I am revisiting the museum NEXT week on my lengthy vacation! I live just north in Newnan GA (home to the Battle of Brown's Mill). I'm a HUGE amateur enthusiast of ACW naval history as well as an avid player of 'Dawn of Iron: The American Civil War at Sea', a historical miniature wargame.
I’m in Valdosta. I need to get up your way and check out the north Georgia battlefields. I need to get to Columbus and see the museum. I've been to Andersonville Olustee. And most of westerns sites but I'd like to take a summer off and hit DC Maryland and Virginia.
I live in Newnan too, i've been to browns mill several times. Have you read any book on the battle? Shermans Horsemen is good, and so is the book written by Judge Bryon Matthews.
Lucky dawg, I'd love to travel to GA one day to see this place. Do you have a club that gets together for wargame nights? How long do rounds of that game typically last?
The building of the Confederate States Navy, practically from scratch, was one of the greatest achievements on either side of the War. It deserves recognition that is all it's own
When we learn about the Civil War, it is the land battles that get most of the attention. The war tends to be chronicled from battle to battle, Bull Run to Appomattox Courthouse, but the Navy was critical to the defeat of the rebellion. In many ways it was the naval victories that made the difference.
People either underestimate or fail to consider just how powerful a navy the US had at the end of the civil war. Sure, it wasn't a bluewater power that could have gone up against the RN or such in open ocean fleet battles, but it was the preeminent riverine/littoral navy on the planet. Who actually had more hulls in the water than the Royal Navy did at the time. Simply put, it was not simply critical to the defeat of the south, it was massive in its scale as well.
I'm amazed at how big the Jackson was. This was built for river warfare. Whenever I've read Civil War histories and come across phrases like "Porter's Gunboats" I've always imagined little suckers like in a Popeye cartoon. Seeing this and USS Cairo at Vicksburg really changed my perceptions. These were much bigger than I ever imagined. Thanks so much for posting.
Hello, I believe I went to this in 1974 what was then named the Confederate Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia at the time run by Robert Holcombe who was the curator for many years and an all around great guy who was very amenable to any person interested in Confederate Naval history. Glad to see all that they have done over the years. Great Video!
My Great Great Grandfather , Richard B Newnham served in the Union Navy during the Civil War. He came to America in 1861 from England where he had been a police superintendent. Joined the navy in 1862, serving until the end of the war. Post war settled in Saugatuck, Michigan. Brought his family over from England except two adult daughters, one of whom was my Great Grandmother. He remained in Saugatuck until his death in 1908. Can anyone tell me how to obtain his service record, if this is possible. Kevin King, Bearsted, Kent, England.
Does the Museum have recommendations on finding Union Navy records? My relative served in the capture of New Orleans and other campaigns. I would like to find out more if possible.
In the midst 1970s my parents found a piece of decayed wood what must have been a piece of mast covered under sand on the beach of Cherbourg on that piece of wood there was a very heavy iron or steel ring with a big oval ring forged on it and three eyeleds also forged on it. Also in the remains of that piece of mast were four forged iron so called 'dognails' presumably made in the USA in the beginning of the 19th century according to the Dutch maritime museum. So it must have came from an 19th century American ship I believe it came from the 'CSS Alabama' wich lost her masts during the battle with the USS kearsage and the masts washed up on the Cherbourg beach in France...if you have an Instagram page I could get in touch with you about this mysterious mastring
Pretty sad that a museum has a big nameplate of the "USS Hartford" even though such a ship didn't exist during the Civil War. The designation "United States Ship" was not adopted for American naval vessels until 1907. It was known as just "Hartford", the same as every other Union naval ship was called simply by its name. If you were to tell a crewman his ship was called USS Hartford, he wouldn't know what you were talking about.
Many historians and tour guides get this mixed up including this one. Calvary = place Jesus died. Cavalry = mounted soldiers. I love the museum and this presentation but I'm thrown out of what you are saying every time you say the historically incorrect term.
I assume you mean things like color and colour. Americans and British spellings of some words are different. I don't know about in Britain but in the US some people don't know that. They are both correct spellings for their regions though.
