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59-702: On April 22, 1861 Commander James H. Ward , who was the commanding officer of the receiving ship USS  North Carolina at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn New York , wrote to United States Secretary of the Navy Gideon Wells to put forth a plan for the protection of the Chesapeake Bay area. Ward suggested a "Flying Flotilla" of light- draft vessels to operate in the Chesapeake Bay,

118-527: A major . A group commander is typically a mid-grade colonel , while a wing commander is typically a senior colonel or a brigadier general . A numbered air force commander is normally a lieutenant general , although some may be in the rank of major general , especially in the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard . The Major Command commanders are normally in the rank of general or lieutenant general . Northern Neck The Northern Neck

177-428: A burgess representing Lancaster County, as well as hold local civil and military offices. In 1642-43, three others received land grants in what eventually became Lancaster County; then six years passed before Epaphroditus Lawson received a land grant for 700 acres beginning on the eastward side of the mouth of Slaughter's Creek and adjoining John Carter's land. The Virginia General Assembly officially allowed settlement of

236-510: A commander rank. As with the LAPD, it is above captain and below deputy chief. The Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia uses the rank of commander. The rank falls between those of inspector and assistant chief. The Rochester Police Department uses the rank of commander. Higher than captain and below deputy chief, the rank is achieved by appointment. Commander is the rank held by

295-423: A courtesy title, or informally referred to as "skipper." Commanding officers of joint USN/USMC/USCG aviation training squadrons and small Coast Guard air stations and shore activities may also be informally referred to as "skipper" but never as "captain" unless they are commanding a large air station or shore activity and actually hold the rank of captain, e.g., military pay grade O-6. Although it exists largely as

354-629: A maritime training organization, the Maritime Service also has the grade of commander. The commission is appointed by the president via the Secretary of Transportation , making it a federally recognized rank with a corresponding paygrade. In addition to its use as a rank title, the Navy also uses commander as a "position title" for senior captains or flag officers in command of multiple independent units, each with their own "commanding officer". For example,

413-445: A minimum of three years at their present rank and after attaining 15–17 years of cumulative commissioned service, although this percentage may vary and be appreciably less for certain officer designators (i.e., primary "specialties") dependent on defense budgets, force structure and needs of the service. A commander in the Navy may command a frigate , destroyer , submarine , aviation squadron or small shore activity, or may serve on

472-513: A period of residence in Maryland, where he purchased land. Fleet again returned to England from 1646 until 1648, where he married a much younger woman, then brought her to Virginia, where he patented 1,750 acres of land in what soon officially became vast Lancaster County. Fleet became one of the county's first four burgesses in 1652 but died intestate in 1660 or 1661. Meanwhile, in 1634, the Crown reserved

531-455: A sergeant and below a deputy chief or captain. Commander is also used as a title in certain circumstances, such as the commander of a squad of detectives, who would usually be of the rank of lieutenant. Commander is also utilized by larger sheriff's departments in the United States , with the rank usually falling between chief deputy and captain, three positions removed from the sheriff. In

590-616: A ship under the Captain and sometimes second-in-command. Sub-captain, under-captain, rector and master-commanding were also used for the same position. With the Master and Commander also serving as captain of smaller ships the Royal Navy subsumed as the third and lowest of three grades of captain given the various sizes of ships. The Continental Navy had the tri-graded captain ranks. Captain 2nd Grade, or Master Commandant , became Commander in 1838. In

649-528: A staff afloat or ashore (typically as an action officer or as an executive officer to a flag officer or general officer ), or a larger vessel afloat (as either a department head or executive officer). An officer in the rank of commander who commands a vessel may also be referred to as "captain" as a courtesy title, or informally referred to as "skipper." Commanding officers of aviation squadrons and smaller shore activities may also be informally referred to as "skipper" but never as "captain" unless they actually hold

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708-568: A tank, for example the M1 Abrams , is also called its "commander". In the Air Force , the term "commander" (abbreviated "CC") is officially applied to the commanding officer of an Air Force unit; hence, there are squadron commanders, group commanders, wing commanders, numbered air force commanders, major command commanders and so forth. In rank, a squadron commander is typically a lieutenant colonel , although some smaller squadrons may be commanded by

767-638: Is a National Park Service unit . In 2004, the Menokin Bluegrass Festival was launched in Richmond County at the ruins of Francis Lightfoot Lee's ancestral home, Menokin. The festival attracts thousands of bluegrass fans every year to celebrate the Northern Neck's musical and historical heritage. The Richmond County Fair, started in 1989, is dubbed the "biggest Little Fair in the South." It

