Military
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The Betsy, a two-masted brig originally built to carry coal, was one of more than a dozen vessels deliberately scuttled by the British in September 1781 just off the Yorktown waterfront, and its remains lie on the bottom of the York River beyond the end of the pier. Beginning in 1982, Virginia Department of Historic Resources archaeologists excavated parts of the ship and hundreds of other artifacts, using a temporary steel cofferdam to eliminate dangerous currents and improve visibility. After more than 200 years, much of the ship’s hull and framing had survived, and recovered artifacts from the 175-foot-long brig included weapons, rigging, barrels, a cannon carriage, and personal objects from the captain’s cabin.
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Yorktown, Virginia · United States
