Underwater Cemetery Found Off Florida's Dry Tortugas National Park

NBC ^ | 5-2-23 | unattributed

[dynachrome]

Archeologists have found the remains of a 19th century quarantine hospital and cemetery on a submerged island in Florida's Dry Tortugas National Park in the Gulf of Mexico.

While only one grave has been identified, historical records indicate dozens of people — mostly U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Jefferson — may have been buried at the site in waters west of Key West, Florida, park officials said in a news release Monday.

A group that included park cultural resources staff, the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center, the Southeast Archeological Center, and a University of Miami graduate student, made the discovery during a survey of Fort Jefferson Post Cemetery that began last August.

They discovered the grave of John Greer, a laborer who died on Nov. 5, 1861. Officials said they don't know much about Greer, but his grave was prominently marked with a large slab of greywacke, the same material used to construct the first floor of Fort Jefferson.

[Honest Nigerian]

Thanks for posting that history.
Dr. Mudd was not a part of the Lincoln assassination. He provided medical care (of a sort) to one of those allegedly involved.
I have heard that the saying “his name is mud” is directly connected to what happened to this Dr.

[samiam5]

I think the fort grew so large that the island tipped over.

[Hiddigeigei]

I spent some time on Fort Jefferson as a graduate student and wrote a paper on how the surrounding keys have changed shape over time. I did some snorkeling around the island and don’t remember it as being particularly murky.

[redfreedom]

“How did an island get so far underwater?”

The island was above water just 7 years ago, but a glacier in Cuba melted due to global warming. It seems like those old 1950’s cars the Cubans run around in really spit out green house gases and warmed the place up enough to cause the local waters to rise. /sarc/

If that story came out in the MSM, there would be people that believed it.

[Ten Beers Gone]

On one of my many trips to Key West, I took a seaplane out to Fort Jefferson. During the 40 minute flight, we flew over two shipwrecks and an atoll. Once there, we were free to explore the place. I took the stairs to the roof and walked the entire perimeter. The view was magnificent. We were supplied with snorkeling gear, so I went snorkeling on the southwest side of island. There was another island - about 200 yards to the east - I believe it was called Bush Key - that was a bird sanctuary. There were thousands of birds and they made quite a racket!

Back then (2006) "woke" was not a thing and the rangers did talk about the fort's history as a Union prison- as well as some of its infamous residents from the Lincoln assassination.

Because my phone did not work - imagine that - I could not check this, but my understanding is that the Dry Tortugas Park is in the Central Time Zone.

I would like to go again, and the wife would like to go for the first time, but she ain't getting on a seaplane. There is a ferry, but it's three hours each way. I suppose there are worse ways to spend six hours...

If you get the opportunity, the trip is worthwhile. It's beautiful and, if you don't mind the squawking birds, very serene.

[BipolarBob]

I did some snorkeling around the island and don’t remember it as being particularly murky.

Yeah, but you weren't digging graves and burying bodies. That's the difference.

[dfwgator]

[BipolarBob]

He actually later was pardoned because of his work at the prison. They had a yellow fever outbreak and the forts physician died and left him as the only doctor left. He identified the problem and treated everyone with success. Hence his life sentenced was reduced to four years.