826-458: Is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military billet title—the designation of someone who manages living quarters or a base—depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in non-military organizations, particularly in law enforcement. The commander rank started out as "Master and Commander" in 1674 within the Royal Navy for the officer responsible for sailing

885-628: Is held in August in Warsaw. The King George Fall Festival, founded in 1959, is held the second weekend of October in King George County. All proceeds from this event go to support the King George Fire and Rescue. The Fall Festival Committee is made up of representatives from all of the county's community organizations. The Fall Festival includes a parade through town, a carnival, a craft fair, a dance, and

944-463: Is now in Westmoreland County. Mixed vegetable and grain farming were adopted by the later colonial period. Later, the area developed a strong seafood industry. Reedville was once the wealthiest town in the United States, due to its menhaden fishing industry. Before the era of modern highways, many passenger and freight steamer routes linked the Chesapeake Bay region and connected with

1003-719: Is the northernmost of three peninsulas (traditionally called "necks" in Virginia) on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in the Commonwealth of Virginia (along with the Middle Peninsula and the Virginia Peninsula ). The Potomac River forms the northern boundary of the peninsula; the Rappahannock River demarcates it on the south. The land between these rivers was formed into Northumberland County in 1648, prior to

1062-625: The American Civil War , Northern Neck and particularly, King George County were on the frontier between the Union and Confederate armies. As such, King George was an operating base for spies on both sides. The Union forces controlled the Potomac River and the north shore of the Rappahannock River farther upstream for much of the war. While trying to elude Union cavalry, on April 21, 1865,

1121-554: The American Civil War . After the death of Ward the flotilla was led by a succession of short-term commanders until the fall of 1862 when Commodore Andrew A. Harwood took command. He was in turn succeeded by Commander Foxhall A. Parker on 31 December 1864. The Civil War ended in April 1865, and on 18 July 1865 the United States Department of the Navy ordered Parker to disband the flotilla, effective 31 July 1865. Most of

1180-495: The Army and Marine Corps , the term "commander" is officially applied to the commanding officer of a unit; hence, there are company commanders , battalion commanders , brigade commanders , and so forth. At the highest levels of military command structure, "commander" also refers to what used to be called commander-in-chief , or CINC, until October 24, 2002, although the term CINC is still used in casual speech. The soldier in charge of

1239-514: The Governor's Council of the Virginia Colony and briefly acting Governor of Virginia (1726-1727) following the death in office of Governor Hugh Drysdale . His sons John Carter married Elizabeth Hill of Shirley Plantation and Landon Carter married Maria Byrd, daughter of Col. William Byrd II and resided at Sabine Hall , his grandson Robert Carter III inherited Nonomy Hall – purchased from

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1298-670: The Navy , the Coast Guard , the NOAA Corps , and the Public Health Service Corps , commander (abbreviated "CDR") is a senior-grade officer rank, with the pay grade of O-5. Commander ranks above lieutenant commander (O-4) and below captain (O-6). Commander is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the other uniformed services . Notably, it is the first rank at which the holder wears an embellished cap whereas officers of

1357-566: The Northern Neck of Virginia, 12 January 1864 Expedition up the Rappahannock River, Virginia, 18–21 April 1864 Expedition to Carter's Creek, Virginia, 29 April 1864 Expedition to Mill Creek, Virginia, 12–13 May 1864 Expedition up the Rappahannock River, Virginia, 16–19 May 1864 Expedition to the Northern Neck of Virginia, 11–21 June 1864 Expedition to Milford Haven and Stutt's Creek, Virginia, 24 September 1864 1865 Expedition to Fredericksburg, Virginia, 6–8 March 1865 Expedition up

1416-680: The Potomac River , and their tributaries . His commander, Captain Samuel L. Breese , commandant of the New York Navy Yard, endorsed his plan. Wells accepted this proposal and wrote back to Ward and Breese on 27 April 1861 authorizing them to begin carrying out Ward's plan. On 1 May 1861 the first vessels for the new flotilla were acquired. On 16 May 1861 Ward set out from the New York Navy Yard with three vessels, USS  Thomas Freeborn , USS  Reliance , and USS  Resolute . He arrived at

1475-551: The Rappahannock River as a prisoner of the Powhatans . He was the first European known to have visited the Northern Neck. Undaunted, he repeated the voyage in June 1608, with 14 companions in an open barge, reaching the Potomac River by June 16. He visited Native American villages, including one near present-day Nomini , which he described and named in later accounts, but found no treasure, only an abundance of fur-bearing animals. In 1621,

