BGuthrie Photos: VA -- Richmond -- Dabbs House

VA -- Richmond -- Dabbs House:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. DABBS_120608_009.JPG: Dabbs House Lee's First Headquarters -- 1862 Peninsula Campaign -- In May 1862, Gen. George McClellan's Union army was poised on the outskirts of Richmond threatening the Confederate capital. Here, in the Dabbs House, Robert E. Lee, as new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, opened his headquarters on June 1, 1862. Four days later, he had shaped the strategy that would free Richmond from the Army of the Potomac. Two notable conferences occurred here. The first, on June 11, brought cavalryman Gen. J.E.B. Stuart to plan with Lee the famous ride around the Union Army. That feat, which covered 100 miles in 72 hours, electrified stagnant morale among citizens and soldiers alike and was the first flash in Stuart's meteoric career. Almost two weeks later, on June 23, Lee assembled his top subordinates for the first time. Using information gathered from Stuart's ride, he unveiled his plan to drive the Northern army away from Richmond. This event, often called "The Dabbs House Meeting," was the first step in the series of battles known as the Seven Days that introduced Lee to the world as a talented general. Dabbs House: Known as High Meadow prior to the Civil War, the two-story brick structure was the home of Josiah and Mary Dabbs when the war broke out. Upon the death of Josiah in January 1862, Mary moved into Richmond, leaving the house unoccupied when Lee made it his headquarters. An extension on the west and two one-and-a-half story wings were added in the early 1900s.
2. DABBS_120608_011.JPG: The Dabb House General Lee's Headquarters. In the residence at the end of this lane, General R.E. Lee had headquarters from June 1 to June 26, 1862. Hither for conference came "Stonewall" Jackson, Longstreet, Stuart, A.P. Hill, D.H. Hill and other of his lieutenants. Here the plan for the Seven Days' Campaign was drawn.
3. DABBS_120608_129.JPG: The Seven Days Battles July 25 - July 1, 1862 Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George B. McClellan, away from Richmond and into a retreat down the Virginia Peninsula. There were more than 36,000 casualties during this campaign, 15,849 from the Union, and 20,614 from the Confederacy. Day 1: June 25, 1862: Federal forces tested Confederate lines to no avail at Oak Grove. Battle of Oak Grove (aka Battle of King's Schoolhouse) Major General Joseph Hooker tried to push forward against the Confederate right flank to gain ground for better positioning of McClellan's siege guns. Hooker advanced in fierce fighting, but withdrew. McClellan visited the battlefield and ordered Hooker to attack again, but without success. Day 2: June 26, 1862: Poor communication reduced the effectiveness of Lee's attack. Battle of Beaver Dam Creek (aka Battle of Mechanicsville) Believing that Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson would be in position to threaten Federal troops above the Chickahominy River, Lee gathered much of his army to begin a general attack. Major General A.P. Hill was directed to capture Mechanicsville enabling Major General James Longstreet and Brigadier General D.H. Hill to cross the bridge over the Chickahominy and, in conjunction with Jackson, surround and defeat the 25,000 soldiers of Brigadier General Fitz John Porter's Corps. Alas, Jackson was delayed and could not reach his position in time. The attack began without him. Lee watched from Chickahominy Bluffs. A.P. Hill detached a brigade under Brigadier General Lawrence Branch to wait further upstream to provide a communications link with Jackson. A.P. Hill, unable to reach Jackson or Branch, ordered a general advance on his own initiative. Porter's men at the Meadow Bridge redoubt engaged Hill's men before withdrawing. Suddenly a Union skirmish line appeared from some woods and crossed the Mechanicsville Pike, quickly followed by Confederate skirmishers. When observers reported this to Lee, orders went out to Longstreet and D.H. Hill to advance. Lee met A.P. Hill in Mechanicsville under the chaos of Union and Confederate artillery and learned that Hill had advanced on his own without Jackson. Rather than risking momentum, Lee ordered Hill to continue his advance. Leaving Mechanicsville Lee stumbled on Jefferson Davis and his civilian followers. "Mr. President," Lee said, "who is this army and what is it doing here?" As Davis squirmed he replied, "It is not my army, General." Calmly Lee responded, "It is certainly not my army, Mr. President, and this is no place for it." "Well, General," David replied as he doffed his hat, "if I withdraw, perhaps they will follow me." David disappeared, but only from Lee's sight. When Davis halted, a nearby soldier was killed by an exploding shell. -- Douglas Southall Freeman, "R.E. Lee: A Biography" Porter's Corps repulsed the Confederate assault at Beaver Dam Creek but was ordered by McClellan that evening to pull back to a stronger position at Gaines' Mill, where he was hammered again the next day. McClellan, now realizing Jackson had shown up and fearing that he was greatly outnumbered, began planning a retreat. McClellan intended to launch an attack on the 26th but was delayed and forced to go on the defensive by Lee's attack. Lee left only a thin line of defense in front of Richmond as he threw his forces across the Chickahominy River.
