Jackson Grays, Seventh Virginia Infantry Battalion
became
Company A, Sixty-first Infantry Regiment
May Bombardment of Sewell's Point by the Federals
 Bombardment of Sewell's Point May 1862 |
 Major General Benjamin Huger |
| In the
early morning
of
tenth of May, 1862, th Jackson Grays had to abandon their batteries by
order
of General Huger. They formed the rear guard of the
troops that fell
back upon Norfolk. Union General John E. Wool landed on Willoughby's
Spit
with six thousand troops later in the morning of the tenth of May and
began
a his march to Norfolk. This forced an hasty evacuation of all the
fortifications
at Sewell's Point. When the rear guard passed Indian Pole Bridge, it
was
set on fire so that when General Wool and his troops reached that
point,
they were unable to cross the creek. General Wool was compelled to
countermarch
his troops delaying his entry into Norfolk until 5:00 p.m. which gave
the
Confederate troops time to evacuate the City. The "Jackson Grays"
marched
through Norfolk and then crossed the ferry into Portsmouth and was one
of the last commands which left Portsmouth by railroad, being moved out
on flat cars late in the afternoon of the same day. Only one company
remained
after the
departure of the Jackson Grays, namely the Portsmouth Rifle
Company,
and they marched out of Portsmouth to Suffolk Artwork
and picture are in the public domain
|
In 1861, South Carolinian Huger joined the Confederate army, and was made a brigadier general on June 17, 1861. Four months later, he was promoted to major general. Huger was given command of the Department of Norfolk. In May of 1862, when Union troops were approaching, Huger ordered the destruction of the city's works and naval yard, had the CSS Virginia dismantled and evacuated the area. |
Check these links for more information:
Dept. of the Navy Historical Center
CSS Virginia Home Page