CSS North Carolina, an casemate ironclad, was built by Berry & Brothers at Wilmington, North Carolina, in 1863 at a cost of $76,000. The ship's bulkheads above the waterline were sloped inward and armored with railroad iron, similar to the CSS Virginia II. She had two gun ports on each of her four sides and carried six 8-inch guns that could be moved from one port to another, and mounted one pivot gun on her bow. She was placed in commission during the latter part of the year with Commander W. T. Muse, CSN, in command.