Fort Magruder was a high earthen fortification straddling the road between
Yorktown and
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula ...
, just outside the latter city (and former
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
state capital) during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
. At the center of the Williamsburg Line, it was also referred to as Redoubt Number 6.
Fort Magruder was strategic in defending Williamsburg during the
Peninsula Campaign in 1862 due to its location near the junction of the two roads that led to Williamsburg from
Yorktown and
Lee's Mill to the east. It became a key point during the
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...
on May 5, 1862.
Peninsula Campaign, General Magruder
In the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the
Peninsula Campaign was a major
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
operation launched in southeastern
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the
Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by
Maj. Gen.
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 – October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, Civil War Union general, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey. A graduate of West Point, McCl ...
, was an amphibious
turning movement In military tactics, a turning movement is a form of maneuver in which the attacking force seeks to avoid the enemy's principal defensive positions by seizing objectives behind the enemy's current positions, thereby causing the enemy force to move o ...
intended to capture the
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
capital of
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
by moving up (west) the
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. It is sometimes known as the ''Lower Peninsula'' to distinguish it from two other peninsulas to the ...
from
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...
at the eastern tip near the entrance to
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water in the United States that serves as a wide channel for the James River, James, Nansemond River, Nansemond and Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth rivers between Old Point Comfort and Sewell's ...
to Richmond, about away.
The Confederate Army of the Peninsula was the primary defensive force, and was commanded by
Brig. Gen.
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
John B. "Prince John" Magruder, a popular leader who had held back Union forces in the area beginning in 1861. At the time the
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confedera ...
arrived at
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...
in early 1862, only Magruder's 13,000 men faced them on the Peninsula. The Confederate strategy of the early portion of the Peninsula Campaign became one of delays, providing vital time for defenses to be built outside Richmond. General Magruder had been an amateur actor, and was successful in the early stages of the Peninsula Campaign partially by using elaborate ruse tactics to appear to have a much larger force than he actually had. Stephen Sears, the author of the ''To The Gates of Richmond'', described the demonstrations of his limited troops, which included marching back and forth behind the lines with great fanfare to appear to be a larger force, as "performances of the Prince John Players." Magruder's efforts appeared to have the desired effect, as the ever-cautious McClellan moved very slowly with his forces, which were actually substantially larger than those of the defenders. Meanwhile, a long defensive line was being built outside Richmond.
Fort Magruder, actually an elaborate but earthen fortification, was named for General Magruder. It was the keystone of the Williamsburg Line, a third cross peninsula set of works located west of the
Warwick Line
The Warwick Line (also known as the Warwick–Yorktown line) was a defensive works across the Virginia Peninsula maintained along the Warwick River by Confederate General John B. Magruder against much larger Union forces under General George B. ...
, the second, which was anchored by
Mulberry Island
Mulberry Island is located along the James River in the city of Newport News, Virginia, in southeastern Virginia at the confluence of the Warwick River on the Virginia Peninsula.
History
Mulberry Island, settled shortly after Jamestown, was ...
, the
Warwick River, and
Yorktown.
Building the Williamsburg Line
![Fort Magruder 1862](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Fort_Magruder_1862.jpg)
The Williamsburg Line was a line of defensive fortifications across the
Virginia Peninsula
The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. It is sometimes known as the ''Lower Peninsula'' to distinguish it from two other peninsulas to the ...
east of Williamsburg anchored by
College Creek
College Creek (formerly named Archer's Hope Creek) is located in James City County in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States. From a point of origin near the independent city of Wi ...
, a tributary of the
James River
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...
, on the south and
Queen's Creek
Queen's Creek is located in York County in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States. From a point of origin near the Waller Mill Reservoir in western York County, it flows northeasterl ...
, a tributary of the
York River on the north. A series of 14 redoubts were built along the line, with Fort Magruder (Redoubt Number 6) at the center at a key location. The concept was surely not a new one. To defend against attacks of the
Native Americans, in 1632, the people of the
Virginia Colony
The Colony of Virginia, chartered in 1606 and settled in 1607, was the first enduring English colonial empire, English colony in North America, following failed attempts at settlement on Newfoundland (island), Newfoundland by Sir Humphrey GilbertG ...
had constructed a line of palisades across the of land between the same two creeks, although it was slightly to the west, and also long gone by 1862. The earlier palisade had been anchored by a small fortified settlement which was named
Middle Plantation. In 1699, it had been renamed Williamsburg.
Colonel
Benjamin S. Ewell
Benjamin Stoddert Ewell (June 10, 1810 – June 19, 1894) was a United States and Confederate army officer, civil engineer, and educator from James City County, Virginia. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York in ...
, leader of the
32nd Virginia Infantry had been trained as a
civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...
at the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at
West Point
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...
and most recently serving as the President of the
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III a ...
in Williamsburg. He had moved to the area in 1848, and lived nearby at a farm in
James City County
James City County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,254. Although politically separate from the county, the county seat is the adjacent independent city of Williamsburg.
Located ...
a few miles west of the old colonial capital city.
In 1861, Colonel Ewell had formed the 32nd Virginia from several local militia units from
Elizabeth City County
Elizabeth City County was a county in southeastern Virginia from 1634 until 1952 when it was merged into the city of Hampton. Originally created in 1634 as Elizabeth River Shire, it was one of eight shires created in the Virginia Colony by orde ...
,
Warwick County,
York County, and James City County. In May 1861, he was charged by General
Robert E. Lee, who was the commander of Virginia's military forces at the time, with the development and construction of the Williamsburg Line.
