Fort Clifton, Virginia

From Wikipedia.

Fort Clifton Archaeological  Site is a historical Civil War fort located at Fort Clifton Park in Colonial Heights, Virginia.

The park itself is the site of Confederate Fort Clifton on the Appomattox River, where five Union ships attacked on June 11, 1864.

The Confederate Battery, with cannon emplacements, remained in Confederate hands as the fort's cannons drove the Union ships away.

The park has earthworks that criss-cross the property.  Fort Clifton Park has hiking trails and Civil War campaign signs.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

--Old B-Runner

Engagement at Fort Clifton, Appomattox River, June 9, 1864

From Official Records Navy War of the Rebellion "North Atlantic Blockading Squadron."

Report of Acting  Volunteer Lieutenant  Amos P. Foster of the USS Commodore Perry on attack on Fort Clifton on June 9, 1864.

At the request of General Butler.

JUNE 9.

Opened fire at 8:30 am.  At 11:45 am had dismounted one gun and struck another, scattering pieces all over.  Expended  22 rounds IX shells and 144 100--pounder Parrott shells.

JUNE 10

Expended 3 100-pounder shells and 11 rounds on IX-inch shell.

JUNE 11

Fired an IX-gun at rebel battery but didn't get a reply.

************************************

The report of Acting Master H.H. Savage of the USS General Putnam for ammunition expended Jun 9 to June 11.  He fired 77 Parrot shells June 9 and 3 on June 1.

--Old B-Runner

Private Grogan Sees the Brewster Hit by Fort Clifton

From the North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction  History Center "Thomas E. Grogan, Private, US Army, 162nd New York Volunteer Infantry, 3rd Regiment, Company E."

In March 1864, Thomas Grogan  re-enlisted for a second tour of duty, which eventually took him to Fort Clifton, Virginia.  Federal gunboats attacked the fort and during the engagement, Confederate artillery disabled the army gunboat Samuel L. Brewster with a shot to her boiler.

On May 9, 1864, Grogan wrote that the Brewster was hit "that made her boiler explode and scaled  several of her crew.  The poor fellows could do nothing but jump overboard where there was rebels sharp shooters to pick them down.  This was all in our view but could do nothing for them.  

"We fought them all day but could do nothing, for they had the best of us."

--Old B-Runner

The source says the 162nd New York, but, it was not with Butler in Virginia or at Fort Fisher.  It might have been the 169th New York which was in both places.

Fort Clifton and Army Gunboat Brewster-- Part 2: A 32-Pound Solid Shot

The fort's garrison, commanded by  Captain S. Taylor Martin,  of the Virginia Artillery, receive special commendation from Major General  George E. Pickett, the commander of the Petersburg  defenses.

Fort Clifton was evacuated on April 2, 1865, one week before Lee's surrender at Appomattox.

*******************************

The Perry Adams Antiques offered a  Confederate 32 lb. solid shot excavated at Fort Clifton, Va., on the Appomattox River north of Petersburg for $175.

According to the site,  this was excavated by a long-time  relic hunter near Fort Clifton, now a city park in Colonial Heights, Virginia.

The fort was designed by the famed  Confederate engineer Captain Charles H. Dimmock and completed in early 1864.  Its purpose was to stop Union incursions along the Appomattox River.

--Old B-Runner

Fort Clifton and Army Gunboat Brewster-- Part 1: The Brewster Scuttled

I have been writing about Acting Ensign Arnold Harris a lot of late.  Here is some more information as this was the ship Brewster that Gen. Benjamin Butler wanted to use to sneak into the Cape Fear River by Wilmington, North Carolina, and do damage back in January 1864.  Later that year, the Brewster carried orders to the USS Commodore Perry to open fire on this Fort Clifton.

From HMdb Fort Clifton

FORT CLIFTON

From the marker:

"A short distance east on the Appomattox River stands Confederate Fort Clifton, an important fortification that guarded Petersburg against Union naval attack  during the Civil War.  

On 9 May 1864, Federal  gunboats commanded by Maj. Gen. Charles K. Graham attacked the fort.

During the engagement, Fort Clifton's artillery disabled the Army gunboat Samuel L. Brewster, which its crew then scuttled.

--Old B-Runner

Will the Real Arnold Harris Stand Up-- Part 2: Quite the Mystery Guy

I sure would like to fill in a lot of blanks about Arnold Harris' life.  I have not been able to find out anything else beyond what I wrote yesterday and today.  So, hopefully, someone will have other sources of information.  What I have found so far is definitely interesting.

Here is the rest of the information.

In a report dated June 23, 1864, he was in command of the Army gunboat Chamberlain and delivered a message to Acting Volunteer Lt. Amos P. Foster of the USS Commodore Perry with a message from  Benjamin Butler ordering Foster to open fire in Fort Clifton on the Appomattox River near Petersburg.  The next day, June 17, he came aboard again and ordered a renewed bombardment of the fort.  The ship's second shot from its 100-pounder Parrot gun caused it to blow up, killing and wounding many.

On January 13, 1865, he was detached from special duty with the Army and ordered to report to Admiral Porter.  (Porter would have been off Fort Fisher which he bombarded that day.)

February 9, 1865, Major General E.O.C. Ord requested Arnold Harris remain with the Army transports   under Gen.  Charles K. Graham because Harris was "of great use here -- familiar with the waters, and is now operating in conjunction with the Navy."

I sure would like to piece together Arnold Harris' story.

Give a Hand. Please.  --Old B-Wondering

An Explosion of a 100-Pounder Parrott Rifle on the USS Commodore Perry on June 17, 1864.

The USS Commodore Perry was ordered to attack Fort Clifton on the Appomattox River near Petersburg, Virgina, by Gen. Benjamin Butler.  This order was delivered to Lt. Foster by Arnold Harris.

Report of Acting Volunteer Lieutenant Amos P. Foster of the USS Commodore Perry.

He was ordered by General Butler to open fire on Confederate Fort Clifton on June 17, 1864

"The first shot fired entered the battery; at the second shot the 100-pound Parrott burst. killing John Wilson (seaman) instantly and wounding Joseph Webb, Alfred N. Brown, Salvador Emmanuel, Franklin W.   Morgan, (seaman,) and Gilbert Young, (ordinary seaman.) 

"John Wilson was buried in the hospital burying ground at Point of Rocks.  Four of the wounded men were transferred to the United States steamer Osceola, and two (2) were retained on board this vessel.  One of those transferred to the Osceola (Joseph Webb) has since died.  The two men remaining on this vessel are improving rapidly."

There were quite a few Parrot 100-pounder rifled cannons that blew up during the bombardment of Fort Fisher.

--Old B-Runner

Acting Ensign Arnold Harris USN-- Part 2: The Attack on Confederate Fort Clifton in Virginia

From the United States Congressional Set:  Report of Secretary of Navy.

Report of Acting Volunteer Lt.  Amos P. Foster, commanding the USS Commodore Perry.

June 23, 1864

"...Acting Ensign Arnold H. Harris, in command of  army gunboat Chamberlain,  came on board this vessel at 6:30 a.m.  of the 16th instant, and said that General Butler requested me to open fire as soon as possible  on Fort Clifton."

He fired 47 percussion shells at the fort and he said they did damage.

Ens. Harris and Lt.  Bullard, of Brigadier General  Graham's staff came on board.  Lt. Bullard had been ordered to come on board and request he open fire again on Fort Clifton early on the morning of June 17.  He did just that, but on the second shot from his 100-pounder Parrott rifle, it blew up, killing and wounding many.

I'll write about the explosion of the Parrott rifle in the next post.

--Old B-Runner