"That sandy promontory on the extremity of which stands Fortress
Monroe," he answered. "Yonder, on the opposite side, is Point
Willoughhy, the two forming the mouth of the James River; and these are
the Rip Raps between the two. You see that there the ocean tides and the
currents of the river meet and cause a constant ripple. There is a
narrow channel of deep water through the bar, but elsewhere between the
capes it is shallow.
"Beyond the Rip Raps we see the spacious harbor which is called Hampton
Roads. It is so large that great navies might ride there together."
"And I think some have ridden there in our wars with England?" remarked
Rosie, half inquiringly.
"You are quite right," replied the captain; "that happened in both the
Revolution and the last war with England.
"In October, 1775, Lord Dunmore, the British governor of Virginia,--who
had, however, abdicated some months earlier by fleeing on board a
man-of-war, the _Fowey_,--driven by his fears, and his desire for
revenge, to destroy the property of the patriots, sent Captain Squires,
of the British navy, with six tenders, into Hampton Creek.
"He reached there before the arrival of Colonel Woodford--who, with
a hundred Culpepper men, had been sent to protect the people of
Hampton--and sent armed men in boats to burn the town; protecting
them by a furious cannonade from the guns of the tenders.
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