Documenting the American South

Doc South header logo Home
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes banner

Source:  Battle of Plymouth (1928), Plymouth. Photo courtesy of Natasha Smith

  • Monument Name

    Battle of Plymouth (1928), Plymouth

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Civil War, 1861-1865

  • City

    Plymouth

  • County

    Washington

  • Description

    The Battle of Plymouth marker is a simple square bronze plaque attached to a large unfinished, roughly square, slab of rock several feet high.

    Images: Rear view | Battle of Plymouth (1928) and Washington County Veterans memorials in front of the courthouse building

  • Inscription

    BATTLE OF PLYMOUTH / CONFEDERATE TROOPS LED BY BRIG. GEN. / R.F. HOKE ACHIEVED A BRILLIANT VICTORY / IN THE CAPTURE OF PLYMOUTH FROM THE / UNITED STATES MILITARY AND NAVAL / FORCES, APRIL 17-20, 1864. / THE IRON-CLAD “ALBEMARLE,” COMMANDED / BY CAPT. J.W. COOK, ASSISTED IN THE / CAPTURE. WHILE AT ANCHOR 600 FEET / NORTH OF THIS SPOT. IT WAS SUNK BY THE / ENEMY, OCT. 27, 1864.

    ERECTED 1828 BY / THE NORTH CAROLINA HISTORICAL COMMISSION / AND / THE PLYMOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

  • Custodian

    Washington County

  • Dedication Date

    June 19, 1928

  • Decade

    1920s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.866720 , -76.748790 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      "Washington County Courthouse," The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.com, (accessed December 8, 2016) Link

      “Battle of Plymouth,” The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.com, (accessed November 29, 2016) Link

      “Historical News,” The North Carolina Historical Review 5.1-4, (1928), 471, (accessed November 29, 2016) Link

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Bronze, stone

  • Sponsors

    North Carolina Historical Commission and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce

  • Monument Dedication and Unveiling

    Josephus Daniels delivered the chief address at the unveiling exercises on June 19, 1928.

  • Subject Notes

    In 1862 Union troops occupied Plymouth to control the mouth of the Roanoke River. These forces with the assistance of Union sympathizers, freemen and runaway slaves eventually constructed four forts to protect the town. During the second largest Civil War battle in North Carolina, fought April 17-20, 1864, Confederate forces retook the town with the aid of the ironclad CSS Albemarle only to lose it again a few months later.

    On April 27, 2014, another Battle of Plymouth memorial was dedicated to commemorate this important Civil War event. It is located near East Main Street and Rankin Lane at the Fort Compher historical site, Plymouth, NC.

  • Location

    The memorial marker faces E. Main St., positioned near the street corner intersection with Adams Street. It is located at the corner of the courthouse building, at 120 Adams Street, Plymouth, NC. The Washington County Veterans Memorial is located in front of the Washington County Courthouse to the right of the main entrance.

  • Landscape

    The marker sits on the front lawn of the Washington County Courthouse, surrounded by evergreen bushes.

Icon for reporting missing/incorrect information Know anything else about this monument that isn't mentioned here? If you have additional information on this or any other monument in our collection fill out the form at the Contact Us link in the footer. Thank you.