Fort Harrison

Fort Harrison is a Virginia historical marker in Henrico County, dedicated 2003.

New Market Road, just west of intersection with Varina Road

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Fort Harrison served as one of the principal works in Richmond's defenses during the Civil War. On 29 Sept. 1864, Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler's Army of the James launched a two-pronged attack against Richmond's defenses as Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had ordered. While African American regiments assaulted Confederate positions below New Market Heights to the east, Maj. Gen. Edward O. C. Ord led part of XVIII Corps against Fort Harrison, located south of here. Captured after heavy resistance, the fort then became a Union stronghold. The next day, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee personally supervised several fierce counterattacks to regain the position, but the Federals held on.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1862 · Map of the battle ground near Richmond, showing plainly, every point of interest of the… (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1864 · Hughes Military Map Of Richmond & Petersburgh, Va. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1865 · Central Virginia showing Lieut Gen'l U.S. Grant's Campaign and Marches. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1894 · Bermuda Hundred, Virginia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)
1895 · White House-Harrison's Landing. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Hughes Military Map Of Richmond & Petersburgh, Va, 1864, covering the location of Fort Harrison, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Hughes Military Map Of Richmond & Petersburgh, Va, 1864, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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Fort Harrison

Historical maps covering this location

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