The Battle of Darbytown Road 7 October 1864

The Battle of Darbytown Rd, Virginia, on 7 October 1864 was a Confederate attempt to retake ground lost by the taking of Confederate fortifications near Chaffin’s Bluff. General Robert E. Lee, the Confederate commander, launched a major offensive on Darbytown Rd, north of the James River. Under the direct command of Confederate General Richard Heron Anderson, the attack began with a Confederate ‘victory’ when infantry and cavalry charges overwhelmed Federal forces on Darbytown Rd. This was followed by a failed attempt to take the forces of Union General Alfred Terry to the south. Terry had learned of the earlier Darbytown Rd attack and called for reinforcements, who pushed the Confederates back across Darbytown Rd and behind their lines. By the end of day, the Union army had restored its lost position on Darbytown Rd. Although the battle ended in a Union victory, both sides incurred large losses