Norwich, Connecticut History

Lieutenant Commander, Ezra Seals, USN is available to talk about life and growing up in the 1840s and 1850s in the Norwich Area. Ezra lived mainly with his uncle and aunt while his merchant father was sailing to and from India.

While Ezra and his immediate family is complete fiction, the events, people, and items he describes are all historically accurate. Ezra can answer many questions. Among them:

• How much schooling did children have?
• What were schools like - what did a student learn?
• What did children do when they left school?
• What is an indentured servant/slave?
• What did Norwich look like?
• Was there a high school? Was there a library?
• What businesses were there in town?
• What did children wear?
• How did they keep warm in winter?

... and many more!

The Captain receives his daily orders from the Squadron Commander

Battle of Mobile Bay Ezra Seals, now a battle hardened officer, fresh from the Mississippi campaign is ordered to report to Admiral Farragut's force located outside Mobile Bay, Alabama. His crew, having encountered rebel forces on a near daily basis for the last several months are glad for the brief respite from the war. However, Ezra will soon witness the destruction of the USS Tecumseh. Pre-engagement briefings with the Admiral reveal that there is an infernal machine (submarine) lurking in the Bay and two iron clads are nearing or are completed in construction. Ezra is prepared to talk to the tactics and the strategy of defeating two large forts, running a gauntlet of torpedoes (mines) and the final actions against the CSS Tennessee. And the terror of realizing that there was a submarine in the area after it and the crew is captured... Did the Tecumseh really hit a torpedo?

U.S.S. Alligator The U.S. Navy's first submarine

Infernal Machines

In this talk, Geoff McLean, dressed in period naval uniform will give an in-depth talk of submarines and submarine warfare in the Civil War. Did you know that there were at least 20 and maybe 24 or more submarines in the Civil War?. Submarines served on both sides of the conflict.

Geoff will come equipped to talk about the recent discovery of the existence of the USS Alligator - the true forerunner of the modern submarine. Additionally, he will discuss what the US Navy and NOAA are doing to find the Alligator. He will also discuss many Southern submarines and "David" class semi-submersibles.

Submarines operated in many theaters of the war and it is fascinating to find out that two opposing submarines were in the same theater at the same time.

Torpedoes terrified Union crews as did submarines. Learn how a torpedo was used from a submarine to sink the USS Housatonic. Was the USS Tecumseh sunk by torpedo or submarine?

To learn more about the hunt for the USS Alligator visit

The Captain ensures his orders are followed

Invasion of North Carolina Spring 1862

In this talk, Lieutenant Commander Seals will give a first hand account of his first command including the defense of Washington DC on the Potomac, The Invasion of North Carolina, and the Day the Virginia destroyed the U.S. Naval Fleet at Fortress Monroe.

The Captain will show the audience captured Confederate bills, discuss the various battles, and encounters with local populations of North Carolina.

Hand drawn maps of the areas will be discussed showing the terrain features and how the U.S. Navy exploited these features

The Navy's part of the Anaconda Plan and how the Navy will win the war for the Union will be discussed.

Daily Life of a Sailor

Learn what sailors did during their tours at sea during the War of the Rebellion

Sailors on the blockade faced the challenge of severe boredom and mutiny was always a threat. How did they cope with out news of their families?

Sailors in the brown water Navy fought battles alongside their Army brethren. What did they take ashore with them? What were their weapons?

And for all sailors what were their seabags stuffed with? How did they entertain themselves? How did they mend themselves? And how did what they do compare to civilian life?

Commander Seals and either his daughter, Lydia, or Robert Gordon will mesmerize you with how life was lived in this non-electric age where the modern industrial revolution was just beginning to take place

This presentation is appropriate for all age groups, and our reenactors will bring with them as many period materials as they can - from weapons to housewives, and gills to hardtack. We recommend allocating two hours for this. Our traveling museum has grown quite large and covering all the artifacts is difficult to do in only one hour. This is our most asked for presentation. Numerous stories (everything in the museum has a story behind it) are told and audience participation is a must.

The Traveling Museum

The U.S. Navy's role in the Civil War is all but forgotten. Outnumbered by their army brethren some 20 to 1 it is small wonder that the battles the Navy waged are almost lost to history. School children are taught the Army view of the war - devoid of the Navy's participation. Only with knowledge of the Navy's contribution can many battles' outcomes be explained.

It was said that Mr. Lincoln's Navy could go wherever there was a puddle on the ground. Indeed sailors often fought side-by-side with the soldiers, enduring the same hardships, but fighting very differently

Audiences have been thrilled to learn of the exploits of these gallant men and all come away learning something new of the history of this great nation.

Percival Drayton, Flag Captain, U.S.N.

Geoff has obtained a copy of all the correspondence of Flag Captain Percival Drayton. Captain Drayton was Admiral Farragut's Flag Captain and rose from Commander to Flag Captain in four short years. Overlooked by history for his flashier commander, Captain Drayton is a wonderfully interesting individual - born a Charlestonian, and deeply anti-slavery - he expresses his opinions using the pen leaving no doubt about his convictions. He served as the first captain of the first ship of the second class of Monitors - the USS Passaic. His letters concerning his ship's material condition leave no doubt as to his opinion of Ericsson's Monitor follies. Captain Drayton's usage of colorful language may offend some in the audience, however, to convey fully the emotional impact we do not alter the language he would have used in daily life. While modern society frowns on the use of certain words they were quite common in the 1860s and therefor we use them as well. So if you have sensitive ears we suggest you seek shelter in some other harbor while this talk is given.

New for 2011

The Night the Confederacy Was Lost

Although the nation still had a horrendous amount of blood left to shed, the Confederacy was doomed the night Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut and his fleet ran past the forts south of New Orleans. New Orleans was the Confederacy's largest, most industrial, and international city. The utter failure of the government in Richmond, Virginia to protect this vital city ensured that the Confederate States of America could never have become a sovereign state.

In this presentation we discuss what was done to protect New Orleans, what wasn't done, and most importantly who was responsible on both sides. The world was watching as the events of 1861 and early 1862 unfolded and the European powers were debating whether to recognize the Confederacy. We will cover the international ramifications as well as what may have happened - had Richmond, and in particular Jefferson Davis and Stephen Mallory, been competent leaders.

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photos © Copyright 2003-2010 MRA

Black and white Photos © Copyright 2005 Peter J Crowley Studios

Percival Drayton photo is in the public domain and not copyrighted

Proud to be an organizational partner of Connecticut Civil War Commemoration sponsored by Central Connecticut State University.