Hampton Roads Naval Museum

36. CSS Florida

Norfolk, VA

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CSS Florida, a steam screw cruiser of about 700 tons, was built in England in 1862 under the name Oreto. Secretly purchased by the Confederate States Navy, she sailed in March 1862 for the Bahamas in the guise of a merchant ship. After her arrival, she was fitted as a naval vessel and commissioned in August 1862, commanded by First Lieutenant John Newland Maffitt. With her crew largely disabled by yellow fever, Florida went to Cuba and, on September 4, 1862, ran the Federal blockade into Mobile, Alabama. After completing her outfitting, Maffitt took his ship back out through the blockade on January 16, 1863. Operating in the Atlantic and West Indies over the next eight months, Florida captured twenty-two prizes, striking terror in the United States' merchant marine and frustrating the U.S. Navy's efforts to catch her. In August 1863, she went to Brest, France, remaining there until the following February, when she again got to sea past watching Federal forces. Under the command of First Lieutenant Charles M. Morris, Florida took another eleven prizes between then and October 1864, when she arrived at Bahia, Brazil. While anchored in that port on October 7, Florida was attacked, captured, and towed to sea by USS Wachusett, in violation of Brazilian neutrality. After being taken to the U.S., her return to Brazil was ordered by the courts. However, before this could be done, on November 28, 1864, Florida was accidently sunk off Newport News, Virginia. The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is the official repository of all artifacts from the CSS Florida, including those you see in this exhibit.