National Museum of the U.S. Navy

Control over inland and coastal trade routes dominated the Union and Confederate naval campaigns during the Civil War. This exhibit tells how the Union naval blockade, innovative technologies, and strong leadership propelled the Union to victory. The main naval battles explored are New Orleans, Mobile Bay, Hampton Roads, and the engagement between USS Kearsarge and Confederate commerce raider Alabama near Cherbourg, France.

Interesting artifacts in the Civil War exhibit include:

• Capstan-top, wheel, fife rail, binnacle lantern, eyebolt, and ship's bell, of USS Hartford
• Watch Bell from USS Merrimack, later reconstructed to become CSS Virginia.   Note, though the bell's cast produced "Merrimac", the ship's name was Merrimack.   Side view. 
• Diorama of the Battle of Hampton Roads, March 9, 1862
• Builder's Half-Model of the frigate USS St. Lawrence
• Confederate Frame Torpedo type used during the war
• Spar Torpedo type used during the war
• Models of Confederate ships:  Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia
• Mustard and pepper bottles from USS Monitor
• Swedish-American inventor John Ericsson's hand lantern
• Sternpost from USS Kearsarge
• Rear Admiral David G. Farragut's personal items, including commemorative sword and presentation cane
• Artifacts recovered by underwater archaeologists from the Confederate ship Alabama, including cannon ball, galley chimney, English porcelain toilet (another view), and ship's wheel. 
• Twelve pounder Boat Howitzer.  Rear view, top view

Ship Models of U.S. Navy warships in the Civil War Exhibit area.

Click on the model for a photographic history of the ship.