Underwater Archaeology and Shipwrecks Display by Jalen Lugo

We were all surprised that Uncle Sam decided he needed Jalen Lugo's services more than we did - and how quickly those services must be rendered. Before Jalen left on May 10th, he stocked the display case and wrote the following post about the items he selected for it. Cassi and I will miss working with him.-- gmc

The May BDC display case features items related to underwater archaeology and shipwrecks because of our “Shoals and Shipwrecks” local history program. I have found, in my humblest of opinions, some of the most interesting items we have here at the BDC. From Confederate Navy records to Blackbeard to shipwrecks from the Hurricane of 1893, this display case contains interesting and informative items that will keep you intrigued for hours to come.

Captain of the Planter by Dorothy Sterling (1958) is about the story of Robert Smalls and his endeavors during the Civil War as the captain of the Planter, a sidewheel steamer which was converted into a gunboat. Robert Smalls captured this boat during the Civil War by sailing it out of Charleston Harbor and surrendering the gunboat to the Union Navy. 

[Planter saw additional Civil War service with Smalls at the helm. A gale in March of 1876 damaged the Planter beyond repair. Its component parts were salvaged and sold off by mid-July. There was a great buzz in 2014 that the Planter had been re-discovered and the hull may indeed be buried under sand That's an underwater archaeology investigation for another day. Some of you might like to know that author Dorothy Sterling corresponded with the staff at the Beaufort Township Library as she was researching the life of Robert Smalls for Captain of the Planter. We will be happy to set up an appointment for you to review the Dorothy Sterling Letters archival collection and/or the other information we have about Robert Smalls and the Planter. - gmc]

In the 19th century it is rather common to discover that a title cover is not the same as the title on the item’s title page. Such is the case with the book with the short cover title The Confederate States Navy by J. Thomas Scharf (1887). The title as given on the title page is considerably longer: History of the Confederate States Navy from its organization to the surrender of its Last Vessel. Its stupendous struggle with the Great Navy of the United States; The Engagements fought in the Rivers and Harbors of the South, and Upon the High Seas; Blockade-Running, First use of Iron-Clads and Torpedoes, and Privateer History. Published in New York by Rogers & Sherwood, the 824 pages volume is “Profusely Illustrated”- at least in what constituted “profusely illustrated” in the late 19th century. [I like that there’s a naval vessel etched in gold on the front cover. - gmc]  

Chapter 21 concerns actions in “South Carolina Waters,” pp. 665- 707. This book detail the collection of naval ships used by the Confederacy during the Civil War and what they did, which battles they attended, and which ones sunk. I chose this book because of its extensive recollection of the history of naval warfare during the Civil War. I was surprised to discover that enough Confederate military records have survived to fill such a large volume. [A discerning researcher would compare the information included in this volume with information provided in the primary source Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. (31 volumes) and other secondary works available through the SCLENDS consortium of libraries on the topic. Please be patient. It took me about 30 seconds to get the hit list. - gmc]  

The BDC has a few titles related to the Hunley submarine – even though it’s more properly a Charleston topic. However, the search and recovery of the Hunley was of such general public interest that in this case an exception was made to include some secondary works about the submarine to provide some historical context for BDC customers. I chose to add  The Hunley: Submarines, Sacrifice, & Success in the Civil War by Mark K. Ragan (1999) and an article named: The Final Mission of the Hunley by Keith Franklin West from our vertical file about the submarine to the display.  The Hunley was the first submarine to sink a ship during wartime.  The book entails the history of the Hunley before it sank for the final time after it spar torpedoed the USS Housatonic. The article recounts how the Hunley was discovered as well as the operations launched to recover, preserve, and analyze it using underwater archaeology techniques. In case you enjoy historical day-trips, you can visit the Hunley Museum in Charleston.  

