In March 1863, to protect Confederate supply lines and gather much-needed provisions in eastern North Carolina, Gen. Daniel H. Hill, acting under orders from Gen. James Longstreet, whom Gen. Robert E. Lee had appointed commander of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, planned demonstrations against Union-occupied New Bern and Washington. After his expedition to New Bern ended with no result, Hill marched to Washington and on March 30 besieged the town and its Federal garrison. Union forces had held Washington since March 20, 1862, five days after New Bern was captured. Confederates occupied Fort Hill, five miles down the Pamlico River, and kept Washington from being reinforced by holding a small armada of Federal warships at bay. Fighting across the river at Rodman’s Quarter remained lively as the town was bombarded and Confederate cannons dueled with the gunboats Commodore Hull, Louisiana, Eagle, and Ceres. On April 9, Gen. Francis B. Spinola and his 8,000 troops tried to take Fort Hill from the Confederate forces but were repulsed at the Battle of Blount’s Creek. Union reinforcements ended the siege on April 20 as Lee recalled Hill to Virginia. Supplies had been obtained, and the Federals at Washington and New Bern had been kept occupied as both sides soon faced the Battle of Gettysburg.