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History of the SS Republic: Shipwreck with Civil War Gold

2020-06-17 10:00:00
History of the SS Republic: Shipwreck with Civil War Gold
Posted in: News, News

History of the SS Republic: Shipwreck with Civil War Gold

One of the great shipwreck discoveries of the 21st Century was the SS Republic off the coast of Georgia. Discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration in 2003, the sidewheel steamer ship had been carrying 51,000 coins and many other artifacts of American life from 140 years earlier.

The SS Republic was originally called SS Tennessee when it was built in Baltimore, Maryland in 1853. The trade ship was used for various routes and was the first steamship from Baltimore to cross the Atlantic Ocean, landing in England and France. At the end of the California Gold Rush, the SS Tennessee even took prospectors to Panama on one leg of their journey to the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

The Civil War

When Confederate soldiers took up arms against the United States in 1861, the SS Tennessee was in New Orleans. The ship was unable to leave, was captured, and renamed CSS Tennessee. This was short-lived since Union forces were able to reclaim New Orleans one year later.

The newly named USS Tennessee became the flagship for U.S. Navy Admiral David Farragut. At the crucial Battle of Mobile Bay, the USS Tennessee was part of the fleet that bombed Fort Morgan. It was during this battle that Admiral Farragut famously said, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” This quote and the imagery of Admiral Farragut would be used during World War I to recruit troops.

After this successful blockade, the USS Tennessee was renamed USS Mobile, to commemorate its place in the Battle of Mobile Bay. Shortly after this newest name change, USS Mobile was damaged in a hurricane and sent to New York for repairs. The ship was found too expensive to fix and put up for public auction.

Lost Cargo

The newly renamed SS Republic ran a trade route from New York to New Orleans. On only its fifth voyage, tragedy struck. A hurricane off the coast of Georgia sunk the ship on October 25, 1865. Passengers and crew were able to escape on lifeboats and were discovered two days later. All the cargo was lost.

The SS Republic was carrying silver half dollars, gold eagles, and gold double eagles. These would be critical to reviving the economy after the Civil War since paper money had lost its value. Paper money was worth less than half of its written denomination in some cases. These valuable coins never reached their destination

The SS Republic shipwreck