From the November 25th Columbus (Ga) Ledger-Enquirer.
A full-sized replica of the ship is nearing completion. In the past, people complained that they couldn't find the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia, but that would be difficult now.
This past weekend, the museum had their "Cool History" program on "The Capture of the USS Water Witch (quite a name for a ship). It was captured June 3, 1864, on the Vernon River south of Savannah in the middle of the night. Confederate Lt. Thomas Pelot boarded the ship with a band of soldiers.
Two Union sailors and six Confederates were killed.
WATER WITCH STATISTICS
side wheel, steam-powered, wooden-hulled, fully sail rigged gunboat. Length- 163 feet, beam- 24.4 feet, 464 tons, 4 cannons.
Launched at the Washington Naval Yard in 1851. Used mostly for surveys. Fired on by Paraguay in 1867. Had 65 crew when captured, usually had 90-95. In Civil War used as a supply and mail boat, then as a blockader off Savannah.
It is not known how much the original ship cost, but the replica costs $1.2 million. The original plans were used and it has taken more than a year.
Looking Forward to Seeing It. --Old B-Runner
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