Battle of Meadow Bridge

Battle of Meadow Bridge
Part of the American Civil War
Date May 12, 1864 Location Henrico County, Virginia Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Philip Sheridan	Fitzhugh Lee James B. Gordon †
Casualties and losses
170[1]	not reported

The Battle of Meadow Bridge (also known as Meadow Bridges and the Battle of Richmond Heights) was an engagement on May 12, 1864, in Henrico County, Virginia, during Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following their victory at the Battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11, Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan advanced in the direction of the Confederate capital of Richmond. Caught in the narrow area between the fortifications of Richmond and the rain-swollen Chickahominy River, the Union troopers were subjected to fire from the artillery of Confederate Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee. Michigan cavalry under Brig. Gen. George A. Custer forced a crossing of a damaged railroad bridge, which was quickly rebuilt by engineers, allowing the troopers to escape to safety and continue their raid.