Archaeology of the Civil War Naval Operations on the Ogeechee River, Georgia

From April 10 through 24, 2005, maritime archaeologists with Panamerican Consultants, Inc. of Memphis, Tennessee, (Panamerican) conducted a comprehensive submerged cultural resources investigation on the Great Ogeechee River, near the Fort McAllister State Historic Site in Richmond Hill, Georgia. Located approximately 12 miles from the Atlantic Ocean and 17 miles downriver from King's Bridge (U.S. Hwy 17), Fort McAllister sits as a silent sentinel on the southern bank of the Ogeechee River, which flows southeast into Ossabaw Sound on the Atlantic coast of Georgia. Performed under contract to the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the investigation included archival research, remotesensing survey, data analysis, integration of data into existing National Park Service (NPS) and DNR GIS databases, and integration of findings into the existing DNR Historic Preservation Division Underwater Archaeology website. Specifically, the focus of the investigation was the search for submerged cultural resources associated with the naval engagements and the blockade efforts on the Ogeechee River during the American Civil War. A total of five areas were surveyed within the 20-mile project area. In addition to the areas that comprised the naval engagements, including the sinking location of the CSS Nashville, a shoreline survey of the upriver portions of the Ogeechee, as well as a shoreline survey of the Ogeechee between the U.S. 17 and I-95 bridges, and a bank-to-bank survey between the railroad bridge and the U.S. 17 bridge, was conducted. Results of the magnetometer survey documented a total of 696 magnetic anomalies within the survey areas. Of these, 13 targets represent possible submerged cultural resources in the form of historic structures or vessels, while 85 targets in the battlefield potentially represent ordnance. The remaining 598 anomalies are likely to represent debris and are not considered significant for the purposes of this investigation. A total of 329 side scan sonar targets were also identified during the survey of the five areas. Of these, 80 are thought to represent potentially significant cultural resources, including vessels and historic structures, counting 10 that are associated with magnetic anomalies. The majority of the remaining targets probably represent modern debris, such as anchors and other items typical of any recreational boating area.