CSS Pee Dee Cannons Raised

[DaveBrt]

There are several threads from past years about the discovery of the Pee Dee and the past and future attempts to raise the ship's cannon. September 29th this year the last 3 tubes were raised. A Dahlgren 9" SB, a Brooke 7" R and a Brooke 6.4" R were raised and transported to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston. They will eventually be placed on display at the new Florence, SC Veterans Administration facility.

A full article on the ship, the guns and the raising can be found in the Winter, 2015 issue of The Artilleryman magazine, written by my good friend and Selma researcher Bill Lockeridge. In the photo, Bill is the guy on the right; the one on the left is Catesby ap Catesby Jones, great grandson of the CW commander of the Virginia and the Selma Ordnance Works.

 

[civilwarincolor]

Got my copy of Artilleryman Magazine last week. Great article! I did the restoration/colorization of the images on page six that are used as the logo/masthead for the salvage company.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Thanks for the head's-up! Now off to find The Artilleryman...

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Interesting that they're still passing down the patronymic in that family! ("Ap" is "son of" in Welsh, much like "Mac" in Scotland and Ireland... "Catesby ap Catesby" is "Catesby, son of Catesby." In most Welsh families, the patronymic passed out of use when surnames became more common, but there were-- and are-- holdouts, or those that use both patronymic and surnames, like this Jones family, apparently!)

 

[Bil R]

Hello Dave,

Thanks for the notice of the Artilleryman issue, I've just ordered mine today. The Pee Dee Navy Yard had far more contributions to the CSN efforts than generally known. It supplied most of the lumber and wood supplies to the Wilmington and Charleston stations. It produced one of the best built and best equipped Porter gunboats, the Pee Dee. Her construction was supervised by E. C. Murray of Louisiana fame. And the yard was building a navy side-wheel tender (reported intended name Warren) and two torpedo boats when it fell. Those three vessels were later completed postwar and entered merchant service.

Bill Lockeridge in the photo above is a fine man and excellent researcher. He is the expert regarding the great Selma Arsenal and has done much work tracking down the fates of the guns cast there. When I visited Selma some time ago I inquired about the naval construction and was quickly placed in contact with Bill. He produced a copy of a letter from a Confederate soldier on leave who visited Selma in February 1864. The soldier described visiting the large gunboat Memphis that was then on the stocks and awaiting launch. This of course was the Nashville class ironclad that would be damaged on launch and sold off to become the blockade runner Phoenix. She would later be sunk as an obstruction in Mobile Bay. The launch had been delayed during the soldier's visit because they were waiting on a rise in the river. From other correspondence it appears that she had been ready since late November 1863. Reports of the launch accident (keel break or strain) combined with rain reports suggest the actual launch was probably in the last two weeks of March 1864. That letter not only ties that obscure information together but also gives us the intended name of the ironclad. Mallory usually did not send out names until about month before expected launches, sometimes even later. All of that is due to Bill's efforts and his interest in Selma.

I would suspect that had the 'Yazoo Monster' been completed she would have been named New Orleans. And I now believe she was a Nashville-class ironclad ordered at the same time as the Memphis in Selma. This, regardless of Porter's exaggerated description

All the best,
Bil

 

[rebelatsea]

Hello Bil,
As you know, as we have discussed this before , I have struggled with the concept of this vessel for a long time
By coincidence I had just completed these drawings of the monster. This before. This is what I think John Luke Porter supplied to the builders

However, because Isaac Newton Brown was struggling with shortages of all descriptions , and because of his experience with Arkansas and his proposed conversions, this is what I fell the vessel may have been like if completed.

But I am fully prepared for you to tell me that is rubbish, and go back to the drawing board !
Incidentally I feel that CSS New Orleans would be a far better name than out previous thought, CSS Yazoo!

 

[Bil R]

Hello John,

Your work is superb, nothing you do is rubbish. I don't wish to turn this into a 'Yazoo Monster' thread and I don't have all of my references at hand but to summarize my thoughts they are as follows:

What is known about the 'Yazoo Monster'?

