Kid's Tour (Audio Coming Soon) Preview

Welcome aboard the CSS Neuse! My name is Kathy Kruger Grumbler, and I am the ship's cat on the CSS Neuse. I will be your guide today as we learn more about Kinston, ironclads, and the Civil in eastern North Carolina.

You’re probably wondering why this boat is inside a building rather than on water. This boat was moved into this building in 2012 to help keep it from falling apart. The ship endured a lot of damage during its career despite partaking in only a single battle. But why did the ship only fight a single battle? What was life like for the ship's crew? And how did the Neuse come to play a part in the Civil War in eastern North Carolina?

Join us on this tour and find out!

You can begin by looking at the wooden remains of the CSS Neuse in front of you. Do you think this was a large ironclad? The CSS Neuse was one of the smaller ironclads constructed during the Civil War. She was 148 long and approximately 34 feet wide.

What is the white structure on top of the wooden hull remains of the ship? This is called the ghosting of the ship, which shows the actual size of the ship and the pieces we are missing.

Look to the left, and you will see a CSS Neuse model cut so you can look inside. Once you are finished looking at the model, you can head to your right to begin learning about the history of Kinston and why Kinston was important during the Civil War.

You may ask yourself, when was the American Civil War? The answer is 1861-1865.

Also, when you read the word UNION soldier or sailor, that means someone from the north. In comparison, the word CONFEDERATE means someone from the south.

Moving into our first area, we have many maps of the Kinston area from before and during the war. Can you find Kinston on all these maps?

After founding in 1762, Kinston became an important center of commerce on the Neuse River. In later years, railroads were also being built across the state, with one railroad junction running across Kinston. This was a big reason the CSS Neuse was outfitted in the town.

Would you like to learn more about trains? Please sit down and read one of the children's books we have about trains.

Moving into our second area, we have many pictures of ironclads and the various actions they partook in. Have you been on other warships? The CSS Neuse was an ironclad gunboat, meaning it was fitted with armor plating. This was a new idea, and ships like the Neuse played a big role in the Civil War, especially after the Battle of Hampton Roads in March 1862. During that battle, two great ironclads, the Union Monitor and Confederate Virginia, convinced both sides that iron on gunboats was the way forward in naval warfare.

North Carolina was the home to four Confederate ironclads, including the Neuse. The CSS Raleigh and CSS North Carolina, both built in Wilmington, had short careers before they were sunk. However, the CSS Albemarle, a sister ship to the Neuse, defeated a large Union force and captured the town of Plymouth in April 1864. However, her career was also cut short when she was sunk with a spar torpedo (an explosive device on a long pole) by a Union naval officer named Lieutenant William Cushing. Can you find a model of the red spar torpedo?

Moving into our third area, we have design photos of the Neuse and tools used in her construction. The CSS Neuse’s construction began in October 1862 on the bank of the Neuse River near a town called Whitehall. Her construction site came under attack during Foster’s Raid, and while the ship suffered damage, her first phase of construction was completed in the late summer of 1863. Sent down to Kinston for outfitting, the Neuse received her armor plating, cannons, engines, and other items to finish her construction.

Moving around this pine boat, you can see the location of its former ram. The ram was used to bust holes in enemy ships to sink them quickly. Next to where the ram would have been, you will notice a large section of wood missing. This is from the explosion that sank the ship after the Battle of Wyse Fork. To the right of the section of missing wood are more items that were recovered from the Neuse, including an original piece of iron and the ship’s bell. Can you find the bell? What about some of the original iron plating on the ship? Here is a hint: look below the ship's bell.

Moving down the ship's port side, you can now see the replica casemate. Do you see the ship's cat?

The pilot's house and a replica of one of the ship’s cannons are inside the casemate. Have you ever been on the inside of a ship? Was it hot or cold? Do you think the cannons would be loud when fired?

Living onboard an ironclad, including the fact that the ship was not well-ventilated, and the quarters were very crowded. The crew did not bathe regularly, and temperatures inside the ship could reach up to 140°F. Can you imagine wearing pants and long sleeves during the summer in North Carolina?

The ship also lacked modern conveniences such as computers, internet, television, radio, video games, bathrooms, or air conditioning. When the crew was not busy with their chores on board the ship, they amused themselves by playing music, cards, quoits (a ring toss game similar to horseshoes), and writing and reading letters.

Look around the casemate. Are any of the items familiar to you? Can you locate the ship's wheel? What do you think about the ship's bell? Try ringing the bell to see what it sounds like. How many men do you think it took to man the cannon in the casemate? If you guessed 22, you are CORRECT! Teamwork was very important when working on a ship.

