance on the Confederate capital and to interrupt Johnston, shipped half his force up the York River to West Point, the terminus of the Richmond and York Railroad at the junction of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Rivers. A mile to the northeast at Brick House Point on the York River, Gen. William B. Franklin's division began disembarking on May 6, as Confederate cavalry scouts watched

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from the hills in front of you.

The next morning, Confederate Gen. Gustavus W. Smith sent Gen. W.H.C. Whiting's division forward, with Gen. John Bell Hood's Texas brigade in the lead and Col. Wade Hampton's Legion on Hood's right, to block Franklin's division as it moved south toward Barhamsville. As Hood rode north at the head of his column, he crested a steep hill to the west of here and suddenly encountered a detachment of skirmishers from Co. F, 16th New York Infantry, approaching from the other side. Federals opened fire, and Cpl. George Love drew a bead on Hood. Texan John Deal, however, fired first, sending a bullet whizzing past Hood, killing Love instantly and probably saving Hood's life. The New Yorkers quickly retreated to the main Union Line.

Whiting disengaged about 2 P.M. and rejoined Johnston to continue the retreat to Richmond. Smith later gave Hood's brigade "the largest share of the honors of the day at Eltham."

New Kent County is working with its citizens to preserve and to interpret other parts of the Eltham's Landing Battlefield. Please visit www.co.new-kent.va.us for updated information.

Erected by Virginia

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2021

2. Battle of Eltham's Landing Marker

Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1862.

Location. 37° 30.158′ N, 76° 49.323′ W. Marker is near Barhamsville, Virginia, in New Kent County. It is in Plum Point. It is on Farmers Drive (Virginia Route 273) 0.7 miles south of Plum Point Road ( Route 636), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5940 Farmers Dr, Barhamsville VA 23011, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula

and in Coastal Virginia.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Battle of Eltham’s Landing (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Brick House (approx. 1.3 miles away); New Kent County (approx. 1.3 miles away); Eltham (approx. 1.3 miles away); Peninsula Campaign (approx. 1.3 miles away); Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller (approx. 2.3 miles away); The Terminal Hotel (approx. 2.3 miles away); Lt. General Lewis "Chesty" Puller (USMC) (approx. 2.3 miles away).

Another marker is no longer nearby. Peninsular Campaign (was approx. 1.3 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 2, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,188 times since then and 79 times this year. Last updated on October 8, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 2, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.