Something caught graduate student Cory van Hees’s attention in the murky depths of the Cape Fear River that shouldn’t have been there. While diving near colonial wharves in North Carolina, he spotted wooden beams protruding from clay mud in patterns too organized to be natural debris.

The discovery would lead to one of the most significant maritime archaeological finds in recent memory – four colonial-era shipwrecks that had been hiding beneath protective marsh sediments for centuries. Among them may be the remains of a Spanish ship that met a violent end during a forgotten battle from King George’s War.

What started as routine measurements of 18th-century wharf timbers turned into a race against time to document and preserve vessels that erosion now threatens to destroy forever. Each wreck tells a different story about life, trade, and conflict in colonial America, but one stands out for its dramatic final moments in September 1748.

La Fortuna: The Spanish Ship That Went Down Fighting

La Fortuna arrived at Brunswick Town with hostile intentions on September 4, 1748. The Spanish privateer from Cuba anchored off the colonial port alongside another vessel, preparing to raid the English settlement during the closing days of King George’s War.

Spanish forces began their assault on the thriving colonial town, but they had underestimated the determination of the English colonists. After several days of fighting, the locals mounted a counterattack that caught the raiders off guard.

During the battle, La Fortuna exploded and sank near the colonial wharves, ending the Spanish threat but leaving behind a maritime time capsule that would remain hidden for nearly three centuries. Historical records document the attack and the ship’s destruction, making it one of the few Spanish vessels lost in North Carolina waters with a known backstory.

The violent end of La Fortuna represents more than just a military defeat – it illustrates how international conflicts of the 18th century reached American shores, affecting colonial communities trying to establish themselves in a dangerous world.

When Cypress Wood Tells a 300-Year Story

Scientists analyzing wood samples from one of the newly discovered wrecks found evidence that points directly to Spanish origins. Timber analysis revealed Monterey cypress or Mexican cypress – species native only to Southern California and Central America.

These wood choices indicate that 18th-century shipbuilders incorporated raw materials from Spanish Caribbean colonies, creating vessels that carried the forests of the New World in their very bones. The practice reflects the global nature of colonial shipbuilding, where materials traveled vast distances before taking shape as seagoing vessels.

La Fortuna stands as the only historically documented Spanish shipwreck in the Brunswick Town area, making the wood species identification particularly compelling. The scientific evidence aligns with historical records in ways that rarely occur in maritime archaeology.

Adding weight to the identification, the wreck site lies close to where Southport diver Dennison Breece recovered an 18th-century cannon in 1985 – artillery that researchers believe may have come from La Fortuna itself.

Two Students Get Lost and Make History

Van Hees and his diving partner Evan Olinger were working on a routine archaeological survey when visibility conditions in the Cape Fear River turned their simple measurement task into a significant discovery. They were trying to map the northern boundary of a colonial wharf when the murky water led them astray.

“I came across several wooden frames barely sticking out of the clay mud with evidence of planking just barely visible on the surface,” van Hees recalled. “I didn’t understand what I was looking at in that moment, but I knew I should relay the wooden structure to faculty. Later that day, Dr. Jason Raupp was able to confirm this was a wreck, which may be La Fortuna. It was kind of overwhelming and a little emotional feeling once it set in.”

The moment captures the unpredictable nature of archaeological discovery, where getting lost can lead to finding something extraordinary. Van Hees had chosen East Carolina University specifically for its maritime archaeology program, drawn by his father’s love of diving and shipwrecks, but he never expected to stumble upon such a significant find during his studies.

The emotional impact of connecting with history through direct physical discovery demonstrates why hands-on archaeological work remains irreplaceable despite advancing technology.

Three More Wrecks Tell Different Colonial Stories

Beyond the suspected La Fortuna, researchers documented three additional shipwrecks that reveal different aspects of colonial maritime life. Each vessel appears to have served distinct purposes in the busy port economy of 18th-century Brunswick Town.

One wreck sits positioned directly next to a colonial wharf, suggesting it was deliberately placed there for land reclamation projects. Colonial ports often used old vessels as fill material to extend waterfront property into the river, creating more space for commerce and industry.

Another discovery appears to be a colonial flatboat – a practical vessel designed for transporting people and goods between the main port and surrounding plantations. These workhorses of the colonial economy moved agricultural products, supplies, and passengers along the river system that connected inland farms to international trade networks.

The fourth wreck remains mysterious, with so little exposed that researchers cannot yet determine its original purpose or construction date. Coastal erosion has scattered its remains, making identification challenging but leaving open the possibility of future revelations.

Each vessel represents a different thread in the complex web of colonial maritime activity that made Brunswick Town a crucial economic center.

Digging Up a Forgotten Colonial Powerhouse

Brunswick Town operated as one of North Carolina’s earliest and most important colonial port towns, serving as the first successful European settlement in the Cape Fear region. The name “Cape Fear” itself reflects 16th-century sailors’ concerns about shipwrecks in these waters – concerns that proved prophetic given recent discoveries.

The port specialized in exporting pine products essential to the Royal Navy, including tar and turpentine used for ship maintenance and construction. These naval stores made Brunswick Town strategically important to the British Empire’s maritime operations throughout the Atlantic.

