National Park Service to Commemorate Battles of Fort Harrison and New Market Heights
Richmond, Va.
On Saturday, Sept. 24, Richmond National Battlefield Park and the American Battlefield Trust will commemorate the Battles of Fort Harrison and New Market Heights. Rangers and volunteers will offer tours of Fort Harrison exploring the park’s early history, and the Trust will conduct its first-ever tour of newly preserved land at New Market Heights. The public is encouraged to take advantage of this special opportunity to learn about battlefield preservation, past and present. All programs are free and begin at the park’s Fort Harrison unit, located at 8621 Battlefield Park Road, Richmond.
In late September, 1864, Federal forces made a surprise assault on the Richmond defenses. In two separate battles at New Market Heights and Fort Harrison, they broke through Confederate lines. The battles here permanently changed the military situation for the rest of the war, as Federal troops now had a secure foothold just outside of Richmond. Fourteen African American soldiers earned the Medal of Honor for their actions at New Market Heights.
Fort Harrison was the first of Richmond’s battlefields to be preserved in the 1920s, and recent land preservation has occurred nearby at New Market Heights. Richmond National Battlefield Park and the American Battlefield Trust are excited to partner together to educate the public about these battlefields and their preservation history.
Activities for the day include:
10am Ranger-led walking tour
11am. Presentation on the early preservation of the battlefield and the Civilian Conservation Corps
1pm Car caravan tour from Fort Harrison to New Market Heights, led by the American Battlefield Trust
2pm Ranger-led walking tour
3pm Presentation on the early preservation of the battlefield and the Civilian Conservation Corps
In the event of inclement weather, updates will be posted to the park’s Facebook page. For more information about the event, contact Ranger Bert Dunkerly at bert_dunkerly@nps.gov. For more information about the park, visit www.nps.gov/rich or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichmondNPS.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
