t some danger, did not gain glory for either officers or
men. The joys of Washington society were not for the naval officers.
The applicant for promotion, who, when asked by an examiner, "Where is
the post of a colonel when his regiment is drawn up for battle?"
responded promptly, "In Washington," had been serving in the army, and
not with the naval corps. Besides the duties of the officers detailed
upon the blockading service, there remained to the navy the arduous
task of patrolling the Potomac River, and preventing as far as
possible communication between the shores.

This work, as may be readily understood, demanded the most untiring
vigilance and the most unflagging energy. The shores on each side of
the Potomac are indented with bays and tributary streams in which a
sloop or large row-boat can easily be concealed during the day. At
night it was impossible to prevent boats laden with contraband goods,
or conveying the bearers of secret despatches, slipping across the
river from the northern side, and running into the concealment
afforded by the irregularity of the Virginia shore-line. Even at this
early period of the war, the vigorous blockade of the Confederate
seaports had created a great lack of many necessaries in the Southern
States. Particularly did the lack of quinine afflict the people of
those malarial sections comprised within the limits of the South
Atlantic and Gulf States. So great was the demand for this drug, that
the enormous sums offered for it led many a speculative druggist north
of Mason and Dixon's line to invest his all in quinine, and try to run
it through the Potomac blockade. Of course, as the traffic was carried
on in small boats, it was impossible to break it up altogether; though
by the efforts of the navy it was almost destroyed.

Briefly stated, the duties of the Potomac flotilla may be said to have
been to patrol the river from Washington to its mouth, to inspect both
sides _daily_ if possible, and to observe whether any preparations for
batteries were being made at any point, and watch for any transports
with troops or provisions, and convoy them to Washington. The flotilla
consisted of small vessels, lightly armed; the "Pawnee," the heaviest
of the fleet, being a sloop of less than thirteen hundred tons, with a
battery of fifteen guns, none of long range. Clearly such an armada as
this could be of but little avail against the earthworks which the
Virginians were busily erecting on