This book recounts the historical and archaeological efforts to discover and recover three cannons wrapped up in the shroud of history and in the murky and meandering waters of the Great Pee Dee River near Florence, South Carolina. Jettisoned in the river by the crew of the Confederate gunboat Pee Dee in the waning days of the Civil War, these naval weapons inspired a lengthy, difficult, surprising, yet ultimately successful search for the three cannons. And, along the way the searchers explored the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, remains of the gunboat, and more importantly, forged together individuals and organizations founded on a mutual interest in uncovering and learning about the past naval activities at this forgotten and out-of-the-way theater during the Civil War....
This book recounts the historical and archaeological efforts to discover and recover three cannons wrapped up in the shroud of history and in the murky and meandering waters of the Great Pee Dee River near Florence, South Carolina. Jettisoned in the river by the crew of the Confederate gunboat Pee Dee in the waning days of the Civil War, these naval weapons inspired a lengthy, difficult, surprising, yet ultimately successful search for the three cannons. And, along the way the searchers explored the Mars Bluff Naval Yard, remains of the gunboat, and more importantly, forged together individuals and organizations founded on a mutual interest in uncovering and learning about the past naval activities at this forgotten and out-of-the-way theater during the Civil War....