Guarding the River

After capturing Fort Harrison in September 1864, Federal troops built Fort Brady as a defensive post on the James River.<br><br>In January 1865, Confederate ships attempted to threaten the Federal supply base downriver at City Point. Passing Fort Brady in darkness, the ships returned Union fire, disabled a large Parrot rifle, killed three Union artillerists, and wounded many in the fort. The foray, known as the battle of Trent’s Reach, ended in failure when the Confederate ironclads ran ito artillery fire and low water south of Fort Brady.