Article 11

The Summer 2001 dives on the wreck of the CSS ALABAMA are complete, and our Association webmaster is back at work. Among the artifacts recovered is the third cannon to be recovered, a 32-pounder of British Royal Navy pattern.A team of French divers and American archaeologists made more than 100 dives in the first ten days of 2001 operations. A major objective was to obtain a detailed mosaic of the wreck using an underwater vehicle, either manned or remotely operated. When approvals could not be obtained for use of these vehicles, focus of the dives was shifted to the cruiser's 8" bore aft pivot gun and a patented bilge and fire pump. The CSS ALABAMA's forward pivot gun, a 100-pounder rifled Blakely, was recovered in 1994. The warship had six 32-pounders in broadside. Also recovered were a portion of a leather fire hose, a fire hose nozzle, bowls, plates, a gravy boat, spice bottle, condiment jar, lead scupper, toothbrush, medicine bottle necks, and similar objects. A heavy wooden box concreted to the fire hose nozzle will be radiographed at the Warren Lasch Conservation Laboratory in Charleston, South Carolina, to determine its contents. More will follow as archaeology reports are completed."