16 September 1862 - Mallory authorizes Weldon & McFarland to begin construction acting as 'Agents of the Department', an arrangement similar to the Tifts. They are 'entering upon the duties of constructing a warship, according to the plans and specifications which after mature deliberation with the aid of the judgements of the Engineer (Williams) and Constructor (Porter) of the Navy, been determined upon... Rf- NA RG 45 M-625, R 410, Pl 867-868

23 September 1862 - Mallory orders Brown to superintend construction and assist Weldon & McFarland. Rf- NA RG 45 M-625, R 410, Pl 873-874

October 1862 through February 1863 - Brown and Paymaster Nixon submit several payment claims amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars for materials used and construct.

In addition to the 'Yazoo Monster', Brown was constructing the river obstructions and defenses south of the yard and converting the Mobile into an ironclad. From Smith's account it is likely that defensive measures took priority. Construction work ceased during the winter and early spring due to excessively high water. At that time, apparently, most of the hull frame was up. However, the ways had partially collapsed resulting in a hull list and probable damage. During this time at least two ship carpenters fled to Northern lines and reported on the construction. Their accounts differ as to the machinery arrangements and hull size. Although, the English carpenter accurately describes the work on the Mobile and Republic.

April - May 1863 - The decision is made to evacuate the YZNY due to the declining military situation. The yard and its vessels are torched. Three days after the yard is set afire the first USN officers approach Yazoo City. They are immediately greeted by civilian authorities who request that private property be respected and protected. These authorities describe all of the Confederate military activities that have been occurring there, including the construction at the YZNY. It is the civilian description of the 'YM' that the lieutenant cites in his report that is later repeated by Porter. USN officers inspected the grounds but did not conduct a formal survey of the remains.

This raises questions -

1) The ship carpenter informants obviously did work on the vessel but it is highly unlikely that they had access to the formal plans and design office. By only having the frame up it would have been difficult to know the actual machinery arrangements and planned armament. There were probably multiple sets of machinery available in the yard from salvaged vessels. But would they have known the final design and appearance? Probably not.

2) The civilian authorities knew about the construction but again, it is unlikely that they would know the design in detail. Did they exaggerate what was known? It is possible.

3) The Nashville was contracted to Montgomery & Anderson on 16 September 1862, the same date as the 'YM'. It is known that Porter, out of necessity, developed the large sidewheel ironclad design in the summer of 1862 to take advantage of locally available HP machinery. The Memphis was authorized that fall to Shirely & DeHaven who like the Tifts and Weldon & McFarland, acted as agents of the department. While there were differences in all CSN ironclads it is accepted that Porter attempted to design and build them in classes or series. That these three vessels were authorized in the same time period for use in shallow waters and with sidewheels, strongly suggests that they were of the same design. This came from Porter in Richmond.

Could it have been modified and enlarged? Certainly, however, being the first project with the department I would think W & McF would follow the plans as carefully as possible. No correspondence has been found suggesting such changes were requested as occurred with the Mississippi. In the spring of 1863 Mallory attempted to contract another one of these ironclads with Smoker in Shreveport. He refused the terms of the contract because HP machinery had become scarce and inflation would render his earnings worthless. He would have accepted the contract had it been given the previous fall.

4) Aside from his preoccupation with defensive works why did Brown not complete the 'YM' like he had done with the Arkansas? The Arkansas was structurally complete when he assumed command. She needed to be fitted out and finished but most of the necessary components were already there. The 'YM' was built from the keel up and no materials were on hand. It was an entirely different undertaking.

Yes, the evidence is circumstantial and inferred. But we don't have much else to go on. These are the basic reasons why I believe the 'YM' was a Nashville class ironclad. Perhaps one day the state of Mississippi will authorize a survey of the YZNY. I think they would find a few spikes in the mud in a hull shaped pattern. And I would wager a fine Kentucky bourbon that they would extend about 250' and not 300'.

All the best,
Bil

 

[rebelatsea]

Hello John,

Your work is superb, nothing you do is rubbish. I don't wish to turn this into a 'Yazoo Monster' thread and I don't have all of my references at hand but to summarize my thoughts they are as follows:

What is known about the 'Yazoo Monster'?

16 September 1862 - Mallory authorizes Weldon & McFarland to begin construction acting as 'Agents of the Department', an arrangement similar to the Tifts. They are 'entering upon the duties of constructing a warship, according to the plans and specifications which after mature deliberation with the aid of the judgements of the Engineer (Williams) and Constructor (Porter) of the Navy, been determined upon... Rf- NA RG 45 M-625, R 410, Pl 867-868

23 September 1862 - Mallory orders Brown to superintend construction and assist Weldon & McFarland. Rf- NA RG 45 M-625, R 410, Pl 873-874

October 1862 through February 1863 - Brown and Paymaster Nixon submit several payment claims amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars for materials used and construct.

