Ike and the Civil war

[chesnutmor]

Hi,

I thought this was an interesting tid bit that occurred as a result of Hurricane Ike. According to news reports, a Union Civil War era ship that was burned by Confederates washes a shore in Fort Morgan, AL. It isn't much of a story but something that I you would find interesting.

Here is a link to photo for all who choose to see the ship.

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-85854

As for all that are/were in the path of hurricane my thoughts and prayers go out to you in this difficult time.

Jill A. Pierson

[tomarch]

Re: Ike and the Civil war

I love the photos! My main question is: What ship is that? The only Navy vessel I know of sunk at Ft. Morgan was the U.S.S. Tecumseh, which hit a mine. I'm pretty sure this ship isn't her..

[Spinster]

Re: Ike and the Civil war

No Tom, likely not.

Rather like the Missouri River, with its sunken riverboat at every curve and snag, the waters of Mobile Bay hold a large number of forgotten ships.

A similar wreckage was revealed some hurricanes back across the bay near Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island, and is now piled up just outside the fort gates. The Spanish first came to this bay in 1519, and unfortunate ships have littered the bottom since that time.

Its simply not that uncommon a discovery in that bay, which is not a calm place at all, but an approximately 30 mile by 15 mile salt water port that takes a hurricane in the throat a couple of times a year.

Ben Windham often writes about obscure points of Alabama history. Here's his writeup about the same ship a couple of years ago.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061203/NEWS/612030348/1027

[Bruce Schultz]

Re: Ike and the Civil war

I want to photograph this in wet-plate. What distance is it from a public road?

[Spinster]

Re: Ike and the Civil war

Bruce, just in checking the 'chatter' in various places, this thing seems to be on the Gulf side of the Fort Morgan penninsula, about even with mile marker 6 of the Fort Morgan road (Hwy 180)

Public and private land is interspersed on this road, but the whole beach frontage is considered 'public'. The land is narrow here, in some cases not a half mile wide, and the road runs down the middle. So, while I can't tell you how close, I can tell you that you won't have much of a hike, even encumbered by a wetplate camera and portable dark box.

As you are traveling from Louisiana, and may not be familar with the roads, don't hesitate to utilize the Fort Morgan-Dauphin Island Ferry if its handy for you and IF it is running--check first.

Realize though, this thing really can be covered up again with a nights heavy tide. Of course, Fort Morgan itself is worth the trip for wetplate work, as is Fort Gaines on the western side of the bay.

[boreguard]

Re: Ike and the Civil war

It seems there's some confusion as this wreck was discovered in 2006. The photo's in the article caught my eye because I happened to be on the first ferry to depart the Fort Morgan side of the bay this past Sunday morning, after it had been closed for several days due to Ike's passing throught he gulf. I can tell you the gulf was still quite high covering most if not all of the beach and the surf was VERY rough. Those photo's show a more normal surf and a lot of exposed beach. I was there through nearly noon on Sunday.

Here's a link to an article discussing the discovery in 2006

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061203/NEWS/612030348/1027

Not sure how or why this is being reported as being only discovered by hurricane Ike passing through the gulf, but I did see CNN on the heading of these photo's...I don't trust them to be accurate in anything.