Fort Welch

 (1864-1865) - A Union U.S. Civil War Fort established in 1864 near Petersburg, Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Named Fort Welch after Colonel Norval E. Welch, Commander, 16th Michigan Volunteer Infantry, who was killed at the Battle of Peebles Farm on 30 Sep 1864. Abandoned at the end of the war in 1865.

History of Fort Welch
Fort Welch was established on 3 Oct 1864 and completed on 10 Oct 1864. Built as an earthworks redoubt in the shape of a pentagon as a part of the Union seige line around Petersburg known as the "Fish Hook." Constructed with nine positions for field mounted guns and a single magazine. The outer ditch perimeter was some 725' enclosing about 0.8 acres. The fort required about 324 labor days and was built to garrison some 175 men and nine gun crews.

Fort Welch was situated on the western edge of the "Fish Hook" between Union Fort Fisher and Union Fort Gregg. It was connected to those two forts by a line of entrenchments and formed the hook end of the "Fish Hook."

Current Status
Part of the Petersburg National Battlefield. Some earthworks remains.

See Also:
 * Fort Fisher
 * Fort Gregg
 * Civil War Defenses of Richmond and Petersburg

Sources:
 * NPS - Assessment of the Principal Earthworks Federal Fish Hook Line, Petersburg, Virginia, October 1998

Links:
 * North American Forts - Fort Welch
 * NPS - Fort Welch
 * Find A Grave - Colonel Norval E. Welch