29 Apr 26:
Near the Mariner's Museum in Newport News is this plaque with information on the armed schooner PATRIOT. She was campaigned valiantly by Lt James Watkins and Pilot Cesar Tarrant, but was captured by the British. Her fate was better than most of the Virginia State Navy.
PATRIOT's Pilot was an enslaved African American named Cesar Tarrant, he skillfully steered the boat through many campaigns, including the close quarters battle depicted below. He eventually gained freedom and land bounty's after the war.
There is a new observation pier being built where the plaque used to be, we will check in to make sure it gets placed in a new spot once the construction is complete.
It's fun to think about this river being traversed by ships of the Royal Navy and "sharp actions" with the Patriot's small maritime forces.
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