Hampton Roads Naval Museum

20. Confederate Defenses

Norfolk, VA

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Sewell's Point is a peninsula of land located at the mouth of the saltwater port of Hampton Roads, Virginia. It is bordered by water on three sides, with Willoughby Bay to the north, Hampton Roads to the west, and the Lafayette River to the south. It is situated in Norfolk County and its occupation by Confederates gave their navy and army a major shipyard and thousands of heavy guns. Confederate Brigadier General Walter Gwynn, who commanded the Confederate defenses around Norfolk, erected batteries at Sewell's Point, both to protect Norfolk and to control Hampton Roads after Virginia seceded from the Union in April. Early in the Civil War, Confederate forces placed 20 guns on Craney Island. Norfolk itself surrendered to Union forces under General John E. Wool without a shot fired on May 10, 1862. On May 11, 1862, the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia was trapped near Craney Island and blown up by her crew to prevent capture by advancing Union forces.