The Neuse had two cannons on its upper deck and could turn them to fire out of the doors on the casemate. These cannons were quite loud and were effective in ship-to-ship combat.

What are the parts of the cannon, and what does it sound like?

Exiting the casemate, to the left, we have tools from the Neuse’s engine room. Have you ever worked on an engine? The ship used a steam engine, which was fed with coal. The burning coal and water produced steam that could turn the propeller blades to move the ship. This was long before engines that used gasoline as fuel were produced.

Back to your right is a model of the Neuse’s steering wheel. You’ve probably seen ship wheels like this on pirate ships in movies and on T.V. The wheel had an interesting method of use: to go right, you had to turn the wheel left, and vice versa. The little window beneath your feet shows you how the rudder turned in conjunction with the wheel.

Moving forward, you now enter the section on the life of sailors aboard the Neuse. Would you like to have been a sailor aboard this ship? Do you think life would be easy, or difficult? The ship’s crew slept in bunks or hammocks and spent their days practicing on the guns, cleaning the ship, or fixing it up. During their time off, sailors might play games like quoits (like horseshoes), write letters to their families, talk to others, play music, and sing, or visit Kinston. What would you have done for your free time if you were a sailor aboard this boat?

The CSS Neuse’s mission was to re-take New Bern, a city under Union occupation since 1862. This mission, however, would not come until 1864, and you are now entering the section on it. Do you think a boat of this size could be intimidating? How would you take on a boat like this?

The CSS Neuse departed Kinston in April 1864 to retake New Bern but ran aground half a mile outside of town. She was forced to return to Kinston, her mission never even starting. A year later in March 1865, the Union Army won the Battle of Wyse Fork and was preparing to capture Kinston, so the crew of the Neuse decided to destroy their own ship. They gathered a lot of gunpowder, highly explosive powder, in the front section of the ship and lit it on fire. A huge hole was created in the explosion, effectively sinking the Neuse and rendering her un-capturable.

After the end of the war, the CSS Neuse was left stranded on the river. In the 1950s, local businessmen began salvaging the boat from the water, a process that took three years to complete. Once recovered, the ship was moved to a historic site on Vernon Avenue in Kinston. However, after hurricanes in the 1990s, it was decided that the Neuse needed a permanent home to protect it from bad weather. In 2012, the boat was moved into a building that became the museum's permanent home. The iron-armored heritage of the CSS Neuse has inspired many to visit and learn about its history.

Have you ever visited the North Carolina Battleship in Wilmington? If so, share some similarities and differences between the CSS Neuse and the North Carolina Battleship with your parent or caretaker as you look at the exhibits.

To access the mezzanine, please use either the stairs or the elevator.

Welcome to the upstairs of the CSS Neuse Civil War Museum, where you will learn about the battles fought in eastern North Carolina during the war, from secession to surrender. Additionally, you will discover what life was like for the average citizen of Kinston, North Carolina, during the war, including women, free blacks, and children. The audio tour starts near the elevator, where you will find a red, white, and blue flag with stars and information about secession. We have a lot to cover, so let's get started!

North Carolina seceded from the Union on May 20, 1861. Secession usually means when part of one country breaks away or leaves that country to start a new country. During the American Civil War, eleven southern states declared their secession (independence) from the United States.

Union military forces knew many in North Carolina did not support the idea of secession, and as such, sought to exploit this aspect of the state. How do you think North Carolina would play a role in the Union strategy to defeat the South? From the summer of 1861 to the spring of 1862, Union Army and Navy forces would win a string of victories up the North Carolinian coast, from Roanoke, to Hatteras, down to Fort Macon. The Union occupation of North Carolina’s northern and central coast denied the Confederate military ports from which to operate. Additionally, these areas proved to be an important staging ground for Union Army forces and its blockading squadron in the Atlantic Ocean.

Moving forward, we are now going to talk about Foster’s Raid, an attack from Kinston to Goldsboro. What, in your mind, constitutes a raid? With the fall of North Carolina’s coast to the Union, the town of Kinston became the Confederacy’s major outpost against further Union advancement. The town was threatened in December 1862 when Union forces under the command of Brigadier General John G. Foster attacked and briefly occupied the town. Foster’s goal was to destroy a railroad in Goldsboro that was supplying Confederate forces in northern Virginia. While the bridge was slightly burned, it was not destroyed and remained operational until 1865. Why do you think railroads are important for war?

