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Quiz about The Confederate Naval Academy

The Confederate Naval Academy Trivia Quiz

Needing naval officers the Confederate states opened their own naval academy. This is a short quiz on some of the interesting facts about it.

A multiple-choice quiz by foxgap. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
foxgap

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
135,818

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
707

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. When did the CSA open their school for naval officers? Hint

1864

1861

1863

1862

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Question 2 of 10

2. What special requirement(s) was/were recognized as being needed to become a good naval officer? Hint

Math

All of these

Navigation

Naval gunnery

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Question 3 of 10

3. Who was named as the first superintendant of the new school? Hint

David Dixon Porter

David Glasgow Farragut

William H Parker

Andrew Hall Foote

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Question 4 of 10

4. Where was the naval school located? Hint

Charleston College in South Carolina

An abandoned coastal fort

Drewry's Bluff, James River

A dockside warehouse

5. Among the military assets at the location of the naval academy was a fort that played an important part in the defense of Richmond. By what romantic sounding name did the Union military call this fort? Hint

Sweetheart

Soulmate

Darling

Love

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Question 6 of 10

6. What event led to the Confederate Naval Academy and other nearby military assets becoming accessible to the Union force's operations? Hint

Lee moving his main army

The area was never in danger

An earthquake destroying Confederate defenses

Fall of Yorktown

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Question 7 of 10

7. What non-academic activity were the naval students called on to do? Hint

Repair rail lines

Active operations

Forage for food for frontline troops

Help build cannons

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Question 8 of 10

8. When the academy ceased to operate due to Union advances, what became of the school structure? Hint

It was blown up

The Union captured it

It was burnt

Nothing, it's still there today

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Question 9 of 10

9. Prior to disbanding, what order was given to the school's commander to carry out? Hint

Spying in the north

Confederate honor guard at Lee's surrender

Joining Mosby's cavalry

Escorting government officials southward

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Question 10 of 10

10. On May 2nd, 1865 the remaining students of the school disbanded at what South Carolina town? Hint

Abbeville

Easley

Walhalla

Anderson

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. When did the CSA open their school for naval officers?

Answer: 1863

Due to the high number of military schools in the south, government officials saw no need for a school for naval officers at the start of the war.

2. What special requirement(s) was/were recognized as being needed to become a good naval officer?

Answer: All of these

In April of 1862 the Confederate Congress started taking appointments for the new academy.

3. Who was named as the first superintendant of the new school?

Answer: William H Parker

Parker was born in New York in 1826 and graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1847. He was a naval officer during the Mexican War in the South Atlantic. Prior to the Civil War he did such duties as coastal surveys and was even a teacher at the US Naval Academy. The other three were all Union naval officers.

4. Where was the naval school located?

Answer: Drewry's Bluff, James River

After Norfolk fell the "CSS Patrick Henry", a 1300-ton side-wheel steamer, was modified to be used as a school ship.

Answer: Darling

Drewry's Bluff/Fort Darling commanded a strategically powerful location on the cliffs overlooking the James River. On May 5th, 1862 five Union gunboats, including the Monitor and the Galene, sailed up the James to test the Richmond defenses. Engaging in battle with Fort Darling's guns the ships received heavy damage and were forced to withdraw.

6. What event led to the Confederate Naval Academy and other nearby military assets becoming accessible to the Union force's operations?

Answer: Fall of Yorktown

After the fall of Yorktown the Confederate ironclad "CSS Virginia" was scuttled to prevent capture. The loss of this ship opened up the James River to Federal forces. At the new naval academy the classes taught were remarkably similar to classes taught at the US Naval Academy.

The students were also getting first hand naval training in practical seamanship. Drewry's Bluff was also the location of a Confederate marine's training base.

7. What non-academic activity were the naval students called on to do?

Answer: Active operations

When the situation warranted, books were put away and arms taken up. Manpower was short in the Confederacy and the coastal waters and river right-of-ways were under constant threat from Union warships both used as offensive weapons and a blockade of Confederate ports.

8. When the academy ceased to operate due to Union advances, what became of the school structure?

Answer: It was burnt

On April 2nd, 1865 as Richmond was being evacuated, the ship was set on fire and destroyed. The Confederate navy could not take a chance that the ship would revert back to Union control. At this stage of the war the Union resources greatly outnumbered those of the Confederacy and the gap widened every day.

9. Prior to disbanding, what order was given to the school's commander to carry out?

Answer: Escorting government officials southward

Lieutenant Parker and his midshipmen were ordered to escort Jefferson Davis, his party, and the Confederate archives and treasury south. The Lieutenant took 50 of his students for that mission leaving the remaining 10 students with the task of destroying the ship that had been their school.

10. On May 2nd, 1865 the remaining students of the school disbanded at what South Carolina town?

Answer: Abbeville

On May 2nd, 1865 after approximately two years, the Confederate Naval Academy ceased to exist when the school members disbanded at Abbeville, South Carolina. Lieutenant Parker and his students never surrendered, they merely went home. Abbeville was founded in 1758 and named after Abbeville, France.

While retreating south President Davis and his cabinet spent the night at the "Burt-Stark Mansion" owned by one of his friends. It was here that the Confederate government held their last war council meeting in 1865.

Source: Author foxgap

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
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