CSS Chattachoochee: An Investigation of the Remains of a Confederate Gunboat

In the Spring of 1865, the Confederate gunboat CSS Chattahoochee was scuttled and burned in the Chattahoochee River south of Columbus, Georgia. During the Civil War Centennial the vessel's remains were relocated and the stern of the warship salvaged and preserved at the James W. Woodruff,Jr., Confederate Naval Museum in Columbus. In 1984, East Carolina University and the Confederate Naval Museum cosponsored an investigation designed to relocate the CSS Chattahoochee , determine the amount of surviving hull structure, and assess the potential for additional research, recovery, and exhibition. The wreck was relocated using a proton precession magnetometer and wreck structure exposed on the bottom surface was mapped. A test excavation was carried out near the south end of the wreckage to facilitate assessing the nature and scope of the archaeological record and generate data concerning the remaining wreck structure. Data recovered during the investigation contributed to a better understanding of the wreck and its scientific and educational value. On the basis of this reconnaissance, it is apparent that the remains of the CSS Chattahoochee contain a variety of artifacts associated with use of the ship. In addition, the remaining wreck structure survives in good condition below the turn of the bilge and could be raised, conserved, and displayed in conjunction with the stern of the warship presently on exhibit at the Confederate Naval Museum in Columbus.