Underwater archaeologists believe they might have found a Civil War era ship in a river near Savannah. Archaeologists working on the Vernon River Thursday came as close as they could to saying the ship they found is the U-S-S Water Witch without saying it conclusively.
If it's found, the Water Witch would be the first Civil War ship found since the H.L. Hunley was raised in 2000 and would be only the third such ship found in Georgia.
Tapping a pole against something metalic at the marshy, buggy site, archaeologist Harry Pecorelli said, the ship is in the right place and under 20 feet of mud. "Mud is a really good preserving agent," Pecorelli said. "So, based on my experiences just looking at the Hunley, the metal could be in very good shape."
A full-scale replica of the Water Witch is being constructed for the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus.
The site just outside Savannah was being studied as part of a highway extention project.
If it's found, the Water Witch would be the first Civil War ship found since the H.L. Hunley was raised in 2000 and would be only the third such ship found in Georgia.
Tapping a pole against something metalic at the marshy, buggy site, archaeologist Harry Pecorelli said, the ship is in the right place and under 20 feet of mud. "Mud is a really good preserving agent," Pecorelli said. "So, based on my experiences just looking at the Hunley, the metal could be in very good shape."
A full-scale replica of the Water Witch is being constructed for the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus.
The site just outside Savannah was being studied as part of a highway extention project.
