Capture of Norfolk - April 20th, 1861

The Virginia militia advanced on Gosport Navy Shipyard near Norfolk, Virginia on April 20th, 1861. When the Union commander there, General Charles S. McCauley, heard of the Rebels impending arrival, he ordered all the ships to be burned. Only three ships survived the blaze and one charred hull, the USS Merrimack, which was salvaged by the Confederates and rechristened the CSS Virginia. Because Union troops did not completely destroy the Gosport Navy Shipyard, the South was able to take over a 1,000 heavy naval guns. The federals gave way without a fight to defend the valuable facilities of the naval yard. It was a clear victory for the South. The Richmond Daily Newspaper was quick to report that the South had enough material to build a Navy of iron clad war ships.