In addition to the 'Yazoo Monster', Brown was constructing the river obstructions and defenses south of the yard and converting the Mobile into an ironclad. From Smith's account it is likely that defensive measures took priority. Construction work ceased during the winter and early spring due to excessively high water. At that time, apparently, most of the hull frame was up. However, the ways had partially collapsed resulting in a hull list and probable damage. During this time at least two ship carpenters fled to Northern lines and reported on the construction. Their accounts differ as to the machinery arrangements and hull size. Although, the English carpenter accurately describes the work on the Mobile and Republic.

April - May 1863 - The decision is made to evacuate the YZNY due to the declining military situation. The yard and its vessels are torched. Three days after the yard is set afire the first USN officers approach Yazoo City. They are immediately greeted by civilian authorities who request that private property be respected and protected. These authorities describe all of the Confederate military activities that have been occurring there, including the construction at the YZNY. It is the civilian description of the 'YM' that the lieutenant cites in his report that is later repeated by Porter. USN officers inspected the grounds but did not conduct a formal survey of the remains.

This raises questions -

1) The ship carpenter informants obviously did work on the vessel but it is highly unlikely that they had access to the formal plans and design office. By only having the frame up it would have been difficult to know the actual machinery arrangements and planned armament. There were probably multiple sets of machinery available in the yard from salvaged vessels. But would they have known the final design and appearance? Probably not.

2) The civilian authorities knew about the construction but again, it is unlikely that they would know the design in detail. Did they exaggerate what was known? It is possible.

3) The Nashville was contracted to Montgomery & Anderson on 16 September 1862, the same date as the 'YM'. It is known that Porter, out of necessity, developed the large sidewheel ironclad design in the summer of 1862 to take advantage of locally available HP machinery. The Memphis was authorized that fall to Shirely & DeHaven who like the Tifts and Weldon & McFarland, acted as agents of the department. While there were differences in all CSN ironclads it is accepted that Porter attempted to design and build them in classes or series. That these three vessels were authorized in the same time period for use in shallow waters and with sidewheels, strongly suggests that they were of the same design. This came from Porter in Richmond.

Could it have been modified and enlarged? Certainly, however, being the first project with the department I would think W & McF would follow the plans as carefully as possible. No correspondence has been found suggesting such changes were requested as occurred with the Mississippi. In the spring of 1863 Mallory attempted to contract another one of these ironclads with Smoker in Shreveport. He refused the terms of the contract because HP machinery had become scarce and inflation would render his earnings worthless. He would have accepted the contract had it been given the previous fall.

4) Aside from his preoccupation with defensive works why did Brown not complete the 'YM' like he had done with the Arkansas? The Arkansas was structurally complete when he assumed command. She needed to be fitted out and finished but most of the necessary components were already there. The 'YM' was built from the keel up and no materials were on hand. It was an entirely different undertaking.

Yes, the evidence is circumstantial and inferred. But we don't have much else to go on. These are the basic reasons why I believe the 'YM' was a Nashville class ironclad. Perhaps one day the state of Mississippi will authorize a survey of the YZNY. I think they would find a few spikes in the mud in a hull shaped pattern. And I would wager a fine Kentucky bourbon that they would extend about 250' and not 300'.

All the best,
Bil

Thank you very much for your kind words Bil. I must say I like the idea of the Kentucky Bourbon!

 

[Story]

Necro-thread time, but this should be of interest
Going down the VII-inch Brooke Rifle boreEarlier this week we inspected the CSS Pee Dee's VII-inch double-banded Brooke Rifle for markings and the interior of the bore. The video shows the entire length of the bore from muzzle to chamber. The bore length is approximately 10.9 feet and terminates in a gomer chamber. A little bit of cleaning and the cannon will soon be ready for its protective coating.
https://www.facebook.com/MaritimeRe...6802318344332/336160350496151/?type=2&theater

 

[Lubliner]

So much was pre-empted, aborted, and sacrificed on the southern front. Not the first spike mystery, unless it was hushed up. We seem to cut off our own arm so the yank can't. What a pit!

