Fort Lee (6)

 (1864-1865) - A Confederate U.S. Civil War Fort established 1862-1864 near Petersburg, Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Originally named Battery No. 45 but later renamed Fort Lee for General Robert E. Lee, the Confederate commander in chief. It was successfully held after the outer line fell on April 2, but was evacuated when the Confederates fled from Petersburg that night.. Abandoned by Confederate troops on 3 Apr 1865 at the end of the war.

History of Fort Lee
Established as a Confederate fort and battery, perhaps as early as 1862, in front of the City of Petersburg. Fort Lee was one of the fortifications along the Confederate defensive lines around Petersburg known as the "Dimmock Line". This fortification was known to the Union forces mostly as Battery No. 45.

With the advance of Union forces against the Confederate lines on 2 Apr 1865, Union forces came under fire from Battery No. 45 in front of Petersburg. The Union commander reported coming under fire from eleven guns as he prepared to storm the battery. He reported that the fire from the battery was ineffective "by the want of skill on the part of the gunners and their firing mostly solid shot." The Union forces camped overnight preparing to storm the fort the next day. On the morning of 3 Apr 1865 they found Battery No. 45 abandoned and the 8th U.S. Colored Troops raised the U.S. colors over the fort.

Fort Lee was abandoned in 1865 at the end of the war.

Current Status
Unknown.

See Also:
 * Civil War Defenses of Richmond and Petersburg

Sources:
 * The War of the Rebellion: v. 1-53 serial no. 1-111 Formal reports, page 1236
 * The War of the Rebellion: v. 1-53 serial no. 1-111 Formal reports, page 1236

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Lee
 * Historical Marker Database - Battery 45