Dates: May 15, 1862
Other Names: Fort Darling, Fort Drewry
Location: Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia
Key Individuals Involved in the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff: Union: Commander John Rodgers
Confederate: Commander E. Farrand, Brigadier General William Mahone, Captian S. S. Lee, and Lieutenant John Taylor Wood
Confederate: Commander E. Farrand, Brigadier General William Mahone, Captian S. S. Lee, and Lieutenant John Taylor Wood
Outcome: Confederate Victory. 41 casualties
Overview of the Battle : With the fall of Yorktown, the Confederate ironclad Virginia at Norfolk was scuttled to prevent her capture. This opened the James River to Federal gunboats. On May 15, five gunboats, including the ironclads Monitor and Galena, steamed up the James to test the Richmond defenses. They encountered submerged obstacles and deadly accurate fire from the batteries at Drewry’s Bluff, which inflicted severe damage on the Galena. The Federal Navy was turned back.
Source: CWSAC Battle Summaries
Source: CWSAC Battle Summaries