4. DABBS_120608_135.JPG: Days 3-4: June 27-28, 1862: Lee launched the largest attack of his career, producing the only clear Confederate victory of the campaign. McClellan made the decision to retreat, and after the 27th, concentrated on getting his Army safely across the James River. Battle of Gaines' Mill: Lee continued his offensive. Porter was ordered to hold high ground near Gaines' Mill so that the army could change its base of supply to the James River. Several of his subordinates urged McClellan to attack General John B. Magruder, who was set up between the railroad tracks and the river, but fearing vast numbers of Confederates he continued his retreat. Arriving on the battlefield south of A.P. Hill, Longstreet saw the difficulty of attacking over open terrain and delayed to wait for Jackson. D.H. Hill attacked the Federal right but was held off by Brigadier General George Sykes; he backed off to await Jackson's arrival. Again Jackson was delayed. Longstreet was ordered to conduct a diversionary attack to stabilize the line while waiting for Jackson to arrive and attack from the north. Finally, late in the day, Jackson arrived and Lee was able to organize a proper coordinated attack along his entire line. Porter's line was ultimately broken by Brigadier General John Hood's Texans. Magruder continued to distract McClellan south of the river and keep 60,000 Federal troops occupied, while the heavier action was occurring north of the river. Early on June 28, Porter withdrew across the Chickahominy, burning bridges behind him. McClellan ordered General Erasmus Keyes' corps to move west of Glendale and protect the army's withdrawal while Porter moved to defensive positions on high ground at Malvern Hill. "If I save this Army now I tell you plainly that I owe no thanks to you or any other persons in Washington -- you have done your best to sacrifice this Army." -- McClellan's statement in a telegram to the Secretary of War. The military telegraph department chose to omit this sentence from the copy given to the Secretary. Gaines' Mill was the only clear Confederate victory during the Seven Days Battles. However, it was won at a heavy cost with casualties of 9,000 on the Confederate side and 6,800 for the Union Army. Battle of Garnett's Hill and Gouldin's Farm (June 27-June 28): Continuing the action from Gaines' Mill, the brigades of Colonel George T. Anderson and Brigadier General Robert Toombs engaged in heavy fighting against Federal Brigadier General Winfield S. Hancock's men. The attacks were easily repulsed but served to further unnerve McClellan. Although Toombs resumed the attack the next morning and achieved more success, his men withdrew under intense Union artillery fire. Day 5: June 29, 1862: Union morale plummeted. Fed up with the retreat, Major General Edwin V. Sumner tried without success to defend a Union hospital with 2500 wounded Federal soldiers. Confederate troops chased them further towards the James River. Battle of Savage's Station: McClellan's lead officers, Brigadier Generals William B. Franklin, Samuel P. Heintzelman, and William F. "Baldy" Smith, along with Sumner, began handling things based on their own divisions' and corps' best interests, not always using the best communication. Heintzelman decided that his corps was not needed to defend Savage's Station and followed the rest of the army without informing his fellow generals. Union morale plummeted, particularly among the wounded, who realized that they were not being evacuated from Savage's Station with the rest of the Army. It wasn't hard to spot the Union Army -- columns of billowing clouds of black smoke gave away their location. Soldiers were burning everything that could not be carried. "Hard bread, flour, rice, sugar, coffee, salt and pork," wrote one surgeon, "were thrown upon the burning piles and consigned to the flames." Clothing and shoes were torched as well. The ordnance was handled differently. To the east of Savage's Station was a railroad which dropped 50 feet in under two miles to a bridge over the Chickahominy. The munitions were loaded onto a train, set on fire and pushed enough to begin rolling down the hill. The sound of explosions from the train filled the air and the flaming train set the bridge on fire. Magruder ran into the rearguard of the Union force at the station. He slowly organized an attack with 14,000 soldiers against Sumner's corps and Baldy Smith's division of about 26,000. The attack was accompanied by the first armored railroad battery -- a 32-pound Brooke naval rifle pushed by a locomotive at about the speed of the marching infantry. Although it outgunned anything the Federal artillerists possessed, the assaults were repulsed and the Union corps escaped. By noon the next day the Army of the Potomac had cleared White Oak Swamp Creek.
