There are just a handful
of places where visitors can see remnants of Confederate vessels from the War.
That small list includes the CSS Neuse in Kinston, North Carolina, and
the ships at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia. A
visitor can find remnants of the CSS Nashville at Fort McAllister in
Richmond Hill, Georgia.
The Nashville returned to the Confederate States in February 1862, was renamed the Thomas L. Wagg and used as a blockade runner, then in November 1862, was repurposed as a privateer, and again renamed as the Rattlesnake. The Rattlesnake had run aground at Seven Mile Bend in the Ogeechee River, near Fort McAllister. McAllister was an earthen fort protecting the city of Savannah. The Fort was attacked several times during the war. In late January 1863, a campaign started to take the fort. Several ships were involved, including the ironclad USS Montauk. While Fort McAllister survived, the CSS Rattlesnake (oftentimes still referred to as the Nashville) was sunk on February 28, 1863. Private citizens began diving and excavating the site in 1979. The state of Georgia sued, stating that the site and all artifacts belonged to the state. The courts agreed and the artifacts were turned over to the state. On visiting the Fort McAllister State Park, visitors can see some of the artifacts from the vessel.
My family last
visited Fort McAllister and the artifacts from the CSS Nashville/Rattlesnake
in December 2016.
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