Framed Cannonading on the Potomac October 1861 by Alfred Wordsworth Thompson

Cannonading on the Potomac October 1861 by Alfred Wordsworth Thompson is a dramatic depiction of an early Civil War naval engagement along the Potomac River. This painting captures the tension and chaos of artillery fire between Union and Confederate forces during the early months of the conflict. During the fall of 1861, Confederate forces attempted to block Union navigation on the Potomac by setting up artillery batteries along the Virginia shoreline. Union gunboats and land-based artillery frequently exchanged fire, as both sides vied for control of key waterways. This period saw several skirmishes, including actions near Freestone Point and Evansport, Virginia.