Near Charles City in Charles City County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Fort Pocahontas

By Dexter Akinsheye, May 20, 2007

1. Fort Pocahontas Marker

Inscription. South of here, on a bluff overlooking the James River, stands the half-mile-long Fort Pocahontas, built in the spring of 1869 by Union soldiers during the Civil War. The fort protected Union vessels on the river and guarded the landing at Wilson’s Wharf. Commanded by Brig. Gen. Edward A. Wild and manned by the 1st and 10th Regiments of U.S. Colored Troops and two guns of Battery M, 3d N.Y. Light Artillery, the 1,500-man garrison beat back assaults by 2,500 cavalrymen under Confederate Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee on 24 May 1864. It was the only Civil War battle in Virginia in which nearly all the Union troops were black.

Erected 1997 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number V-34.)

Location. 37° 19.562′ N, 76° 59.716′ W. Marker is near Charles City, Virginia, in Charles City County. Marker is on John Tyler Memorial Highway (Virginia Route 5) east of County Route 614, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Charles City VA 23030, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Sherwood Forest (a few steps from this marker); Sturgeon Point & Kennons (a few steps from this marker); Kennon's Landing

By Dexter Akinsheye, May 20, 2007

2. Fort Pocahontas Marker

Pictured at the Fort Pocahontas Marker, are the Marie H. Reed's Civil War Cadets from Washington, D.C.

(a few steps from this marker); President Tyler's Home (approx. 1.6 miles away); Sandy Point & Cherry Hall (approx. 2 miles away); Binns Hall (approx. 3 miles away); Wryanoke & Parrish Hill (approx. 3.2 miles away); North Bend (approx. 3.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Charles City.

Also see . . .
1. Fort Pocahontas. ..is privately owned and maintained by President Tyler’s grandson and his family, who still reside just two miles west at Sherwood Forest Plantation, President Tyler’s home from 1842 to 1861. (Submitted on September 22, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

2. National Registry of Historic Places Registration Form for Fort Pocahontas. (Submitted on September 22, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)

Additional keywords. USCT, 1st USCT Regiment of Washington, D.C.

Categories. • African Americans • War, US Civil •

At Fort Pocahontas image. Click for full size.

By Dexter Akinsheye

3. At Fort Pocahontas

This re-enactment scene depicts the battle at Fort Pocahontas on May 24, 1864, by USCT Civil War re-enactors.

Fort Pocahontas image. Click for full size.

National Register of Historic Places

4. Fort Pocahontas

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 19, 2007, by Dexter Akinsheye of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,496 times since then and 53 times this year. Last updated on July 25, 2008, by Kathy Walker of Stafford, Virginia. Photos: 1. submitted on September 19, 2007, by Dexter Akinsheye of Silver Spring, Maryland. 2, 3. submitted on September 20, 2007, by Dexter Akinsheye of Silver Spring, Maryland. 4. submitted on December 9, 2009, by Bernard Fisher of Mechanicsville, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.