Archaeological Documentation and Testing of a Mid-nineteenth Century Tugboat at Hutchinson Island, Savannah

In anticipation of proposed channel widening of the Savannah River, Tidewater Atlantic Research Inc. of Washington, North Carolina entered into a contractual agreement with Gulf Engineers and Consultants, Inc. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District to conduct historical research and archaeological testing on a derelict steam tug located on the south side of Hutchinson Island, Chatham County, Georgia. Modification to the contract was made to include recovery of the vessel's steam machinery. The derelict steam tug, initially identified as the "Boiler Site" (Irion 1991:1), is located on the south side of Hutchinson Island, Chatham County, Georgia approximately 250 feet upstream and west of the Savannah District's engineer depot Prior to excavation, the tug was completely buried by fill except for the top of the boiler, and the top portion of a rudder stock and rudder support brace. The wreck lies within the tidal zone, parallel to the bank with the bow oriented downstream. The vessel is believed to have been abandoned in the area behind the Garden Bank Training Wall which was constructed by the Corps of Engineers in 1894. Although the Garden Bank Training Wall no longer exists that remains of the tug have been protected by sediment and dredge spoil that was deposited behind the channel development feature. Investigation of the derelict in August 1991, provided archaeologists with an opportunity to document the remains of a mid-nineteenth-century Savannah steam tug. Because plans for improvement of the Savannah River navigation channel required that the remains be removed, the investigation was designed to acquire sufficient data to determine if the vessel met criteria of eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places and identify mitigation needs. Although much of the vessel's starboard side had been destroyed, enough of the port vessel structure remained intact to permit recording of design and construction characteristics of the lower hull and major engineering components. While the hull remains were determined unsuitable for recovery and preservation, the approach to testing included recovery of the vessel's steam engine, propeller shaft, propeller, and rudder. Those elements of the derelict will be preserved and ultimately displayed in a museum exhibit on nineteenth century Savannah River navigation. Documentation of the surviving hull structure and recovery of the vessel's machinery has effectively preserved those elements of the derelict that made the vessel historically and archaeologically significant and potentially eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. No further investigation is necessary.