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war, but the North scored a propaganda victory. It was the first significant combat encounter between the Army of
Northern Virginia and black soldiers, who had fought well in a defensive battle against a larger attacking force. Southerners, unwilling to acknowledge their defeat against a predominantly African-American force, claimed that six gunboats and substantial numbers of white Union soldiers were involved in the action. In his report, Fitz Lee minimized both his strength and his losses.
525:'s brigade moved east of the fort, concealed in ravines of Kennon Creek. To distract the Federals from Wickham's attack, Col. John Dunovant of the 5th South Carolina demonstrated on the western end of the fort. Dunovant's men advanced as far as the ditch and abatis, but were driven back by heavy fire. Wickham's men rushed forward across an open field and were met by interlocking fields of musket fire, canister rounds from two
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garrison. He promised that the black soldiers would be taken to
Richmond and treated as prisoners of war, but if they did not surrender, he would not be "answerable for the consequences." Wild and his men interpreted this to mean they would be killed or enslaved, particularly due to the massacre of black troops after their surrender at the
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Rhea, p. 366. Despite these numbers, Rhea reported that a "handful" of blacks were captured. Kennedy, p. 290, cites 26 Union casualties, 140 Confederate. Salmon, p. 328, states "Lee acknowledged 10 killed, 48 wounded, and 4 missing, but the
Federals reported the Confederate casualties as approaching
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About 200 Confederate were killed or wounded in the abortive attack. Federal losses were six killed and 40 wounded. A few
African-American soldiers were captured, and of these some were shot and one was sent to his master in Richmond. Materially, this action had little effect on the outcome of the
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Around noon on May 24, Lee's men charged and drove in the Union pickets who were posted near the
Charles City Road, about a 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the fort. By 1:30 p.m. the fort was invested and Lee sent two officers under a flag of truce with a message demanding the surrender of the
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lay in the James River to deliver fire support to the fort's defenders. The fort was about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) long, straddling the road to the wharf. It was anchored on both ends—to the west on a bluff and on the east by a branch of Kennon Creek—so it could not be flanked. It was
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in 1862. After recovering, he raised a unit of former slaves called Wild's
African Brigade. During the winter of 1863–64, Wild led these soldiers in an expedition on the coast of North Carolina, terrifying a local white population accustomed to African slavery since the early 18th century.
447:. By this time, Wild's unit had a frightening reputation among Southerners. Wild's subsequent actions alarmed them all the more. His soldiers freed and recruited slaves and in one case whipped a plantation owner who had a reputation for harshness to his slaves. The
470:(2,500 men and one cannon) on a 40 miles (64 km) march from Atlee's Station to reach Wilson's Wharf. The Confederate general expected to fight a rabble, but instead found the defenders of Fort Pocahontas alert and ready for action.
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six weeks earlier. Wild sent back a written reply that said "Present my compliments to
General Fitz Lee and tell him to go to hell,” and verbally told the two officers "Take the fort if you can."
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Wild's brigade landed in
Virginia in May 1864 and began building the fort at Wilson's Wharf, one of a series of protective outposts guarding supply lines for Union Maj. Gen.
443:. The wharf was at a strategic bend in the James River, overlooked by high bluffs, 2 miles (3.2 km) from Sherwood Forest, the home of former U.S. President
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540:, carrying four companies of the 10th USCI. Lee ordered his men to withdraw to Charles City Court House and the next morning they rode back to Atlee's Station.
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180. On the Union side, Wild reported 7 killed and 40 wounded." Robertson, p. 231, cites 23 Union casualties and 39 Confederate (20 killed and 19 prisoners).
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It can be argued that this engagement is more appropriately classified as part of the
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Backdoor to
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Wild, a physician and ardent abolitionist, lost his left arm at the
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Map of Wilson's Wharf
Battlefield core and study areas by the
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To the North Anna River: Grant and Lee, May 13–25, 1864
466:, Fitz Lee took elements of three cavalry brigades plus the
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Battles of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
735:. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1987.
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and Gordon Rhea (Rhea, pp. 362-67) place it within the
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748:The Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide
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705:. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998.
832:Battles of the American Civil War in Virginia
597:National Park Service campaign classification
521:Lee planned a two-pronged attack. Brig. Gen.
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289:North Anna
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209:40 wounded
73:76°59′48″W
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