ground for the Confederate States Naval Academy, as well as the Confederate Marine Corps Camp of Instruction. Then on May 5, 1864 the Union returned, this time landing 30,000 troops at Bermuda Hundred only 15 miles south of Richmond, under the command of Major General Benjamin F. Butler. Within a few days they had reached Fort Darling managing to take over some of the outer defenses, but indecisive generals failed to consolidate their hold. Soon 18,000 Confederate infantry under General P.G.T Beauregard arrived and routed the attackers on May 16. Fort Darling and Richmond had again seen the Union driven off. Evacuation Following the Battle of Namozine Church began the evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond on April 2, 1865. The troops, marines and sailors of Fort Darling joined the movement westwards and eventually surrendered after the Battle of Appomattox Court House on April 9. On April 4 the obstacles in the James River were cleared and Abraham Lincoln passed the fort on his way to Richmond. References External links Plan of defenses at Drewry's Bluff January 1863, Gilmer Maps Collection, University of North Carolina Chesterfield County in the American Civil War Virginia in the American Civil War Confederate States Marine Corps American Civil War forts in Virginia 1862 establishments in Virginia