An Encyclopedia of Early Civil War Virginia
It was the first time Virginia militia opened fire on federal forces during the American Civil War, weeks before the state’s secession referendum. One private left behind a detailed recollection of this fateful moment, but there is reason to question its accuracy. It serves as a cautionary tale about why all sources should be carefully…
A small, lightly armed tugboat doesn’t sound like the kind of vessel that makes history, until it does. In the Civil War’s opening weeks, USS Yankee, under Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge, Jr., became the Navy’s eyes on the Chesapeake, scouting hostile waterways and snapping up prizes. Notable for exchanging the first shots of the Civil…
Continue reading ➞ The Role of USS Yankee in Early Civil War Naval Operations
The Chesapeake Bay, a defining feature of Virginia's maritime border, stretches approximately 200 miles south from the mouth of the Susquehanna River in Maryland to Cape Henry and Cape Charles, Virginia. It is the largest estuary in the United States, providing an important avenue for domestic and international trade and commercial fishing. The 170-mile long…
In the early days of the Civil War, as Virginia seceded and Confederate forces rushed to secure key positions across the state, Jamestown Island—better known as the birthplace of English America—was drawn into the conflict. Between April and July 1861, the Confederacy quickly turned Jamestown Island’s strategic position on the James River into a forward…
Continue reading ➞ Fort Pocahontas: Jamestown Island’s Forgotten Confederate Stronghold
Dr. Lucas Wilder is an adjunct professor at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, and he runs one of the best Civil War channels on YouTube: History Gone Wilder. One highlight is his animated maps. What they lack in graphic design, they make up for in attention to detail. He posted the following video on the…
Continue reading ➞ History Gone Wilder: The Battle of Big Bethel
The Action at Carter’s Creek was fought on Monday, June 24, 1861 between Union forces commanded by Lt. Daniel L. Braine and Confederate forces commanded by Capt. Isaac Currell in present-day Lancaster County on Virginia's Northern Neck. The brief exchange of fire resulted in a Confederate victory when the Union landing party was driven off…
Continue reading ➞ Action at Carter’s Creek – Location Revealed
Based on a careful analysis, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Union force had approximately 4,518 men on the field that day. The Battle of Big Bethel, June 10, 1861, on the Virginia Peninsula was unequivocally the first pitched battle of any magnitude in the American Civil War. Approximately 6,000 Union and Confederate soldiers participated,…
Based on a careful analysis, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Confederates had approximately 1,670 men on the field that day. Though some minor skirmishes occurred in Virginia prior to June 10, 1861, the Battle of Big Bethel on the Virginia Peninsula was unequivocally the first pitched battle of any magnitude. Approximately 6,000 Union and…
The Battle of Big Bethel (or Great Bethel) was fought on Monday, June 10, 1861 between Union forces commanded by Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Peirce and Confederate forces commanded by Col. John B. Magruder and Col. Daniel Harvey Hill in what is today Hampton, Virginia. It was among the American Civil War’s first pitched battles. Until…
Continue reading ➞ Topographical Sketch of the Battle of Bethel, June 10th 1861
Before the Battle of Big Bethel, a pair of small skirmishes played a key role in shaping Union strategy and setting the stage for their defeat. Learn how these early encounters influenced the course of the larger conflict on the Virginia Peninsula. After the Virginia Secession Convention passed its ordinance of secession in May 1861,…
Continue reading ➞ Minor Skirmishes, Major Impact: the Prelude to Big Bethel at New Market Bridge
Spirit of '61 