The Battle of Gloucester Point was the first reported exchange of fire in the Civil War after Fort Sumter's surrender, marking the opening of combat in Virginia.
Key Facts
- Date
- May 7, 1861
- Union commander
- Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge Jr., USS Yankee
- Confederate commander
- Lt. John Thompson Brown
- Total casualties
- None reported
- Strategic context
- Reconnaissance of Confederate fortifications at Gloucester Point
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
President Lincoln extended the Union naval blockade to include Virginia following the state's secession. Confederate forces began constructing fortifications at Gloucester Point opposite Yorktown to deny Union ships access to local estuaries, prompting Union naval command to order a reconnaissance of the new works.
On May 7, 1861, Lieutenant Thomas O. Selfridge Jr. commanded the USS Yankee on a reconnaissance mission to Gloucester Point. Confederate guns under Lieutenant John Thompson Brown opened fire, and shots were exchanged. Selfridge reported no casualties on either side and noted his guns were too small to damage the Confederate battery.
The engagement produced no material military result and caused no casualties. However, it was recorded as the first exchange of fire in the Civil War following Fort Sumter's surrender, and Lieutenant John Thompson Brown was credited with firing the first cannon shot of the war in Virginia, giving the skirmish historical significance beyond its tactical outcome.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge Jr..
Side B
1 belligerent
Lt. John Thompson Brown.