A Museum of Civil War at Sea

Main gallery NCWNM

In the city of Columbus, Georgia, on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, lies a very special museum.  Within forty thousand square feet of exhibit space encased by red brick of Georgia clay is the only American museum with artifacts and exhibits commemorating naval warfare of the greatest military struggle within our borders, the American Civil War.

As soon as you arrive at 1002 Victory Drive you realize you are at some place special.  One hint is the full-size reproduction of  a Civil War side-wheeler and a huge selection of naval cannon. As you enter the building, which was completed in 2001, the information booth is on the right adjacent to the gift shop and, of course, the exit.  There is no admission fee, but a volunteer contribution of five dollars is expected. A large exhibition area is visible and the lecture area is flanked by three huge paintings totaling over fifty feet. They depict the ships of the opposing navies. In the distance the ruins of the ironclad C.S.S. Chattahoochee are visible.

The hull of the C.S.S. Jackson

An opening in a wall to the left the size of a garage door leads to the center piece of the museum. It is the one hundred eighty foot long hull of the  C.S.S. Jackson (a.k.a. C.S.S. Muscogee). The ironclad warship was reclaimed from the mud of the nearby Chattahoochee. Ironclads were the very epitome of naval technology in the Civil War. Many small creeks and rivers throughout the south had shipyards producing such vessels. Our tour was self guided, sort of. Throughout the museum  life size cut-outs of "powder monkeys" point the way. Powder monkeys were the names given to the young boys who carried gunpowder to the cannoneers who manned the huge guns. Glass display cases abound filled with weapons, model ships, uniforms and even a surgeon's attire with bloodstains from the aforementioned armed conflict. A big screen monitor has a never ending lecture playing about weapons and weaponry. A life-size reproduction of the U.S.S. Monitor's turret adds to the authenticity of the Monitor exhibit. All captions on ship models and artifacts are easily read and interpreted. A broadside of the U.S.S. Hartford, Admiral David Farragut's flagship in the battle of Mobile Bay is reproduced. An actual small boat from that ship is on display.  The wardroom, berthing deck and the captain's cabin are also reproduced. We had seen similar displays at the Spanish Naval Museum in Madrid and the U.S. Navy Museum at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C.

C.S.S. Albemarle

Near the Monitor turret is a man-sized opening leading into semi-darkness. As your eyes adjust you find yourself walking on a wooden pier.  On your left are shops with illuminated display windows.  On your right tied up to the pier is a full size replica of the Confederate ironclad Albemarle.  The muzzle of a 6.4 inch Brooke rifle peers from the superstructure. A gangplank leads to the interior of the vessel. It is quite dark inside the vessel but we can see the interior with the huge cannon and the helm from which the ship is steered. We exited through what appears to be the rear of the vessel into another exhibit hall. 

with the guide

We allowed ourselves four hours to bask in the history of the Civil War navies of the North and South.  It was indeed time well spent.