Thursday, March 10, 2016

Rhett Butler? Is That You?: Blockade-Runner Found Off North Carolina Coast

From March 7, 2016, Popular Science "Civil War 'Teaser': Blockade Runner Found Off North Carolina Coast: Rhett Butler?  Is That You?" by Beth Griggs.

According to John Morris, "The state of preservation on this wreck is among the best we've ever had.

At least 53 blockade-runners were lost in the Wilmington area during the Civil War.  In addition, there are pirate ships and ones from World War II's Battle of the Atlantic, victims of U-boat attacks.

The wrecks of 27 Confederate blockade-runners, Confederate ironclads and Union blockaders have been located.  According to Morris, "It's the single best assembly of Civil War shipwrecks anywhere in the world."

Students from East Carolina University's Maritime Studies Program will join in the examination of the ship, believed to be the Agnes E. Fry.

By the way, after some further research on the Agnes E. Fry's commander, he certainly had an interesting life (like the fictional Rhett Butler) and died in Cuba in front of a firing squad in 1873.

--Old B-Runner

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