 On May 1, 1861 during the American Civil War, Confederates installed artillery at Mathias Point in order to blockade the Potomac River.On June 27, the steamer "Thomas Freeborn" bombarded Mathias Point in an attempt to drive away the soldiers who were manning the weapons.Confederate soldiers fired back from Mathias Point, striking and mortally wounding Commander James H. Ward of the Freeborn, who became the first Union naval officer to die in the Civil War.