CSS Georgia (1863) facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 Confederate States of America |
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| Name | Georgia |
| Namesake | Georgia |
| Laid down | 1862 |
| Launched | 1863 |
| Commissioned | 1863 |
| Decommissioned | December 21, 1864 |
| Fate | Scuttled to prevent capture. Currently undergoing salvage. |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 250 ft (76 m) |
| Beam | 60 ft (18 m) |
| Complement | 200 officers and men |
| Armament | 4 to 9 heavy cannons |
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CSS GEORGIA (ironclad)
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| Nearest city | Savannah, Georgia |
| Area | 1.6 acres (0.65 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| Engineer | Alvin N. Miller |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003746 |
| Added to NRHP | February 10, 1987 |
CSS Georgia, also known as State of Georgia and Ladies' Ram, was a special kind of warship built during the American Civil War. It was an ironclad, meaning it had a strong outer layer of iron to protect it. This ship was built in Savannah, Georgia in 1862.
The money for its construction, about $115,000, was raised by a group called the Ladies' Gunboat Association. They wanted to build a ship to help defend Savannah, an important port city.
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The CSS Georgia's Role in the War
The CSS Georgia was commanded by Lieutenant Washington Gwathmey of the Confederate States Navy. Its main job was to protect the river channels near Savannah. It used its powerful cannons to stop the Union army from attacking the city by sea.
However, the ship's steam engines were not strong enough for it to move around much for attacks. So, the Georgia was anchored in the Savannah River. It acted like a floating battery, which is a ship that stays in one place to fire its guns. It protected both the city and Fort Jackson.
The Georgia served for about 20 months. But on December 21, 1864, the Union army captured Savannah by land. This happened during Sherman's March to the Sea. To prevent the Union forces from taking and using the Georgia, its Confederate crew sank the ship on purpose. This is called scuttling.
The Wreck of the Georgia
After the war, in 1866, some of the ship's iron armor was taken off. The wooden hull was broken apart by underwater explosions used to remove the iron. After that, the wreck was left alone and forgotten for many years.
In 1968, the Georgia was found again during a project to dig deeper in the Savannah River. The wreck was not moved then, but it might have been damaged by accident from digging equipment or anchors. By 1992, only parts of its front and back casemates (the armored sections) and some engine parts were left. These included boilers, shafts, propellers, and condensers. Several of its cannons and other military items were also found nearby.
Bringing the Ship Up
In May 2012, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) set aside $14 million to bring up the remains of the ironclad. This was done to allow for even deeper digging in the river. On November 12, 2013, archaeologists from USACE, with help from the United States Navy, raised a 64 square foot section of the Georgia.
More parts of the ship were recovered during a nine-month project in 2015. This was because the waterway needed to be made deeper, to 47 feet (14 meters), for large ships. By April 2015, USACE and archaeologists from Texas A&M University had found over 1000 items. The remaining cannons and large parts of the casemates and machinery were lifted between June and August 2015.
In the 1980s, a photograph was found that people thought showed the Georgia. However, it was later discovered to be a fake picture.
The Georgia was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Images for kids
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A brass artifact - part of a wood and rope assembly to move a cannon
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Iron artifact (heavily corroded)
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A brass cannon elevation screw (still turns)
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An unrestored iron artifact (heavily corroded)
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A resin cast model of an iron artifact
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A cannonball and holder for a grapeshot