1534-575: The Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. , on 20 May 1861 on board his flagship , Thomas Freeborn . On 27 June 1861 Ward's flotilla engaged the Confederates at Mathias Point, Virginia . While he was sighting the bow gun of Thomas Freeborn , Ward was shot through the abdomen and died within an hour due to internal hemorrhaging. He was the first United States Navy officer to be killed during

1593-608: The railroads developed after 1830. Many important historical figures were born on the Northern Neck, including U.S. presidents George Washington (Westmoreland), James Madison ( Port Conway in King George), and James Monroe (Westmoreland), as well as signers of the Declaration of Independence, Francis Lightfoot Lee and Richard Henry Lee , and the Confederate Civil War general Robert E. Lee . Richard Henry Lee

1652-641: The Chesapeake; etc. In early August 1861 the flotilla commander and the Department of the Navy began to consistently refer to the command as the Potomac Flotilla. 1861 Engagement with the Confederate batteries at Aquia Creek, Virginia, 29 May – 1 June 1861 Affair at Mathias Point, Virginia, 27 June 1861 Engagement with the Confederate batteries at Potomac Creek , Virginia, 23 August 1861 Engagement with

1711-791: The Confederate battery at Freestone Point, Virginia, 25 September 1861 1862 Engagement at Cockpit Point, Virginia, 3 January 1862 Expedition up the Rappahannock River to Tappahannock , Virginia, 13–15 April 1862 Expedition up the Rappahannock River to Fredericksburg , Virginia, 20 April 1862 Expeditions to Gwynn's Island and Nomini Creek, Virginia, 3–4 Nov, 1862 Engagement at Port Royal , Virginia, 4 December 1862 Engagement at Brandywine Hill, Rappahannock River, Virginia, 10–11 December 1862 1863 Destruction of salt works on Dividing Creek, Virginia, 12 January 1863 Destruction of Confederate stores at Tappahannock, Virginia, 30 May 1863 Capture of U. S. steamers USS  Satellite and USRC Reliance , 16 August 1863 1864 Expedition to

1770-562: The Fall Festival Queen Pageant. Stratford Hall hosts an annual Historical Haunts program. Activities include ghost tours of the Great House, pumpkin painting, various Halloween crafts, picture-taking with Frankenstein and a witch, and an eighteenth-century fortune teller. Tourism is a significant source of economic activity in the Northern Neck region. Visitors are attracted to the natural resources, and history and heritage of

1829-399: The Northern Neck created strong antipathies between the Northern Neck and other regions of Virginia. Later as tobacco cultivation and erosion wore out the soil, and the remainder of the mid-Atlantic states became developed, the Northern Neck's importance declined. It was relatively isolated from main trade routes and cities. This isolation may be a product of the earlier antipathies related to

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1888-401: The Northern Neck on October 12, 1648, by creating then-vast Northumberland County as the neck of land between those rivers. The Northumberland County Court was first held on August 24, 1650, and set up a government, only to be divided at the next General Assembly session, whereby the part west of the ridge became then-vast Rappahannock County . The original Northern Neck land grant in 1661

1947-441: The Northern Neck was the site of another attempted uprising, this one led by "Sam, a Negro Servt to Richard Metcalfe." A repeat offender, he had "several times endeavored to promote a Negro Insurreccon in this Colony." "To deter him & others from the like evil practice for time to come," the court ordered the sheriff of James City County to whip him severely and return him to the Westmoreland County sheriff to be whipped again. Sam

2006-728: The Potomac River to ensure they were inside Maryland, as the state border runs along the southern low tide line of the Potomac River. With the end of gambling, and improved access to competing beaches in Maryland and Delaware , Colonial Beach declined in popularity as a tourist destination. It and the rest of the Northern Neck still continue to attract dedicated outdoor enthusiasts for fishing and boating. The region has 1100 miles of shoreline, containing beaches, marinas, old steamship wharfs, and small towns that date to colonial times. Today small farms , vineyards , and wineries are interspersed with retirement communities and rural businesses that share

2065-454: The Rappahannock River, 12–14 March 1865 Operations in Mattox Creek, Virginia, 16–18 March 1865 When Commander James H. Ward departed the New York Navy Yard on 16 May 1861 his flotilla consisted of three vessels. The size of the flotilla steadily increased until it reached a strength that hovered between 15 and 25 vessels. Commander (United States) In the United States, commander

