June 1, 1861. |
 |
| View at Acquia Creek landing at the time of the attack.1 |
May 1861. |
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batteries had been silenced.
On the slackening of Ward's fire, the two on the hights began again, and for nearly an hour they poured volleys of heavy shot on the flotilla like hail, but only wounding one man. Unable to reply at that distance with effect, Ward withdrew his vessels, but resumed the conflict on the following day,
in company with the sloop-of-war Pawnee, of eight guns, Captain S. C. Rowan.
For more than five hours, a continuous storm of shot and shell assaulted the works on shore.
This cannonade and bombardment were briskly responded to by the insurgents, who seemed to have an ample supply of munitions of war. Twice their batteries were silenced, but their fire was resumed whenever that of the flotilla
ceased.
The Pawnee became the chief object of their attention.
She was hulled four times, and nine shots in all struck her; and yet, neither on board of this vessel nor of those of Ward's flotilla was a single person killed or seriously injured.2 during the engagement, the large passenger and freight House near the landing was destroyed by fire.
at about this time, another aggressive movement was made by the United States forces.
It was important to gain information concerning the advance of the insurgents, said to be at Fairfax Court House at the close of May. Lieutenant Charles H. Tompkins, with seventy-five of Company B.
Of the Second Regiment of United States Cavalry, stationed, as we have seen, on Arlington Hights, was sent on a scout in that direction.
He left Fort Corcoran at half-past 10 in the evening of the 31st,
and reached Fairfax Court House at about three o'clock the next morning, where Colonel (afterward General) Ewell, late of the United States
1 this picture is from a sketch made by Mr. E. Forbes, an excellent artist, then accompanying the National forces. Acquia Creek landing, with the shore battery, is seen in the foreground, with the bluffs rising back of it. The spectator is looking toward the northwest, up Acquia Creek, at the mouth of which is seen a sloop. The line of intrenchments is seen on the bluffs back of the landing.
2 report of Commander Ward to the Secretary of the Navy, May 31 and June 1, 1861. report of Commander Rowan to Secretary Welles, June 2, 1861.
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