On the second shelf I included surrogate images from the Hurricane of 1893 photograph collection that we share through the Lowcountry Digital Library. The first image is of the City of Savannah’s upper deck as it sunk because of the hurricane. The next image is a steamboat that ran aground after the storm surge of the hurricane swept the boat up onto land. The Hurricane of 1893 was a devastating hurricane that even now ranks at the 5th most deadly hurricane in U.S. history. With a storm surge of 12 feet, this hurricane changed the economic climate of Beaufort County for years after it made landfall. (In case you’d like a heads up: my supervisor, Grace Cordial, will be doing her “Tide of Death” presentation in person at Beaufort Branch in late August 2024. Be sure to check the Library’s online calendar for details when posted.)  

The next item in the display case is a newspaper article, “Clifton Has Bad Accident” from the May 20, 1909 issue of The Beaufort Gazette. The Clifton was carrying a cargo of potatoes up from Pigeon Point with the goal of heading towards Beaufort to dock, but never reached its destination as the ship was caught in a storm and the tides caused it to capsize. The loss to its owner was severe as the cost of the Clifton was $65,000 in 1909, which in today’s money is $2,230,000!  

Shipwrecks, Pirates & Privateers: Sunken Treasures of the Upper South Carolina Coast, 1521-1865 by Dr. E. Lee Spence (1995) is about artifacts and items that were discovered while underwater diving for shipwrecks, their historical significance and what they are, as most of these items are unrecognizable to the untrained eye. I chose this book because it reminds me of the Indiana Jones movies of an archaeologist finding items and objects of immense value, which I came to learn does not occur too often in the world of archaeology. 

Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates by Eric Jay Dolin (2018) is aptly titled. It talks about the most notorious pirates that ever sailed along the Eastern coast of the United States in the 1700’s such as Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet, Anne Bonney, Calico Jack Rackham, Benjamin Hornigold, and Charles Vane.

[I’m sure these names bring up images from the Starz television series, Black Sails (2014- 2017); episodes in the Outlander series (2014-2024) on Starz that included Stede Bonnet and his crimes against Jamie Fraser’s family in Seasons 4 and 5 based on the book series by Diana Galbadon; and Our Flag Means Death on HBO Max (2022-2023).- gmc]

I chose this book because I relish the history of nefarious events that each of these pirates had a hand in. Most notable is Blackbeard’s blockade of Charleston that resulted in his capture of some innocent civilians to secure medicine for his men who were sick and dying of various illnesses and diseases.  

Blackbeard and Other Pirates of the Atlantic Coast by Nancy Roberts (1993) is a classic history written for a general audience. She writes about the most notable pirates that plagued the Atlantic coast during the 1700’s and early 1800’s. In addition to the pirates mentioned in Black Flags, Roberts includes short chapters about Thomas Tew, Samuel Bellamy, William Kidd and Rachel Wall as well as lesser known pirates. She uses historical details to create dialog about Blackbeard’s capture of the Crowley and South Carolina’s VIP, Samuel Wragg in Charles Towne, (what today’s Charleston was called back then), his grounding of his main ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge in that other Beaufort (pronounced “BOW fert” in North Carolina), and his return to civilian life in Bath, NC for a short time. Soon though Blackbeard was back up to his old tricks and the Governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood sent a small contingent under the command of Lt. Robert Maynard to capture the pirate. Blackbeard put up a fight and was killed on November 22, 1718.  I chose this book because of how bold pirate Blackbeard was and how many ships he sank and ran aground in an effort to steal valuable resources, as he regularly attacked, captured and sunk many ships that sailed from the Atlantic coast on the U.S. towards the Caribbean or Europe.  

Mary Long's Yesteryear: Skull and Crossbones: South Carolina's Infamous Pirates (2000) is a DVD in the BDC’s collection. Mary Long details many historical events that pirates of the Atlantic coast went through, who they were, what they did, and even some local legends of where they drank alcohol at local pubs. She also goes into detail of ships that ran aground or were sunk as a result of piracy in the Beaufort area. The DVD may be old, but the historical facts and knowledge she discusses are timeless and fascinating.  

Please stream the “Pirates” segment by Dr. Larry Rowland in the Beaufort County Moments video series for a short overview of piratical behavior in our immediate area. If you really enjoy reading about these buccaneers of the sea, I suggest that you visit the BDC’s Pirates of the Lowcountry list of links and materials for additional sources.