Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/38



OON after the secession of Virginia, the governor seized the steamers Yorktown and Jamestown, sidewheel steamers running between Richmond and New York, and they were immediately converted into men-of-war and renamed the Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson; but the Jefferson was generally known as the Jamestown, notwithstanding the change of name. The Patrick Henry was partially protected with iron. Her armament consisted of twelve guns ten medium 32-pounders in broadside, one lo-inch shell gun forward, and one 8-inch solid shot gun aft. The Jefferson mounted two heavy 32-pounders. These vessels were put in commission under Commander John R. Tucker and Lieut. Nicholas Barney, respectively, and with the gunboat Teaser (Lieutenant Webb), constituted the James river squadron.

On the 13th of September, and again on the 2d of December, 1861, this squadron engaged the ships lying off Newport News and the shore batteries. The firing was at long range, with no particular result. Otherwise the squadron remained quiet until March 8, 1862, when it took gallant and important part in the great battle of Hampton Roads.

On the night of Saturday, April 20, 1861, the United States naval authorities evacuated the navy yard at Gosport, Va. This was one of the most extraordinary pro-