Confederate earthworks at New Market Heights. Author Photo.
By Bert Dunkerly on September 22, 2025
An exciting project is underway to build a new trail near Richmond, Virginia. This new path will connect the Virginia Capital Trail (which runs from Richmond to Jamestown) with Deep Bottom Park, a boat landing along the James River.
The new trail will run directly through two battle sites: Second Deep Bottom (August 14, 1864) and New Market Heights (September 27, 1864). Currently there is no public access to these sites, and the trail will be the first opportunity for the public to view the ground.
In August, 1864, the siege of Petersburg was underway. General U.S. Grant planned to send the Federal II and X corps across the James River in an attempt to strike at Richmond. This was part of Grant's strategy to keep Gen. Robert E. Lee's forces off balance, shifting men north of the river and back again to keep the Confederates guessing.
The United States troops broke through Confederate defenders north of the Deep Bottom Landing, but the larger effort failed to make progress, and the troops were withdrawn.
On September 29, 1864, the Federals launched a two-prong attack here, with one wing attacking the Confederate line at New Market Heights, and another striking Fort Harrison. Both attacks were successful, but lost their momentum by the afternoon. New Market Heights was fought largely by United States Colored Troops, and fourteen of them were awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest number for any single battle in the war.
A team from Henrico County, the American Battlefield Trust, the Capital Region Land Conservancy, the Battle of New Market Heights Memorial and Education Association, the Richmond Battlefields Association, and the National Park Service are working to design the trail and plan historic markers along the route.
For more information, see the project website: