Bucky Bowles’s painting of the USS Water Witch under way is displayed at the National Naval Civil War Museum in Columbus, Georgia. ended her surveying mission and returned to the United States. As a result of the incident and subsequent negotia- tions, Paraguay extended an apology to the United States and granted America a NATIONAL NAVAL CIVIL WAR MUSEUM WAR CIVIL NAVAL NATIONAL new and lucrative commercial treaty. The Water Witch returned to active duty two days before the start of the American Civil War in 1861. She took part in the U.S. Navy blockade of the South, initially serving in the fleet cover- ing ports from the Mississippi River to western Florida. During this interval, she participated in an engagement with the Confederate ram Manassas near the mouth of the Mississippi River. On another occasion in March 1862, she pursued the Confederate schooner, The intriguing story of a NIGHT BLOOD man-o-war that served in both the United States THUNDER: and Confederate Navies is The Taking of the presented at the National Civil War Naval Museum U.S.S.Water Witch at Port Columbus. B ORDEN B LACK William Mallory, for five hours before finally capturing the blockade runner n a moonless, stormy night in Bruce Smith, executive director of the that evening. 1864, a small band of National Civil War Naval Museum. She Later that year, the Water Witch was OConfederate sailors boarded the was one of just a few Civil War ships to transferred to Rear Admiral Samuel F. du USS Water Witch and, following a bloody sail under the flags of both the Pont's South Atlantic Blockading battle, commandeered the ship. Today, a Confederate and Union navies. Squadron at Port Royal, South Carolina. replica of the Water Witch is displayed at Built for the United States Navy in Her blockade stations included North the National Civil War Naval Museum at 1851, the Water Witch was 150 feet long, Florida, where the Water Witch probed Port Columbus where the full-sized 24 feet wide, and carried four guns: one the waters of the St. Johns River. reproduction of the paddle-wheel steam- 30-pounder cannon and three 12- Under the command of Lieutenant er helps bring to life that period of bitter pounders. The hybrid vessel used both Austin Pendergrast and with a crew of 68 struggle in American history. Recent steam and wind power generated by a officers and men, the ship began news that the wreck of the Water Witch side-mounted paddle wheel and sails patrolling Ossabaw Sound, about 15 may have been located off the Georgia unfurled on twin 90-foot masts. miles south of Savannah, in June 1864. coast really has Civil War historians Her first mission was exploration of At that time, First Lieutenant Thomas P. buzzing. the River Plate and the Parana River in Pelot of the Confederate Navy received Argentina and Paraguay from 1853 to orders to lead a commando-type raid to An Incredible Scene 1859. During that service, a fort in capture the ship. On June 3, with the The story of the Water Witch, gleaned Paraguay fired on the 378-ton, wood- night sky lit by flashes of lightning, he from several historical accounts, was one hulled ship. One of her crew, helmsman and 120 men in seven small boats pulled of “blood and thunder” according to Samuel Chaney, was killed, and the ship alongside the Water Witch undetected. NIGHT OF BLOOD AND THUNDER: THE TAKING OF THE U.S.S. WATER WITCH POINTS OF INTEREST 23 NATIONAL NAVAL CIVIL WAR MUSEUM WAR CIVIL NAVAL NATIONAL Some of the Water Witch’s guns were Parrot cannon, which fired shells like this one recently recovered from the Chattahoochee River. Following the capture of the Water Witch, the Confederates sent her can- non and ammunition to defend Columbus’ port and factories. The Southerners, who outnumbered Witch retained her name and was placed the Union crew of 65 roughly two to under the command of Lt. W. W. Carnes. one, scrambled up her sides and boarded Her brief service in Confederate hands the Water Witch. During the hand-to- came to an end on December 19, 1864, hand fighting that raged on the deck for when her crew set her afire at White Bluff fifteen minutes, the ship’s paymaster shot to prevent capture by General William several raiders, but most of the injuries Sheman’s advancing army. were inflicted by cutlass blows to the Although numerous ships were cap- Thomas Jefferson Page (1808-99) commanded heads of the sailors. When the paymaster tured by one side or the other during the the USS Water Witch during her commercial came to from his injuries the next morn- Civil War, Smith notes, few actually and scientific expedition to South America ing, he noted the blood running on the served in both navies. "It did happen, but from 1853 to 1855. He resigned his commission deck. “What an incredible scene this less than a handful of times." in the United States Navy to