On May 7, 1861, Flaf Officer Garrett J. Pendergast ordered Lt. Thomas O. Selfridge Jr to examine reported Confederate fortifications at Gloucester Point in the USS Yankee, a converted steam tugboat. Selfridge (the sinker of ships later on) sailed up the York River and fired 12-13 shots at the Confederates who returned the fire.
After the action, Selfridge reported that all but two of the enemy shells were short. Also, Selfridge reported that the Confederates had two "long 32s" and an 8-inch gun. Actually, the Confederates only had smaller 6-pdr. guns.
Guarding a strategic point as it was, the Confederates immediately began strengthening the position and by May 11th had two 9-inch guns and two more ready to mount and by June 25th, 14 heavy guns.
So, about all that was accomplished by Selfridge was that it alerted Confederates as to the weakness of their position.
The batteries at Gloucester Point and Yorktown were abandoned during the night of May 3-4, 1862, during the Peninsular Campaign the following year.
Very Inconclusive I'd Say. --Old B-R'er
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