For roughly 50 years, the town thrived as a commercial hub connecting the Carolina interior to global trade networks. Ships arrived carrying manufactured goods from Europe and departed loaded with raw materials that would support naval operations from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean.

Dr. Jason Raupp, who led the discovery team, emphasized the site’s importance: “We are extremely excited about these important sites, as each one will help us to better understand the role of BTFA as one of the state’s earliest colonial port towns. These submerged colonial waterfront features are incredibly well-preserved and present an excellent opportunity for ECU students to engage in hands-on, collaborative research.”

A Race Against Time Where Erosion Threatens History

The same forces that exposed these remarkable archaeological sites now threaten to destroy them. Recent channel dredging, increased wave energy, and larger storms have accelerated shoreline erosion at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site.

Living shoreline wave attenuators protect the northern portion of the historic site, but the southern shoreline remains vulnerable to natural forces that have already begun scattering shipwreck remains across wider areas. Sites that remained protected beneath marsh sediments for centuries now face exposure and destruction within years or even months.

Recognizing the urgency, the research team conducted emergency recovery operations to save what they could. They documented the wreck sites as quickly as possible while extracting over 40 timber pieces from the suspected La Fortuna before the site could deteriorate further.

Although the shipwreck had already broken apart, individual timbers showed remarkable preservation. Some pieces retain tool markings left by 18th-century shipwrights, providing direct evidence of historical construction techniques and craftsmanship.

Treasure Trove of Colonial Artifacts Emerges

The shipwreck discoveries came alongside a wealth of colonial artifacts that paint a detailed picture of daily life and commerce in 18th-century Brunswick Town. Researchers found two timber-crib wharves that reveal sophisticated port infrastructure designed to handle significant maritime traffic.

A causeway crossing the historic marsh connected land-based activities to waterfront operations, demonstrating the engineering skills of colonial builders. Spanish pottery fragments provide additional evidence supporting the La Fortuna identification while illustrating the international nature of colonial trade.

Barrel staves bearing Roman numeral inscriptions show how colonists marked and tracked goods moving through the port. Clay tobacco pipes, glass bottles, leather shoes, and sailcloth offer glimpses into the personal possessions and daily activities of people who lived and worked at the site.

Even butchered animal bones contribute to the historical record, revealing dietary patterns and trade relationships that connected Brunswick Town to regional food networks. Each artifact helps researchers piece together the complex social and economic systems that sustained colonial communities.

From Muddy River Bottom to High-Tech Lab

All recovered timbers traveled to the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Laboratory at ECU’s West Research Campus in Greenville, where specialists will undertake long-term preservation efforts. The facility represents one of the most advanced maritime conservation operations in North America.

Wood species identification came through collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory, demonstrating how modern scientific techniques can unlock secrets that historical documents cannot provide. Tool markings visible on individual timbers will undergo detailed analysis to understand construction methods and potentially identify specific shipyards or craftsmen.

Ongoing research continues to investigate the construction and identity of each wreck, with scientists hoping to definitively confirm whether the suspected La Fortuna truly represents the Spanish privateer that exploded during that September 1748 battle.

Raupp reflected on the collaborative effort: “The successful recovery of the possible La Fortuna shipwreck and documentation of heritage at risk within a nationally significant historic site demonstrates the effectiveness of the collaborative efforts of the research team.”

Student Archaeologists Learn by Doing Real History

The discoveries occurred during ECU’s maritime studies field school, where students gain practical experience working on nationally significant archaeological sites. Van Hees represents the kind of student drawn to ECU’s program – someone passionate about diving and history who wants to contribute to understanding our maritime past.

East Carolina University offers one of the few degree programs globally focused specifically on maritime archaeology, attracting students from around the world who want hands-on experience with underwater cultural heritage. The Brunswick Town project provides exactly the kind of real-world learning that transforms classroom theory into practical skills.

Students working on these sites connect directly with the hands that shaped those timbers centuries ago, creating personal relationships with history that textbooks cannot provide. They learn not just archaeological techniques but also the emotional significance of preserving cultural heritage for future generations.

When Mud Becomes a Time Machine to Colonial America

These four shipwrecks represent more than archaeological specimens – they embody human stories frozen at moments of loss, abandonment, or deliberate placement. La Fortuna’s violent end during battle connects us to the fears and conflicts that shaped early American history, while the other vessels reflect the daily work of building communities in challenging environments.

Each timber saved from erosion serves as testimony to human resilience and ingenuity. Maritime archaeology reveals how our ancestors navigated both literal storms and the metaphorical challenges of establishing new societies in unfamiliar places.

The race against erosion reflects humanity’s ongoing struggle to preserve meaning against time’s relentless passage. Every piece of wood, every artifact, every structural feature documented by these student archaeologists honors people whose names history forgot but whose labor built the foundations of American civilization.

Colonial port discoveries show how communities created connections across vast distances, linking local economies to global networks through courage, skill, and determination. These archaeological windows into the past remind us that the human drive to explore, trade, and build endures across centuries, connecting us to ancestors who faced similar challenges with different tools but equal resolve.

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