Of the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. Navy units made a probing afternoon bombardment of the Confederate positions defending the harbor around Sewell's Point and Craney Island. In mid-afternoon, the Confederate ironclad Merrimac appeared but did not engage the Union fleet and its own ironclad, the U.S.S. Monitor. Firing was heavy until the evening when the Union ships returned to their anchorages. President Lincoln watched the afternoon's action from a small tugboat about a mile behind the Union fleet. (By John Osborne)
Source Citation
Frank Moore, ed., The Rebellion Record: A Diary of American Events, with Documents, Narratives, Illustrative Incidents, Poetry, Etc. (New York: G.P. Putnam, 1863), V: 121-123.
Record Data
Date Certainty
Exact
Type
Battles/Soldiers
