CHIPS Articles: NHHC Participates in Archaeological Survey of Suspected USS Revenge Site
NHHC Participates in Archaeological Survey of Suspected USS Revenge Site
By Blair Atcheson, Heather Brown and George Schwarz, Ph.D, Naval History and Heritage Command
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December 28, 2015
Naval History and Heritage Command’s Underwater Archaeology Branch participated in a follow-up survey on a suspected War of 1812 vessel off the coast of Watch Hill, R.I. Dec. 7-8, 2015.
NHHC archaeologists Blair Atcheson, Heather Brown, and George Schwarz, Ph.D., joined local divers Charlie Buffum and Craig Harger who, along with Mike Fournier, discovered the wreck in August 2005. The objective of the project was to collect archaeological remote-sensing data over a site tentatively identified as Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s schooner USS Revenge. It was more than two centuries ago when the Revenge hit a reef and sunk just off the coast of Rhode Island. The schooner ran aground on Jan. 9, 1811 while returning to New London.
For more information about the survey, check out the story here.
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 Blair Atcheson, an underwater archaeologist with Naval History and Heritage Command, and Charlie Buffum survey the wreck site of an early 19th Century ship in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Watch Hill, R.I., Dec. 7, 2015. The site has been identified as potentially being the wreck of the schooner USS Revenge which was commanded by Commodore Olive Hazard Perry. The site, which consists of cannon, carronade, anchor, and other concreted objects, was first discovered by local divers Charlie Buffum, Craig Harger, and Mike Fournier in August 2005. Photo courtesy of NHHC.
 George Schwarz, an underwater archaeologist with Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), and Charlie Buffum survey the potential wreck site of USS Revenge in the shallow waters off the coast of Watch Hill, R.I., Dec. 7, 2015. The site was first discovered by local divers Charlie Buffum, Craig Harger, and Mike Fournier in August 2005. The 2015 survey was a cooperative effort between NHHC and Buffum and Harger. While NHHC provided survey equipment and archaeological expertise, the discoverers graciously donated their time, knowledge of local sea conditions, and use of their vessel and fuel to complete the survey. Revenge, a schooner commanded by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, ran aground on Jan. 9, 1811 in heavy fog. Buffum and Craig Harger discovered the possible Revenge wreck in August 2005. U.S. Navy photo by Blair Atcheson.
 Magnetic field data from a portion of the survey area indicating (between 19 and 21) the potential iron objects (indicated as red) on the seafloor. Image courtesy of NHHC. |