Excerpted from the Civil War Trails marker- The earthworks here helped defend the York River against Union attack from 1861 to 1862. The narrowing of the river between Yorktown and Gloucester Point provided a good defensive position to effect control of the upper reaches of the river. These fortifications were the eastern terminus of Confederate Major General John Bankhead Magruder’s Second Peninsula Defensive Line. In June 1861, the Confederate Army fortified Gloucester Point by constructing a star-shaped fort and water battery overlooking the York River.
The water battery was at the extremity of the point, its terreplain only two feet above high tide. It was a fully enclosed earthwork, 100 yards long and 75 yards wide. Its parapet was 7½ feet high on the inside and 20 feet thick with embrasures for 12 guns. While the battery was under construction Gloucester Point came under fire from Union gunboats. The attack was repulsed, and the battery completed under the instruction of General Lee. Its armament consisted of eight 9-inch Dahlgrens and four 32-pounders. The water battery was protected from land attack by the star-shaped fort constructed on the bluff above it. Major General George McClellan’s plan to capture Richmond by way of the Virginia Peninsula was based on his ability to utilize the James and York Rivers as avenues of approach to the Confederate capital. The emergence of the powerful ironclad ram, the CSS Virginia, blocked the James River and forced him to concentrate his army on the York River. When McClellan’s advance was blocked by Magruder’s Second Defensive Line, the U.S. Navy refused to make any attempt to run past the batteries at Yorktown and Gloucester Point. The entire Second Defensive Line was abandoned by the Confederates on the evening of May 3-4, 1862. Only then was the U.S. Navy able to transport McClellan’s troops and equipment up the York River to White House Landing on the Pamunkey River and continue operations against Richmond. The fort is interpreted at Tyndall’s Point Park. The fort is bisected by modern-day Route 17. Tyndall’s Point Park is to the west of Route 17. Modern day Route 17 was built right through the fort.
A small part of the fort exists to the east of Route 17 on the Virginia Institute of Marine Science campus. There is no interpretation of the fort on this side of Route 17.
Rampart along Greate Road
At the corner of Greate Road and Roper Road the rampart takes a sharp left turn to parallel Roper Road.
Rampart along Roper Road- looking down the rampart running parallel to Roper Road toward Route 17.
Interior of the fort
The circular depression seen on LiDAR. I do not know what this represents.
Pictures from the banks of the Gloucester Point side of the York River are shown below.
View of Gloucester Point from the Yorktown side of the river
Next- The Peninsula Campaign Part 11- Endview- General McLaws and Toombs Headquarters