First Fire In Virginia

Flag Officer Garrett Pendergrast

The Battle of Gloucester Point in Virginia occurred on May 7^th 1861 and is reported to be the earliest action of the Civil War to take place in Virginia.

In early May 1861 it came to the attention of the Union Navy that a Confederate leaning force was building fortifications at Gloucester Point, Virginia.  On May 7^th 1861 Union Flag Officer Garrett J Pendergrast ordered an examination of the area.  He sent Navy Lieutenant Thomas O Selfridge Jr, who commanded the USS Yankee a converted steam tug, up the York River on a reconnaissance of the area.  As the Yankee pulled to within about 2,000 yards of Gloucester Point a shore battery fired a shot across the tug’s bow.  Selfridge continued his course and the guns on shore fired at them again.

The battery on the shore; manned by the Virginia State Richmond Howitzers under the command of Lieutenant John Thompson Brown, fired between 12 and 13 shots at the Union tug.  The Yankee returned fire on the battery, but couldn't get the elevation, and his guns were too small to have done much damage anyway.  After firing on each other, the Yankee turned around and headed back to its base near Fort Monroe.

There were no reported injuries.

The First Sunk

The USS Cairo became the first ship to be sunk by a naval mine on December 12th 1862.

The USS Cairo along with six sister ironclad gunboats, were named for towns along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. These boats were known as “City Class” gun boat and were designed by Samuel M Pook. The Cairo carried thirteen cannon and was constructed in Mound City, Illinois.

The Cairo saw some action in May at Plum Point and again in June at the Battle of Memphis. It was on December 12th 1862 that she went down in history. The commander of the Cairo, Lieutenant Commander Thomas O Selfridge Jr was a promising, aggressive young officer. On the morning of December 12th 1862 Selfridge and the Cairo led a small fleet up the Yazoo River to clear the river of underwater mines and destroy a some Confederate batteries. About nine miles north of Vicksburg the Cairo come under fire. Selfridge ordered the gunboats turned toward the shore and guns readied. As she turned the Cairo experienced two quick explosions, tearing holes in her hull. She was sunk in 36 feet of water in less then twelve minutes. The Cairo was the first ship to ever be sunk by an electronically detonated mine.