Battle of Sewell's Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Sewell's Point |
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| Part of American Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States (Union) |
 CSA (Confederacy) |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Henry Eagle Daniel L. Braine |
Walter Gwynn Peyton H. Colquitt |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 2 gunboats | 1 shore battery (3 32-pounder guns) |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 10 | |||||||
The Battle of Sewell's Point was a small fight during the American Civil War. It happened in May 1861 near Norfolk, Virginia. Union ships fired cannons at Confederate forts on land. Not much damage was done to either side.
The Union Navy was trying to stop ships from entering or leaving Confederate ports. This was called a "blockade." Union ships like the USS Cumberland were already blocking ports in Virginia. The attack by the USS Monticello was one of the first times the Union Navy fired at Confederate forces. Another small fight happened earlier, on May 7, 1861, at Gloucester Point, Virginia.
Why the Battle Happened
The state of Virginia decided to leave the Union on April 17, 1861. This was just after Fort Sumter was attacked. President Abraham Lincoln then asked for volunteers to fight the rebellion.
On April 20, 1861, the Union commander at the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk County feared an attack. He ordered the yard to be burned and ships destroyed or sailed away. This meant Union soldiers left the Norfolk area for over a year.
President Lincoln then ordered the Union blockade to include Virginia and North Carolina. These states were joining the Confederate States of America.
General Walter Gwynn of the Virginia Militia was in charge of defending Norfolk. He had been an engineer in the U.S. Army. He helped build forts and cannon batteries to protect the city. One of these was the battery at Sewell's Point.
The Battle at Sewell's Point
The Union Navy wanted to enforce its blockade of the Hampton Roads area. The USS Monticello, led by Captain Henry Eagle, fired at Confederate forts. These forts were on Sewell's Point in Norfolk County, Virginia. The fighting caused little harm to either side.
On May 18, 1861, the Monticello fired at the Sewell's Point fort. The fort was still being built and had no cannons yet. So, the Union ship's attack did not do much.
By May 19, 1861, the Confederates had placed three cannons at the fort. When the Monticello fired again, the fort shot back. This made the Monticello leave. Captain Peyton H. Colquitt commanded the fort. He raised a Georgia state flag because he did not have a Confederate flag.
On May 21, 1861, the Monticello fired two more shots at the fort. But again, the fort returned fire, and the Union ship pulled away.
What Happened Next
After this battle, the USS Thomas Freeborn joined another Union group of ships. This group attacked Confederate forts at Aquia Creek in late May and early June 1861.
The Sewell's Point fort fought Union ships many more times. This included during the famous Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862. In this battle, the ironclad ships USS Monitor (Union) and CSS Virginia (Confederate) fought. Union ships also shelled the Sewell's Point forts again on May 8, 1862.
Union troops were threatening to invade Norfolk and Portsmouth. So, the Confederates left the Norfolk area on May 9 and 10, 1862. Union soldiers then took over Norfolk and Portsmouth. They found that the Confederates had left the forts at Sewell's Point.
Today, there is no sign of the Sewell's Point fort. The area is now part of the U.S. Navy's Norfolk Naval Base.
Images for kids
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Map of Sewell's Point Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.
