UARSTEIN Q ORAN M OHN J OF ourtesy C USEUM M istory H ampton H The Peninsula, 1861 Peninsula, The USEUM M asemate C S ’ ONROE M . T F AND USEUM M NIVERSITY U ampton H OF ourtesy C King Mallory of the 115th Virginia Virginia 115th the of Mallory King THE OF ourtesy C The Grand Contraband Camp Contraband Grand The Charles King Mallory King Charles to Washington, D. C. Butler then became concerned about about concerned became then Butler C. D. Washington, to slaves’ owner, Colonel Charles Charles Colonel owner, slaves’ near Hampton when two skirmishes occurred near Little Little near occurred skirmishes two when Hampton near over 2,000 reinforcements within three weeks weeks three within reinforcements 2,000 over July 21, 1861 which forced Butler to send reinforcements reinforcements send to Butler forced which 1861 21, July Baker, escaped to Ft. Monroe. The The Monroe. Ft. to escaped Baker, The Federals became aware of the Confederate presence presence Confederate the of aware became Federals The Lt. Colonel Justin Dimick. Dimick welcomed welcomed Dimick Dimick. Justin Colonel Lt. on Manassas First at defeat Union the by followed Mallory, James Townsend and Frank Frank and Townsend James Mallory, In April 1861 Ft. Monroe was commanded by by commanded was Monroe Ft. 1861 April In war despite the odds against them. Big Bethel was soon soon was Bethel Big them. against odds the despite war the Union lines along Newmarket Creek. Newmarket along lines Union the Three enslaved men, Shepard Shepard men, enslaved Three Confederates gained a false hope that they could win the the win could they that hope false a gained Confederates Confederates built fortifications and began to probe towards towards probe to began and fortifications built Confederates dignified ease and charming repose.” charming and ease dignified The Federals were embarrassed by their defeat and the the and defeat their by embarrassed were Federals The 4 the Civil War’s purpose. purpose. War’s Civil the commonly known as Brick Kiln Creek, on June 6, 1861. The The 1861. 6, June on Creek, Kiln Brick as known commonly willows and aspens. It had been the home of of home the been had It aspens. and willows implications which would change change would which implications Highway crossed the northwest branch of the Back River, River, Back the of branch northwest the crossed Highway amidst large gardens, under locusts, poplars, poplars, locusts, under gardens, large amidst T GH I S ATE L O S E D E R MO A also had far reaching political political reaching far had also position at Big Bethel Church where the Hampton-York Hampton-York the where Church Bethel Big at position comfortable, old fashioned houses set back back set houses fashioned old comfortable, wished on the Peninsula, it it Peninsula, the on wished So supported, Magruder decided to establish a forward forward a establish to decided Magruder supported, So buildings and was “but a quiet village of of village quiet a “but was and buildings march at will wherever they they wherever will at march Richmond Howitzers and the 1st North Carolina Regiment. Regiment. Carolina North 1st the and Howitzers Richmond USEUM M asemate C approximately 2,000 people and 500 500 and people 2,000 approximately S ’ ONROE M . T F OF ourtesy C while “nobly serving his gun.” his serving “nobly while proved that the Union could could Union the that proved received reinforcements such as Montaque’s Battalion, the the Battalion, Montaque’s as such reinforcements received 2nd U.S. Artillery U.S. 2nd founded in 1610. The town consisted of of consisted town The 1610. in founded Lieutenant John Greble was killed killed was Greble John Lieutenant Greble, T. John Lt. The Union expedition not only only not expedition Union The Rifles and the Old Dominion Dragoons. Magruder also also Magruder Dragoons. Dominion Old the and Rifles was the historic port town of Hampton Hampton of town port historic the was Creek. The battle truly ended when when ended truly battle The Creek. mustered into Magruder’s command including the Wythe Wythe the including command Magruder’s into mustered Less than three miles from Ft. Monroe Monroe Ft. from miles three than Less fell back beyond Newmarket Newmarket beyond back fell overwhelmingly voted to secede from the Union. the from secede to voted overwhelmingly Many units from Hampton Hampton from units Many the engagement and the Federals Federals the and engagement the UARSTEIN Q ORAN M OHN J OF ourtesy C Hampton were appalled at the Union aggression and and aggression Union the at appalled were Hampton fortifications on the Peninsula. Peninsula. the on fortifications Mary Peake provided reading and other classes. other and reading provided Peake Mary and infantry operations. infantry and Bankhead Magruder, CSA Magruder, Bankhead Carolina. Winthrop’s death ended ended death Winthrop’s Carolina. then they returned to