Pungoteague Creek facts for kids
Pungoteague Creek is a waterway located in Accomack County, Virginia, in the United States. This creek is important to the area, and both the Pungoteague Creek Light (a lighthouse) and the town of Pungoteague, Virginia are named after it.
Contents
A Look Back: The 1700s
Tobacco Trade and Warehouses
In the 1700s, tobacco was a very important crop in Virginia. In 1730, a law called the Tobacco Inspection Act of 1730 was passed. This law said that special warehouses were needed to check and store tobacco. One of these important tobacco warehouses was built right at the head of Pungoteague Creek. This helped farmers in the area sell their tobacco.
A Look Back: The 1800s
Pungoteague Creek in the War of 1812
Pungoteague Creek played a role in the War of 1812. On May 30, 1814, British forces, led by Rear Admiral George Cockburn, entered Pungoteague Creek from the Chesapeake Bay. A group called the Corps of Colonial Marines fought battles in nearby creeks, including Pungoteague Creek. After these fights, the British troops went back to their base on Tangier Island.
Pungoteague Creek During the Civil War
Later, during the American Civil War, Pungoteague Creek became important for a different reason. The Union (Northern states) had set up a "blockade" at Hampton Roads. This meant they tried to stop ships from bringing supplies to the Confederacy (Southern states).
However, brave ships known as blockade runners used waterways like Pungoteague Creek. They secretly moved supplies to the Confederacy, helping them get around the Union blockade.
