Area Encounters
Throughout the war the Bay region
was constantly under pressure from Union gunboats that patrolled
the numerous rivers and creeks. Located on this map is just a
sampling of the events that took place from 1861 to 1865. Click
on the red dots to find out more about some of these events.
Carter's Creek - April 30, 1864
Union gunboats Tulip and Fuchsia
entered Carter's Creek, where they dispatched a landing party
in three boats. At Whitestone the Federals met with resistance
that they soon overcame. There they destroyed the headquarters
of the Lancaster Cavalry. They returned to Carter's Creek, taking
with them a large quantity of grain and livestock, destroying
eleven boats along the way. This is also the location of the Steamboat
Era Museum. Up until 1891 the town of Irvington was known as Carter's
Creek or Carter's Creek Wharf.
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Photograph courtesy
of the Naval Historical Society
Battle at Aquia Creek - May 29 -
June 1, 1861
U.S. naval vessels bombarded Confederate
batteries near the mouth of Aquia Creek; the batteries had been
placed there to protect the northern terminus of the railroad
to Richmond. Confederates feared a landing of troops, which did
not materialize. Results of the bombardment were inconclusive,
although the batteries were later withdrawn.
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Etching and Photograph courtesy of
the Naval Historical Society
Mathias Point - Loss of Commander
James H. Ward - June 26, 1861
Commander James H. Ward, creator
of the Potomac Flotilla, was killed during action off Mathias
Point while commanding the U.S.S. Thomas Freeborn. Ward was the
first U.S. Navy officer to die in the Civil War.
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Etcing courtesy
of the Naval Historical Society
USS Monticello
Pop Castle - June 24, 1861
Crewmen from the U.S.S. Monticello,
conducting a shore patrol, were engaged by a small band of local
militia out of Whitestone. One of the crew members was mortally
wounded. The Monticello then turned its guns upon Pop Castle,
causing extensive damage.
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Print courtesy of Mary and
Richard Thomas
Richard Thomas on the left disguised as a "French
Lady" and on the right as "Zarvona".
Point Lookout - June 28, 1861
Richard Thomas (alias "Zarvona"),
disguised as a "French lady" and backed by a band of
16 men, captured the steamer St. Nicholas out of Baltimore as
the vessel passed near Point Lookout. Thomas and his men took
the prize to Coan River, where they unloaded prisoners and supplies.
They then continued their action by capturing a number of additional
Union supply ships. They eventually ended up in Fredericksburg.
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Etchings courtesy of the Naval Historical Society
Captain John Taylor Wood on the left and gunboats
U.S.S Puttman and U.S.S Satellite on the right. The U.S.S. Satellite
was one of the gunboats captured by Captain Wood and his men.
Windmill Point - August 22, 1862
Captain John Taylor Wood, C.S.N.,
captured two Union gunboats, the Satellite and Reliance, off of
Windmill Point. Over the next few days Wood's raiders captured
three Union supply vessels and took their goods to Port Royal,
where the much-needed supplies were off-loaded and sent to Richmond.
The captured gunboats were destroyed.
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Photograph courtesy
of the Naval Historical Society
Union gunboat Couer de Lion that took part in action
at Port Royal
Port Royal - December 4-5, 1864
The Union gunboats Currituck, Jacob
Bell , Couer de Lion and Annacostia, on a mission up the Rappahannock,
encountered resistance when reaching Port Royal. The fleet was
fired upon by cannon and riflemen positioned in the Port Royal
and Camden area, and was forced to retreat back down the Rappahannock.
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Etching courtesy
of the Library of Congress Photograph
courtesy of Steamobat Era Museum
On the left is a drawning of a salt factory simular
to the one that was operating on Dividing Creek. On the right
is a picture of a model of the USS Thomas Freeborn that destroyed
Oscar Yerby's salt factory.
Dividing Creek - January 19, 1863
Depriving Richmond of one of its
major salt sources, the USS Thomas Freeborn destroyed Oscar Yerby's
big salt manufacturing facility located at his sawmill site on
Dividing Creek. Yerby was warned that if he continued to manufacture
salt his sawmill would be destroyed.
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Tappahannock - May 30, 1863
Union gunboats Primrose, Currituck,
and Anacostia arrived and sent raiding parties ashore. There they
were met by small resistance. Houses and warehouses were searched,
producing a quantity of bacon and corn, plus 20,000 bushels of
grain that was burned. Throughout the day the vessels periodically
fired back of the town to prevent the approach of cavalry.
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Photograph courtesy of Neill & Betsy Ware
On the left is the Bellevue House that was shelled.
On the right are shells found on the property.
Bellevue - February 21, 1863
The USS Thomas Freeborn and the
Dragon shelled Bellevue during their attack on the lower battery,
believing that Confederate cavalry were in the area. Some 50 rounds
were reported fired at Bellevue alone. The firing stopped when
a slave ran up and down the banks waving a white flag.
For an
oral history account of this event click here.
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Urbana - April 21, 1864
As the Union gunboat Eureka was
in the process of capturing two boats just south of Urbana, she
was ambushed by a large number of rebels. The Eureka responded
with her 12-pounder and was able to stave off the attack.
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Great Wicomico Heathsville Area
- October 8 - 16, 1864
A torpedo tug of the North Atlantic
Blockading Squadron was captured and burned by the home guard
under the command of Captain Covington. Covington's force was
then driven off by the U.S. Army gunboat General Foster.
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Coan River - December 15, 1864
Two Potomac Flotilla vessels destroyed
31 boats that had been massed to support various smuggling activities
throughout the area. A local force made a show of resistance but
was quickly driven off.
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Drawing by Lancaster
High School art students
Drawing depicting Union gunboats
in pursuit of Harriet Deford on Dymer's Creek
Dymer's Creek Harriet DeFord - April
5, 1865
Captain Fitzhugh captured the steamer
Harriet DeFord at Fair Haven, Maryland, took her to Dymer's Creek,
burned her to the waterline, and took her goods to Kilmarnock
where they were sold. This was the last naval engagement of the
war as far as stateside activity was concerned.
For
a more detailed account of this event click here.
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