Richmond has a population of 228,783 and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in VA after Northern Virginia. It was incorporated by William Byrd II in 1947. Richmond is referred to as the Southern Tip of the east coast which includes New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. Here are some Facts about Richmond VA.
The armed forces came to Richmond VA long before the civil war. During the American Revolution, the city became the center of government. In 1780, Henry Clinton supported Lord Charles Cornwallis’s campaign and dispatched expeditions to Virginia. One year later, Benedict Arnold destroyed lots of munitions, gunpowder, and cannons. In the early stages of the war, the city became the primary union objective.
Another known fact is that Richmond VA was not the first capital of the confederacy. The delegates from the seceded states choose Alabama. And following the bombardment of Fort Sumter, Virginia left and the confederate started to look for another alternative. Ideologically-speaking, the confederacy believed that fighting the war had a strong connection to the American Revolution. In 1861, Richmond was approved by the confederate congress. It’s worth mentioning that the city was highly industrialized and possessed a major manufacturing center.
The logistical capabilities of Richmond supported the confederate on the war effort. Generally, there were five roads from the city which supplied the confederate armies. The woolen mills produced uniforms and firearms. In 1863, the federal war began to shift to Richmond. Also, union leadership emphasized the destruction of lee’s army. In 1864, General George G defeated Lee. Grant then laid siege to Richmond and critical rail path south of the capital. One year later, Richmond failed to unite forces. This forced President Abraham Lincoln to tour Richmond together with his sons. As he made his way to the streets, he was thronged by citizens and liberated slaves.
While the battlefields have been lost to development, most of the grounds can still be visited today. These facts are relevant to the lives of Americans today.
