Jackson Grays, Seventh Virginia Infantry Battalion
became
Company A, Sixty-first Infantry Regiment
Sewell's Point Battery
 Partial view of Hampton Roads Harbor in 1859 |
In
December, 1861, ---
at
their
own request, the Grays were sent to Sewell's Point and
put in charge of a
masked
battery of six heavy rifled guns of the six-inch caliber known as
batteries
number four and five. From their position the Grays could see Rip Raps
in Hampton Roads and Fortress Monroe at Old Point Comfort in Hampton.
The
island, Rip Raps, was created beginning in 1818 on a shoal
and is basically a big pile
of rocks. At Sewell's Point the Confederates had built an earthen fort with bastions and a redan ( A work having two parapets whose faces unite so as to form a salient angle toward the enemy). Today, this battery is on the grounds of the Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia Shown here are the Rip Raps, also the location of Fort Wool, Fortress Monroe, Old Point Comfort, and Sewells Point, spelled "Sewall" Pt. on the map. Confederate General Robert E. Lee began his career as a military engineer in the U.S. Army, and he took part in the construction of Fort Wool and Fortress Monroe. Originally, Fort Wool was known as Fort Calhoun |
 Battle between the CSS Virginia and the USS Montor 9 March 1865 View: Left center to right- Sewells Point Battery, 30 guns; Craney Island Battery, 42 guns In center are the two ironclads View is looking south from Fortress Monroe These images are in the public domain |
|
| When the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia, went down to Hampton Roads and had her battles with the Union fleet on the 8th and 9th of March, 1862, the battery took part. in the engagement, the naval vessels, passing to and from Fortress Monroe, came within range of its guns. During the engagement a shell from a Sawyer gun on the Rip Raps entered their area and exploded on the breech of a gun. Three men belonging to the company were wounded in this engagement. They were Lieutenant William C. Wallace, who was slightly hurt and Privates Alex. B. Cooper and William H. Warden. Cooper's skull was fractured and his wound was so serious that he was incapacitated from further service and was discharged. Warden died a few weeks after the battle at the naval hospital from the effects of his injuries. |  Sawyer gun used by Federals |
Check these links for more information:
Dept. of the Navy Historical Center
CSS Virginia Home Page