ɪts hɛdkwˈɔːɹɾɚz wɜː ðə nˈeɪvəl bˈeɪs æt nˈɔːɹfək, vɜːdʒˈɪniə, wˌɪtʃ hɐdbɪn ɐbˈændənd baɪ jˈuːniən fˈoːɹsᵻz ˌɔn ˈeɪpɹəl twˈɛnti, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn.
Its headquarters were the naval base at Norfolk, Virginia, which had been abandoned by Union forces on April 20, 1861.