By: Warren Lasch
In order to gain the element of surprise in fighting the Northern forces at sea, the Confederate Navy devised several new technologies. When Union troops abandoned the Gosport Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia, they failed to set fire to the buildings and ships left behind, and the South gained not only drydocks needed to build new ships, but also the partially burned screw frigate named the USS Merrimack. The Naval Secretary of the Confederate States conceived a plan to raise the Merrimack and armor it with panels made of thick oak and iron. The ship, renamed the CSS Virginia, proved effective in breaking the Union blockade when it was used for that purpose.
The navy of the Confederacy also strove to perfect submarines for use in battle. The first submarine known to be used for that purpose was the Turtle, which was used with limited success during the American Revolution. Although the Confederate Navy constructed the Bayou St. John Confederate Submarine and the Pioneer, the only submarine to see action during the Civil War was the Hunley, which was actually developed as a privateer ship. The Confederate Army actually gained control of the Hunley in South Carolina, although sailors from the Confederate Navy assisted in piloting her. The Hunley successfully sank the USS Housatonic, but later sank for reasons which to this day remain unknown.
The Confederate forces exhibited great bravery when they launched their response to what they believed were unfair mandates made by the United States. Coming into the war with few resources for obtaining or manufacturing weapons or ships, they supplemented their lack of battle equipment with sheer determination and creativity. Today, the use of armored naval vessels and submarines defends the reunited nation from terrors throughout the world.
About the Author: Warren Lasch is a South Carolina business leader and preservationist dedicated to ensuring the well-being of the state’s historical artifacts for future generations.
