Army Yesterday--Navy Today

Columbus, Georgia
Lake Pine RV Park

After visiting the Army museum yesterday, we thought it befitting that today we check out the Navy.  Bill wasn't real excited about going but once he found out it wasn't on the water he liked it better.

If you've ever visited the USS Cario in Vicksburg, just imagine a museum that covers many more ships.  

Here's an excerpt from the Columbus Daily Enquirer, Friday December 23, 1864.  "This splendid ram was launched yesterday at about 11 o'clock and now sits calmly upon the Chattahoochee as a duck upon a pond."

General James Wilson's Union soldiers captured the city of Columbus and set the CSS Jackson ablaze.  

It floated down the Chattahoochee River about 30 miles and was grounded on a sandbar and burned to the waterline.  It is amazing that it is so well preserved.  

We spotted this one for our friend, Don Del Rosario, who was a submariner.  

Here's another replica for Don.  

The CSS Chattahochee isn't as large but there were many artifacts found.

 The next exhibit was a timeline of the beginning of the navy.  It included a lot of detailed reading of every conflict that was held in the Civil War.

Opposite of the timeline was a flag wall.  These are original flags.  The reason some are displayed backwards is that there was writing on the side displayed. 

The government was involved in this and it took many years to get permits to excavate it in 1980's when it was over 100 years old.

Here's an early torpedo which was made from beer kegs and wooden cones which was covered in tar.  

Here's part of the Monitor that has been excavated.

CSS Albermarle--you could walk inside.

and see how the Navy lived aboard ship.

The captain had better accommodations.

This ship was a replica of an ironclad.  

I was surprised at how open the inside of the ship was.

The Water Witch has been reproduced in full scale.

Look at how comfortable Bill looks when on dry land.

I guess we just don't think too much about the Navy and the Civil War,  

but it told the story of a lot that I didn't know.  

And there's your history lesson for the day.....

Turtle Safely......