serve in the Confederate Navy during the Civil War, most must have been,” Smith notes. notably as commander of the ironclad ram The Confederate sailors succeeded in The Search CSS Stonewall. seizing command of the Water Witch and A twist of fate led to the discovery of took the surviving Union seamen cap- what is believed to be the charred skele- zero in the Vernon River’s murky water, tive. During the brief but intense fight- ton of the Water Witch. In 2007 the Crass says they usually employ a giant ing, the Union crew had suffered two Georgia Department of Transportation metal detector called a magnetometer to killed and 12 wounded while six surveyed a section of the Vernon River scan for abnormalities. Large iron objects Confederates were killed, including Lt. for construction of a bridge. Georgia about 200 feet long were detected in the Pelot, and 17 wounded. Department of Natural Resources arche- Vernon River southeast of Savannah. Ironically, one of the Confederate ologist David Crass says that an 1865-66 The next step was to have divers push dead was Dallas Moses, a slave who map showed the approximate location of metal pins into the river bottom on top received $100 a month as a harbor pilot. the wreck, so further exploration ensued. of the magnetic signature. Probing did Among the Union dead was Jeremiah In late October 2007, specialists from not reveal any solid structures beneath Sills, an African-American with the rank the DOT, DNR, and National Civil War the mud and silt, so the crew employed a of Landsman, meaning that he was a Naval Museum joined with Tidewater jet probe, like a garden hose, to blow recruit with less than a year’s experience. Atlantic Research archaeologists to locate away sediment. As a Confederate vessel, the Water the remains. Since visibility is often near The jet probe went through 13 to 15 LEFT: The paddle wheels for the replica Water Witch were built off-site and then transported to the museum for assembly. CENTER: The stern under construction. RIGHT: An actor portraying President Abraham Lincoln, flanked by guards, presides over the dedication ceremony. MUSEUM WAR CIVIL NAVAL NATIONAL 24 GEORGIA BACKROADS / WINTER 2009 Digital depiction of the Water Witch prepared used by Union forces. “1862 USN” and by the University of Georgia Theater based an anchor symbol were clearly visible upon specifications and descriptions contained in historic papers. when the round was cleaned. About the same time, the museum’s merely to pinpoint the location of the curator discovered a 1865 letter from the wreck. If funding can be found, archeolo- administrator of the old Navy Yard in gists will return to the site to determine if Columbus that included an inventory the wreckage is indeed that of the Water form listing the 30-pound Parrott rifled- Witch. If it is, she would be just the third cannon from the Water Witch at the yard Civil War shipwreck – joining the iron- in Columbus. This indicates that follow- clad CSS Georgia ing the seizure of the Water Witch, feet of and the blockade Confederate authorities removed her muck before hit- runner CSS Nashville – to cannon and ammunition and sent them ting successive layers of be found out of dozens that to Columbus for use in defense of that wood, a void, metal, and then sank in Georgia waters. important inland port city. another layer of wood. Between two lay- More than $1 million was donated to ers of wood was a dense deposit of New Life construct a faithful replica of the Water marine goo. “All of this suggests that this Although the original Water Witch Witch. The full-size model is based on COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA THEATER UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COURTESY is the Water Witch,” Crass declared dur- still rests in her marine grave, her “twin” the ship’s original plans, photographs of ing a recent interview. He believes that marks the entrance to the National Civil similar vessels, and a healthy amount of the ship’s remnants should be in good War Naval Museum in Columbus, research. Smith says the challenge in con- condition since an anaerobic environ- Georgia. Smith says the Water Witch was struction was “getting it exactly right,” ment of silt and mud supports few bacte- chosen for replication because she was an while still meeting codes and making it ria, so the wood should be well preserved. interesting technological hybrid that accessible for maintenance. “One reason archeological sites like used both steam and sail, served in both Although the replica’s hull, decking this one are valuable is that they tell sto- navies during the Civil War, and has and masts appear to be made of wood, ries about our heritage we can’t get at any interesting ties to African-American they are actually a combination of fiber- other way,” Crass notes.