The second battle of Drewry's Bluff, almost two years to the day after the first battle, began May 16, 1864. On May 5, 1864, Union troops landed at Bermuda Hundred, seriously threatening Richmond and Petersburg. Major General Butler's Union forces were far superior with 39,000 troops to the 20,000 Confederates under General Beauregard. Butler, lacking ability and initiative, proved an ineffective leader for his superior troops. For five days Butler's army criss-crossed the peninsula between the James and Appomattox Rivers and were repulsed at Swift's Creek on May 9th. Butler withdrew his army to a defensive position across Bermuda Neck. Beauregard, hoping to lure Butler's army from its safe-haven at Bermuda Neck, sent 7 divisions of men, under the command of Major Hoke to Drewry's Bluff, and on May 12th Butler began an advance against Hoke's army at Drewry's Bluff. By the morning of the 13th the approaching Union troops had effectively caused the outlying Confederate troops to fall back to the fortified main line at Drewry's Bluff. An overly cautious Butler planned an attack for the 15th but later canceled it preferring to hold his troops for a strong defense. By the 15th, Beauregard's armies were fortified by troops from Richmond and North Carolina. At 4:45 on the morning of the 16th, 4 brigades of Confederate soldiers, under the leadership of Major General Ransom, attacked Butler's right flank. Although slowed by heavy fog, the Confederates captured several hundred Union soldiers, 5 flags and a brigade commander. With his ammunition dangerously low and his organization dismantled Ransom halted the advance. Major Holk's command, also slowed by the heavy fog, attacked Butler's left flank and the Union troops stubbornly withdrew. In the heavy fog the Confederate troops became disorganized and disoriented. Taking advantage of their disorganization the Union troops mounted an attack between the two Confederate armies, thus halting the Confederate's advance. By mid-morning, with Beauregard's command exhausted, Butler began withdrawing back across the peninsula. The Confederates continued to pursue Butler's army and on the morning of 17th, opposite their position, Beauregard sealed off Bermuda Hundred, isolating Butler's troops on the Peninsula. Again a serious threat to Richmond and Petersburg had been averted at Drewry's Bluff. The victory, temporary as it was, came at a high cost to both the Confederate and Union troops. 2,506 Confederate and 4,160 Union soldiers died in the second battle of Drewry's Bluff.