Battle of Swift Creek

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Battle of Swift Creek
Arrowfield Church
Began:

May 9, 1864

Ended:

Same day

Location:

Chesterfield County, Virginia

Theater:

Eastern Theater

Campaign:

Bermuda Hundred Campaign

Outcome:

Inconclusive

33 star flag.png
Combatants
Conf Navy Jack.png
Commanders

Benjamin F. Butler
Major General, USA

P.G.T. Beauregard
General, CSA

Strength

14,000

4,200

Casualties

990 total US and CS

990 total US and CS

  

On May 9, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler made a thrust toward Petersburg and was met by Bushrod Johnson’s Division at Swift Creek. A premature Confederate attack at Arrowfield Church was driven back with heavy losses, but Union forces did not follow up. After skirmishing, Butler seemed content to tear up the railroad tracks and did not press the defenders. In conjunction with the advance to Swift Creek, five Federal gunboats steamed up the Appomattox River to bombard Fort Clifton, while Hincks’s U.S. Colored Troops infantry division struggled through marshy ground from the land side. The gunboats were quickly driven off, and the infantry attack was abandoned. (NPS summary)