Posted on 08/15/2010 7:36:07 AM PDT by Pharmboy
heh...amusing tie-in if they raise her and she's from 1780.
When as a lad so many years ago I first read of the surrender to Lincoln, I recall thinking about how the song seemed to apply to our relationships now versus then...the US with Britain and US with France.
Seriously though, this preservation is amazing; another reminder of the price that was paid to secure our freedom. Too bad we have forgotten so much of it. I pray that things like this will remind us before it is too late and freedom is lost forever.
I don’t have a lot of experience reading wrecks like this, even with this high-frequency shot. Do you know if this might be indicative of a ship that burned, with the hull nicely intact, or is there no way to tell?
A British army was defeated in New York at Saratoga.
Washington crossed the Delaware and captured the troops of Johann Rall quartered in Trenton.
In the South, the British could defeat an American army at Camden, but, shortly thereafter, large British detachments were annihilated at Kings Mountain, Blackstock farm, and the Cow Pens, forcing Cornwallis to move out of the Carolinas.
There was a large peace party growing in the English Parliament. The war was costing Britain enormous sums.
All this without French aid.
With or without French aid, the Americans were going to win eventually.
A fireship, or any other vessel that burned, would likely have burned to the waterline, which would leave no deck beams that we see on the image.
Now that we know that this image is of another vessel and not the new find, I’m wondering if the image is the brig Betsy, used as a troop transport. The excavation of Betsy discovered that a carpenter had chiseled a hole in her planking to scuttle her, she was not burned.
What an interesting and informative thread this is. Thanks, FReepers.
Thanks for the clarification.
If you want to minimize their contributions, fine, but I stand by my original statement.
It’s interesting to learn the fate of the Fowey, which captured one of George Washington’s schooners in 1775, the Washington. My fourth great-grandfather was among the crew and was transferred from the Fowey to the Tartar for imprisonment in England. He returned to America in 1783. A good reference is George Washington’s Schooners: The First American Navy, by Chester G. Hearn.
bkmk
I was unaware of that incident and book, so thanks for the reference. But mostly, thanks for your 4-gen G-Grandfather’s service. I see courage and patriotism runs in your family...
The French monarchy had no use for the principles of the Declaration or a bunch of rebels, but they followed the old rule, the enemy of my enemy is my friend . . . .
BTTT
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