The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-04
MAY BE FULL OF poUBLooNs.
A Theory About the Old Wreck in the
hiVer.

/ A Theory About the Old Wreck in the
River.
The discovery of the wreck Of what ap-
pears 20 be that Of an old war vessel in the
river CT the eastern wharves has brought
forth some historic facts, sailors yarns. and
/ other reliable and unreliable data.
That the old timbers and stuff that are
now being brought to light are those OF a
war vessel, either fighting ship or trans
port, is beyond question.
or course every one knows that in 1873
when the British discovered the French
heet Of dEstaing of the Georgia coast they
made haste 70 blockade the harbor. Not
only were merchant vessels scuttled but
even war vessels we're sacrificed 10 meet the
emergency. The channel of Fig Island was
closed by sinking number Of ships, and TO
this day, although the distractions have
been removed that gave it It's name the
locality is still known as "The Wrecks
Above the CITY vessels were also sunk TO
prevent tho Frenchmen from approaching
from that direction, which could
have easily been done by going through
the Back river and around the upper end
OF Hutchinson's Island.
Overlooking that part Of the river
where the wreck referred to was discovered
once stood old Fort George, after
ward renamed by the Ameri>
cans. Fort Wayne The gas
works now occupy the site. 1t Is not i'm
probable that distractions we're placed in
the channel SO as 70 stop any vessel that
might by chance pass the distractions at
The Wrecks" under the very muzzles of
the cannon Of the fort. History says that
it was on the eastern front Of the fort that
Gen. Mcintosh and his little brigade were
captured on the ever-memorable 9th of
October, 1913.
Those whoremember the haste With which
vessels were dismantled aud sunk in the
river TO prevent the expected attack on this
city by the union forces from Port Royal.
can well imagine that the British comman-
der lost no time in protecting the city in a
like manner from the powerful feet which
the French had sent TO this coast to assist
Gen. Lincoln and his American army in
their efforts TO recapture Savannah.
Doubtless the old wreck is one of the
British vessels sunk ia l770, but a story is
told by Capt. Joseph 2. White that is in
teresting and worth repeating. He has a
theory based on what he WAS told thirty
five or forty years ago by Henry Stevens,
the old RuDsmith. who did business by the
market IN those days. IL ia the old yarn of
a Spanish vessel with boxes Of doubloons
slowed away in her nold. The story
is hoary with age, and goes
back to the days when OglethOrpe
made the Spauiards fall back from in front
of Frederika to the shelter Of the guns of
Fort San Marco at st. Augustine.
The story goes that in those good old
times the English captured Spanish ves-
sci bound from New Spain to Old Spain, aud
she was, as WAS usually the case. well sup
piled with gold. The vessel was brought to
this city and moored opposite the town, near
where Kinsey's saw-Inill now stands. The
vessel disappeared one night, ana it was
said that she sunk According to MIR.
Stevens story it would now be about sixty
years since party. who knew the facts,
searched for the wreck, but failed to find it.
Evidently it had been swept away by the
strong current of the river. Capt. White
has an idea that tho wreck discovered last
week may be that Of the gold-laden Span
lard that so suddenly disappeared century
and half ago. The dredging party should
keep look out for the sunken treasure.