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New Bern is surrounded by a wealth of Civil War history, making it an important player on the stage of Civil War landmarks. Better known in the South as “the War between the States,” the war, as depicted by Southern storytellers, was anything but civil. Nevertheless, New Bern played a strategic role in shaping history in the South during this turbulent era. This footprint in history is worth a walk to investigate.

A major port and trading center in the 1800s, New Bern was captured and occupied by a large Union army under the command of General Ambrose Burnside after a fierce battle on March 14, 1862. The Northern officers established headquarters in Neuse River mansions, while soldiers moved into other houses throughout the city. The Union forces occupied New Bern for the remainder of the war despite several attempts by Confederate forces to retake the city. For this reason, New Bern survived with less physical damage than many other small Southern towns.

As you begin your tour, you’ll find Civil War Discovery Signs which highlight a number of key locations in New Bern. For example, the sign at Union Point Park indicates a frightful scene as the Union fleet and army descended upon the helpless town just after the major battle. Another location that was important during the long Union occupation of New Bern is the Harvey Mansion , located at 221 Front Street. Built in 1798, this handsome and imposing brick structure served as both a warehouse and as elegant living quarters. Only recently did we learn that this building was used during the Civil War as temporary barracks for those soldiers assigned guard duty. The Isaac Taylor House (228 Craven Street), an elegant Georgian town house, was built in 1792 for Isaac Taylor, a successful merchant and plantation owner. The contemporary singer, James Taylor, is a descendant of Isaac Taylor. You’ll find City Hall at the corner of Craven and Pollock Streets. During the Civil War, the white frame building at this location was perhaps the busiest and most favored spot in town. From the city post office, thousands of letters each week were posted and received by the homesick soldiers far from home. Walking west on Pollock Street you’ll find the bust of Baron Christopher DeGraffenreid. This likeness of the Swiss founder of New Bern now stands at the location of one of the most popular stores in New Bern during the Civil War. Advertising a complete line of homemade sweets such as bonbons, and an array of hard candies, the store was designed to satisfy the sweet tooth of Union soldiers.

Farther west on Pollock Street, stands Christ Episcopal Church. The rector of the church just prior to New Bern’s capture was Reverend Alfred Watson. He served with distinction as a Confederate chaplain during the Civil War. Before leaving New Bern at the onset of the war, he secured some priceless artifacts given to the church in 1752 by King George II. The silver communion service, Bible, and Book of Common Prayer were safely returned to the church after the war and are on display in the church today. A few blocks away, the New Bern Firemen’s Museum beside the modern Broad Street fire station houses steam pumpers and an extensive collection of other early firefighting equipment along with rare photographs and Civil War relics. Established in 1817, the First Presbyterian Church on New Street was used as a hospital and lookout during the Civil War. The belfry still shows carved names and initials of Union soldiers. New Bern Academy, one block west of the First Presbyterian Church property, was commandeered as a hospital almost immediately after the Battle of New Bern to care for the men wounded in the recent battle. On Queen Street, Cedar Grove Cemetery, marks the final resting place of hundreds of Confederate veterans. The central path leads to the Confederate Memorial where a striking statue of a Confederate soldier guards the ancient cemetery. In 1867, the Ladies Memorial Society removed the bodies of more than 60 Confederate soldiers killed in the Battle of New Bern from their battlefield graves and placed the bodies in a large underground vault located under the Confederate statue. Confederate authorities used the Academy and the nearby Masonic Lodge as a hospital complex during 1861 and early 1862. A short walk in the direction of Tryon Palace will bring you to the John Wright Stanly House, part of the Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens complex. This was one of many New Bern buildings used by the Union Army as headquarters, offices, and accommodations. While still on its original location at the southwest corner of New and Middle Streets, the Stanly House was the first New Bern headquarters of Major General Ambrose Burnside. The Jones House, also part of the Tryon Palace complex, was built for John Jones, owner of a local turpentine distillery, in 1809. During the Civil War, the house was confiscated by Federal troops for use as a jail for Confederate sympathizers. According to local history, the house was used to detain the notorious Confederate spy Emeline Pigott. Emeline’s primary responsibility to Confederate authorities was to relay information about Federal ships, their cargos, and destinations. On Broad Street, the Attmore-Oliver House, now headquarters for the New Bern Historical Society, exhibits 18th- and 19th-century furniture, a unique doll collection, and New Bern historical objects – including Civil War artifacts.

Perhaps one of the most interesting sites of Civil War history is the actual battlefield property where the Battle of New Bern took place. Located east of New Bern across the bridge, the battlefield area is heavily wooded but accessible and contains original Confederate fortifications in surprisingly good condition. Plans are under way for more development, including a Battlefield Park with parking and shelter facilities. The location is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guided group tours are available for this site.

This is just a sampling of New Bern’s rich Civil War history. We hope you’ll take time to see these sites and more while visiting our historic town.

Please visit our other Historic Heritage Tours