US ResearchConflictsCivil WarBattle of City Point (Explosion)
Civil War

Battle of City Point (Explosion)

1864
Virginia
Era
Civil War
Year
1864
Location
Virginia
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
union: City Point supply base
VS
Victor
Confederate
Forces
confederate: Confederate saboteurs (Maxwell and Rains torpedo bureau)
Outcome
Confederate saboteur John Maxwell planted an explosive device on an ordnance barge at City Point; explosion killed ~43 and wounded ~126, destroying tons of supplies.
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Stony Point took place on July 16, 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. In a well-planned and -executed nighttime attack, a highly trained select group of George Washington's Continental Army troops under the command of Brigadier General "Mad Anthony" Wayne defeated British troops in a quick and daring assault on their outpost in Stony Point, New York, located in present day Rockland County, approximately 30 mi (48 km) north of New York City.

Duration
Single day engagement (July 16, 1779)
Historical context

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Casualties & Losses

union: 169; confederate: 1

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of City Point (Explosion) take place?
Battle of City Point (Explosion) took place in 1864. Single day engagement (July 16, 1779).
Where was Battle of City Point (Explosion) fought?
Battle of City Point (Explosion) was fought in Virginia, United States.
What was the outcome of Battle of City Point (Explosion)?
Confederate saboteur John Maxwell planted an explosive device on an ordnance barge at City Point; explosion killed ~43 and wounded ~126, destroying tons of supplies.
What was the significance of Battle of City Point (Explosion)?
The Battle of Stony Point took place on July 16, 1779, during the American Revolutionary War. In a well-planned and -executed nighttime attack, a highly trained select group of George Washington's Continental Army troops under the command of Brigadier General "Mad Anthony" Wayne defeated British tro
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Battle of City Point (Explosion)

Town of Bermuda Hundred Historic District
Colonial · 0.4 mi
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Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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