Ewell had made little progress on the Williamsburg defenses by late June 1861, and General Magruder replaced him with then-Lt. Col.
Lafayette McLaws
Lafayette McLaws ( ; January 15, 1821 – July 24, 1897) was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served at Antietam and Fredericksburg, where Robert E. Lee praised his defense of Marye's Heights, ...
. Soldiers and impressed slaves constructed the line to the east of Williamsburg as recommended by Captain
Alfred L. Rives, an 1848
civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...
ing graduate of
Virginia Military Institute
la, Consilio et Animis (on seal)
, mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal)
, established =
, type = Public senior military college
, accreditation = SACS
, endowment = $696.8 mill ...
(VMI) who was acting chief of the Engineer Bureau at Confederate headquarters in Richmond.
The series of 14 redoubts stretched across a distance of about , and were located 600 to apart. Redoubt # 1 was located behind
Quarterpath Road Quarterpath Road is one of the oldest roads in James City County and the independent city of Williamsburg, Virginia.
History Colonial era
Established in the 17th century, Quarterpath Road extended from Middle Plantation (renamed Williamsburg in ...
(which led from Williamsburg to the
James River
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 to Chesapea ...
). Redoubts 11 and 14 helped form the
York River (northern) end of the line.
(The site of Redoubt 12 is currently located in
New Quarter Park).
Redoubt # 6, near the center of the Williamsburg Line, became known as Fort Magruder. It was shaped as an elongated pentagon, with walls high and nine feet thick. The earthworks were protected by a dry moat nine feet deep. It mounted eight guns.
The Williamsburg Line was unfinished when the Federals began marching up the Peninsula from
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...
on April 4, 1862.
Standoff at the Warwick Line
As the Peninsula Campaign developed, Confederate General
Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia secede ...
moved his army east to reinforce Magruder and meet the challenge presented by McClellan's forces. The resulting
Battle of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, the surrender at Yorktown, or the German battle (from the presence of Germans in all three armies), beginning on September 28, 1781, and ending on October 19, 1781, at Yorktown, Virgi ...
was to last from April 5 until May 4, 1862. During this time, the Union forces were held at the Warwick Line across the peninsula from the James River to the York River.
In the early morning hours of May 4, the Confederates quietly withdrew from the Warwick Line, and, electing not to defend the Williamsburg Line, withdrew beyond it toward Richmond. The Williamsburg Line would be critical, albeit for a short time, in delaying a pursuit by the Union Army, giving the Confederates time to move west on the poor roads of the sandy
Tidewater terrain. About 24 hours later, McClellan discovered the move, and troops were soon moving toward Williamsburg on the only two main roads west, the Lee's Mill and Yorktown-Williamsburg Roads, which converged about south-east of Fort Magruder.
Battle of Williamsburg
On May 5, 1862, Fort Magruder was a major point of the first heavy conflict of the
Peninsula Campaign. Nearly 32,000
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
s and 41,000
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
fought during the
Battle of Williamsburg
The Battle of Williamsburg, also known as the Battle of Fort Magruder, took place on May 5, 1862, in York County, James City County, and Williamsburg, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. It was the first pitc ...
, which is considered by military historians to have been inconclusive. The point at which the fort was built had the strategic topographical advantage of being a very narrow piece of land, bounded on the west by Tutters Neck Pond and on the east by Cubb's creek, restricting access to the town of Williamsburg beyond.
There were 3,800 Union and Confederate casualties.
Preservation
![FortMagruderJanuary2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/FortMagruderJanuary2011.jpg)
The former site of Fort Magruder is located about east of the restored area of
Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has 7300 employees at this location and ...
off Penniman Road, which is the
James City County
James City County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,254. Although politically separate from the county, the county seat is the adjacent independent city of Williamsburg.
Located ...
-
York County boundary line in the immediate vicinity. A monument, erected by the
United Daughters of the Confederacy
The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...
, surrounded by a small grassy area, is located on the southeast side of Penniman Road near the intersection of Queen's Creek Road. Approximately one-third of the original earthworks remain. The fenced-in site is not currently open to the public.
In early 2006, Riverside Health System donated of the of land that it had bought from Colonial Williamsburg along the colonial-era
Quarterpath Road Quarterpath Road is one of the oldest roads in James City County and the independent city of Williamsburg, Virginia.
History Colonial era
Established in the 17th century, Quarterpath Road extended from Middle Plantation (renamed Williamsburg in ...
in 2004, to create a public park. The land, about south of Fort Magruder (towards the James River), includes two redoubts that were part of the Williamsburg Line of defensive works, and has been name
Redoubt Park
At the former site of Redoubt 9, located in the median of
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange w ...
between exits 238 and 242 in York County, William and Mary archaeologists in 2016 unearthed a jade blue bottle less than six inches long filled with nails, next to what archaeologists believed to be the remains of a hearth or fire pit. William and Mary researchers have advanced the theory that the object may be a
witch bottle, an English-origin object thought by users to lure witches or evil spirits and then trap them. Only a few such objects have been found in the United States, and this particular bottle, bearing the name of a manufacturer in eastern Pennsylvania, probably came with Union troops occupying the redoubt after the Battle of Williamsburg.
External links
Armament, Plan & Cross Section, December 24, 1864Jeremy Francis Gilmer Papers No 276, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magruder, Fort
American Civil War forts
Virginia in the American Civil War
Protected areas of James City County, Virginia
York County in the American Civil War
American Civil War forts in Virginia
Protected areas of York County, Virginia