Battle of Trent's Reach

Battle of Trent's Reach
Part of the American Civil War

A sketch by Alfred Waud dated February 11, 1865 from Harper's Illustrated showing the Confederate fleet breaking through the boom at Trent's Reach.
DateJanuary 23–25, 1865
Location
Result United States victory
Belligerents
United States United States Confederate States of America Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
William A. Parker
United States Henry H. Pierce
United States Ulysses S. Grant
Confederate States of America John K. Mitchell
Confederate States of America Charles W. Read
Strength
Land:
~30 artillery pieces
1 fort
4 shore batteries
River:
1 monitor
2 gunboats
1 torpedo boat
1 torpedo launch
Land:
~16 artillery pieces
2 shore batteries
River:
3 ironclads
5 gunboats
3 torpedo boats
Casualties and losses
3 killed
~40 wounded
1 monitor damaged
1 gunboat damaged
1 fort damaged
4-10 killed
15 wounded
1 gunboat sunk
1 torpedo boat sunk
3 ironclads damaged
3 gunboats damaged
1 torpedo boat damaged

The Battle of Trent's Reach[1] was one of the final major naval battles of the American Civil War. Beginning on January 23, 1865, a powerful flotilla of Confederate warships bombarded Fort Brady along the James River and engaged four Union Navy ships with the intention of breaking through the blockade to attack City Point, the base of General Ulysses S. Grant who was besieging Petersburg, Virginia. After two days of fighting, the rebels withdrew back up the river without completing their objectives.[2]

  1. ^ "The Battle of Trent's Reach Marker". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  2. ^ Pelzer, John D. (September 1995). "Desperate Ironclad Assault at Trent's Reach". America's Civil War. Retrieved January 14, 2012.