Deltaville in Middlesex County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Boarding Cutter
An Innovative Use of Resources
The vessel and wagon you see before you represent CSN Captain John Taylor Wood's use of available resources in an innovative way during the Civil War. Wood was one of the most illustrious military men to fight in Middlesex County during the Civil War. He was the grandson of Zachery Taylor and the nephew of Jefferson Davis, and was an accomplished soldier, sailor, and tactician. The South suffered from a lack of naval vessels and supplies, and in a highly creative use of limited resources, Wood had four 30' double-ended cutters built at Rockett's Shipyard in Richmond. The boats were light and fast under oar power, and they easily fit on specially modified supply wagons. Wood's idea was to launch the boats in remote areas and fast under oar power, and they easily fit on specially modified supply wagons. Wood's idea was to launch the boats in remote areas and use them to capture unsuspecting Union boats and their cargo.
Piankatank Skirmish
In two raids in 1862, Woods successfully captured several commercial vessels. In August 1863, Jefferson Davis ordered Wood to the Piankatank River to
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Capture on the Rappahannock
Several weeks later, in a raging storm on the Rappahannock River off Stingray Point, Wood and his men captured the gunboats U.S. Satellite and U.S. Reliance using his boarding cutters. Commandeering the Satellite, Wood seized three commercial vessels the next day. The Union sent three gunboats after Wood, but he escaped up the Rappahannock River with his prizes, salvaging guns, engines, anchors and chains worth tens of thousands of dollars. He captured ninety prisoners without losing a single one of his own men.
Erected by The Deltaville Maritime Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is August 1863.
Location. 37° 33.111′ N, 76° 19.492′ W. Marker is in Deltaville, Virginia, in Middlesex County. It can be reached from Jackson
Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Middle Peninsula. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, in the Chesapeake Bay Region, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Marine Railway (a few steps from this marker); Oyster Tongs (a few steps from this marker); Deltaville Dollies (a few steps from this marker); Confederate Boarding Cutter (within shouting distance of this marker); Pette Spansell Clark (1908-2000) (within shouting
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 26, 2021
4. Wright Skiff Star plaque
Adjacent sign describing the quilt star hanging above the boarding cutter
Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 270 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
