In search of USS Cumberland and CSS Florida

The CSS Florida is another Confederate ironclad that Clive Cussler searched for. He chronicled that search in The Sea Hunters (1996).

A year and seven months after the Cumberland sank, just off the town of Newport News, Virginia; the CSS Florida was scuttled. Most historians, including Cussler, believe it was done on the orders of Admiral David Dixon. Here's a bit from Wikipedia:

At Newport News, Virginia [after having been captured in Brazil and brought back to the U S, in violation of Brazil's neutrality laws] on November 28, 1864, Florida reached the end of her strange career when she sank under dubious circumstances after a collision with the USAT Alliance, a troop ferry. The sinking was most likely done at Admiral David Dixon Porter's encouragement, if not his orders. The Florida could therefore not be delivered to Brazil in satisfaction of the final court order, and could not rejoin the ranks of the Confederate Navy.

Here's the story of the Florida prior to the sinking, as told by Cussler:

On March 22, 1862, the Oreto puts out to sea from Liverpool. Allegedly built for the Italian navy, it was instead sailed to Nassau in the Bahamas, where it was given to the commans of the Confederate blockade runner, John Maffitt.

August 16, 1862
Now mounting 6-inch guns, two 7-inch Blakely rifled guns and a twelve-pound howitzer, the ship is re-christened the CSS Florida.

September 4, 1862
After a 3-day cruise across the Gulf of Mexico from Havana, the yellow-fever afflicted crew manage to run the blockade into Fort Morgan, Florida.

January 16, 1863 Maffitt and the Florida steam out of Mobile ay and begin their raiding career.

After two successful voyages, the Florida was in port in Bahia, Brazil to take on supplies and coal. Despite the fact that it was a neutral port, Commander Napoleon Collins of the USS Wachusett sailed in and captured her, and towed her back to Virginia.

So angry were the Brazilians at this violation ofd neutrality that an international incident was in the offing. Rather than be forced to release the Florida, the decision was made by Thomas Seward (according to Cussler) to scuttle her.

At the same time that Cussler looked for the Cumberland, he also looked for the CSS Florida.

Researchers Bob Fleming and Dr. Chester Bradley (an authority on the sinking of Cumberland, Florida and Congress) helped with the document search.

To be continued