Battle of Saint Mary's Church

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Battle of Saint Mary’s Church (Samaria Church)

On June 24, 1864, during the American Civil War, Union cavalry under Brig. Gen. David M. Gregg fought Confederate cavalry commanded by Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton near Saint Mary’s Church in Charles City, Virginia. This clash happened as Union forces under Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant were moving to cross the James River and press toward Petersburg, while Grant’s main supply base moved from White House to City Point.

Sheridan’s Union cavalry had been on a raid against the Virginia Central Railroad and had begun returning to the Army of the Potomac. They gathered supply wagons for the James River crossing. Hampton’s Confederate cavalry followed, hoping to disrupt the wagon train.

At Samaria Church, Gregg’s division held a line to protect the wagons. Hampton attacked with five Confederate brigades against Gregg’s two. The Confederates drove the Union riders from their breastworks, but Gregg’s forces kept the wagon train moving toward the James River.

From about 3 to 4 p.m. until nightfall, the two sides fought along the roads near the church. Gregg’s men withdrew to Charles City Court House to cover the retreat of the wagon train, which continued to Harrison’s Landing on the James. The fighting ended around 10 p.m. Casualties were about 350 Union soldiers and 250 Confederates. A number of prisoners were captured, including Col. Pennock Huey of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

After a day of difficult fighting, Sheridan’s wagon train crossed the James on flatboats at Douthat’s Landing, with Torbert’s division escorting them. Hampton, following Lee’s orders, moved his forces toward Petersburg to counter other Union actions, crossing the James later that week.

Overall, the battle was costly and inconclusive: the Union managed to protect the wagon train and reach the James, but Hampton’s cavalry had checked and pressed the Union forces during the fight. Sheridan’s Trevilian Station raid, conducted just before, had mixed results—significant for diverting Confederate attention but not destroying key Confederate supply lines.