The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label Fort Huger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fort Huger. Show all posts
Monday, May 21, 2018
Mulberry Island Point Battery and Land's End Battery
These are by Fort Crafford, Virginia.
The Confederate Engineer Bureau was asked in 1862 to compile a list of fortifications in the Confederacy. Part of their March 12, 1862, report to Secretary of War Judah Benjamin said that the Mulberry island Point Battery had five 42-pdr. guns mounted en barbette and two 8-inch Columbiads enroute to the site. Fifteen casemates building rapidly and a large covering work nearby (Fort Crafford) nearly completed.
There is also a map of Fort Huger & Mulberry Point Battery with soundings. This was made by Confederate Engineers. This is available at Amazon for $15.
I have been unable to find out anything about the Land's End Battery, the 2-gun battery that North American Forts mentions might have been built.
--Old Secesh
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Fort Crafford, Va.-- Part 4: Never Saw Action
The Mulberry Point Battery, on the north side of the island, was a water battery erected to guard the Swash Channel on the James River. It was a complement to Fort Huger on the south side of the river.
In 1862 and enclosed earthwork covering approximately eight acres was constructed near the battery to protect it from land attack and to be a refuge in case the Minor Farm Line was overrun.
This new fort was eventually called Fort Crafford (sometimes confused with the name Crawford) after the name of the family that owned the land. The house itself was inside the fort.Since this new fort was about a half mile from the Warwick Line, it was not considered a part of it
Confederates withdrew from the fort in May 1862 with the approach of McClellan's troops. The fort never saw action.
The foundation of the Crafford House was investigated in the 1970s. The brick and mortar foundation is now surrounded with a fence. Other archaeological investigations have found three sites within the fort with artifacts dating to the 1600s.
--Old Secesh
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Confederate Fort Huger-- Part 2
On May 8, 1862, in conjunction with McClellan's Peninsular Campaign, Commander John Rodgers led a naval squadron up the James River and shelled Fort Boykin. The ironclad Galena and gunboats Aroostock and Port Royal steamed to Fort Huger and began shelling it. The Galena steamed pass the fort seven times and was never damaged.
On May 12th, the USS Monitor and USS Naugatuck ascended the river and attacked Huger again, but caused no damage.
Five days later, US Marines and sailors occupied Fort Huger which had been abandoned. The guns were spiked, carriages burned and magazines destroyed
From a 2010 Virginia Civil War Trails marker.
Wonder Why the Confederates Abandoned the Fort. --B-R'er
On May 12th, the USS Monitor and USS Naugatuck ascended the river and attacked Huger again, but caused no damage.
Five days later, US Marines and sailors occupied Fort Huger which had been abandoned. The guns were spiked, carriages burned and magazines destroyed
From a 2010 Virginia Civil War Trails marker.
Wonder Why the Confederates Abandoned the Fort. --B-R'er
Confederate Fort Huger-- Part 1
From the Historical Marker database.
In 1861, Confederate engineer Col. Andrew Talcott surveyed several defensive positions along the James River to protect Richmond, including Harden's Bluff and the nearby Fort Boykin. He selected Harden's Bluff and construction on Fort Huger, named for Confederate General Benjamin Huger, commander of the Department of Norfolk.
Slaves and free blacks constructed it under direction of the Confederate Engineer Bureau.
Detachments of Lt. Col. Fletcher Archer's 5th Virginia Infantry were posted here and by August 1861, several guns were in place. By March 1862, the fort mounted 13 guns: 1 ten-inch Columbiad, 4 nine-inch Dahlgrens, 2 8-inch Columbiads and 6 32-pdr naval hot shot guns.
Next, the Peninsular Campaign. --Old B-Runner
In 1861, Confederate engineer Col. Andrew Talcott surveyed several defensive positions along the James River to protect Richmond, including Harden's Bluff and the nearby Fort Boykin. He selected Harden's Bluff and construction on Fort Huger, named for Confederate General Benjamin Huger, commander of the Department of Norfolk.
Slaves and free blacks constructed it under direction of the Confederate Engineer Bureau.