 

[georgew]

Hello John,

Your work is superb, nothing you do is rubbish. I don't wish to turn this into a 'Yazoo Monster' thread and I don't have all of my references at hand but to summarize my thoughts they are as follows:

What is known about the 'Yazoo Monster'?

16 September 1862 - Mallory authorizes Weldon & McFarland to begin construction acting as 'Agents of the Department', an arrangement similar to the Tifts. They are 'entering upon the duties of constructing a warship, according to the plans and specifications which after mature deliberation with the aid of the judgements of the Engineer (Williams) and Constructor (Porter) of the Navy, been determined upon... Rf- NA RG 45 M-625, R 410, Pl 867-868

23 September 1862 - Mallory orders Brown to superintend construction and assist Weldon & McFarland. Rf- NA RG 45 M-625, R 410, Pl 873-874

October 1862 through February 1863 - Brown and Paymaster Nixon submit several payment claims amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars for materials used and construct.

In addition to the 'Yazoo Monster', Brown was constructing the river obstructions and defenses south of the yard and converting the Mobile into an ironclad. From Smith's account it is likely that defensive measures took priority. Construction work ceased during the winter and early spring due to excessively high water. At that time, apparently, most of the hull frame was up. However, the ways had partially collapsed resulting in a hull list and probable damage. During this time at least two ship carpenters fled to Northern lines and reported on the construction. Their accounts differ as to the machinery arrangements and hull size. Although, the English carpenter accurately describes the work on the Mobile and Republic.

April - May 1863 - The decision is made to evacuate the YZNY due to the declining military situation. The yard and its vessels are torched. Three days after the yard is set afire the first USN officers approach Yazoo City. They are immediately greeted by civilian authorities who request that private property be respected and protected. These authorities describe all of the Confederate military activities that have been occurring there, including the construction at the YZNY. It is the civilian description of the 'YM' that the lieutenant cites in his report that is later repeated by Porter. USN officers inspected the grounds but did not conduct a formal survey of the remains.

This raises questions -

1) The ship carpenter informants obviously did work on the vessel but it is highly unlikely that they had access to the formal plans and design office. By only having the frame up it would have been difficult to know the actual machinery arrangements and planned armament. There were probably multiple sets of machinery available in the yard from salvaged vessels. But would they have known the final design and appearance? Probably not.

2) The civilian authorities knew about the construction but again, it is unlikely that they would know the design in detail. Did they exaggerate what was known? It is possible.

3) The Nashville was contracted to Montgomery & Anderson on 16 September 1862, the same date as the 'YM'. It is known that Porter, out of necessity, developed the large sidewheel ironclad design in the summer of 1862 to take advantage of locally available HP machinery. The Memphis was authorized that fall to Shirely & DeHaven who like the Tifts and Weldon & McFarland, acted as agents of the department. While there were differences in all CSN ironclads it is accepted that Porter attempted to design and build them in classes or series. That these three vessels were authorized in the same time period for use in shallow waters and with sidewheels, strongly suggests that they were of the same design. This came from Porter in Richmond.

Could it have been modified and enlarged? Certainly, however, being the first project with the department I would think W & McF would follow the plans as carefully as possible. No correspondence has been found suggesting such changes were requested as occurred with the Mississippi. In the spring of 1863 Mallory attempted to contract another one of these ironclads with Smoker in Shreveport. He refused the terms of the contract because HP machinery had become scarce and inflation would render his earnings worthless. He would have accepted the contract had it been given the previous fall.

4) Aside from his preoccupation with defensive works why did Brown not complete the 'YM' like he had done with the Arkansas? The Arkansas was structurally complete when he assumed command. She needed to be fitted out and finished but most of the necessary components were already there. The 'YM' was built from the keel up and no materials were on hand. It was an entirely different undertaking.

Yes, the evidence is circumstantial and inferred. But we don't have much else to go on. These are the basic reasons why I believe the 'YM' was a Nashville class ironclad. Perhaps one day the state of Mississippi will authorize a survey of the YZNY. I think they would find a few spikes in the mud in a hull shaped pattern. And I would wager a fine Kentucky bourbon that they would extend about 250' and not 300'.

