Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar C.S.S. Alabama: An Illustrated History Library Special Collections Fall 10-11-2017 Part 5: Exploration & Excavation Jack L. Dickinson Marshall University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://mds.marshall.edu/css_al Part of the Military History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Dickinson, Jack L., "Part 5: Exploration & Excavation" (2017). C.S.S. Alabama: An Illustrated History. 4. http://mds.marshall.edu/css_al/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Library Special Collections at Marshall Digital Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in C.S.S. Alabama: An Illustrated History by an authorized administrator of Marshall Digital Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. CSS Alabama : An Illustrated History In Six Parts: You are here Part 1: Building of Ship 290 Part 2: Officers and Crew Part 3: Cruise of the Alabama Part 4: Battle with USS Kearsarge ---> Part 5: Exploration & Excavation Part 6: Miscellaneous and Bibliography (the Alabama Claims, poems, music, sword of Raphael Semmes) To read any of the other parts, return to the menu and select that part to be downloaded. Designed and Assembled by Jack L. Dickinson Marshall University Special Collections 2017 Investigation of the Confederate Commerce Raider CSS Alabama 2001 CSS Alabama Association P. O. Box 2744 Mobile, Alabama 36652-2744 Association CSS Alabama 34 Avenue de New York 75116 Paris Investigation of the Confederate Commerce Raider CSS Alabama 2001 Submitted to: Joint French American Scientific Committee for the CSS Alabama Submitted by: Gordon P. Watts, Jr., Ph.D. Institute for International Maritime Research, Inc. P. O. Box 2494 Washington, North Carolina 27889 CSS Alabama Association P. O. Box 2744 Mobile, Alabama 36652-2744 Association CSS Alabama 34 Avenue de New York 75116 Paris 11 November 2001 ii Abstract During June and July 2001, the American CSS Alabama Association and the French Association CSS Alabama carried out an archaeological investigation of the remains of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama. Under the direction of Dr. Gordon P. Watts Jr., American and French archaeologists, French volunteer divers and French Navy personnel cooperated in an examination of the wreck that took place between 6 June and 4 July. Objectives for the investigation included video and 35mm photographic documentation of the wreck, limited test excavation in the officer’s quarters and recovery of selected artifacts exposed on the bottom surface. Unfortunately the most important objective, video and 35mm documentation of the wreck site to generate data that would generate data for the production of a site mosaic and computer model was compromised by unsuccessful efforts to obtain French authorization for use of the U. S. Navy research submarine NR-1 or a U. S. Navy remote operated vehicle. On site research was limited to test excavation in the officer’s quarters and recovery of selected artifacts including one of the two Blakely patent British Royal Navy Pattern 32-pounders carried by the CSS Alabama. Test excavation reached a stratigraphic level within the hull that has been undisturbed since the CSS Alabama filled with silt in the years following her loss. Below that level of sediment both the wreck structure and associated cultural material appear to survive in an anoxic environment. A number of intact artifacts were recovered including glass storage bottles, ceramic tablewares and a decorated pipe bowl. This limited testing suggests an exceptional degree of preservation below the dynamic layer of shell hash and sand that covers most of the CSS Alabama’s remains. iii Table of Contents Page Abstract....................................................................................................................................ii Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................iii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................iv Introduction............................................................................................................................ 1 Project Authorization............................................................................................................ 4 Project Organization and Administration.......................................................................... 4 Synopsis of Previous Research............................................................................................. 5 Location and Description of the Wreck Site....................................................................... 7 2001 Project Objectives........................................................................................................ 14 Description of the Artifacts................................................................................................. 38 Results of the 2001 Investigation..................................................................................... 100 Conclusions and Recommendations............................................................................... 102 Appendix A – 1995 Agreement between France and the United States Appendix B - Downton Pump Patent Appendix C – Ministry of Culture and Communication Permit iv List of Figures Page Figure 1. Remains of the ships wheel.................................................................................. 2 Figure 2. Location of the CSS Alabama off the Normandy Peninsula............................ 7 Figure 3. Example of the sediment covering the wreck. ................................................. 8 Figure 4. Projection of the surviving hull remains (Guérout, 1994).............................. 9 Figure 5. Projection of the degree of starboard list (Guérout 1994)............................... 9 Figure 6. CSS Alabama Site Plan (Guérout, 1992)............................................................ 11 Figure 7. Propeller and lifting frame................................................................................ 12 Figure 8. Starboard Trotman patent anchor in-situ. ...................................................... 13 Figure 9. Example of mosaic from 2000........................................................................... 14 Figure 10. The U. S. Navy research submarine NR-1..................................................... 15 Figure 11. Deep Ocean Engineering S2of ROV................................................................ 16 Figure 12. Compressor aboard the American research vessel Enrica........................... 17 Figure 13. Diver propulsion vehicle used for excavation. ............................................. 18 Figure 14. Semmes stands next to the 8-inch smoothbore pivot gun........................... 19 Figure 15. Midshipman E. M. Anderson with a British Royal Navy pattern 32-pounder......................................................................................................... 20 Figure 16. The French Navy lift vessel Vulcain............................................................... 21 Figure 17. One of the GPD vedettes................................................................................. 22 Figure 18. The American research vessel Enrica............................................................. 23 Figure 19. Blakely designed British Royal Navy pattern 32-pounder (A. Bowcock)............................................................................................................ 23 Figure 20. Design of the Fawcett, Preston & Company 32-pounder (A. Bowcock)............................................................................................................ 24 Figure 21. Markers mark on 32-pounder recovered in 2000......................................... 24 Figure 22. Locations of cannon recovered from the CSS Alabama. .............................. 25 Figure 23. Recovery of the 32-pounder by the Vulcain.................................................. 26 Figure 24. Excavations at the base of the pump............................................................. 26 Figure 25. Artifacts exposed by excavation at the base of the pump.......................... 27 Figure 26. Divers load plates in a protective crate......................................................... 28 Figure 27. Artifact ALS-251 being transported to Cherbourg...................................... 29 Figure 28. Conservator Catherine Augel documents ALS-257. ................................... 30 v Figure 29. British Royal Navy pattern 32-pounder being loaded in the shipping crate.................................................................................................... 30 Figure 30. Schematic of the Downton pump (A. Bowcock).......................................... 31 Figure 31. PVC grid in location prior to excavations..................................................... 32 Figure 32. Location of test excavation for 2001............................................................... 33 Figure 33. CNP Dive vessel Little Pocket. ......................................................................... 34 Figure 34. Sample of grid documentation from video................................................... 35 Figure 35. Diver excavates in grid using the 4-inch air lift........................................... 35 Figure 36. Archaeologist