Schooner Allie B. Cathrall ~ 5 February 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:

The Allie B. Cathrall stranded at night in thick and stormy weather at False Cape, North Carolina. A night patrolman discovered her shortly afterwards, showed his Coston signal and gave the alarm at station. A start was immediately made for a wreck with beach apparatus. Communication was established with the first shot and the crew of six men was soon safely landed in the breeches buoy. Gave them shelter and succor at the station until the 19th, while unloading her cargo of lumber. The vessel was a total loss.

Sailboat Anna Laura ~ 15 December 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897:

The Anna Laura capsized during a gale and struck on a shoal 3 miles N.W of the Chicacomico Station at 6 p.m. on the 15th. The Keeper discovered it at daylight, and saw the two men wading ashore. Lifesavers went to their assistance and took the boat to a secure berth and the men to the station where they were furnished with dry clothing. Surfmen succeeded in saving the mail from the overturned boat, and on the 18th the two men left for Roanoke Island.

Schooner E.S. Newman ~ 11 October 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897:

Sails blown away and master obliged to beach her during hurricane 2 miles below station at 7 p.m. Signal of distress was immediately answered by patrolman’s Coston light. Keeper and crew quickly started for the wreck with beach apparatus. The sea was sweeping over the beach and threatened to prevent reaching scene of disaster, but they finally gained a point near the wreck. It was found to be impossible to bury the sand anchor, as the tide was rushing over the entire beach, and they decided to tie a large-sized shot line around two surfmen and send them down through the surf as near the vessel as practicable. These men waded in and succeeded in throwing a line on board with the heaving stick. It was made fast to the master’s three-year old child, who was then hauled off by the surfman and carried ashore. In like manner his wife and the 7 men composing the crew were rescued under great difficulties and with imminent peril to the life savers. They were all taken to station and furnished with food and clothing, and during next three days the surfmen aided in saving baggage and stores from wreck. On the 14th three of the crew left for Norfolk, and on the 21st the remainder departed for their homes, the vessel having proved a total loss.
 

U.S. Coast Guard Award:

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Richard Etheridge
Benjamin Bowser
Dorman Pugh
Theodore Meekins
Lewis Wescott
Stanley Wise
William Irving

Awarded 5 March 1996

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The three-masted schooner E.S. Newman, sailing from Providence, RI to Norfolk, VA ran into a hurricane. Pushed before the storm, the ship lost all sails and drifted almost 100 miles before it ran aground about two miles south of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station (NC) on 11 October 1896. The station keeper, Richard Etheridge, had discontinued the routine patrols due to the high water that had inundated the island. Surfman Theodore Meekins, however, saw what he thought was a distress signal and lit a Coston flare. He then called to Etheridge to look for a return signal. Both strained to look through the storm. Moments later, they saw a faint signal of a vessel in distress.
     Etheridge, a veteran of nearly twenty years, readied the crew. They hitched mules to the beach cart and hurried toward the vessel. Arriving on the scene, they found Captain S.A. