Fort Clifton
A stronghold that was never taken
Fort Clifton, constructed between 1862 and 1864, helped protect the city of Petersburg from Union gunboats. Its high elevation and well-placed gun embrasures made Fort Clifton a stronghold that was never taken by Union forces until it was abandoned after the fall of Petersburg in April 1865. In 1864, Federal gunboats frequently steamed up the Appomattox River to observe the fort.
The most important event in Fort Clifton’s history occurred on May 9, 1864, when five Union gunboats sailed up the Appomattox River and opened fire. For more than three hours, Confederate artillerymen in the fort battled the heavier guns of the Federal fleet. The attack was repulsed and one Union gunboat, USS Samuel L. Brewster, was damaged and scuttled by her crew.
Federal gunboats also shelled Fort Clifton from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on June 16, 1864, but were driven off. This was the last major Union attempt to pass Fort Clifton.
Marker can be reached from Brockwell Lane 0.3 miles east of Conduit Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