Detachments of Lt. Col. Fletcher Archer's 5th Virginia Infantry were posted here and by August 1861, several guns were in place. By March 1862, the fort mounted 13 guns: 1 ten-inch Columbiad, 4 nine-inch Dahlgrens, 2 8-inch Columbiads and 6 32-pdr naval hot shot guns.
Next, the Peninsular Campaign. --Old B-Runner
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Fort Huger Again
This time it is the Historical Marker database, and Bernard Fisher went to Fort Huger and photographed the plaques and took pictures of the grounds.
John Smith traveled along the James River many times from 1607 to 1609. The first English settlement in Isle of Wight County was also near the fort's site.
During the Civil War, the site became Fort Huger and it was used for a year by the Confederates. Construction began July, 1861, under the supervision of Virginia state engineer Col. Andrew Talcott and was there to stop Union ships from advancing up the James River to Richmond.
Union Naval forces attacked it on May, 8, 1862 and the USS Monitor shelled it on he 12th. Fort Huger was bombarded several more times before evacuation on May 19, 1862.
Today, the fort has been cleared of growth and turned into a park. It is well-preserved.
A Little Known Confederate Fort. --Old B-Runner
John Smith traveled along the James River many times from 1607 to 1609. The first English settlement in Isle of Wight County was also near the fort's site.
During the Civil War, the site became Fort Huger and it was used for a year by the Confederates. Construction began July, 1861, under the supervision of Virginia state engineer Col. Andrew Talcott and was there to stop Union ships from advancing up the James River to Richmond.
Union Naval forces attacked it on May, 8, 1862 and the USS Monitor shelled it on he 12th. Fort Huger was bombarded several more times before evacuation on May 19, 1862.
Today, the fort has been cleared of growth and turned into a park. It is well-preserved.
A Little Known Confederate Fort. --Old B-Runner
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Fort Huger, Virginia
From the Virginia Pilot Online of Jan. 6th by Linda McNatt.
The fort is well-preserved as it was on private property and far from populated areas. It is located on Hardy's Bluff overlooking the James River. Fort Huger is not a well-known Civil War fort.
James Brown, a member of the Isle of Wight County Board said that at least three of his ancestors helped build it. "I couldn't help but think what it must have been like for them. Today, we think it most ironic that African-Americans participated in the building of a Confederate fort, but in the 1861 south, it was the order of things. The Confederate engineering records contain the names of many of the slaves and free Negroes who labored on the fort's construction." They connect the names of free blacks of Surry County like Brown, Bailey, Johnson, and Newby who worked at the fort.
The fort is named after a Confederate general and built to fight wooden ships with a "hot shot" furnace to heat cannonballs to set ships afire on contact. The furnace is still visible and will be restored.
It was abandoned in 1862 after being shelled four times in ten months, once by the USS Galena, and at least once by the USS Monitor.
The county, which now owns the site, has been restoring it for months. Fiberglass cannons will be placed at the artillery positions. The flagpole site has been identified and a new flagpole will be erected in the center of the fort. A 34-star US flag will fly on it with a First National Confederate flag under it.
Old News, But Always Good to Preserve a Bit of Civil War History. --Old B-R
The fort is well-preserved as it was on private property and far from populated areas. It is located on Hardy's Bluff overlooking the James River. Fort Huger is not a well-known Civil War fort.
James Brown, a member of the Isle of Wight County Board said that at least three of his ancestors helped build it. "I couldn't help but think what it must have been like for them. Today, we think it most ironic that African-Americans participated in the building of a Confederate fort, but in the 1861 south, it was the order of things. The Confederate engineering records contain the names of many of the slaves and free Negroes who labored on the fort's construction." They connect the names of free blacks of Surry County like Brown, Bailey, Johnson, and Newby who worked at the fort.
The fort is named after a Confederate general and built to fight wooden ships with a "hot shot" furnace to heat cannonballs to set ships afire on contact. The furnace is still visible and will be restored.
It was abandoned in 1862 after being shelled four times in ten months, once by the USS Galena, and at least once by the USS Monitor.