5. DABBS_120608_138.JPG: Day 6: June 30, 1862 Despite the great success of Lee's attack in forcing McClellan to retreat, the Army of Northern Virginia was never able to defeat the Army of the Potomac. A series of miscommunications and difficult road conditions resulted in attacks which were never as well executed as they were planned. Battle of White Oak Swamp: Charged with the largest amount of territory to cross, Jackson became entangled and drastically slowed in the White Oak Swamp. By the time he had extricated his troops, it was too late to continue the attack. Another opportunity was missed. Battle of Glendale (aka Frayser's Farm): Lee ordered his army to converge on the bottlenecked Union forces between the White Oak Swamp and the crossroads at Frayser's Farm. Once again, Lee's plan was poorly executed. Brigadier General Benjamin Huger was slowed by obstructions along the Charles City Road and failed to participate in the battle. Brigadier General Theophilus Holmes engaged in an unsuccessful maneuver against Porter at Malvern Hill. Jackson spent the entire day north of the creek, making only feeble efforts to cross and attack Union forces. Lee, Longstreet, and visiting Confederate President Jefferson Davis were observing the action on horseback when they came under heavy artillery fire. The party withdrew, with two men wounded and three horses killed. Because of the setbacks, only AP Hill and Longstreet attacked during the battle. Longstreet performed poorly, sending in brigades in a piecemeal fashion, rather than striking with concentrated force. They struck Brigadier General George McCall's division forcing it back, but the penetration was soon sealed off by Union reinforcements. McCall was captured during the battle. Lee would have only one more opportunity to intercept McClellan's army before it reached the safety of the James River. Marching south on the White Oak Road, Jackson and his men found the swamp's single bridge burned and engineers were ordered to rebuild it. As Jackson and DH Hill crossed the river to perform reconnaissance, a Union artillery shell exploded only a few feet away. Realizing the Union artillery was reinforcing the position and sharpshooters could play havoc with the engineers, Jackson decided this was not a place to make a crossing. Brigadier General Wade Hampton found a point where a bridge could be built for infantry. Jackson ordered him to built the bridge, but took no action to cross the swamp. Around noon, seven Confederate batteries of 31 guns opened fire, catching the Union troops by surprise. With the artillery duel across the swamp escalating to over 40 guns, and the battle raging less than 3 miles away, Jackson sat beneath a large oak tree and fell asleep for over an hour. Day 7: July 1, 1862: Battle of Malvern Hill: The Federal Army had its strongest position on Malvern Hill, and the toughest fighting yet for the Confederate troops lay ahead. McClellan concentrated his artillery pieces on the hill supported by masses of infantry. In front of the Federal line, the ground was open and gradually sloped down from the crest of the hill. "To reach this open ground our troops had to advance through a broken and thickly wooded country, traversed nearly throughout its whole extent by a swamp passable but few places, difficult at those. The whole was in range of the batteries on the heights and the gunboats on the river, under whose incessant fire our movements had to be executed." -- General Lee's observation The approaching Confederate soldiers were delayed by severely muddy roads and poor maps. Jackson arrived at a swampy creek called Western Run and stopped abruptly. Magruder's guides mistakenly sent him northwest on Long Bridge Road, away from the battlefield. Eventually the battle line was assembled with Huger's division on the right and DH Hill's division to the left. They awaited the Confederate bombardment before attacking. Unfortunately for Lee, Union artillery struck first around mid-day, launching one of the greatest barrages of the war. The Union gunners had superior equipment and expertise, and disabled most of the Confederate batteries. Making one of the few mistakes of his campaign, Lee ordered Jackson's, Hill's, Magruder's and Huger's divisions to attack the Federal line. The attacks were uncoordinated and by nightfall the Confederates withdrew, suffering more than 5,300 casualties without gaining an inch of ground. "It wasn't war; it was murder." -- DH Hill wrote afterwards The next day, the Federal Army continued its retreat to Harrison's Landing within range of the heavy guns of the US Navy. Realizing that there was nothing else he could do, and McClellan no longer posing a threat to Richmond, Lee directed the Army to return to its former positions around Richmond. The Seven Days Battles established the reputation of Robert E. Lee as a field commander; it did quite the opposite for George McClellan. The "Young Napoleon" was left dangling at Harrison's Landing no the James River. The Peninsula Campaign was over.
