Battle of Darbytown and New Market Roads

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The situation in the fall of 1864 (Confederate in red, Union in blue).

Date	October 7, 1864
Location	Henrico County, Virginia.
Result	Union victory

Combatants

United States of America (Union)

Confederate States of America

Commanders

David B. Birney, August V. Kautz

Robert Hoke, Charles W. Field

Strength

Corps

At least 2 divisions

Casualties

458

700^[1]

Richmond–Petersburg Campaign
1st Petersburg – 2nd Petersburg – Jerusalem Plank Road – Staunton River Bridge – Sappony Church – 1st Ream's Station – 1st Deep Bottom – Crater – 2nd Deep Bottom – Globe Tavern – 2nd Ream's Station – Chaffin's Farm – Peebles' Farm – Darbytown & New Market Roads – Darbytown Road – Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road – Boydton Plank Road – Hatcher's Run – Fort Stedman

The Battle of Darbytown and New Market Roads was an engagement between Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War, which took place on October 7, 1864 at Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign.

1 Prelude to the battle
2 Battle
3 References
4 Notes

[edit] Prelude to the battle

For more details on this topic, see Richmond-Petersburg Campaign.

The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign (June 15, 1864 – March 25, 1865) was a Union effort to capture the city of Petersburg, Virginia from Confederate forces under the command of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. During the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, Union forces captured Fort Harrison from the Confederates on September 30. This prompted Lee to order an offensive on the right flank of the Union forces (under the command of Ulysses S. Grant) on October 7.

[edit] Battle

The Union defensive lines, commanded by Brig. Gen. August V. Kautz and Maj. Gen. David B. Birney, were positioned along the length of New Market Road, with further Union cavalry defending Darbytown Road.

The initial Confederate attack, commanded by Maj. Gens. Robert Hoke and Charles W. Field, was successful in dislodging the Union Cavalry from Darbytown Road. The cavalry forces routed from the field, and the confederates attacked the Union defensive lines on the New Market Road. During this attack, the Confederate Texas Brigade's commander Brig. Gen. John Gregg was killed, and the attack was repulsed. The engagement resulted with a Confederate withdrawal to Richmond and thus Union victory.