Chapter 4: death of Ellsworth.--capture of Alexandria, Va.--Potomac flotilla.
- Conjectures and uncertainties. -- Secessionists and the Potomac. -- Secessionists erect batteries in sight of the capital. -- the Potomac flotilla established. -- Landing of Ellsworth Zouaves at Alexandria. -- death of Ellsworth. -- Commander Rowan demands the evacuation of Alexandria. -- Alexandria evacuated by the Secessionists. -- batteries at Aquia Creek. -- arduous duties of the Potomac flotilla. -- engaging the batteries at Aquia Creek. -- the batteries silenced. -- the Freeborn, Anacostia and resolute. -- renewal of the attack against the Aquia Creek batteries. -- the Freeborn damaged. -- the “ball opened” along the Potomac. -- attack on the batteries at Matthias Point. -- repulse of the flotilla. -- death of Commander Ward. -- Secessionists and their supplies. -- Lieut. Harrel destroys a schooner in Quantico Creek. -- undeserved criticism of the flotilla. -- the public obliged to acknowledge the value of the flotilla. -- vessels arriving from foreign stations. -- officers resigning, cashiered, etc., etc.
At the commencement of the war, many wild conjectures were made as to its duration, and many of those who had hitherto stood high in the nation's opinion, were listened to anxiously, as if on their views depended the life and safety of the country, but as the war went on it was seen that the wisest statesmen and the ablest soldiers were at fault. Indeed, as events multiplied, the question of the Republic's future baffled all human ingenuity. That which all men predicted did not come to pass, and that which all declared impossible, was constantly being done, and our leaders were compelled to adopt measures they had before rejected, not only as unsound, but impossible. It is not our province to write about matters concerning our Army, or about the immense line of insurrection which early in the war stretched across our country in chains of military posts within supporting distance of one another, but as these increased and Rebellion continued to raise its hydra head from Chesapeake Bay to Southwestern Missouri, it was found to be necessary to increase the Navy, not only for the protection of our long line of sea-coast, but to guard our great lines of river transportation which the enemy was rapidly seizing upon for the purpose of strengthening their great lines of defence, the speedy maturing of their plans enabling them to get possession. One of the first ideas of the Confederates was to get possession of the Potomac River, fortify its banks, and thereby cut off all communication between Washington and the sea. Their object was to prevent the transportation of troops from the North to the seat of government by sea, for as there was but one line of railroad between Baltimore and Washington, the Confederates were of the opinion that the North could not supply troops in sufficient numbers by that route; besides, at any moment, it might pass into the hands of the enemy. So satisfied were the rebels of this fact that they considered the fall of Washington as certain. The authorities of Maryland forbade the passage of troops across that State, heavy batteries were rapidly thrown up by the Confederates along the banks of the Potomac,