2124-527: The Rappahannock and Potomac rivers, including far upstream of King George County comprising some five million acres. The boundaries of King George and Westmoreland counties have changed radically since their establishment, with significant exchanges of territory. Significant portions of the early King George County lie in present-day Westmoreland County. In the winter of 1607–08, Captain John Smith traveled up

2183-697: The aforementioned Nicholas Spencer . Finally, the Tayloe Family established their family seat Mount Airy , on the southern shore of the neck, across from Tappahannock on a high perch overlooking the Rappahannock River. John Tayloe I , John Tayloe II who built Mount Airy and after Menokin for his son-in-law Francis Lightfoot Lee , John Tayloe III who later built the Octagon House and his sons John Tayloe IV, Benjamin Ogle Tayloe , William Henry Tayloe and George Plater Tayloe were all born here. During

2242-507: The boy Henry Fleet was among the passengers on a ship taking new governor Francis Wyatt to Virginia, and shortly after his arrival he accompanied Captain Henry Spelman on a trading trip up the Potomac River that included founding a trading post in Georgetown , later incorporated into Washington, D.C. However, on March 22, 1622, Spelman and 19 crewmen were killed in a native village during

2301-464: The co-conspirators John Wilkes Booth and David Herold crossed by rowboat into the Northern Neck in King George County from Maryland after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln . Booth and Herold landed at the mouth of Gambo Creek before meeting with Confederate agents who guided their passage to Port Conway . There, they crossed the Rappahannock River to Port Royal in Caroline County . Booth

2360-429: The creation of Westmoreland County and Lancaster County . The Northern Neck encompasses the following Virginia counties: Lancaster , Northumberland , Richmond ,and Westmoreland ; it had a total population of 50,158 as of the 2020 census . Commentators vary as to whether to include King George County in the Northern Neck. Historically, Charles II's grant for the Northern Neck included all land between

2419-479: The differences in society in the Neck and in the regions farther south. In 1687, a widespread slave conspiracy was crushed in the Northern Neck. During a mass funeral, slaves in the area planned to kill all whites and escape. The plot was discovered, and its leaders executed. When authorities learned that they had plotted the uprising at gatherings for slave funerals, they prohibited such events. The next year, in 1688,

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2478-591: The excellent natural resources allowed rich planters to arise who established tobacco plantations in the Northern Neck. During the Colonial period, some considered the Northern Neck as the " Athens of the New World" because it had many wealthy landowners who were dedicated to learning, gentlemanly society, and civic duty. However, this elite society and economy was based on the exploitation of enslaved Africans and black Americans . The aristocratic society and autonomy of

2537-704: The exodus to the Virginia shore. In 1639, the Proprietors of the Island of Bermuda petitioned leave to have settlers occupy that land between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. Although that petition disappeared and presumably was not granted, in 1641 the Virginia General Assembly granted the right to do so "provided that the number that seat there bee not under twoe hundred persons, and not less than six able tithable persons in everye familye that there sitt [sic]" and

2596-411: The flotilla's remaining vessels were sent to the Washington Navy Yard to be decommissioned . It was not until August 1861 that the flotilla became known as the Potomac Flotilla. The designation of "Flying Flotilla" was dropped when Ward's force arrived in the theater of operations. The flotilla was then referred to by a variety of names, including: Flotilla, Potomac River; Potomac Blockade; Flotilla in

2655-517: The following year also gave permission for prospective settlement north of the Rappahannock River while also denying "for divers reasons" the right to occupy the land. John Carter Sr. received the first specific land grant north of the Rappahannock River on August 15, 1642, for 1300 acres on Cossotomen Creak (which became Carters Creek). Carter settled on the land several years later, farmed it using enslaved labor and made it his home, creating Corotoman Plantation . Carter also would serve many terms as

2714-804: The land between the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers for native Americans, calling it the "Chicacoan Indian District." Nonetheless, many of the original English settlers were Marylanders, who had settled on Kent Island but were caught in a long running controversy between Virginia trader (and burgess) William Claiborne and Lord Baltimore over the island's ownership. Claiborne aligned with the Parliamentary party during England's Civil War, and Lord Baltimore had been King Charles' Secretary of State before his death in 1632, shortly before King Charles formally affirmed Calvert's claim as superior. In late 1637 or early 1638, Lord Baltimore's son and heir Cecil Calvert sent his brother Leonard to occupy Kent Island by force, hence

