About the Book

Come along on the search for the greatest shipwreck treasure of the Civil War era—lost in a hurricane in the deep Atlantic.

In the tradition of Ship of Gold and Shadow Divers, this book tells of a remarkable ship—the “Forrest Gump” of Civil War steamships—and the equally fascinating search by Greg Stemm and John Morris, pioneers of modern shipwreck exploration.

The SS Republic survived three hurricanes, transported mercenaries, served both sides in the Civil War, and became an alternate flagship for Admiral Farragut. In 1865 she sank carrying a reported $400,000 in gold and silver coins.

Discovered in 2003, the wreck yielded more than 51,000 coins and an extraordinary time capsule of American life. This is the story of immense risk and even greater rewards.