Moving forward once more, we are going to talk now about General Sherman’s campaign in North Carolina. Following his string of victories across the Deep South, Sherman began his invasion of the Carolinas in March 1865. After causing much destruction across South Carolina, the Union forces entered North Carolina and divided themselves into groups, so as to better protect themselves against attack. Do you think this was a good strategy? How would you protect your army groups? Unlike with South Carolina, Union forces did not destroy a great deal of land or infrastructure in North Carolina. In January, the Union captured Fort Fisher, an impressive Confederate fortification on the coast near Wilmington. By February, Wilmington and nearby Fort Anderson were also captured. In March, Confederate and Union forces engaged at the Battle of Wyse Fork, just outside of Kinston. The battle was the second largest in North Carolina’s history and ended with the evacuation of Kinston by Confederate forces. Union forces moved in on Kinston, then followed Confederate forces west, and engaged them for the final time in North Carolina at the Battle of Bentonville. Finally on April 26, 1865, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to General Sherman, ending the North Carolina campaign of the Civil War.

What do you know about cannons? Coming back up, to your right, is a U.S. Model 1835 12-pound mountain howitzer. One such cannon was used by the 3rd New York Cavalry during Foster’s Raid in December 1862. This cannon could fire an 8.9 pound shell to 1,072 yards (about 3,200 feet), that’s quite a distance! This cannon could also fire cannister and grape shot, pellets of metal that were able to take out enemy soldiers.

The Civil War was notable in that it was the first time that African-Americans were allowed to serve in the United States Armed Forces. To your right, moving forward from the cannon, is our exhibit on the United States Colored Troops. These regiments were composed of African-Americans, both freedmen and former slaves, who fought for their freedom and for the preservation of the United States of America. Many soldiers, such as Furney Bryant and George Johnson, fought bravely in numerous engagements, fighting for a future in which all African-Americans could be free.

Welcome to Kinston, North Carolina, in the year 1861. In this section of our museum, we have exhibits that showcase the daily lives of ordinary men, women, and children living in Kinston and Lenoir County during the Civil War. Would you like to experience living in Kinston during the 1860s? Do you think life would be easier or more challenging than it is today?

One thing that is certain about life in 1860s Kinston is that clothing options were quite limited and different compared to today's standards. Most people adhered to the Victorian sense of fashion and did not own many outfits. When the Civil War began, and the South’s few textile mills began producing uniforms for the Confederate military, Kinston and Lenoir County women began practicing homespun and making their clothes. In some cases, they would sell the clothes they made to others.

Look at the loom, spinning wheel, and other items in the exhibit and read through our storybook walk, "Spin a Scarf of Sunshine" by Dawn Casey (Author) and Stila Lim (Illustrator), to learn more about the process of creating a scarf, starting with getting the wool from sheep. You can also find some wool or cotton in the basket on the floor and practice using the carding brushes with Nari as she teaches you how to clean the wool before spinning it.

For women and children in Kinston, life drastically changed when their husbands, fathers, brothers or sons left for the war. To fill labor gaps, women and children went to work on farms and in local shops and businesses. Having to enter the labor force disrupted the education of local Lenoir County children. Would you prefer to enter the labor force rather than attend school? Local African-American freedmen also worked to keep Kinston running during the war.

Look in the wooden trunk to see and touch some reproduction items from the 1860s. Look in the binder to learn more about school rules, games, and more!

Religious services proved to be an important factor in Lenoir County life in the 1860s. Local Methodist, Baptist and Episcopalian churches provided services for the population, and the church buildings were used as schoolhouses for local children. When Confederate military forces began occupying Kinston, churches sought to include them in their ranks.

Our final exhibit is about mourning practices in Kinston during the Civil War. It's hard to imagine the pain and struggle that families must have gone through losing a loved one—husband, wife, brother, sister, father, son, or daughter—during that time. Have you ever lost someone close to you? If so, how did you cope with their passing? In those days, creating hair jewelry using human hair was one-way families remembered their loved ones. How many jewelry items include human hair in the exhibit case?

During the mourning period, women had to wear black mourning dresses and grieve the loss of their loved one for at least a year. Their homes would be decorated with black wreaths of silk and wax flowers. After the mourning period ended, they would start wearing other colors like purple, white, or grey as part of their “second mourning period.” If you want to learn more about mourning or see mourning images from the 1860s, you can look at the binders by the black mourning dress in a case.

We hope you find this exhibit informative and interesting. Please let us know if you have any questions.

We hope you have enjoyed your time at the CSS Neuse Civil War Museum! Before you leave, check out the view of the CSS Neuse on the wooden platform. You can even light up parts of the ship using the touchscreen.