Second Time At Fair Oaks

As a part of the Petersburg / Richmond Campaign, the Second Battle of Fair Oaks was fought on October 28th 1864.

Ulysses S Grant ordered an assault on Fair Oaks to draw attention from a larger Federal offensive around Petersburg. A combination of Union forces lead by Major General Benjamin Butler’s 10th attacked Confederate defenses along the Darbytown Road, and marched north to Fair Oaks. The Union troops were repulsed my Major General Charles W Field’s Confederate soldiers. The Rebels took some 600 Union soldiers prisoners with another 500 killed or wounded. The Confederates lost only 450. The diversion didn’t work as the Union troops failed to move around the end of the Confederate lines.

A Small Part Of The Petersburg Campaign

The Battle of New Market and Darbytown, which was part of the greater Richmond - Petersburg Campaign occurred on October 7th 1864.

With an escalating Union threat on Richmond Virginia, General Robert E Lee responded to the loss of Fort Harrison from the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm. The Confederates on October 7th 1864 took an offensive on the far right Union flank. After pushing Union cavalry out of their position along the Darbytown Road, Robert Hoke and Charles W Fields’ divisions attacked the Union line along the New Market Road. The Union defenses was under the command of Brigadier General August V Kautz and Major General David B Birney. The Rebels were repulsed.

Following this action Lee withdrew his army back into the defenses of Richmond. The Confederate Brigadier General from Texas; John Gregg was killed during the battle.