All the best,
Bil

 

[georgew]

Hi Bil:

Just a thought. Among the machinery that went up the Yazoo before Arkansas was moved were the engines and probably boilers for her sister still building. You wonder if the idea that the YzM would have a hybrid propulsion system was due to the availability of these engines. On the other hand, Arkansas' engine had a bad reputation and perhaps they decided to pass on using them. It is clear from the record that a qualified engineer like George City could get decent operation from Arkansas' engines. Some of the Union boats on the river used hybrid propulsion systems, but none seem to have been spectacular successes. We know that pre-drilled T-rail and guns went up the Yazoo on a leased coal barge that later sank. The coal barges had impressive payloads. You wonder if the Confederates also placed the Tennessee propulsion machinery aboard the same barge and whether they were fished up like the T-rail and guns. The drive shafts and propellers for the second Memphis ram should have also been part of this shipment.

 

[Bil R]

Hello George,

Excellent thoughts. If the YM did have a hybrid machinery arrangement I agree that they would have used the Tennessee's machinery. It was the only screw propelled machinery available at YCNY that I am aware of besides the Mobile's. I just haven't found any documentation from the builders or the CSN Dept. that such a design change occurred. On another note, I forget the precise source, but the original engineer of the Arkansas knew how to properly operate the engines. His replacement was not competent and it was his errors, not the machinery itself, that lead to the loss of the Arkansas. Supposedly her engines were quite sophisticated and required careful management.

All the best,
Bil

 

[USS ALASKA]

Analysis of the CSS PEE DEE cannon...

University of South Carolina
College of Arts & Sciences
Maritime Research Division
Recovery of the CSS Pee Dee armament from the Great Pee Dee River
By James Spirek and Jonathan Leader

...Perhaps the readers of the article may have noticed and wondered why the authors wrote "supposed VI.4-inch" or "supposed VII-inch" when mentioning the discovery of these two cannons? When we re-positioned the "supposed VII-inch" closer to the river bank, we were dealt a surprise regarding the true identity of this particular gun. But first we must address the identity of the "supposed VI.4-inch." Over the years all the groups involved in the project measured the bore at the muzzle of this particular cannon between 6.4 or 6.5 inches. When the "supposed VII-inch" cannon was found the muzzle bore was never measured, an oversight in hindsight, because this was the VII-inch. When we repositioned the "supposed VII-inch" and saw the cannon fully exposed, the size of the cannon struck some as small, and then we found engraved "VI 4in " on the left trunnion. All those years spent in search for the VII-inch was in fact a search for the VI.4-inch, which obviously meant all those years we had already found the VII-inch. This also meant re-thinking the position of the gunboat at its mooring when the crew jettisoned the cannons overboard. Rather than pointed downstream, the bow of the gunboat was actually positioned upstream, the location of the forward VII-inch gun, perhaps intending to steam once more in support of the Confederate retreat over the river or was simply the preferred mooring orientation at the navy yard. The reason for the errant measurement was due to the muzzle of the VII-inch suffering more corrosion then the other two tubes from periodic intervals of exposure to the air during low river levels. The cannon when jettisoned landed on its breech end in the mud near the river bank with the muzzle pointed upwards into the water column—unlike the other two that landed and fell lengthwise on the river floor. Whereas the muzzles of the two other guns were nearly newly-casted sharp, the muzzle of the VII-inch had corroded to a smaller diameter that caused the mis-measurement of the bore. Regardless of which was which, all three cannons are now firmly identified. But that left one more identity to settle—where did the gunboat's IX-inch Dahlgren come from?

