In the early 2000’s a push to deepen the harbor of Savannah created a new sense of urgency about saving the Georgia’s remains. The wreckage lies directly in the path of the deepening. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia Ports Authority pooled their resources to fund a new series of dives on the Georgia’s resting place. For several weeks in the summer of 2003, hard-hat divers entered the murky waters of the river in front of Old Fort Jackson. They found that the bulk of the ship’s wooden hull had rotted away, though large pieces of iron armor were still intact. Using sonar and global positioning satellite technology, underwater archeologists created a detailed computer map of the wreckage forty feet down. It’s hoped one day they can bring the remains of the Georgia to the surface, and preserve them as a learning tool for future generations.

The Coastal Heritage Society and the City of Savannah are working together to provide a venue in the Battlefield Park to display the artifacts recovered from the Georgia. We believe when visitors can see and experience this rare Civil War vessel first-hand, they will gain a deeper appreciation for what people on both sides of the conflict sacrificed to make Savannah, the state of Georgia, and our nation what they are today.

Click here to visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District’s C.S.S. Georgia webpage. Inside, you’ll find links to crew rosters, Ladies Gunboat Association lists, and more information about the Georgia’s past and future.

http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/CSS/index.htm