Robert E. Lee Reporting on Gosport Navy Yard and Virginia River Defense

From the Civil War Naval Chronology.

This date back in 1861, Major General Robert E. Lee was in charge of Virginia's defense and wrote to Governor John Fletcher.

The frigate United States "has been prepared for a school ship, provided with a deck battery of nineteen guns, 32 pounders and 9-inch Columbiads, for harbor defense. The frigate Merrimack has been raised and is in for dry dock (in preparation for being converted into an ironclad, the CSS Virginia), and arrangements are being made for raising the Germantown and Plymouth."

He also well understood the dangers of Union Naval attack along Virginia's rivers. "Six batteries have been erected on the Elizabeth River" to guard the approaches to Norfolk and the navy yard. Three more batteries had been built on the Nansemond River to protect the Norfolk to Richmond railroad.

More sites had been selected along the Potomac River and batteries at Aquia Creek were operational and a 4-gun battery had been erected on the Rappahannock River.

Girding for Defense. --Old B-Runner