Workers dredge up cannonballs in Galv. Bay

TEXAS CITY, TX This isn't the first historical find in the area. On November 22, 2009, a 10,000-pound Dahlgren cannon was brought to the surface from the Texas City Channel by the Corps. The cannon was part of the USS Westfield, a Civil War-era gunboat blown up by its crew during the Battle of Galveston in 1863.

The cannonballs, weighing about 60 pounds each, were removed by the FBI and will be turned over to the US Navy. Members of the US Coast Guard's Marine Safety Unit Texas City assisted in the investigation.

The dredging is part of a $71 million project that will deepen nearly seven miles of the Texas City Ship channel from 40 feet to 45 feet to make it more accessible to larger vessels.