Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road


The Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road was fought October 27–28, 1864 in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign of the American Civil War.
In combination with movements against the Boydton Plank Road at Petersburg, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler attacked the Richmond defenses along Darbytown Road with the X Corps. The XVIII Corps marched north to Fair Oaks where it was soundly repulsed by Maj. Gen. Charles W. Field's Confederate division. Confederate forces counterattacked, taking some 600 prisoners. The Richmond defenses remained intact. Of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's offensives north of the James River, this was repulsed most easily. Union casualties were 1,603, Confederates fewer than 100.

Background

Union

The following Union Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Fair Oaks & Darbytown Road. It is compiled from the official tabulation of casualties, so includes only units which sustained casualties.

[Army of the James]

MG Benjamin F. Butler

X Corps">X Corps (Union Army)">X Corps

BG Alfred H. Terry
DivisionBrigadeRegiments and Others

First Division
BG Adelbert Ames		First Brigade
Col Alvin C. Voris
First Division
BG Adelbert Ames		Second Brigade
Col Joseph C. Abbott
First Division
BG Adelbert Ames		Third Brigade
Col Harris M. Plaisted
Second Division
BG Robert S. Foster		First Brigade
Col Newton Martin Curtis
Second Division
BG Robert S. Foster		Second Brigade
Col Galusha Pennypacker
Second Division
BG Robert S. Foster		Third Brigade
Col Louis Bell
Third Division
BG Joseph R. Hawley		First Brigade
Col James Shaw, Jr.
  • 7th U.S. Colored Troops
  • 9th U.S. Colored Troops
  • 41st U.S. Colored Troops
Third Division
BG Joseph R. Hawley		Second Brigade
Col Ulysses Doubleday
Third Division
BG Joseph R. Hawley		Artillery Brigade
Ltc Richard Jackson
  • 1st U.S., Batteries C & D

XVIII Corps">XVIII Corps (Union Army)">XVIII Corps

MG Godfrey Weitzel
DivisionBrigadeRegiments and Others

First Division
BG Gilman Marston		First Brigade
Ltc John B. Raulston
First Division
BG Gilman Marston		Second Brigade
Col Edgar M. Cullen
First Division
BG Gilman Marston		Third Brigade
Ltc Joab N. Patterson
First Division
BG Gilman Marston		Unattached
  • Sharpshooters
  • Pioneers
  • 8th Connecticut: Col John E. Ward
Second Division
BG Charles A. Heckman		First Brigade

Second Division
BG Charles A. Heckman		Second Brigade
Col Edward H. Ripley
Second Division
BG Charles A. Heckman		Third Brigade
Col Harrison S. Fairchild
Third DivisionFirst Brigade
Col John H. Holman
Ltc Abial G. Chamberlain
  • 1st U.S. Colored Troops
  • 22nd U.S. Colored Troops
  • 37th U.S. Colored Troops
Third DivisionSecond Brigade
Col Alonzo G. Draper
  • 5th U.S. Colored Troops
  • 36th U.S. Colored Troops
  • 38th U.S. Colored Troops
Third DivisionUnattached
  • 2nd U.S. Colored Cavalry
Artillery Division
Cavalry Division
Col Robert M. West		First Brigade
Col George W. Lewis
Cavalry Division
Col Robert M. West		Second Brigade
Col Samuel P. Spear
Cavalry Division
Col Robert M. West		Third Brigade
Col Andrew W. Evans
Cavalry Division
Col Robert M. West		Artillery Brigade

Confederate

The following Confederate army units and commanders fought at the battle.

Army of Northern Virginia

First Corps

LTG James Longstreet
DivisionBrigadeRegiments and Others

Field's Division


MG Charles W. Field		Anderson's Brigade


BG George T. Anderson
Field's Division


MG Charles W. Field		Law's Brigade


Col William F. Perry
  • 4th Alabama
  • 15th Alabama
  • 44th Alabama
  • 47th Alabama
  • 48th Alabama
Field's Division


MG Charles W. Field		Gregg's Brigade


Col Frederick S. Bass
Field's Division


MG Charles W. Field		Benning's Brigade


Col Dudley M. Du Bose
  • 2nd Georgia
  • 15th Georgia
  • 17th Georgia
  • 20th Georgia
Field's Division


MG Charles W. Field		Bratton's Brigade


BG John Bratton
  • 1st South Carolina
  • 5th South Carolina
  • 6th South Carolina
  • 2nd South Carolina Rifles

Fourth Corps

DivisionBrigadeRegiments and Others

Hoke's Division


MG Robert F. Hoke		Hagood's Brigade


BG Johnson Hagood
  • 7th South Carolina
  • 11th South Carolina
  • 21st South Carolina
  • 25th South Carolina
  • 27th South Carolina
Hoke's Division


MG Robert F. Hoke		Colquitt's Brigade


BG Alfred H. Colquitt
  • 6th Georgia
  • 19th Georgia
  • 23rd Georgia
  • 27th Georgia
  • 28th Georgia
Hoke's Division


MG Robert F. Hoke		Clingman's Brigade


BG Thomas L. Clingman
  • 8th North Carolina
  • 31st North Carolina
  • 51st North Carolina
  • 61st North Carolina
Hoke's Division


MG Robert F. Hoke		Kirkland's Brigade


BG William Whedbee Kirkland
  • 17th North Carolina
  • 42nd North Carolina
  • 66th North Carolina

Cavalry Corps

DivisionBrigadeRegiments and Others

W. H. F. Lee's Division


MG W. H. F. Lee		Barringer's Brigade


BG Rufus Barringer
W. H. F. Lee's Division


MG W. H. F. Lee		Beale's Brigade


BG Richard L. T. Beale
W. H. F. Lee's Division


MG W. H. F. Lee		Dearing's Brigade


BG James Dearing
Butler's Division


MG Matthew Butler		Butler's Brigade


Col Hugh Kerr Aiken
Butler's Division


MG Matthew Butler		Young's Brigade


Col J.F. Waring
Horse Artillery

Maj R. Preston Chew
  • Hart's Battery
  • Graham's Battery
  • McGregor's Battery

Abbreviations used

Military rank