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The first active naval operations of the war were those on the
Potomac River, in May and June, 1861.
At this time the larger vessels of the navy were engaged in setting on foot the blockade of the coast, in pursuance of the
President's proclamations of April 19th and 27th.
The
Niagara,
Minnesota,
Roanoke, and
Susquehanna on the
Atlantic coast, under
Flag-Officer Silas H. Stringham, and the
Colorado,
Mississippi,
Powhatan, and
Brooklyn in the
Gulf, under
Flag-Officer William Mervine, took the initial steps to render the blockade effective.
Smaller vessels were sent to the blockading stations as rapidly as they could be prepared.
The
Potomac River, although officially within the limits of the Atlantic Squadron, became early in the war a nearly independent command, owing to its distance from the flag-ship, and its nearness to
Washington.
In May the
Potomac flotilla was organized, under
Commander James I. Ward.
It was originally composed of the small side-wheel steamer
Thomas Freeborn, purchased, May 7th, at New York, and the tugs
Anacostia and
Resolute, but was considerably enlarged in the course of the year.
Its organization was closely connected with the service of the
Washington Navy Yard, and other vessels attached to the yard occasionally cooperated with it. Its movements were under the direct supervision of the department.
In the early part of May, 1861, the Navy of the
State of Virginia began the erection of batteries on the
Potomac, in order to close the navigation of the river to Federal vessels proceeding to and from
Washington.
Works were thrown up under the direction of
Captain William F. Lynch,
Commander Frederick Chatard, and other officers at
Aquia Creek, the terminus of the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad, at
Mathias Point, and later at Quantico.
A small steamer, the
George Page, cooperated with the forces on shore.
The batteries were manned chiefly by infantry acting as artillerists.
The first duty of the
Potomac flotilla was to clear the
Virginia banks of these obstructions to navigation and open the river.
With this object in view, the
Freeborn, under
Commander as far
Ward, on the 31st of May, attacked the works at
Aquia Creek.
The attack, which may be called the first naval engagement of the war, was ineffectual, the light guns of the
Freeborn producing little impression.
On the other hand, the necessity of economizing ammunition led the
Confederates to reserve their fire.
On the next day, June 1st, the attack was repeated by the
Freeborn, which had meantime been joined by the
Pawnee, under
Commander S. C. Rowan.
The bombardment was continued for five hours, but no casualties occurred on either side.
The railroad pier and its buildings were set on fire and blown up by the Confederate forces, and both the batteries and the vessels received several shot, but no material injury was inflicted,
On the 27th of June, the
Freeborn made an attack upon
Mathias Point, where a considerable force of Confederates was posted, although no batteries had as yet been erected.
In this attack
Commander Ward was assisted by two boats from the
Pawnee, under
Lieutenant Chaplin.
A landing was effected by the party, led by
Commander Ward in person, and after some skirmishing the
Confederate pickets were driven in; but upon the approach of the main body of the enemy a retreat was ordered to the boats.
Commander Ward returned to the
Freeborn, and directed her fire at the advancing force, enabling
Chaplin to make a second landing.
Breastworks were rapidly thrown up, but they were no sooner completed than the landing party was ordered to return,
Commander Ward having received a fatal gunshot wound while sighting his bow-gun.
Late in the afternoon,
Lieutenant Chaplin, with great skill and coolness, embarked his men under a galling musketry fire.
The only casualties in this somewhat rash undertaking were one killed and four wounded. Immediately after, the
Confederates erected formidable works at the
Point.
Two days after
Ward's death, on the 29th of June, the steamer
St. Nicholas, a passenger vessel still making regular trips between
Baltimore and
Georgetown, was captured by a stratagem of the
Confederates.
A party of armed men, more or less disguised, under
Colonel Thomas, went on board as passengers at
Baltimore, and were joined by
Captain George N. Hollins and others at
Point Lookout.
As the
St. Nicholas was on her way up the
Potomac, the
Confederates threw off their disguise, and, overpowering the crew and passengers, took possession of the vessel.
She subsequently made several prizes, and was burnt at
Fredericksburg in 1862.
Commander Thomas T. Craven succeeded
Commander Ward in the command of the
Potomac flotilla.
The force was increased by the addition of eight or ten vessels, but it was unable to dislodge the
Confederates from their positions, and although the navigation of the river was not actually closed to armed vessels, a virtual blockade of
Washington, as the
Potomac was concerned, was maintained until March, 1862, when the Confederate forces retired to the line of the
Rappahannock River.
The guns were then removed from the batteries, and the
George Page was burnt.
During the remainder of the war, the
Potomac flotilla, commanded successively by
Commodore A. A. Harwood and
Commanders R. H. Wyman and
Foxhall A. Parker, was chiefly occupied in patrolling the river and the adjacent waters to insure the safety of water communication from
Washington, and to prevent contraband trade between the frontiers.
It seconded the operations of the army at various points, and occasionally its vessels had smart brushes with the enemy, but its principal occupation was that of a water-police, and its efforts were mainly directed against illicit trade and guerrilla warfare.
