Fort Huger (Isle of Wight County, near Smithfield, Virginia)
Isle of Wight County, near Smithfield · Virginia · American Civil War
History & Significance
Fort Huger is a historic archaeological site located near Smithfield on the south side of the James River across from Mulberry Point. Named for Confederate Major General Benjamin Huger, commander of the Department of Norfolk, the fort was conceived as part of a coordinated defensive system.
Talcott surveyed and designed the James River fortifications to protect the Confederate capital of Richmond, located 60 miles upriver, with Fort Huger selected as suitable for gun batteries. Beginning in July 1861, enslaved and freed blacks assisted in construction, and the fort formed the right riverine flank of General John B. Magruder's Peninsula defenses in 1862.
Like most Civil War fortifications, it was built entirely of earth using hand tools and horse-drawn implements, requiring hundreds of workers many months to construct. The fort's short operational life tested its design against advancing Union naval technology.
The site was acquired by Isle of Wight County Parks and Recreation in 2005 and opened to the public as a park in 2007. Fort Huger was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Confederate artillery fortification with replica cannons on the James River
- Civil War-era defensive structures and earthworks
- Archaeological park setting with river views
- Historic site from the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Huger
- https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/046-0037/
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=18619
- https://www.archcon.org/investigations/fort-huger-project/fort-huger-history/
- https://www.loc.gov/item/gvhs01.vhs00355/
- https://dwr.virginia.gov/vbwt/sites/fort-huger/