Poquoson River facts for kids

The Poquoson River is a river in Virginia, USA. It is about 11.7-mile-long (18.8 km), which is about 18.8 kilometers. Most of the river is affected by tides, meaning its water level changes with the ocean. It flows into the Chesapeake Bay, which is a large bay on the Atlantic coast.

The river starts in York County, near Yorktown. It flows south and then east. A dam on the river created the Harwoods Mill Reservoir. This reservoir is very important because it provides drinking water for the city of Newport News. As the river continues east, it becomes tidal. It then forms the border between York County and the city of Poquoson. Finally, it reaches the Chesapeake Bay, close to the Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge. Many smaller streams, like Bennett Creek and Chisman Creek, flow into the Poquoson River. These creeks are often named after the families who first settled there a long time ago.

The name "Poquoson" might come from a Native American word like "pocosin." A pocosin is a type of swampy wetland. The river was first mentioned in official records way back in 1631. This was when Christopher Calthorpe received a land grant of 500 acres (about 2 square kilometers) in an area called New Poquoson. This area is still known today as Calthrop Neck.

The Poquoson River During the Civil War

The Poquoson River played an important role during the American Civil War. This was especially true during the Peninsula Campaign in 1862. Both the Union (Northern) and Confederate (Southern) armies saw the river as a key location.

Ship Point: A Strategic Location

The Confederates set up a military camp called "Camp Misery" at Ship Point. This spot was where Chisman Creek meets the Poquoson River. It was called "Camp Misery" because it was a very swampy area.

In the spring of 1862, Union General George B. McClellan planned to march his army up the Virginia Peninsula. His goal was to capture Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy. Confederate General John B. Magruder was in charge of stopping McClellan. Magruder created three lines of defense across the Peninsula. The first line stretched from Ship Point on the Poquoson River. This line was meant to slow down the Union army. It would give the Confederates time to build more defenses and get more soldiers.

Ship Point was important because of its location. Supplies could be brought in by water from the Chesapeake Bay. The Confederates also worried that the Union army might try to go around their defenses. So, they placed cannons at Ship Point to fire on any Union ships trying to enter the Poquoson River. As the Union forces got closer to Yorktown, the Confederates left Ship Point. They moved back to their second line of defense.

Union Control and Use

On April 4, 1863, Union Colonel William Averill explored Ship Point. He reported that the Confederates had left the camp. General McClellan was very interested in Ship Point. He had planned to capture it if the Confederates hadn't already left. Once the Union army took control, Ship Point became very useful.

The Union army used Ship Point in three main ways:

• Supply Depot: It was a place where supplies like food and weapons were stored.
• Debarkation Point: Soldiers arriving by ship would get off here.
• Hospital: A hospital was set up to care for wounded soldiers.

Troops would travel by ship from Alexandria to Fort Monroe. From there, they would go to Ship Point. Then, they would march from Ship Point to join the Union lines near Yorktown.

The hospital at Ship Point was a large log building. It was mainly used as a place to quickly treat soldiers from the battlefield. After treatment, many soldiers were put on hospital ships. These ships would take them to Alexandria for more care. Sadly, many soldiers died at the Ship Point hospital. After Yorktown was captured by the Union, Ship Point was no longer needed as much. The hospital stayed open until late May. The area remained under Union control for the rest of the Civil War.