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U. S. CIVIL WAR PHOTOGRAPHS |
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Fort Burnham Interior. Earthen Wall Constructed by Union Forces. |
Fort Harrison Exterior. Confederate Earthen Wall. Note the person indicated by the arrow. |
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On September 29, 1864, 2,500 Union forces over ran and captured Fort Harrison. It was the strongest Confederate Fort on the Richmond-Petersburg line. The next day Lee personally organized a major effort to retake the fort, but failed. Fort Harrison consisted of a semi-circle of earthern works facing the Union lines. When the Union forces took it over they built earthen works facing the opposite direction, thus completing a circle. They also renamed Fort Harrison, Fort Burnham after the Union General killed in the September 29 attack. ![]() Fort Burnham - 1864 or 1865. ![]() First Park Headquarters. (It is located at Fort Harrison) In 1936 Congress created the Richmond National Battlefield Park which included all lands acquired by the Battlefield Parks Corporation. This log structure became the visitor center and headquarters for this new national park. It remained in use until 1959. In 2007 it again became the National Park Visitor Center for Fort Harrison and surrounding forts and battlefields. With the addition of bathrooms and and major enhancements, it replaced the existing visitor center which was removed allowing a more complete view of the Fort. ![]() New National Park Service Fort Harrison Visitor Center - 2007 ![]() Old National Park Service Fort Harrison Visitor Center being removed - 2007 ![]() New National Park Service Fort Harrison Visitor Center (arrow) taken from the location of the previous Visitor Center - 2008 |
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![]() Fort Gilmer |
![]() Fort Alexander |
19th Century Photographs Notes
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