2773-843: The land. Since the 1970s, winemaking has increased in importance in the Northern Neck. The federal government has recognized the Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace American Viticultural Area as a sanctioned wine appellation for wines grown in the five counties. Significant portions of the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge lie in the Northern Neck. It also is home to five state parks and natural areas, including Caledon Natural Area, Bush Mill Stream Natural Area Preserve, Dameron Marsh Natural area, and Westmoreland and Belle Isle state parks. The George Washington Birthplace National Monument

2832-689: The local Virginia agent for the England-based proprietor, but also a powerful politician and landowner in his own right. The relation between proprietary lands and non-proprietary lands created considerable confusion and some degree of semi-autonomy relative to the colonial government until the American Revolution . Most early development occurred on the peninsula's eastern end, because both the Potomac and Rappahannock river were navigable waters, and roads were limited and/or in poor condition. The autonomy and

2891-507: The other military services are entitled to embellishment of similar headgear at O-4 rank. Promotion to commander in the Navy is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act (DOPMA) of 1980 or its companion Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act (ROPMA). DOPMA/ROPMA guidelines suggest that 70% of lieutenant commanders should be promoted to commander after serving

2950-414: The peninsula. Natural attractions include national parks, state parks, and agri-tourism, while a number of historic sites related to the nation's founders are open to the public. Colonial Beach, Westmoreland State Park, Rappahannock River National Wildlife Refuge, and many other locations provide water access for fishing, boating, and yachting. The region has twenty-seven marinas. There are nine wineries in

3009-558: The rank of captain, e.g., military pay grade O-6, as would be the case for certain Fleet Replacement Squadron commanding officers and a wide range of both small and large shore activities. A commander in the Coast Guard may typically command a medium endurance cutter or a small air station. Like their Navy counterparts, a Coast Guard officer in the rank of commander who commands a cutter may also be referred to as "captain" as

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3068-604: The region that may be found on the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail. Other popular Northern Neck attractions include Stratford Hall , the birthplace of Robert E. Lee and an example of a Virginia plantation, George Washington Birthplace National Monument , the Westmoreland Berry Farm , and the Westmoreland State Park with Horsehead Cliffs. The Northern Neck National Heritage Area was established in

3127-477: The senior officer in a Navy aviation squadron is the "commanding officer" (CO) because he or she is in command of that singular unit. That officer's immediate superior in command will likely be an air group or air wing "commander", with the latter being responsible for multiple squadrons. This is in keeping with the naval tradition of "commanding officers" commanding single units, but "commanders" commanding multiple units. The San Francisco Police Department also has

3186-553: The two patrol division heads and other commanders fill various administrative roles. The Saint Paul Police Department is another police force that uses the rank of commander. In the Saint Paul Police Department, commanders serve as the chief of the district or unit that they oversee. Many police departments in the Midwest use the rank of commander. It is equivalent to a lieutenant in most other departments, being above

3245-587: The widespread massacres on that day, but Fleet was allowed to live as a prisoner until ransomed five years later. He soon sailed to England and formed a business relationship with William Cloberry, who funded a trading voyage from Virginia to New England. By 1628 Fleet had accumulated enough money to buy a plantation in Accomac County on Virginia's Eastern Shore, and he continued to support his family by trading as well as acting as an interpreter with native tribes, including for Maryland Governor Leonard Calvert during

3304-410: Was a land grant first issued by the exiled English King Charles II in 1649. It encompassed all the unsettled lands bounded by the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers and, later, by a straight line (the " Fairfax Line ") connecting their sources. This grant was significantly larger than the area currently known as the Northern Neck. John Carter's descendant received the nickname King Carter and was not only

3363-675: Was elected as the sixth president under the Articles of Confederation . Also residing in Westmoreland was Colonel Nicholas Spencer , member of the House of Burgesses , secretary and president of the Governor's Council , and on the departure of his cousin Thomas Colepeper, 2nd Baron Colepeper (aka Lord Culpeper), acting governor. Robert Carter I , agent for Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron , born at Corotoman Plantation , became President of

3422-414: Was killed and Herold captured a short distance away at Garrett's Farm . Colonial Beach , a small incorporated town in Westmoreland County located on the Potomac River waterfront, developed as a popular tourist spot for the people of the Washington, D.C. area in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It offered a beach, swimming, and gambling. The gambling facilities were built on piers extending into

3481-420: Was sentenced to forever wear "a strong Iron collar affixed about his neck with four sprigs." Should he leave his master's plantation or remove the collar, he would be hanged. In February 1766, 115 Northern Neck prominent citizens signed the Leedstown Resolutions, named after Leedstown , an active port in (then) King George County . This was the first recorded act of resistance against the Stamp Act. Leedstown

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