▁the ▁second ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bull ▁Run , ▁Sat ellite ▁and ▁a ▁large ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁James ▁River ▁Fl ot illa ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁to ▁help ▁protect ▁the ▁threatened ▁Federal ▁capital ▁and ▁its ▁line ▁of ▁communic ations ▁by ▁water , ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁River . ▁▁ ▁In ▁mid - Se ptember , ▁at ▁Anti et am ▁Creek , ▁Maryland , ▁Gen . ▁McC le ll an ▁rel ieved ▁the ▁pressure ▁on ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁when ▁he ▁stopped ▁Lee ' s ▁thrust ▁into ▁the ▁North ▁and ▁forced ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁Army ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia ▁to ▁retre at ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Pot om ac . ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁Fl ot illa ▁were ▁kept ▁in ▁the ▁Pot om ac ▁to ▁try ▁to ▁stop ▁communication ▁and ▁commerce ▁across ▁the ▁river ▁between ▁Virginia ▁and ▁Southern ▁sympath izers ▁in ▁Maryland . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁October , ▁Sat ellite ▁captured ▁a ▁can oe ▁and ▁five ▁men ▁off ▁the ▁W ic om ico ▁River ; ▁and , ▁three ▁days ▁later , ▁she ▁took ▁a ▁y aw l ▁near ▁Ne al ' s ▁Creek . ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁November , ▁the ▁side - w he eler ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Washington ▁Navy ▁Y ard ▁with ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁prisoners ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁arrested ▁for ▁block ade ▁viol ations . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁on ▁the ▁R app ah ann ock ▁▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁November , ▁as ▁the ▁Union ' s ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁Pot om ac