Subdeacon Joe Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 https://www.dvidshub.net/news/176414/second-dahlgren-rifled-cannon-surprises-css-georgia-archaeologists#.Vf8NVJcXy5J As the mechanized stage of recovery began in earnest this week, marine archaeologists working on the CSS Georgia had just started to dig in for the long haul – anticipating tedious, 12-hour days of sifting through concretion-covered objects from the dregs of the Savannah River.However, consider their surprise when the “five-finger” grapple delivered a 9,000-pound Dahlgren rifled cannon – previously undiscovered by several high-tech, multibeam sonar surveys – to their barge Tuesday.It was especially surprising since the first Dahlgren, which Navy divers raised July 21, had been misidentified as a different, smaller sized cannon by sonar.At least one archaeologist, though excited, wasn’t fazed.Jim Jobling, a project manager at Texas A&M University’s Conservation Research Laboratory, said he kept telling colleagues they’d find a Dahlgren since before they started diving in January this year.Jobling said the Dahlgren debate arose out of a discrepancy between two manifests from the CSS Georgia. The original manifest listed two Dahlgren cannons; however, a later manifest, dated October 1864, didn’t list any. The vessel was scuttled in December 1864.However, as archaeologists began surveying the vessel, they discovered different types of shells, including shells that would have accompanied a Dahlgren cannon, adding more credence to Jobling’s theory.And despite being vindicated, now for the second time, Jobling didn’t gloat.“I’m very, very pleased,” he said.Besides the big-ticket items like the second Dahlgren, archaeologists are recovering a plethora of Civil War minutiae – leather shoes, wrenches, ceramic bottles, an anvil – turning the tedious into a treasure trove.“The range of artifacts that is coming up is staggering,” Jobling said. He added that the researchers, which include students working on their master’s degrees and Ph.Ds, are working from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., sifting through as many as 25 to 30 grapple loads each day.“They’re laughing, getting filthy ... having a great time. It is exhilarating,” he said.And now that they’ve found a seventh cannon, the real question becomes, what won’t they find. Earlier, a Brooke was brought up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitar_slinger Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Pretty cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 All well and good for them, but I gotta tell ya, they just ain't gonna be able to use them. No mounts for 'em. AND, no ammunition for them. And the Yankees went back north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noz Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Shoot 'em. They don't look any worse than my guns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugs Bonney SASS # 10171 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I think that when my guns look like that I might consider cleaning them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Shoot 'em. They don't look any worse than my guns! and that be the truth , got ya CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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