Chesapeake is the second largest city in the Commonwealth of Virginia by both population and land area (351 square miles). It was formed in 1963 by the consolidation of the city of South Norfolk and the remainder of Norfolk County. Located on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway it extends from the border of North Carolina to the harbor area of Hampton Roads. The city is home to seven Civil War Trails signs, a sign erected by United States Colored Troops Descendants (#2), and the earthwork fort on Jolliff Road in Western Branch (The Mystery Fort), which is still under development and not open to the public. This post covers site numbers 1-5 in the map below.

1- Village of Great Bridge (36.7231833,-76.2453833)- In 1859 the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal opened. It connected the South Branch of the Elizabeth River and the North Landing River six miles to the east, which flowed into Currituck Sound in North Carolina. The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal as well as the Dismal Swamp Canal were important to both Union and Confederate forces for the movement of men and supplies. After the Union occupied Norfolk in May of 1862, they cleared the canal of obstructions and used it until the end of the war. On May 15, 1863, Confederates captured and destroyed two Union steamers near Great Bridge.

The Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal

1A- Civil War Anchor thought to belong to the USS Hartford– 36.7215833,-76.2403667

2- Unknown and Known Afro-Union Civil War Soldiers Memorial (36.7217833,-76.269)- This is the first and only memorial of its kind in the Commonwealth of Virginia dedicated to honor Black patriot heroes. It is located in the northeast section of the Sargeant March Corprew Family Memorial Cemetery. Sargeant Corprew is buried here. The memorial includes memorial gravemarkers for Private Samuel Hopper (Medal of Honor recipient, for valor at the Battle of New Market Heights) Co. C, 38th U.S.C.T. infantry, Private Daniel Corprew, Co.C., Private Lemuel Babb, Co.A., and Private Jeremiah Locker, Co.F., of the 1st Regiment, U.S.C.T. infantry and Private Robert Lee Johnson, Co.E., 10th U.S.C.T. infantry regiment.

3- Village of Deep Creek (36.7460167,-76.34115)- The Deep Creek Lock located here was the northern end of the Dismal Swamp Canal linking Albemarle Sound in North Carolina via the Pasquotank River to the Elizabeth River in Virginia via Deep Creek. The village of Deep Creek was the main depot for lumber taken from the Great Dismal Swamp.

The Dismal Swamp Canal

4- Dismal Swamp Canal (36.688733,-76.3591833)- After the Battle of Roanoke Island on February 10, 1862, two ships from the Confederate mosquito fleet fled north toward the Dismal Swamp Canal. The CSS Beaufort was able to make it into the canal and sailed past this point on its way to Norfolk. The CSS Appomattox, however, was 3 feet too wide, 21 feet, to make it through the lock and was burned by the Confederates. In April of 1862, Federal forces were concerned that the Confederates were planning to send an ironclad from the Gosport Naval Yard to Albemarle Sound through the canal. Union forces under General Jesse Reno was sent to destroy the canal locks at South Mills, which he failed to do (link).

5- Wallaceton (36.6058167,-76.3812167)- Wallaceton was named after the Wallace family home which stood near here. George Wallace and his wife Elizabeth Curtis Wallace built their home Glencoe located approximately one-half mile northeast of this sign around 1841. Their son William was born on March 23, 1842, at Wallaceton. He mustered into Confederate service on June 11, 1861, in the Jackson Greys and was elected lieutenant. He was promoted to captain in May 1862, he led the company until his death on August 19, 1864, at the Battle of Weldon Railroad. His mother kept a diary at Glencoe in which she recorded her wartime experiences. William H. Stewart, who organized the Jackson Grey’s and served as the first captain lived at Beechwood. Beechwood is one of the few large antebellum houses still standing in Chesapeake. Wallaceton is also still standing just to the north of this sign on Route 17.