Rare ironclad fantail and engines of another vessel were in shed ravaged by fire at National Civil War Naval Museum in Ga.

Inverted fantail of the CSS Jackson in early 2019 (Picket photo)

Remnants of pole barn after fire (Columbus Fire and EMS)

(Read June 13 update on investigation)

A suspected arson fire roared through a boat shed where rare components of two Confederate vessels are stored at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Ga.

Among the items in the pole barn is the ironclad CSS Jackson’s fantail, which the museum has described as “a very unique piece of naval architecture."

“We are reticent to talk about the fire until the investigation concludes and the Navy is formally notified,” museum executive director Holly Wait said in an email Tuesday, a day after the fire. “However, I will say that while the fire was hot, it did not reach the temperature necessary to damage that iron. We will modify our conservation plans and move ahead."

The Picket was trying to ascertain whether the wood in the fantail survived the fire. “We are unable to get close enough yet to the fantail to determine the extent of damage,” Jeff Seymour, the museum’s director of history and collections, said Wednesday. The fantail's iron "appears to be fine."

The museum declined further comment, citing the investigation of the blaze.

Columbus Fire Marshal Ricky Shores told the Picket “the fire is incendiary in nature” and was being investigated. He said there were multiple points of origin.

The call was received shortly after 1 a.m. Monday. A first attempt to burn the open-air storage area occurred Saturday morning.

"I would consider most of the contents of the pole barn a total loss. There were some engine blocks from the old CSS Chattahoochee not really lost, as well as some other miscellaneous metal items from the era not lost," Shores said. "I do know a pontoon boat and another small craft were also lost in the fire."

A second arson hit Columbus civil war museum, fire marshal says https://t.co/op9UwBvBYR

— The Ledger-Enquirer (@LedgerEnquirer) June 1, 2020

The museum had hopes to conserve the precisely built curved rear deck of the CSS Jackson. The section of armor and wood, which protected the vessel’s propellers and rudder, is a remarkable example of design and construction prowess. 

They also want to conserve the engines of the Rebel gunboat CSS Chattahoochee, the museum’s other star attraction. 

Both ships were lost in April 1865 at war’s end -- the Jackson set afire by Federal captors and the Chattahoochee scuttled by its own crew. Neither vessel fired upon the enemy in their relatively short history.

CSS Chattahoochee engines in early 2019 (Picket photo)

The Picket was allowed inside the padlocked and fenced shed in early 2019. 

Besides Civil War artifacts, it included modern craft and replica pieces. The Civil War items have long been exposed to the elements and are slowly deteriorating. (Officials in 2018 told the Ledger-Enquirer newspaper they didn’t have the money to bring them inside. The hulls of the two ships have been in the main building for nearly 20 years. There have been plans to raise money for the conservation.)

The remnants of the Jackson’s fantail are inverted. It was fascinating to study up close how it was put together. Near it was a long row of the ironclad’s armor and other pieces of the two Rebel ships.

Images recorded by the Ledger-Enquirer on Monday showed the shed interior was largely burned, though the armor plating largely survived.

In a Facebook post, the museum said no staff members were injured and the main building did not suffer damage. “Our staff is still committed to telling the stories of the navies of the Civil War. Please consider making a donation, becoming a member, or visiting our museum. Help protect our ability to continue to tell these important stories.”

Looking SE toward shed and the Chattahoochee River (Columbus Fire and EMS)