6. DABBS_120608_151.JPG: The Battle of New Market Heights September 29, 1864 (also known as Chaffin's Farm) The Battle of New Market Heights, was part of the Siege of Petersburg. While it remains among the lesser-known engagements of the Civil War, its significance in American military history and African-American history deserves recognition. Ulysses S. Grant approved a plan sending Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler's Army of the James against the Confederate defenses protecting Richmond. If Butler's men broke through, the capture of the Confederate capital became possible. The campaign involved over 20,000 Union troops including 3,000 black soldiers serving in units designated United States Colored Troops, or USCTs. During the night of September 28-29, 1864 Butler's Army of the James crossed the James River to assault the Richmond defenses north of the river. Just before dawn on September 29, the Army of the James launched a two-pronged attack. One prong, Major General Edward Ord's XVIII Corps, crossed the James Rivers at Aiken's Landing and attacked up the Varina Road toward Fort Harrison. The other prong, Major General David Birney's X Corps, along with Brigadier General Charles Paine's division of USCTs, crossed the James River at Deep Bottom landing and advanced north toward New Market Heights. General Butler had recommended that Paine's division lead the Union attacks. He believed black soldiers would fight as well as white soldiers, and New Market Heights offered a perfect opportunity for the USCTs to prove their ability. Advancing north from Deep Bottom, Paine's division suddenly came under Confederate fire. Waiting behind earthworks along the New Market Road were about 2,000 Confederate soldiers belonging to the famous Texas brigade and Brigadier General Martin Gary's dismounted cavalry brigade. Paine's three brigades -- commanded by Colonels John Holman, Alonzo Draper and Samuel Duncan -- formed behind Four Mile Creek and steadied themselves before the massive rush toward the Confederate line. The Union attacks came in waves rather then the planned all out assault due to harsh terrain and blockades. Duncan's brigade charged first, but was unable to penetrate the two lines of fallen trees and debris the Confederates had set up to protect their position. Next came Draper's attack across the same ground. Under constant infantry and artillery fire, Draper's men spent thirty brutal minutes pinned down by southern firepower. When Confederate fire slowed down the USCTs charged New Market Heights. Union infantrymen rushed up the slopes of the heights only to find most of the Rebel defenders had fled. Paine's division suffered over 800 casualties in just over an hour, the courage and determination shown by those making the attacks could not be denied. For their valor, 14 African Americans received the Medal of Honor. This was an especially significant event in American military history given that only 16 Army medals of Honor were awarded to black troops during the entire Civil War. Meanwhile, the other prong of the Union offensive, two divisions of the XVIII Corps, advanced north and captured Fort Harrison and a small section of Richmond's outer defenses. After initial Union successes at New Market Heights and Fort Harrison, the Confederates rallied and counterattacked unsuccessfully. The Federals entrenched, and the Confederates erected a new line of works cutting off the captured forts. Union general Burnham was killed. As Grant had anticipated, Lee shifted troops to meet the threat against Richmond, weakening his lines at Petersburg. The Battle of Chaffin's Farm was the North's most successful effort to break General Robert E. Lee's defensive lines north of the James. The attack at New Market Heights forever established the fighting spirit of the African-American soldier. For the next six months the two armies held fast to their opposite positions just eight miles from Richmond. On April 2, 1865, the Confederate government evacuated its capital city. The following day the Army of the James, including hundreds of USCTs, proudly entered Richmond.
7. DABBS_120608_159.JPG: Did you know that... * One hundred and sixty-six regiments were raised for the United States Colored Troops (USCT), as they were officially known, comprising more than 200,000 black soldiers and more than 7,000 white officers. * The number of black troops in the Union army was larger than the entire Confederate Army in the final months of the war. * These troops were not latecomers or limited to labor on [sic -- should be "or"] garrison duty. They fought valiantly in literally scores of battles in a dozen states, often leading the assault as at Port Hudson, Nashville, Petersburg, and New Market Heights. * The casualty rate for the USCT was 18 percent, compared to 13 percent for the Union Army as a whole. * Fourteen USCT soldiers were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor as a result of their actions at New Market Heights. * In addition to the USCT, more than 20,000 black men served in the Union Navy during the Civil War.
