Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-23

SHILLING co<yEnEEArE BATTERIES AND KEEr-
ING SAvIsAriox oPEX- COOPERATING WITH
TIE ARMY oF THE PoroNAC-HEEoic sTRUG-
GLEs AND SUCCESSES OF SAILORS AND MARINES
In viewing the loyal works accomplished
during the In tn vicinity of Washington 10
l. impossible TO overlook the heroic struggles
AMI successes of the sailors and marines seFv-
Ing on what was known as the Potomac
fotilLA Mr.. William simmons. past comman-
der National Association Naval Veterans, has
lately IN the NGtoHGl Tribune Of this city given
an interesting account Of this dotlla In this
article Mr. simmons saws:
The Potomac aotillA between April. 1861.
and December. 1861. had 10 vessels and 5s7 men;
between January. 1857. and Deconber. 1852. p
vessels and 35s m u. between January 1868. and
December. 1853. II vessels and IS men; between
January. 1,6i. and December, 1854 - vessels
and J62 men; between January, 1865, and July
81. 1865 - vessols and SO men.
CONFEDERATE BArrERIEs-
Soon after the cAptgve Of Fort sumter by
the insurgents they confidently expected the
early Occur alton % WasHingtUl. aud their pre-
hminary steps insisted II the construction OF
foru,iable batteries along IN. Potomac with a
Gen. Lee AIeKaHI-ia was occupied by small
boiy % state troops under col \ ). Taylor.
The timely arrival o! the L. ;. s. P.wnee.
Capt. :. c. Rowan. compelled Taylor's forces
10 evacEAte, and they reireated 10 Springfield
oaeASIzISs rHE TaoTILLA-
Ab,u; TIA mIIdIe Of APRIL Iscl. the Poto-
ma EpuIiH. consisting OF few hght-draft
glrb.a.,. wa organized for tie protection Of
Washington aad maintaining uninterrupted
navigation Of the Potomac. These vessels con-
sisted OF The FocaAontas. Fawaee. AnacOstia,
R--olute and Reliance. While they were
within the territorial limits OF the Atlantic
sgE-Irou. tIcy nevertheless constituted a sep
arate Command during the entire var. This
tie humble beginning Of the Potomac
fotiila4 10 which scyerI. other vessels were
adj Il a. tas pro reese =. fast a, they
couli De- built or purchased and commissioned
IL Is not propo. a by the writer 90 attempt al
elaborate account of the yarIOu- eugageme hts
Ia which ths rOt0Jl4c fOti.la participated dur
inS tae four years o: Its existence, but to
refer briefly TO
THE IMPORTANCE OF IT'S SERVICES.
the territory covered. and the extent OF opera
tions not only on the Potomac river. but also
on the RAPpahannock. Chesapeake bay and
adjacent waters. The first comma nder Of the
fotiila was Capt James II. Ward, naval
officer OF unusual intelligence.
Gen. Ruggles Of the euemy's forces in yir-
ginia ordered the erection Of IS-gun battery
on Tie banks Of the Potomac near Aqua creek.
and detailed Cspts- ". +. Lynch. r. d. Tho
burn. II. H. Lewis and John Wilkinson Of the
Virginia state forces to superintend the work.
which was commenced Nav IL. 1851. On Nav
81 our gunboats attacked this battery and con-
timed the attack on the following day. June I,
without any decisive result Five hundred
and ninety shells were used by our gunboats.
over 800 Of which fired BY the Pawnee:
and this Was the first naval engagement Of the
var. One gunbOat thu Freeborn, was dis
sbled, but only temporarily.