The March 19th Old Salt Blog had an entry about the Georgiana which I wrote about three times back in February. The 19th was the anniversary of the ship being sunk on its maiden voyage through the blockade back in 1863 while carrying a cargo of munitions, medicine, and merchandise worth $1 million.
During the chase, at times, the Georgiana's crew were so close to the blockaders that they could hear orders on the Union ships. Badly damaged, the Georgiana was run aground and scuttled. Union forces set fire to it resulting in a fire and explosions that went on for three days.
It says that 102 years later, teenage E. Lee Spence found it again.
And, I'd Never Heard of It Until February. --Da BR
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label Georgiana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Georgiana. Show all posts
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
More on the Blockade Runner Georgiana
Harry Ridgeway, the Civil War Relicman has several artillery shells from the Georgiana for sale.
One was a Britten bolt, 2.9-inches in diameter and 6 -inches long with salt water damage to the outer shin.
There is also another with a star-shaped interior for superior fragmentation with a lead-sleeved time fuse. Sounds like quite a nasty bit of ordnance.
The Georgiana sank March 19, 1863, while attempting to run the blockade into Charleston. After its propeller and rudder were damaged by Union fire, the captain ran the vessel aground, scuttled it, and the crew escaped.
Dr. E. Lee Spence believes that the ship's owner, George Albert Trenholm, who ran a blockade-running firm and owned the Georgiana, was the person Margaret Mitchell based her Rhett Butler on of Gone With the Wind fame.
Today, the boiler is five feet below the surface and covered with sea life. Large sections of the hull are still intact. On the starboard side, parts protrude nine feet above the sand.
Maffitt's Channel, where the Georgiana sank, is considered the second main entrance to Charleston Harbor. The Union's Stone Fleet was sunk there in January of 1862.
More Than I Ever Knew About a Ship I Didn't Know About. --B-Runner
One was a Britten bolt, 2.9-inches in diameter and 6 -inches long with salt water damage to the outer shin.
There is also another with a star-shaped interior for superior fragmentation with a lead-sleeved time fuse. Sounds like quite a nasty bit of ordnance.
The Georgiana sank March 19, 1863, while attempting to run the blockade into Charleston. After its propeller and rudder were damaged by Union fire, the captain ran the vessel aground, scuttled it, and the crew escaped.
Dr. E. Lee Spence believes that the ship's owner, George Albert Trenholm, who ran a blockade-running firm and owned the Georgiana, was the person Margaret Mitchell based her Rhett Butler on of Gone With the Wind fame.
Today, the boiler is five feet below the surface and covered with sea life. Large sections of the hull are still intact. On the starboard side, parts protrude nine feet above the sand.
Maffitt's Channel, where the Georgiana sank, is considered the second main entrance to Charleston Harbor. The Union's Stone Fleet was sunk there in January of 1862.
More Than I Ever Knew About a Ship I Didn't Know About. --B-Runner
Friday, February 20, 2009
Ships Sunk by the Georgiana: Norseman, Constance Ducimer, Mary Bowers
While on the subject of the blockade runner Georgiana, I saw that it's wreck had been responsible for sinking three other blockade runners.
NORSEMAN-- a three-masted, 49-197 ton screw blockade running steamer carrying a cargo of cotton and possibly gold. On May 19, 1863, it hit the Georgiana and sank in 8-12 feet of water in Maffitt's Channel off Long island (now Isle of Pines) near 39th Street. Any gold that was aboard was probably salvaged due to the shallow depth.
CONSTANCE DUCIMER-- A 140 ton, sidewheel blockade runner, 201.4 feet long and 20.5 beam carrying 29 crew coming in from Nova Scotia, possibly carrying gold. Hit the Georgiana October 6, 1864, and sank in 15-35 feet of water. The wreck has been located, but probably no treasure on it.
MARY BOWERS-- 226 feet side wheel steamer. Sank after hitting the Georgiana. A Federal boarding party removed the ship's bell and other items. The forward end of the starboard boiler is aligned with the starboard of the Georgiana. The Bowers' port boiler has rolled into the sand and is largely buried. The remains of the ship away from the Georgiana are relatively in tact. The sides of the forward cargo hold are still standing up from the bottom. The ship is heavily sanded in and about 18 feet deep.
The Blockade-Runner Georgiana, Sinker of Blockade Runners. --Old B-R'er
NORSEMAN-- a three-masted, 49-197 ton screw blockade running steamer carrying a cargo of cotton and possibly gold. On May 19, 1863, it hit the Georgiana and sank in 8-12 feet of water in Maffitt's Channel off Long island (now Isle of Pines) near 39th Street. Any gold that was aboard was probably salvaged due to the shallow depth.
CONSTANCE DUCIMER-- A 140 ton, sidewheel blockade runner, 201.4 feet long and 20.5 beam carrying 29 crew coming in from Nova Scotia, possibly carrying gold. Hit the Georgiana October 6, 1864, and sank in 15-35 feet of water. The wreck has been located, but probably no treasure on it.
MARY BOWERS-- 226 feet side wheel steamer. Sank after hitting the Georgiana. A Federal boarding party removed the ship's bell and other items. The forward end of the starboard boiler is aligned with the starboard of the Georgiana. The Bowers' port boiler has rolled into the sand and is largely buried. The remains of the ship away from the Georgiana are relatively in tact. The sides of the forward cargo hold are still standing up from the bottom. The ship is heavily sanded in and about 18 feet deep.
The Blockade-Runner Georgiana, Sinker of Blockade Runners. --Old B-R'er
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Blockade Runner Georgiana
While looking up stuff on the USS Wissahickon, I came across information that it and the USS America ran the blockade runner Georgiana ashore by Charleston Harbor. I'd also never heard of the Georgiana, so looked it up.
The Georgiana was a 580-ton, 205.6 feet long, 25.2 beam, brig-rigged steamer built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1862. In 1863, it ran the blockade into Charleston harbor with 140 crew, 18 cannons, 10,000 Enfield rifles, and $90,000 in gold.
It was to be converted into a Confederate warship and under the command of Br. Commander A.B. Davidson.
It flashed the Confederate flag in Maffit's Channel and was attacked by the USS Wissahickon and USS America early on the morning of March 19, 1863 and run aground. The gold was supposedly removed. Union troops boarded it and removed some of the cargo. Attempts to refloat her failed and the ship was burned.
Later, the blockade-runners Norseman, Mary Bowers, and Constance Decimer ran into the submerged hull and sank.
Further salvage occurred in the 1870s and more recently artifacts have been recovered from it.
Never Heard of It. --Old B-Runner
The Georgiana was a 580-ton, 205.6 feet long, 25.2 beam, brig-rigged steamer built in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1862. In 1863, it ran the blockade into Charleston harbor with 140 crew, 18 cannons, 10,000 Enfield rifles, and $90,000 in gold.
It was to be converted into a Confederate warship and under the command of Br. Commander A.B. Davidson.
It flashed the Confederate flag in Maffit's Channel and was attacked by the USS Wissahickon and USS America early on the morning of March 19, 1863 and run aground. The gold was supposedly removed. Union troops boarded it and removed some of the cargo. Attempts to refloat her failed and the ship was burned.
Later, the blockade-runners Norseman, Mary Bowers, and Constance Decimer ran into the submerged hull and sank.
Further salvage occurred in the 1870s and more recently artifacts have been recovered from it.
Never Heard of It. --Old B-Runner
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