Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 15:28 Written by Christina Gordon Tuesday, 16 February 2010 14:58

The Halifax County Convention and Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce that Halifax County will be included in a brand-new Civil War “Living History in Motion” event, presented by in the Washington County Historical Society and Washington County Travel and Tourism Development. Entitled “ODYSSEY OF AN IRONCLAD- THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF THE CSS ALBEMARLE,” a working replica of the ironclad crewed by a local group of Confederate Naval Reenactors, will retrace the ironclad’s perilous April 1864 race down the treacherous Roanoke River to Plymouth and a place in the annals of Naval History.

The waterborne portion of the trip will begin Saturday, April 17^th at Edwards Ferry, (the boat ramp at the foot of Hwy 258 bridge in Scotland Neck), and continue down the river to her home port in Plymouth. The two-day journey will begin with a ground-based program in Halifax, the site of the CSA Naval Shipyard where the newly-constructed ship was outfitted with steam engines and armament.  The ship was towed upriver to Halifax after the hull was constructed in secret at a plantation near Edwards Ferry, in of all places, a cornfield! The plantation’s owner, Peter Evans Smith, is regarded as the go-to person in facilitating construction of the ironclad under the most adverse and urgent conditions imaginable, and used his well-known mechanical genius to invent what we know today as the modern twist drill bit during the Albemarle’s construction. This invention was born out of the urgency of completing the armor plates, and cut down the time of drilling each hole from 20 minutes to 4 minutes! Modern calculations have estimated that the time saved on drilling would equal one year.

Another fascinating, but little-known story is of the quest by Capt. James W. Cooke to secure enough iron to complete the armor plates. It is documented that he scoured the Roanoke River Valley in search of “donations” of iron objects for the cause. When he ran out of willing donors, the metal was “procured”, (at gunpoint when necessary); earning him the nickname “Iron Monger Captain”. 

Other key figures include: Gilbert Elliott, the 19-year old shipbuilder/engineer who was awarded the construction contract- (in fact, the 2010 “maiden voyage” is dedicated to the memory of his descendent, Robert Elliott, author of the “Ironclad of the Roanoke”; who passed away on Christmas Eve 2009). A faithful participant in Living History Weekend, Mr. Elliott’s presence will be greatly missed. In addition, Catherine Devereux Edmonston, who was a neighbor of the Smiths and kept a detailed diary chronicling the construction project and noting the events that were going on around the area; and Benjamin Gray, the 12-year old slave youth from Bertie County who enlisted in the Confederate Navy to be part of the CSS Albemarle’s crew are examples of the “grassroots” participants in the making of this most unique history.

Most people are familiar with the Battle of Plymouth and Battle of Batchelor’s Bay (Sandy Point), and the eventual destruction of the Albemarle by Lt. William Barker Cushing. The History Channel produced a feature documentary film titled: “The Most Daring Mission of the Civil War”; which focused on these high-profile happenings. The goal of this project includes a broader scope which is to chronicle the amazing series of events and intriguing cast of characters involved in the nearly miraculous feat of building the CSS Albemarle in the most adverse of conditions and getting her underway; culminating in her amazing resilience in battle which has led to her recognition as the most successful ironclad of the Civil War. It is a true “underdog” tale, so much so that once the “rest of the story” is understood, no matter what side of the conflict one’s ancestors supported, the sheer magnitude of the accomplishment is to be appreciated.

This effort illustrates the interconnection and interdependence of the inhabitants of the Roanoke River corridor, and how even today the links are being re-discovered and re-connected  through the research and documentation of the most unique and fascinating history of this sometimes obscure rural landscape. The past, present and future are intertwined and held together in perpetual continuity by the dark and mysterious Roanoke River and her many tributaries, branching off like many twigs on a giant family tree. The “Odyssey” can be regarded as a “family reunion” of sorts, connecting the “branches” of the CSS Albemarle family from both the northern and southern regions of the river for the first time in 146 years.

The itinerary and schedule details are still in development, but tentative plans include a stop at the wharf at Moratoc Park in Williamston early Sunday afternoon, before completing the voyage to home port in Plymouth that afternoon. Vantage points along the river include the Edwards Ferry bridge, the boat ramp in Hamilton, Fort Branch, Moratoc Park in Williamston, the boat ramp in Jamesville, and the waterfront in Plymouth. As details are finalized, they will become available on the internet at “GOWILDNC.COM” and “LIVINGHISTORYWEEKEND.COM”. The “Odyssey” is a prelude to the 20^th Anniversary of the Battle of Plymouth Living History Weekend in Plymouth, which will be held the following weekend, April 24 & 25.  Plans are ongoing to repeat the “Odyssey of an Ironclad” in an expanded format to coincide with the 150^th anniversary in April of 2014, as part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration.