While researching Fort Jackson by Savannah, the article mentioned that the old Confederate ram/floating batter CSS Georgia had been sunk by it.
Looked it up in Wikipedia and found out it had been permanently moored by Fort Jackson and burned and scuttled December 21, 1864, to prevent capture. It was 250 feet long with a 60 foot beam, mounted 4 to 9 guns, and manned by a crew of 200.
It was also sometimes called the State of Georgia and Ladies Ram (build by funds raised by the women of Savannah. It was built during 1862.
In 1866, it was dynamited to clear the channel. At low tide, it is covered by 11 feet of water and sand is rapidly gathering around it. Since then, the US Corps of Engineers has extensively damaged it while dredging and expanding the channel so that today, only a portion of the forward and aft case mate along with remnants of the engine, boilers, and propeller remain. Several cannons have been recovered from the wreck.
So Much for the Undistinguished Career of the CSS Georgia. --Old B-Runner
