National Civil War Naval Museum

09/01/2026

On this day in 1862, the U.S. Navy gunboat USS Uncas saw its first combat action of the Civil War.

Operating along Florida’s St. Johns River, Uncas, joined by Patroon, engaged Confederate forces at St. Johns and Yellow Bluffs. The clash was part of the continuing struggle for control of the waterways of the South, where rivers could serve as highways for troops, supplies, intelligence, and naval power.

The September 1 action was only the beginning. Days later, Uncas and Patroon would face Confederate batteries at St. Johns Bluff in a much larger engagement lasting more than four hours.

Civil War naval history wasn’t confined to famous battles on the open sea. Gunboats like Uncas carried the war into rivers, sounds, and narrow coastal waterways—places where control of the water could shape everything happening on land.

At the National Civil War Naval Museum, we preserve and share the stories of the ships, sailors, and waterways that helped shape the Civil War.

Come aboard and discover more.

09/01/2026

Halloween plans? Bring your crew aboard!

Costumes. Candy. A museum full of history. And did we mention FREE admission after 4 p.m.?

This Halloween, make the National Civil War Naval Museum one of your trick-or-treating stops during Treats at the Museum! Dress up the whole family and explore our galleries while collecting sweet treats along the way.

Never been to the museum before? This is the perfect night to come aboard and see what you’ve been missing!

**Halloween | October 31**
**4–6 p.m.**
**FREE admission after 4 p.m.**

No tricks. Plenty of treats. And a whole museum to explore.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

**Tag your Halloween crew and make plans to join us!**

09/01/2026

Halloween plans? Bring your crew aboard!

Costumes. Candy. A museum full of history. And did we mention FREE admission after 4 p.m.?

This Halloween, make the National Civil War Naval Museum one of your trick-or-treating stops during Treats at the Museum! Dress up the whole family and explore our galleries while collecting sweet treats along the way.

Never been to the museum before? This is the perfect night to come aboard and see what you’ve been missing!

**Halloween | October 31**
**4–6 p.m.**
**FREE admission after 4 p.m.**

No tricks. Plenty of treats. And a whole museum to explore.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

**Tag your Halloween crew and make plans to join us!**

08/25/2026

On this day in 1864, Confederate Admiral Franklin Buchanan, recovering as a prisoner of war at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Pensacola, submitted his official report on the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Just weeks earlier, Buchanan had commanded the ironclad CSS Tennessee as Rear Admiral David G. Farragut’s 18-ship Union fleet entered Mobile Bay. The fierce August 5 battle ended with the Tennessee surrounded and forced to surrender. By August 23, Fort Morgan—the last Confederate stronghold guarding the bay—had also fallen, effectively closing Mobile to Confederate blockade runners.

Buchanan’s August 25 report offers a remarkable window into the battle from the Confederate perspective, documenting the ships, firepower, and overwhelming naval force his squadron faced.

History lives in the details—and in the voices left behind to tell the story.

⚓ Come aboard the National Civil War Naval Museum and explore the ironclads, sailors, technology, and stories that shaped naval warfare during the Civil War.

📍 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus, GA
🌐 PortColumbus.org

08/21/2026

Thank you to Dr. Terry L. Beckenbaugh for an engaging and insightful evening at the National Civil War Naval Museum.

Yesterday’s lecture, War Comes to the White River Valley, offered a fascinating look at the 1862 White River Campaign in Arkansas and the people, decisions, and complexities that shaped it. We’re grateful to Dr. Beckenbaugh for sharing his research and to everyone who joined us, asked thoughtful questions, and helped make the evening memorable.

History is always richer when we explore it together.

08/21/2026

⚓🏒 We’re excited to officially join the Columbus River Dragons crew!

The National Civil War Naval Museum is proud to partner with the River Dragons for the 2026–27 season. We’re looking forward to connecting with fans, celebrating our community, and sharing a little naval history beyond the museum walls.

Thank you to the River Dragons for welcoming us aboard. Here’s to a great season and an exciting new partnership!