The pedigrees of the two Brooke rifles are fairly complete even down to the amount of iron used in pouring the mold and their shipment from Selma, Alabama to the Mars Bluff Navy Yard. The identity of the Dahlgren, however, remained uncertain to a degree. Based on the markings engraved on the cannon, we had determined the weapon was Union-made and cast at the Fort Pitt Foundry outside Pittsburg, PA in 1862 and inspected by the assistant ordnance inspector, Captain John M. Berrien. Engraved at the top of the breech was the IX-inch's serial number recorded as "FP 573." Dr. Lawrence Babits, former and now-retired director of the Program in Maritime Studies at ECU, had posited three Union shipwreck candidates from which the gun came from—two from out West and the USS Southfield, sunk in the Roanoke River near Plymouth, N.C. in the spring of 1864. Southfield seemed the most viable source due to railroad logistics at this juncture in the war. Last year, when conducting research at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., we decided to confirm the identity of the vessel that the Dahlgren came from using the recorded serial number. When we reviewed the IX-inch Dahlgren smoothbore registry for "FP 573" we learned that that gun was aboard the USS Cincinnati, operating in the Western theater and had been last fired in April 1865—clearly not our gun. We then looked for Southfield guns in the registry and also found another document that listed the specific ordnance aboard the gunboat. The armament of the gunboat at the time of its sinking consisted of a 100-pdr Parrott and five IX-inch Dahlgren's. The document listed the serial numbers and other markings on each gun. One of the IX-inches was "FP 513." Information derived from the registry noted that "FP 513" had the same markings that we had seen on the Dahlgren in the river. The registry reported that the gun was sunk aboard the Southfield and never recovered by the Union navy. This gun, like the rest of Southfield's armament, however, had been recovered by the Confederate navy. This therefore seemed likely our gun, but we had yet to confirm the "7" originally recorded during the field school was actually a "1." The week prior to recovery we finally determined that the Dahlgren was indeed "FP 513" and the missing Southfield gun recovered by the Confederates and used to arm the CSS Pee Dee. Corrosion once again had interfered with obtaining an accurate recording of the cannon's true identity. Besides having the complete armament of a Confederate gunboat, what makes this a unique collection of cannons is having the individual histories of each of these tubes interweaved with the archaeological record. So it is hoped that visitors instead of simply gazing at these cannons in front of the VA building will nod knowledgeably about the journeys of each of these guns used to arm a gunboat intent on contesting Union supremacy on the rivers and seas during the Civil War. As an aside, the newsletter editor has asked Spirek to pen a brief narrative in the next edition detailing his previous work on the USS Southfield as a graduate student and the serendipitous nature of working to recover one of its guns from the Great Pee Dee River...

Full article with pics can be found here - http://www.artsandsciences.sc.edu/sciaa/mrd/node/463
1275

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[USS ALASKA]

One to go with post - https://civilwartalk.com/threads/acw-naval-papers.152447/#post-1981601 ...

Scholar Commons
Faculty & Staff Publications Archaeology and Anthropology, South Carolina
7-2016

Serendipity and IX-Inch Dahlgren Smoothbore Cannon "FP 513"
by James D. Spirek

University of South Carolina - Columbia
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Archaeology and Anthropology, South Carolina Institute of at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty & Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected].

The recent recovery of the three cannons jettisoned by the CSS Pee Dee into the Great Pee Dee River during the waning days of the Civil War had various meanings to the many folks attending the event. To Catesby Rogers, the great grandson of Catesby ap Roger Jones in charge of the Selma Ordnance and Naval Foundry located in Selma, Alabama, the facility that forged the two Brooke rifles that meant seeing the handiwork of his ancestor. To Ted Gragg, Bob Butler, and many others involved over the years in discovering, recording, preparing, and lifting the guns, that meant witnessing the fruits of their labors finally visible on the riverbank. To the spectators, that meant marveling at the three tubes extraordinary condition after 150 years in the river. To the author, that meant a serendipitous turn of professional and personal connections concerning the recovery of one of the three cannons—IX-inch Dahlgren
smoothbore.

https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1321&context=sciaa_staffpub
1358

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[USS ALASKA]

Two volume set...

'Guns of the Pee Dee' by Ted L. Gragg

Guns of the Pee Dee is a fantastic spell-binding tale woven between a group of Civil War hobbyists searching for a sunken Confederate warship and the last days of a Confederate Naval Unit in South Carolina at the end of the American Civil War. The title gives the reader a clue...The missing cannons from the Confederate Warship have puzzled the U.S. Navy, archaeologists, and historians for over a century as to their whereabouts. Finally the guns have been found by the CSS Pee Dee Research and Recovery Team. 'Guns of the Pee Dee' takes the reader along on the exploratory search along the banks of South Carolina's legendary Great Pee Dee River and into its dark, swirling, and muddy waters with the intrepid divers of the CSS Peedee Research and Recovery Team as they search the river's bottom for the missing ordnance of the Confederate States Navy's vessel CSS Peedee. 'Guns of the Pee Dee' is an historical adventure. The reader experiences the building and launching of one of the Confederate Navy's warships that is destined to escape to sea and join the ranks of the CSS Alabama and the CSS Shenandoah. The war ends badly for the Confederacy and the ship CSS Peedee. But 150 years later history comes to life with the search for the missing vessel and her guns. History awaits, adventure is in the next page...and the next...until the quest reaches its conclusion. It's a page burner. Don your mask, put on your gear, and step back into time along with the members of the CSS Peedee Research and Recovery Team....the Quest begins.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0979457238/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

