Gettysburg's Southern Front: Crump's Crossroads East of Richmond, July 2, 1863

Map of New Kent County, Crump's Crossroads Detail (LOC)

Gettysburg's Southern Front includes an in-depth look at Erasmus Keyes' anemic efforts against Richmond's defenses. In early July 1863, Keyes advanced from John Dix's base at White House Landing to demonstrate against Bottom's Bridge on the Chickahominy River. If successful, Keyes would have prevented Confederate reinforcements from intercepting George Getty's march to the South Anna railroad bridges, key components of Robert E. Lee's line of communication with Richmond. But Keyes’ operation came to an abrupt halt after an engagement with D.H. Hill's forces at Crump's ("Baltimore") Crossroads -- on the same day the Union left at Gettysburg managed to hold against James Longstreet's massive assault.

Erasmus Keyes (LOC)

I'm struck by how poorly Keyes performed at Crump's Crossroads. He never got close to Bottom's Bridge and spent several days at Talleysville (Baltimore Store) and Crump's doing pretty much nothing. Though his political views contrasted sharply with those of his professional nemesis, George McClellan, the two shared similar command traits. Cautious and ineffective, Keyes seemed to spend most of his energy in July manufacturing excuses for his failure. The campaign would mark the abolitionist's last field command. He would fade into obscurity - and little would be written about his actions before Richmond during the Gettysburg Campaign. His lengthy autobiography, published eleven years before his death in 1884, ends abruptly in 1862 and, not surprisingly, ignores the events of July 1863.