⚓🏒 We're excited to welcome the National Civil War Naval Museum as a new partner of the Columbus River Dragons for the 2026-27 season!

Located right here in Columbus, the National Civil War Naval Museum preserves and shares the history of the Civil War's naval story and the people who lived it. We're proud to partner with an organization that plays such an important role in preserving our community's history and educating future generations.

08/20/2026

On this day in 1864, the Union gunboat USS Pontoosuc arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in pursuit of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Tallahassee—only to discover that her quarry had slipped away just hours earlier.

Under Commander John Taylor Wood, Tallahassee had been raiding Union merchant shipping along the Atlantic coast. After stopping in Halifax for desperately needed coal and supplies, the Confederate cruiser escaped and headed south toward Wilmington, North Carolina. Pontoosuc quickly departed in pursuit, but based on available intelligence, searched north toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence while Tallahassee steamed south. (History Central)

The episode is a reminder that Civil War naval warfare wasn't limited to dramatic battles. It was also a contest of speed, intelligence, navigation, resources, and sometimes being just a few hours too late.

There are countless stories like this waiting beyond the shoreline. Bring your crew to the National Civil War Naval Museum and discover the ships, sailors, technology, and stories that shaped the war on the water.

📍 1002 Victory Drive, Columbus, GA
🌐 PortColumbus.org
☎️ 706-327-9798

08/20/2026

Never been to one of our guest lectures? Tomorrow is a great night to join us!

Dr. Terry L. Beckenbaugh will lead us into the War Comes to the White River Valley, the White River Campaign of 1862, exploring the people, conflict, and events that brought the Civil War to Arkansas’s White River Valley. Dr. Beckenbaugh is a military historian and professor at the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base.

Come discover a piece of Civil War history you may not know, ask questions, and experience the museum in a different way.

Thursday, August 20 at 6:00 p.m.
Free admission • Open to the public

Bring a friend and spend an evening with history at the National Civil War Naval Museum.

08/10/2026

This Day in Civil War Naval History | August 10, 1864

Five days after the dramatic Battle of Mobile Bay, the fight for control of Alabama’s coast was far from over.

On August 10, 1864, Union naval forces under Rear Admiral David G. Farragut continued operations against **Fort Morgan**, the last major Confederate stronghold guarding the entrance to Mobile Bay. Fort Gaines had surrendered on August 8, but Fort Morgan’s commander, Brigadier General Richard L. Page, refused demands for unconditional surrender.

Union warships maintained pressure on the fort as Federal forces prepared for a full siege. Even the captured Confederate ironclad **CSS Tennessee**, taken during the August 5 battle, would soon be turned against its former defenders. The bombardment and siege continued until Fort Morgan finally surrendered on August 23.

The struggle at Mobile Bay reminds us that naval victories were rarely decided in a single moment. Ships, forts, sailors, soldiers, technology, and persistence all shaped the fight for control of America’s waterways.

Want to dive deeper into stories like this? Bring your crew to the National Civil War Naval Museum and explore the vessels, weapons, artifacts, and people that changed naval warfare during the Civil War.

08/05/2026

On this day in 1864, the Battle of Mobile Bay changed the course of the Civil War. Union Admiral David G. Farragut led his fleet through one of the Confederacy's most heavily defended harbors, facing underwater mines (then called "torpedoes"), powerful forts, and the ironclad CSS Tennessee. It was during this battle that Farragut is famously credited with declaring, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

The Union victory sealed one of the Confederacy's last major Gulf Coast ports and demonstrated the growing importance of naval power, innovation, and courageous leadership on the water.

History is even more powerful when you can stand where the stories come alive.

Bring your crew down to the National Civil War Naval Museum for a guided tour and experience Civil War naval history firsthand. Explore fascinating artifacts, hear incredible stories, and discover the people, ships, and technology that shaped our nation's history. You never know what cool piece of history you'll uncover next.

Call 706-327-9798 to book your group today! Group tours must be scheduled in advance.  Admission included. Come see history firsthand!

📍 National Civil War Naval Museum
1002 Victory Drive • Columbus, Georgia