Outer Fortifications

Outer Fortifications is a Virginia historical marker in Henrico County, dedicated 2010.

Brook Road, 800 feet north of intersection with Brook Run Drive

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The Exterior Line of Richmond's Civil War defenses crossed Brook Road near here. Occasional Union cavalry raids threatened from the north, making this portion of the city’s elaborate earthen defenses especially significant. Union troops briefly captured this line on three occasions; during Stoneman’s Raid in May 1863; during the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid in March 1864; and during Sheridan’s Raid in May 1864. In each case, Confederate authorities elected not to defend this ground, and the Union horsemen eventually swerved away from the city.

TodayHistorical map

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David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1859 · Virginia (Herman Boye, 1859) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1861 · Official map of the state of Virginia (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1864 · Central Virginia showing Lieut. Gen'l. U.S. Grant's Campaign and marches of the armies… (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1865 · Central Virginia showing Lieut Gen'l U.S. Grant's Campaign and Marches. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1894 · Richmond, Virginia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Central Virginia showing Lieut Gen'l U.S. Grant's Campaign and Marches, 1865, covering the location of Outer Fortifications, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Central Virginia showing Lieut Gen'l U.S. Grant's Campaign and Marches, 1865, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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Marker program managed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

More markers nearby

Campaign of 1781same spot
Brook Roadsame spot
Gabriel's Rebellionunder 1 mi
Emmanuel Church at Brook Hill Episcopalunder 1 mi