At 4:00 A.M. on April 1, 1864, the Civil War paddle wheeler, Maple Leaf, struck an underwater mine and sank in the St. Johns River in North Florida. The contents were not salvaged, and the wreck was largely forgotten.

Maple Leaf was carrying supplies and personal belongings for Union soldiers who fought in the Battle of Olustee on February 20 of that year.

Buried in anaerobic mud for over a century, the site is very well preserved.

Investigations in the 1980s and 1990s produced a wide array of artifacts that give us a glimpse into the soldiers’ daily lives. Such items include ordinary goods like sewing kits, pipes, ceramics, and musical instruments, as well as tents, field furniture, and even an inscribed sword, all part of one of the best preserved collections of Civil War artifacts in existence.

Information provided by the Florida Division of Historical Resources.