Near Chester in Chesterfield County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Battle of Trent’s Reach
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, February 9, 2009
1. The Battle of Trent’s Reach Marker
Inscription.
The Battle of Trent’s Reach. . On Jan. 23, 1865, the ironclads Virginia II, Richmond, and Fredericksburg, with five smaller vessels, descended the James River in an effort to attack the Union supply depot at City Point. A reliable report indicated that recent floods had washed away the Union obstructions at Trent’s Reach. Also, most of the Union vessels that had steamed up the river in May 1864 had been pulled to North Carolina to participate in the attack against Fort Fisher near Wilmington. With the obstructions washed out, only the monitor U.S.S. Onondaga and a handful of wooden vessels protected City Point. The Confederate ships were able to slip past Union guns upriver at Fort Brady. Firing from that fort, however, alerted Union batteries downriver to the movement. By 10:30 P.M. the Confederate flotilla had reached the obstructions at Trent’s Reach. The Fredericksburg and gunboat Hampton managed to pass through the southern side of the barrier. The Virginia II, however, ran aground in the treacherous channel. During the night the torpedo boat Scorpion and the armed tender Drewry also ran aground. The Fredericksburg and Hampton were recalled upriver to protect the other ships. As the sun rose, Union cannon in Battery Parsons opened fire on the Drewry. The third shot caused the Drewry to explode with such force that it was heard by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at City Point, 18 miles downriver. The shock from the blast dislodged the Scorpion and sent her drifting downstream into Union hands. The Union shore batteries then began to pound the Richmond and Virginia II. By 10:45 A.M., the Virginia II floated free as the double-turreted U.S.S. Onondaga came upriver. From a half mile the ship’s 15-inch guns broke through the four inch armor of the Virginia II before the ironclad could get out of range. The Confederates sought shelter in a bend of the river just opposite Battery Dantzler. The next day, they retired upriver to Chaffin’s Bluff. The threat to Grant’s supply base was over., This sign was sponsored by The Chester Station Camp Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia.
On Jan. 23, 1865, the ironclads Virginia II, Richmond, and Fredericksburg, with five smaller vessels, descended the James River in an effort to attack the Union supply depot at City Point. A reliable report indicated that recent floods had washed away the Union obstructions at Trent’s Reach. Also, most of the Union vessels that had steamed up the river in May 1864 had been pulled to North Carolina to participate in the attack against Fort Fisher near Wilmington. With the obstructions washed out, only the monitor U.S.S. Onondaga and a handful of wooden vessels protected City Point. The Confederate ships were able to slip past Union guns upriver at Fort Brady. Firing from that fort, however, alerted Union batteries downriver to the movement. By 10:30 P.M. the Confederate flotilla had reached the obstructions at Trent’s Reach. The Fredericksburg and gunboat Hampton managed to pass through the southern side of the barrier. The Virginia II, however, ran aground in the treacherous channel. During the night the torpedo boat Scorpion and the armed tender Drewry also ran aground. The Fredericksburg and Hampton were recalled upriver to protect the other ships. As the sun rose, Union cannon in Battery Parsons opened fire on the Drewry. The third shot caused the Drewry
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to explode with such force that it was heard by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at City Point, 18 miles downriver. The shock from the blast dislodged the Scorpion and sent her drifting downstream into Union hands. The Union shore batteries then began to pound the Richmond and Virginia II. By 10:45 A.M., the Virginia II floated free as the double-turreted U.S.S. Onondaga came upriver. From a half mile the ship’s 15-inch guns broke through the four inch armor of the Virginia II before the ironclad could get out of range. The Confederates sought shelter in a bend of the river just opposite Battery Dantzler. The next day, they retired upriver to Chaffin’s Bluff. The threat to Grant’s supply base was over.
This sign was sponsored by The Chester Station Camp Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia.
Erected by Sons of Confederate Veterans and Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia.
Location. 37° 21.558′ N, 77° 23.496′ W. Marker is near Chester, Virginia, in Chesterfield County
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, February 9, 2009
2. Map of the Battle of Trent’s Reach
. Marker can be reached from Battery Dantzler Road, 0.2 miles east of Old Satge Road. The marker is located near the bluff overlooking Trent's reach 500 feet north of the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chester VA 23836, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. On the upper right is a map detailing the “Battle of Trent’s Reach, January 23-25, 1865.” Map by Mark Moore courtesy of Savas Beatie LLC.
In the center is “An engraving of the Battle of Trent’s Reach published in Harper’s Weekly February 11, 1865.”
On the lower right is a photo of “USS Onondaga” and a photo of an “1865 view of Trent’s Reach.”
James River, Va. Confederate gun emplacement at Howlett House, Trent's Reach. Library of Congress [LC-B8171-0019]
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, February 9, 2009
7. Remains of earthworks marker
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, February 9, 2009
8. Remains of earthworks
1865
9. Battery Dantzler earthworks
Dutch Gap Canal, James River, Virginia. Confederate fortifications. Library of Congress [LC-B811- 14]
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, February 9, 2009
10. Trent’s Reach Union Gun Positions marker
Photographed By Bernard Fisher, February 9, 2009
11. View of Trent’s Reach on the James River
Apr 1865
12. View of Trent’s Reach from Battery Dantzler
Dutch Gap Canal, James River, Virginia (vicinity). View of river from Confederate battery. Library of Congress [LC-B815- 22]
Credits. This page was last revised on January 11, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 4,924 times since then and 201 times this year. Last updated on January 9, 2021, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 6. submitted on April 14, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 7, 8. submitted on February 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 9. submitted on April 14, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 10, 11. submitted on February 12, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 12. submitted on March 16, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.
