There is a narrow channel of deep water through the bar, but elsewhere between the capes it is shallow.
"Beyond the Rip Raps we see the spacious harbor which is called Hampton Roads.

It is so large that great navies might ride there together." "And I think some have ridden there in our wars with England ?" remarked Rosie, half inquiringly.
"You are quite right," replied the captain; "that happened in both the Revolution and the last war with England.
"In October, 1775, Lord Dunmore, the British governor of Virginia,--who had, however, abdicated some months earlier by fleeing on board a man-of-war, the _Fowey_,--driven by his fears, and his desire for revenge, to destroy the property of the patriots, sent Captain Squires, of the British navy, with six tenders, into Hampton Creek.
"He reached there before the arrival of Colonel Woodford--who, with a hundred Culpepper men, had been sent to protect the people of Hampton--and sent armed men in boats to burn the town; protecting them by a furious cannonade from the guns of the tenders.
"But they were baffled in the carrying out of their design; being driven off by Virginia riflemen, concealed in the houses.

Excellent marksmen those Virginians were, and picked off so many of the advancing foe that they compelled them to take ignominious flight to their boats and return to the vessels, which then had to withdraw beyond the reach of the rifles to await reinforcements." "What is a tender, papa ?" asked Grace, as her father paused in his narrative.
"A small vessel that attends on a larger one to convey intelligence and supply stores," he replied; then went on with his account of Dunmore's repulse.
"Woodford and his men reached Hampton about daybreak of the succeeding morning.

At sunrise they saw the hostile fleet approaching; it came so near as to be within rifle shot, and Woodford bade his men fire with caution, taking sure aim.

They obeyed and picked off so many from every part of the vessels that the seamen were soon seized with a great terror.