8. DABBS_120608_173.JPG: This is the story of a country's coming of age and history forever changed. Right here, in Henrico County, Virginia is where that story begins. In the early hours of June 1, 1862, General Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia. General George McClellan's Union front covered a distance of approximately 10 miles, and was now as close as five miles to Richmond no the far right flank. General Lee and President Davis came across the Dabbs House on their way back from Seven Pines to Richmond. After receiving permission from Mary Catherine Dabbs, Lee set up his headquarters at High Meadows (as Dabbs House was known) to plan the defense of Richmond. Lee's army of approximately 72,000 faced more than 100,000 Federal troops. Federal entrenchments were considered too strong for a direct assault, so Lee concluded that he would need to turn one of the enemy's flanks. McClellan's troops were spread across the Chickahominy River and the left flank was heavily defended by fortifications and artillery. The Federal right appeared less secure, but Lee needed confirmation that an assault on the right flank was practical. Lee called on the Confederate Calvary under JEB Stuart to perform the reconnaissance. On June 12, 1,200 cavalry accompanied Stuart on the most famous ride of his career. In 72 hours, Stuart's cavalry rode completely around the Union Army, located their communication lines, and confirmed that their right flank was indeed less fortified and "in the air." Lee instructed Stonewall Jackson to march his Army of the Valley to Richmond and prepare for an attack on the Union Army north of the Chickahominy. On the night of June 23, Lee called a conference of his top generals at the Dabbs House to present his plans of counterattack against Union forces. Stonewall Jackson rode in before his advancing troops for the meeting. AP Hill, Daniel Harvey (DH) Hill, and James Longstreet were also summoned to the meeting. The generals agreed to the complex plan. McClellan planned to utilize his superior artillery to break through the Richmond defenses, but Lee's plan to strike the Federal Army before it could advance further ultimately prevailed. On June 24 after the Dabbs House conference, Lee issued orders setting in motion the first of the Seven Days battles. The wounding of General Joseph Johnston at the Battle of Seven Pines gave Confederate President Jefferson Davis cause to place General Robert E. Lee in command of the Army of Northern Virginia.
9. DABBS_120608_182.JPG: Letter, from R.E. Lee to G.W. Randolph, Secretary of War June 21, 1862 On loan courtesy of Dr. Paul Whyte This letter was written by General Robert E. Lee at his Dabbs House Headquarters on June 21st 1862, just four days before the start of the Seven Days Campaign. The letter is intended for Confederate Secretary of War George Randolph, former President Thomas Jefferson's youngest grandson. The letter questions the continued tenure of one of Lee's Divisional Commanders, General John B. Magruder in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Magruder was originally ordered to the Confederate Trans-Mississippi Theatre in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri. The order was suspended by the Confederate War Department without the knowledge of the commanding general, Robert E. Lee. Hdqrs: Dabbs House 21 June '62 Honble G.W. Randolph Secretary of War Richmond VA: Sir I was informed last evening by Genl Magruder that he understood he was finally relieved from the order assigning him to duty in the transmississippi Dpt: If this is the decision of the Dept. I request to be informed that I may make some arrangements in reference to his Command in this Army. I have the honor to be your obd servant R E LEE Genl
10. DABBS_120608_207.JPG: "Remember the poor -- it costs nothing." -- Mark Twain Dabbs House was an almshouse from 1883 to 1924
11. DABBS_120608_215.JPG: Dabbs House was a police headquarters from 1941 to 2005
12. DABBS_120608_218.JPG: "The discovery of nuclear reactions need not bring about the destruction of mankind any more than the discovery of matches." -- Albert Einstein
13. DABBS_120608_224.JPG: "No one who saw it could forget it, a foul and awesome display." -- Kenneth Bainbridge, physicist A civil defense center was added in 1965
Description of Subject Matter: The Dabbs House was home to the Henrico County police force for more than fifty years although the actual history of the property and its residents goes back much further. The original two-room dwelling was built around 1820 and was known as High Meadow.
In 1859, Josiah Dabbs moved to High Meadow with his wife Mary Catherine. Josiah Dabbs succumbed to an illness and died at his home on Nine Mile Road on January 19, 1862. Recognizing that her home was in the direct path of the invading Federal Army, Mary Catherine Dabbs moved to another residence in the city of Richmond.
General Lee and his staff received permission from Mrs. Dabbs to use her vacant home at High Meadow as his new field headquarters. On June 23, 1862, Lee and his generals conferred at Dabbs House, and plans for the protection of Richmond were crafted. General Lee's strategy for defending the Confederate capital resulted in the Seven Days Battle.
In 1883 the County purchased the property to use as an Almshouse for the poor. By 1924, Dabbs no longer served as the County Almshouse and was used as rental property for a number of years.
By 1940, the County reclaimed the home for office space. Architect Edward F. Sinnott, who also designed the nearby Henrico Theatre, was hired to remodel the building. Staff for the departments of Health and Welfare made their home at Dabbs as well as the County probation office and the WPA sewing project. �In 1941, Henrico's Police Division moved into the Dabbs house. In 1964, the County constructed the Emergency Operating Center, an underground shelter and command center, at Dabbs.� In 2005, the County Police Headquarters relocated and the property was turned over to the Division of Recreation and Parks.
The above was from http://www.co.henrico.va.us/rec/recreation-centers-facilities/dabbs-house-museum.html
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