Confederate States Navy

In February 21, 1861, the Confederate States Navy (CSN) was established by an act of the Confederate Congress. Confederate States Navy was the naval branch of the Confederate States Armed Forces. During its existence, the Confederate States Navy was responsible for guarding and protecting the Southern harbors and coastlines from outside attacks. By the Southern harbors and coastlines, the Confederacy made it difficult and costly for the North to attack. The Union, in turn, attacked merchant ships and all blockade-running vessels. The Confederate States Navy was in charge of all Confederate naval operations throughout the American Civil War.

In the beginning, the Confederate States Navy was inferior to the Union Navy. In order to gain advantage over the Union Navy, they used technological innovations such as submarines, torpedo boats, ironclads and navy mines also known as torpedoes. They only had fourteen seaworthy ships out of the thirty that they had against the Union Navy’s 90 vessels. Eventually, the Confederate States Navy fleet increased to 101 ships.

When the Union Navy evacuated the Gosport Navy Yard, their supply and arm depots were not totally burned leaving the Confederate States Navy with access to war materials and the shipyard’s dry docks. This became an instrument for the Confederacy to build new warships.

List of Ships of the Confederate States Navy:

The Confederate States Navy was composed of 373 commissioned officers, warrant officers and midshipmen who were part of the United States Navy before they joined the Confederacy.

When the war ended in 1861, the Confederate government organized administrative positions of the Confederate Navy. These were:

Aboard the CSS Shenandoah, the Confederate made their final surrender in November 6, 1865. They were in Liverpool, England. The Confederate States Navy existed for 4 years and 9 months.