Strategic Significance of Hampton Roads

On the eve of the Civil War Gosport was the largest naval station in the country. Besides its extensive warehouses and boatbuilding facilities, the shipyard maintained a store of nearly 2,000 cannon of various caliber (300 of which were the navy's newest smooth-bore Dahlgrens) with thousands of rounds of ammunition and tons of powder. Also present at Gosport in 1861 were 11 ships of the United States Navy, from the old Pennsylvania (which had been converted into a receiving ship) to the Merrimack of 40 guns down to the brig Dolphin bearing four guns.

Following the secession of Virginia from the Union on April 17, 1861, efforts were made by the United States Navy to evacuate the Gosport Yard. However, as Virginia State troops made moves to take control of the base on April 20, federal forces set fires to the yard and its buildings. Further, several ships of the navy at Gosport, that were not seaworthy were put to the torch. Among those ships set afire, and allowed to sink at Gosport was the United States Steam Frigate Merrimack. The Confederate forces took control of the badly damaged navy yard, and began the process of rebuilding it to provide defenses for their new nation.