Minho
Also known as: SS Minho
blockade runner · Portugal · Lost 1862
Status: salvaged · Curator Verified
Research & Discovery: Dr. E. Lee Spence — Marine Archaeologist
Significance
The Minho was a Portuguese-flagged vessel operating as a blockade runner for the Confederate cause when she grounded on the shoals near Charleston. Her international registry reflects the widespread European involvement in Confederate blockade running, primarily through British merchants and shipping companies. Portions of her cargo were salvaged after her loss. The wreck represents the complex web of international commerce that sustained the Confederacy during the war.
Technical Details
| Vessel Type | blockade runner |
|---|---|
| Flag / Nation | Portugal |
| Built | 1862 |
| Length | 58 m |
| Tonnage | 380 tons |
| Cargo | Medical supplies, luxury goods, arms |
| Date Lost | March 1862 |
| Cause of Loss | grounding |
| Conflict | American Civil War |
| Body of Water | Atlantic Ocean |
| Region | South Carolina, USA |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 32.73°, -79.82° |
| Discovery Year | 1969 |
| Discovered By | Dr. E. Lee Spence |
Sources & Citations
- [1] Spence, E. Lee. Treasures of the Confederate Coast. 1995.
- [2] Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies.
Related Wrecks
- CSS Georgiana (1863) — South Carolina, USA
- Stonewall Jackson (1863) — South Carolina, USA
- H.L. Hunley (1864) — South Carolina, USA
- Mary Bowers (1864) — South Carolina, USA
- Norseman (1864) — South Carolina, USA
- USS Housatonic (1864) — South Carolina, USA