Kenansville in Duplin County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Confederate States Armory

Determined Production

— Confederate Lifeline —

Confederate States Armory Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, August 18, 2014

1. Confederate States Armory Marker

Inscription. In April 1861, Louis Froelich, a Bavarian immigrant, began manufacturing uniform buttons in Wilmington for North Carolina soldiers. With Hungarian partner Col. Bela Estvan, Froelich operated his first arms factory for the Confederacy from November 1861 until March 1862, when the partnership was dissolved. Froelich continued alone until yellow fever closed the armory in September, when he bought 2.5 acres here from Alsa Southerland. Although he reopened the Wilmington facility in November, a fire closed it for good the next month. In March 1863, Froelich moved here, and he opened the Kenansville armory by May. On July 4, however Lt. Col. George W. Lewis’ 3rd New York Cavalry burned it down while raiding Confederate lines of communication. Froelich rebuilt it and continued to produce military equipment, forming a partnership with Jacob H.N, Cornehlson in January 1864. The armory is last known to have operated that June. After the war, Froelich turned to agriculture, selling scuppernong wine and other farm products. He later moved to Halifax County, where he died in 1873.

Kenansville’s Cowan Museum displays an iron metalworking

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

block once used at the armory. The Kenansville Sword, identified by the letters CSA in the hand guard, is the best known of the Froelich swords and the only one clearly identifiable as having been produced by him. The few that survive are in museums and private collections. Liberty Hall Plantation in Kenansville displays a Froelich sword once owned by Col. Thomas Kenan.

(sidebar)
Liberty Hall, the Kenan family home, was built in the first half of the 1800s. It has been fully restored to reflect the lifestyle of the mid-19th century. You can tour the main house, ten out-buildings, and the gardens.

Admission fee. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10-4; Sun., 2-4. (Closed Mon., Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.)

(captions)
(lower left) Confederate staff and field officer’s sword and scabbard manufactured by Froelich and Company, Confederate States Armory, Kenansville, North Carolina — Courtesy Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va.
(upper right) Confederate States Armory sword guard cast in letters CSA, Confederate States Armory, Kenansville, North Carolina — Courtesy Liberty Hall, Kenansville, N.C.

Erected by North

Confederate States Armory Production image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Don Morfe, August 18, 2014

2. Confederate States Armory Production

Close up of the Production schedule shown in the lower right side of the marker.

Carolina Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the North Carolina Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1864.

Location. 34° 57.438′ N, 77° 58.223′ W. Marker is in Kenansville, North Carolina, in Duplin County. It is at the intersection of Magnolia Extension (State Highway 11) and Mallard Street (State Highway 50), on the left when traveling south on Magnolia Extension. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Kenansville NC 28349, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers

Photographed by Don Morfe, August 18, 2014

3. Confederate States Armory Marker

are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Confederate States Armory (a few steps from this marker); Confederate Armory (a few steps from this marker); Grove Church (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Liberty Hall (approx. 0.4 miles away); Vietnam Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); Korean War Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); World War II Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); World War I Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kenansville.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on September 19, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,194 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 19, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.