The Battle
of Swift Creek was part of a push made by Union Major General Benjamin F Butler
towards Petersburg, and was fought May 9th 1864.
Confederate
General Bushrod R Johnson had a division on the south side of Swift Creek in a
defensive position. Johnson’s men were
between Union Major General Benjamin Butler’s force and Petersburg,
Virginia. Butler pushed toward Swift
Creek on May 9th 1864 and was met at Arrowfield Church, just north
of Swift Creek by a Confederate attack.
The Union troops deployed along the railroad and turnpike. The Confederate 21st South
Carolina Infantry made a charge across the bridge and up the turnpike toward
the Union troops and were fired on by an artillery battery. The Union troops pushed the Confederates back
delivering them heavy losses. Butler
didn’t follow up the attack, but settled into skirmishing and tearing up the nearby
railroad tracks.
During the
night Butler had his troops withdraw.
The Confederates made repairs to the railroad and had it running the
next day.
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