Held Prisoner in Hampton Roads

What the heck is Hampton Roads?

No, it has nothing to do with highways, interstates, streets or alleys. “Roads" in nautical terminology means a place less sheltered than a harbor where ships may ride at anchor.

You may remember an English gentleman who, with a few of his friends, dropped in to this place less sheltered after a wee bit of a boat trip from Merry Olde in 1607. If you slept through it in history class, maybe you remember the Disney Movie.

Then, there was the little dust-up in 1861-65, where some folks in the U.S. had a disagreement over that peculiar institution. I can see the site of one of the more historic engagements of that disagreement from a spot where I eat my lunch on nice days. This swoopy little cruiser wreaked havoc on March 8, 1962, sending the USS Congress and the USS Cumberland to the bottom along with 240 sailors.


The crew was looking forward to another successful day on March 9, when someone figuratively stuck a broomstick in their spokes. Another graceful vessel, with the appearance of a tuna can on a surfboard showed up. With much maneuvering, shooting, smoke, and sturm und drung they banged at each other all day with little result - finally withdrawing with no clear victor.



These days, Hampton Roads is the home of the world's largest navy base, Naval Station Norfolk, home of the U. S. Atlantic fleet. Ships like this Nimitz class supercarrier call Hampton Roads home.

I also call it home, but that's another story.