This played a significant role in the Civil War and in the history of the US Navy. Once again, a big tip of the hat to the good folks at HMdb, Historical Marker database.
The USS Merrimack was burned and transformed into the CSS Virginia here.
It was first established in 1767 by the British and was captured in 1775 and became the base of the Virginia State Navy. It was burned in 1779 when the British occupied Portsmouth, Virginia.
The US Navy bought it in 1801. The frigate USS Chesapeake was the first ship built there 1798-1799.
On January 17, 1833, the 74-gun ship-of-the-line USS Delaware became the first ship to enter the newly-completed Dry Dock No. 1, the first ship to enter dry dock anywhere in North America.
When Virginia joined the Confederacy, Gosport Navy Yard was evacuated and burnedand then occupied by the Confederates. They salvaged stores and 1,085 cannons which were used in the area and throughout the South.
The 40-gun frigate USS Merrimack was being repaired at the time, and was burned and sunk. It was raised and taken to Dry Dock No. 1 and was rebuilt as an ironclad under the design of Naval Constructor John L. Porter.
The Confederates built other gunboats there as well as the CSS Richmond.
On May 10, 1862, Gosport Navy Yard was burned again and reoccupied by Union forces for the rest of the war.
British-American-British-American-Confederate-Union. Better Save Your Flags. --Old B-R'er
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
