Point of Fork Arsenal
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Point of Fork Arsenal
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Point of Fork on a French map of the 1781 campaigns
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| Location | Point of Fork |
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| Nearest city | Columbia, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°45′3″N 78°10′3″W / 37.75083°N 78.16750°WCoordinates: 37°45′3″N 78°10′3″W / 37.75083°N 78.16750°W |
| Area | 225 acres (91 ha) |
| NRHP Reference # | 69000242 |
| VLR # | 032-0026 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 1, 1969 |
| Designated VLR | November 5, 1968 |
Point of Fork Arsenal was an arsenal established in the 18th century located near Columbia, Fluvanna County, Virginia. It was raided and destroyed on June 5, 1781, by Col. John Graves Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers. It was rebuilt and used for the manufacture and repair of arms and supplied material to combat the Whiskey Rebellion and to aid the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The arsenal remained in service until 1801, when it was abandoned in favor of a more centralized arsenal at Richmond, the Virginia Manufactory of Arms.
Today Point of Fork is a historic archaeological site. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.
The arsenal was located at Point of Fork, a point where the James River and Fluvanna River meet. Stationed at Point of Fork were elements of the 5th Virginia (Gaskins' Battalion) as well as elements of the local Fluvanna County militia.
In May 1781, Baron von Steuben relocated to the arsenal. Von Steuben complained of the status of the militia found at Point of Fork, stating that there were few men and fewer provisions. Immediately, von Steuben set about refitting the 5th Virginia for deployment south with General Greene in South Carolina, this despite some controversy with the Virginia General Assembly after von Steuben's plan to reinforce the American armies in South Carolina was rejected for fear of leaving Virginia's rivers undefended.
By May 1781, General Cornwallis was determined to break the back of the Virginians and sent Lt. Col. Simcoe and a detachment of rangers to capture Point of Fork. Alongside this effort was a force under Col. Tarleton's cavalry, seeking to sack the Virginia General Assembly, capture Governor Thomas Jefferson, and burn out any warehouses or potential stores for the Marquis de Lafayette and his army to use in pursuit of Cornwallis.
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