The Battle of Ware Bottom Church took place as part of the greater Bermuda Hundred campaign, which encompassed a series of military engagements aimed at seizing control of key strategic points in Virginia. On this occasion, Confederate forces under General P.G.T. Beauregard confronted Union troops commanded by General Benjamin Butler. The battle was part of a tactical maneuver by Butler to cut off the Confederate supply lines and engage Beauregard's forces in the Richmond area. Both sides fielded around 10,000 soldiers, and the engagement quickly became intense, with the terrain and fortifications on both sides influencing the strategies employed.

The fighting was particularly fierce, with soldiers facing not only each other but also adverse weather conditions and challenging terrain. Despite Butler's attempts to outmaneuver the Confederate positions, the Union troops struggled to gain the upper hand. Beauregard’s forces utilized effective defensive strategies, leveraging their knowledge of the local landscape, which ultimately saw them repel the Union attacks. After several hours of combat, the Confederate Army succeeded in pushing Butler's forces back, marking a pivotal moment in this campaign.

In the larger context of the Civil War, the Confederate victory at Ware Bottom Church allowed Beauregard to maintain control over the Richmond area temporarily and thwarted Butler's strategy to secure a foothold near the Confederate capital. The battle was indicative of the escalating intensity of the conflict as both sides sought to gain territorial advantages. The outcome further demonstrated the challenges faced by Union commanders in executing complex military strategies in the deeply entrenched and fortified landscapes of Virginia, which would continue to play a crucial role in the Civil War going forward.