Report On Craney Island

Report of the Select committee, in obedience to ... . Virginia (courtesy of Hathi Trust digital library):

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"About five miles west of Norfolk, near the mouth of Elizabeth river, and commanding the approach from Hampton Roads to that city, lay CRANEY ISLAND, a small island, nine hundred yards in length and two hundred and thirty-three in width, without a house and with but a single tree (cedar) upon it, and separated from the main land by a narrow inlet, fordable at low or even half tide."

The British force:

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The American force:

"The whole force upon that morning, on the island, consisted of two companies of artillery, Capt. Emerson's and Capt. Richardson's, under the command of Maj. Faulkner of the state artillery; Capt. Roberts's company of riflemen and 416 militia infantry of the line, commanded Lieut. Col. Beatty of infantry, assisted by Maj. Andrew Waggoner, also of the infantry."

The defence of Craney Island was regarded during the war, and by all historical writers who undertook to embody the events of that period, as amongst the most striking and important achievements of our arms, there is most abundant evidence to shew.