Civil War Sidewheeler turns up.

[jagjetta]

BELZONI, Miss. - A curious history buff may have found a Civil War-era vessel in the Yazoo River. Bob Harston of Silver City said he's heard stories about the Confederate vessel in the river for years. Near drought conditions left the water level so low that a boat was visible in the river bottom.

Harston called Vicksburg National Military Park historian Terry Winschel, who traveled to the site with Jim Wojtala, an archaeologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District. The experts spotted what appeared to be a sidewheeler packet vessel, used by Confederate troops to navigate narrow channels.

Complete story here:
www.militarytrader.com/Default.aspx?tabid=942&articleid=7877&articlemid=5647#5647Articles

John Adams-Graf
Iola, WI

[TRK]

Interesting. They've uncovered several naval ships around Vicksburg over the years, including the USS Cairo back in the 1960s. Ed Bearss wrote an excellent book about that ironclad and its salvaging, Hardluck Ironclad.