12 May 2007 - Dedication of Redoubt #1

Many thanks to John Woyansky who provided the images on this page.

Redoubt #1 is part of Redoubt Park, located on Quarterpath Road in Williamsburg, Virginia.

When Virginia left the Union on April 17, 1861, Southern leaders recognized that the Federal Army could approach their capital at Richmond by way of Williamsburg. Benjamin Stoddard Ewell, a West Point graduate and president of the College of William and Mary, conceived the construction of the Williamsburg defensive line. During the summer of 1861, Confederate Army of the Peninsula Commander General John B. Magruder organized the construction of 14 redoubts between College and Queens creeks. The two redoubts, #1 and #2, preserved in Redoubt Park, were built by soldiers and slaves to guard Quarterpath Road and the right flank of the Williamsburg Line overlooking Tutters’ Mill Pond. On May 5, 1862, the Williamsburg Line was the scene of a terrific battle with over 3800 Union and Confederate casualties. This inconclusive engagement left the Union in control of the Virginia Peninsula. These fortifications remain a stark tribute to those who served, defining America’s future.

Click on Images to view Full Size Picures