'Guns of the Pee Dee: The Cannon Recovery' by Ted L Gragg

This book recounts the historical and archaeological efforts to discover and recover three cannons wrapped up in the shroud of history and in the murky and meandering waters of the Great Pee Dee River near Florence, South Carolina. Jettisoned in the river by the crew of the Confederate gunboat Pee Dee in the waning days of the Civil War, these naval weapons inspired a lengthy, difficult, surprising, yet ultimately successful search for the three cannons. And, along the way the searchers explored the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, remains of the gunboat, and more importantly, forged together individuals and organizations founded on a mutual interest in uncovering and learning about the past naval activities at this forgotten and out-of-the-way theater during the Civil War....

Review

"This book is a rich tapestry of historical documentation and archaeology filled with Indiana Jones style adventure and suspense (see the artillery shell defusing episode!), sleuthing and personal anecdotes. But most of all it is just a good read." --Christopher F. Amer State Underwater Archaeologist Maritime Research Division South Carolina Institute of Archaeology & Anthropology University of South Carolina

"A tremendous journey of current day Americans whose paths crossed in time, strengthening family and creating lifelong friendships. Fueled by passion, intrigue and perseverance they forged forward to seek out, discover and document some of this great nation's history." --Dr. Robert Raniolo, MD.

"This book recounts the historical and archaeological efforts to discover and recover three cannons wrapped up in the shroud of history and in the murky and meandering waters of the Great Pee Dee River near Florence, South Carolina. Jettisoned in the river by the crew of the Confederate gunboat Pee Dee in the waning days of the Civil War, these naval weapons inspired a lengthy, difficult, surprising, yet ultimately successful search for the three cannons. And, along the way the searchers explored the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, remains of the gunboat, and more importantly, forged together individuals and organizations founded on a mutual interest in uncovering and learning about the past naval activities at this forgotten and out-of-the-way theater during the Civil War. "
--James D. Spirek, State Underwater Archaeologist, Maritime Research Division, and Dr. Jonathan M. Leader, State Archaeologist, Office of the State Archaeologist, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0979457246/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
1402

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[Story]

The three lethal Civil War-era cannons pulled from the Confederate gunboat CSS Pee Dee were loaded for action when they were recovered.

That was maybe the biggest surprise for the conservators who confirmed the ship was ready to fight when it was scuttled in 1865 in the Pee Dee River near Florence as Union troops closed in.

*

A 9-pound ball was loaded into the single Dahlgren cannon. The two Brooke cannons were loaded with forged grapeshot the size of billiard balls instead of the large, bullet-like shells they had been rifled to fire.

*

"You can pretty much tell the desperation toward the end of the war. They were jamming anything they could get into those guns," said Nate Fulmer, an underwater archaeologist with the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at the University of South Carolina, who helped in the recovery.

He is part of a SCIAA team now housed at the Lasch Center, at the Clemson University Restoration Institute, in what Stephanie Crette, the Lasch center director, called a valuable cross-pollinating



https://www.postandcourier.com/news/charleston-lab-restores-civil-war-cannons-pulled-from-pee-dee/article_fc69ac90-8163-11e9-9165-2f4fcb978fe1.html

 

[georgew]

Hello George,

Excellent thoughts. If the YM did have a hybrid machinery arrangement I agree that they would have used the Tennessee's machinery. It was the only screw propelled machinery available at YCNY that I am aware of besides the Mobile's. I just haven't found any documentation from the builders or the CSN Dept. that such a design change occurred. On another note, I forget the precise source, but the original engineer of the Arkansas knew how to properly operate the engines. His replacement was not competent and it was his errors, not the machinery itself, that lead to the loss of the Arkansas. Supposedly her engines were quite sophisticated and required careful management.

