Locations of the Shipwrecks Found During the
Mississippi River Expedition
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Map of Mississippi River
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Manassas
Her suspected hulk (It was not dug up to be absolutely
certain) lies a half a mile above the Boothville High
School on the southwest bank of the river. Note: a mag
survey done later by Texas A & M University shows
her to be almost completely under the levee. It's best
to look during low water. There is a flat reef-like
barrier edged with a small rock breakwater that extends
into the river from the base of the levee about fifteen
feet. If you walk this area, you can easily detect her
iron mass. From a boat you can only pick her up by running
parallel to the breakwater. She is buried nine feet
under the silt and is probably very well preserved.
Louisiana
She lies deep under the shoreline mud a hundred yards
in front of the southeastern embankment of Fort St.
Phillip. You can easily walk the area during low tide.
Varuna
This durable little gunboat rests against and under
the northeast shore about a mile above Ostrica Canal.
Governor Moore
After a courageous fight she ran aground and burned
a few hundred yards above the VARUNA. Kids used to swim
off both wrecks as late as the nineteen forties. They
can be easily located, and as of the time of the expedition,
bits and pieces of them still protrude from the shoreline.
Arkansas
She rests deep under the levee on a north/south heading
about a mile and four tenths south from the auto/railroad
bridge just below Free Negro Point. 230 yards below
river mile 233.
All the above wrecks are easily accessible and would
lend themselves to a core or casemate method of excavation.
NUMA would especially like to see work done on the Manassas
and the Arkansas. Clive has, in the past, offered to
fund an exploratory dig on the Manassas, but no one
has yet stepped forth from Louisiana.
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