<P>The Military Engineer ? No. 66663 I mproving the nations waterways sometimes leads to fascinating ar- cheological discoveries in the murky depths. Such is the case of the Texas City Channel Deepening Project. Galveston Bay, Texas, contains several busy waterways that enable ships to travel from the Gulf of Mexico past the island city of Galveston and on to the ports of Texas City or Houston. In 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galves- ton District began a three-year project to deepen the nearly 7-mi-long Texas City Ship Channel from 40-ft to 45-ft. When complete, the Texas City Channel Deep- ening Project will enable better access and maneuverability within the channel for large oil tankers bringing crude to nearby re?neries and other large ships carrying petrochemical products. In 2005, as preparation for the project, the consulting ?rm PBS&J surveyed a sec- tion of the 46-ft-deep bay ?oor using sonar and a magnetometer, which measures vari- ations in magnetic ?elds—and essentially ?nds iron. The investigations, required by Section 106 of the National Historic Pres- ervation Act, found vague outlines of arti- facts strewn over roughly a quarter acre of the bay ?oor. After consulting with the U.S. Navy History and Heritage Command and the Texas Historical Commission, USACE decided on a $3.2 million, multi-phase re- covery of the artifacts. A Storied Past, A Watery Grave USS West?eld was a Civil War gunboat that met its demise in battle long ago. From a historical perspective, USS West- ?eld is a signi?cant ?nd. Few ships asso- ciated with the Civil War have ever been found in Texas, and USS West?eld is the only Union gunboat discovered to date. It also played a unique and critical role in the Unions battle strategy against the Confederates. USS West?eld was originally built in 1861 in New York City as a Staten Island Ferry for Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, the famous shipping tycoon. The steam-pow- ered ferry had a shallow draft, measuring only 13.5-ft from its deepest submerged point up to the waterline. USS West?eld served only ?ve months in Vanderbilts ferry service before it was sold to the Navy in 1862 and converted into a gunboat. USS West?elds shallow draft allowed it to serve a unique purpose. It was used to tow large, sail-powered gunboats over shallow sandbars along the Mississippi River. The sail-powered boats, loaded with cannons and ammunition, were then positioned strategically where they could unleash their ?repower at cities on the shore. USS West?eld participated in the capture of New Orleans, La., and the bombardment of Vicksburg, Miss., for control of the Mississippi River before be- ing deployed to Texas. Treasures of the Deep By Robert Gearhart, Amy Borgens and Janelle Stokes A project to deepen the Texas City Shipping Channel in Galveston Bay turned up more than sediment when workers unearthed artifacts from a Civil War-era gunboat. Water Planning & Management A Dahlgren cannon and 18 shells, among other artifacts from the Civil War-era USS West?eld, were recovered from the ?oor of Galveston Bay in preparation for a major dredging project now underway there. The artifacts will be displayed to the public at a future date. Photos by Amy Borgens</p> <UL><LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/1/1/">Front-Cover</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/2/2/">Inside-Front-Cover</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/3/3/">Page-1</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/4/4/">Page-2</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/5/5/">Page-3</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/6/6/">Page-4</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/7/7/">Page-5</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/8/8/">Page-6</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/9/9/">Page-7</a></LI> <LI><a href="http://www.stallionpublishers.com/publication/609/tofzxaosm/10/10/">Page-8</a></LI> 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