A Fight on the Potomac

A Fight on the Potomac took place here on September 25, 1861. According to Confederate Sgt. Wilmot Walter Curry, his unit was ordered to construct a battery at Freestone Point in order to deflect attention from larger, more permanent batteries downriver. The diary of Sgt. Curry recounts the event, beginning on September 20, 1861:, “Today a detachment from the Washington Mounted Artillery was sent down to Freestone Point for the purpose of erecting a Battery. The battery will contain the two rifled six-pounders from our battery and an eleven foot long thirty-pounder known as “Long Tom” which was captured at Manassas plains. It is a very handsome piece.”, Finally, on September 25, 1861, the day of the event:, “This morning about 10 o’clock the enemy opened fire upon our Battery. Ten guns were fired by the enemy before our Battery opened. Several shot and shell struck out Battery but no damage done – as soon as the eleventh shot was fired, our guns opened on the Lincolnite men of war which were floating majestically on the Broad Potomac. No one was hurt on our side, although there were some narrow escapes.”, Illustration captions:, On the bottom right of the marker is a photograph from a "New York newspaper article dated November 2, 1861, shows the Seminole in action on the Potomac River shortly after the Battle of Freestone Point.", On the left of the marker, an "artist’s rendering depicts the battery constructed at Freestone Point."