The county, which now owns the site, has been restoring it for months. Fiberglass cannons will be placed at the artillery positions. The flagpole site has been identified and a new flagpole will be erected in the center of the fort. A 34-star US flag will fly on it with a First National Confederate flag under it.
Old News, But Always Good to Preserve a Bit of Civil War History. --Old B-R
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Some More on Confederate Fort Huger
1. The fort was built by some 1000 slaves and free blacks in 1861. It took ten months to build and was captured 10 months later. I'm not sure if this means it was captured about the same time as they completed the fort or not.
2. I wasn't able to find much information about the fort on the internet or in books.
3. Perhaps the fort was named after Thomas B. Huger, CSN who had served in the US Navy for 20 years before the war. He commanded a battery at Morris Island in Charleston Harbor, SC, in 1861 and was on the CSS McRae in New Orleans' defense. He was motrally wounded on April 24,1862.
4. There was also a Confederate general by the same name.
Who Was the Fort Named After. --B-R'er
2. I wasn't able to find much information about the fort on the internet or in books.
3. Perhaps the fort was named after Thomas B. Huger, CSN who had served in the US Navy for 20 years before the war. He commanded a battery at Morris Island in Charleston Harbor, SC, in 1861 and was on the CSS McRae in New Orleans' defense. He was motrally wounded on April 24,1862.
4. There was also a Confederate general by the same name.
Who Was the Fort Named After. --B-R'er
Old Confederate Fort to Become a Park
The December 13th, 2007, Daily Press of Virginia reports that on a densely-wooded bluff at the very northern tip of Isle of Wight County there sits a largely-forgotten old Confederate fort. It was built to protect Richmond from Union incursions along the James River and was the scene of action during the Peninsular Campaign.
Fort Huger (pronounced Hu-gee, U-ghay, u-Gee, or even Hugger depending upon who you ask) was assaulted by Union vessels May 8, 1862 and withstood three more attacks before being captured after its cannons spiked. Some say that the USS Monitor took part in the attack. It's captured opened the James River for 50 miles.
For many years, it overlooked the US Maritime Ghost Fleet (Liberty Ships?).
It was thought that Fort Huger had been lost to the James River, but the development of the 155 lot Lawnes Point Subdivision rediscovered the fort in 2004. In exchange for a go-ahead to build, the developer donated the fort's property to the county which spent nearly a million dollars on the development of the park.
The fort's original construction involved the use of both free black and slave labor and started in August 1861. Fourteen interpretive signs have been placed inside the park. Its remoteness has caused the fort to be remarkably preserved, something that can not be said for much of the area around Richmond.
There are the remains of the shell house where ammunition was stored. There are also the remnants of the shot furnace where projectiles were heated to set fire to Union ships on contact and bombproofs where the garrison would stay during bombardments.
Great to Hear This Bit of Preservation. --The Old Blockade-Runner
Fort Huger (pronounced Hu-gee, U-ghay, u-Gee, or even Hugger depending upon who you ask) was assaulted by Union vessels May 8, 1862 and withstood three more attacks before being captured after its cannons spiked. Some say that the USS Monitor took part in the attack. It's captured opened the James River for 50 miles.
For many years, it overlooked the US Maritime Ghost Fleet (Liberty Ships?).
It was thought that Fort Huger had been lost to the James River, but the development of the 155 lot Lawnes Point Subdivision rediscovered the fort in 2004. In exchange for a go-ahead to build, the developer donated the fort's property to the county which spent nearly a million dollars on the development of the park.
The fort's original construction involved the use of both free black and slave labor and started in August 1861. Fourteen interpretive signs have been placed inside the park. Its remoteness has caused the fort to be remarkably preserved, something that can not be said for much of the area around Richmond.
There are the remains of the shell house where ammunition was stored. There are also the remnants of the shot furnace where projectiles were heated to set fire to Union ships on contact and bombproofs where the garrison would stay during bombardments.
Great to Hear This Bit of Preservation. --The Old Blockade-Runner
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