Blackberry Raid During Gettysburg Campaign presented by Hampton Newsome

Early in July, 1863, on the same day the Union left held against Gen. Longstreet at Gettysburg, Union Maj. Gen. Erasmus Darwin Keyes advanced from White House Landing, Virginia, site of a major Union Army supply base, to demonstrate against Bottom's Bridge on the Chickahominy river.

The action was a diversionary tactic to cover a planned move against Richmond. Had Keyes been successful, he and the 6,000 men of the IV Corps would have prevented Confederate reinforcements from intercepting Lieut. Col. George Washington Getty's march to the South Anna Railroad bridge—a key component of General Lee's line of communication with Richmond.

Cautious and ineffective, Keyes seemed to spend most of his energy during July manufacturing excuses for his failure. The campaign would mark the abolitionist's last field command; he would later fade into obscurity.