Ft. Monroe. The citizens of of citizens The Monroe. Ft. to returned they then organizing Confederate troops and and troops Confederate organizing John General Major Lockwood and local pre-war African American educator educator American African pre-war local and Lockwood it became a major base for the Federal fleet fleet Federal the for base major a became it American with the 1st North North 1st the with American of Secession. The Federals closed the local polls and and polls local the closed Federals The Secession. of himself to the enormous task of of task enormous the to himself the American Missionary Association. Reverend C. L. L. C. Reverend Association. Missionary American the lower Chesapeake Bay. Virtually overnight overnight Virtually Bay. Chesapeake lower dead by Sam Ashe, an African African an Ashe, Sam by dead On that day Virginians were to vote on the Ordinance Ordinance the on vote to were Virginians day that On John,” Magruder quickly set set quickly Magruder John,” African Americans in the South were established by by established were South the in Americans African the entrance to Hampton Roads and the the and Roads Hampton to entrance the was repulsed. Winthrop was shot shot was Winthrop repulsed. was attempted and were unable to block the Union advance. advance. Union the block to unable were and attempted Mexican War. Known as “Prince “Prince as Known War. Mexican Hamilton known as “Slabtown.” The first schools for for schools first The “Slabtown.” as known Hamilton the war erupted. Ft. Monroe commanded commanded Monroe Ft. erupted. war the forded the creek; yet, their assault assault their yet, creek; the forded While just a reconnaissance mission, the Confederates Confederates the mission, reconnaissance a just While his gallant conduct during the the during conduct gallant his contraband community was established outside Camp Camp outside established was community contraband not to fall into Confederate hands when when hands Confederate into fall to not redoubt. The new England Battalion Battalion England new The redoubt. John Wolcott Phelps and the 1st Vermont into Hampton. Hampton. into Vermont 1st the and Phelps Wolcott John brevetted lieutenant colonel for for colonel lieutenant brevetted began using them to support Union operations. A A operations. Union support to them using began It was the only fort in the Upper South South Upper the in fort only the was It left flank of the main Confederate Confederate main the of flank left Monroe on May 22, 1861. The next day he sent Colonel Colonel sent he day next The 1861. 22, May on Monroe 1861 at Yorktown. Magruder was was Magruder Yorktown. at 1861 became a magnet for those seeking freedom, and Butler Butler and freedom, seeking those for magnet a became and was designed to mount 412 cannons. cannons. 412 mount to designed was and USEUM M asemate C HE T organized a final assault against the the against assault final a organized OF ourtesy C secessionist movement in Maryland. Butler arrived at Ft. Ft. at arrived Butler Maryland. in movement secessionist assumed command on May 24, 24, May on command assumed enslaved men ”contraband of war.” Ft. Monroe quickly quickly Monroe Ft. war.” of ”contraband men enslaved masonry fortification in North America America North in fortification masonry Winthrop, USA Winthrop, and Lt. Colonel Peter Washburn Washburn Peter Colonel Lt. and had already achieved fame when he thwarted the the thwarted he when fame achieved already had John Bankhead Magruder Magruder Bankhead John Major Theodore Theodore Major considered “chattel property,” Butler called the escaped escaped the called Butler property,” “chattel considered Ft. Monroe was the largest moat-encircled moat-encircled largest the was Monroe Ft. the east. Major Theodore Winthrop Winthrop Theodore Major east. the criminal lawyer and pre-war Democratic politician, politician, Democratic pre-war and lawyer criminal were at low ebb when Colonel Colonel when ebb low at were whatever property they required. Since slaves were were slaves Since required. they property whatever of the Virginia Peninsula from 1819 to 1834, 1834, to 1819 from Peninsula Virginia the of position. The battle now shifted to to shifted now battle The position. of Virginia headquartered at Ft. Monroe. Butler, an astute astute an Butler, Monroe. Ft. at headquartered Virginia of Southern fortunes on the Peninsula Peninsula the on fortunes Southern Butler added that his troops would take possession of of possession take would troops his that added Butler Built on Old Point Comfort on the very tip tip very the on Comfort Point Old on Built by D. H. Hill recaptured this this recaptured Hill H. D. by created Union Department Department Union created had no “constitutional obligation” to return the slaves. slaves. the return to obligation” “constitutional no had strategic footing in Confederate territory.