Tobacco

Smoking and chewing tobacco was very prevalent aboard the ironclad as evidenced by the amount of tobacco and the number of smoking pipes recovered from Cairo. Interestingly, the tobacco has retained its tobacco scent even after having been submerged beneath the muddy Yazoo River for over a century!

Large amounts of the brown-black tobacco survived even after having been submerged in the muddy depths of the Yazoo River for over 100 years. The tobacco recovered was made up of about seven layers and is somewhat brittle. Miraculously enough the tobacco has retained its tobacco odor.

Tobacco. L 19.7, W 12.7, H 8.9 cm
Vicksburg National Military Park, U.S.S. Cairo Museum, VICKC 1566