Browsing named entities in Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War.. You can also browse the collection for May 20th, 1861 AD or search for May 20th, 1861 AD in all documents.

Your search returned 1 result in 1 document section:

Admiral David D. Porter, The Naval History of the Civil War., Chapter 4: death of Ellsworth.--capture of Alexandria, Va.--Potomac flotilla. (search)
wn people slaughtered in transit by these rebel batteries, which seemed to increase in numbers with a rapidity never conceived of, while it appeared as if they had all the military depots of the country to draw from. It was at last determined by the Department that the Potomac flotilla should take the initiative, and make an effort to clear the river banks of the rebel batteries. Commander James H. Ward, an energetic officer, had been placed in command of the flotilla, and on the 20th of May, 1861, he started to engage the batteries at Aquia. Creek, with no expectation, we imagine, of any great success against them with the small and fragile vessels under his command. These consisted of the Freeborn, a paddle-wheel steamer of two hundred and fifty tons, and carrying three guns; the Anacostia, a small screw steamer of two hundred tons, and the Resolute, a small craft of ninety tons and two guns. The largest gun on board this little squadron was a thirty-two pounder, most of t