All the best,
Bil

Hi Bil: you wonder if a Nashville would have the room and boiler capacity for a hybrid layout. Do we have only Porter's (USN) estimate on the length of the "Monster"? Another question is whether they would have just dropped in a parallel section amidships to get more room which seems a characteristic of Porter's (CSN) designs. With a hybrid their coal consumption would have been pretty high. I also wonder if Brown fished up the guns from the Van Dorn and Polk below the obstructions at Yazoo City. There should have been two guns from Van Dorn, I'm not sure what Polk had left or whether some of her guns were among those abandoned in a battery upriver. Has anyone heard of any attempt to salvage the machinery from the Van Dorn and Polk?

 

[georgew]

Two volume set...

'Guns of the Pee Dee' by Ted L. Gragg

View attachment 273748

Guns of the Pee Dee is a fantastic spell-binding tale woven between a group of Civil War hobbyists searching for a sunken Confederate warship and the last days of a Confederate Naval Unit in South Carolina at the end of the American Civil War. The title gives the reader a clue...The missing cannons from the Confederate Warship have puzzled the U.S. Navy, archaeologists, and historians for over a century as to their whereabouts. Finally the guns have been found by the CSS Pee Dee Research and Recovery Team. 'Guns of the Pee Dee' takes the reader along on the exploratory search along the banks of South Carolina's legendary Great Pee Dee River and into its dark, swirling, and muddy waters with the intrepid divers of the CSS Peedee Research and Recovery Team as they search the river's bottom for the missing ordnance of the Confederate States Navy's vessel CSS Peedee. 'Guns of the Pee Dee' is an historical adventure. The reader experiences the building and launching of one of the Confederate Navy's warships that is destined to escape to sea and join the ranks of the CSS Alabama and the CSS Shenandoah. The war ends badly for the Confederacy and the ship CSS Peedee. But 150 years later history comes to life with the search for the missing vessel and her guns. History awaits, adventure is in the next page...and the next...until the quest reaches its conclusion. It's a page burner. Don your mask, put on your gear, and step back into time along with the members of the CSS Peedee Research and Recovery Team....the Quest begins.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0979457238/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

'Guns of the Pee Dee: The Cannon Recovery' by Ted L Gragg

View attachment 273747

This book recounts the historical and archaeological efforts to discover and recover three cannons wrapped up in the shroud of history and in the murky and meandering waters of the Great Pee Dee River near Florence, South Carolina. Jettisoned in the river by the crew of the Confederate gunboat Pee Dee in the waning days of the Civil War, these naval weapons inspired a lengthy, difficult, surprising, yet ultimately successful search for the three cannons. And, along the way the searchers explored the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, remains of the gunboat, and more importantly, forged together individuals and organizations founded on a mutual interest in uncovering and learning about the past naval activities at this forgotten and out-of-the-way theater during the Civil War....

Review

"This book is a rich tapestry of historical documentation and archaeology filled with Indiana Jones style adventure and suspense (see the artillery shell defusing episode!), sleuthing and personal anecdotes. But most of all it is just a good read." --Christopher F. Amer State Underwater Archaeologist Maritime Research Division South Carolina Institute of Archaeology & Anthropology University of South Carolina

"A tremendous journey of current day Americans whose paths crossed in time, strengthening family and creating lifelong friendships. Fueled by passion, intrigue and perseverance they forged forward to seek out, discover and document some of this great nation's history." --Dr. Robert Raniolo, MD.

"This book recounts the historical and archaeological efforts to discover and recover three cannons wrapped up in the shroud of history and in the murky and meandering waters of the Great Pee Dee River near Florence, South Carolina. Jettisoned in the river by the crew of the Confederate gunboat Pee Dee in the waning days of the Civil War, these naval weapons inspired a lengthy, difficult, surprising, yet ultimately successful search for the three cannons. And, along the way the searchers explored the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, remains of the gunboat, and more importantly, forged together individuals and organizations founded on a mutual interest in uncovering and learning about the past naval activities at this forgotten and out-of-the-way theater during the Civil War. "
--James D. Spirek, State Underwater Archaeologist, Maritime Research Division, and Dr. Jonathan M. Leader, State Archaeologist, Office of the State Archaeologist, South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0979457246/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
1402

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

Is this the same author who wrote the book on the fall of the seaward fort below Wilmington?

 

[USS ALASKA]

Is this the same author who wrote the book on the fall of the seaward fort below Wilmington?

Sir, the only 'Gragg' I can find that wrote a book about Fort Fisher is 'Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher' by Rod Gragg.
1631

Cheers,
USS ALASKA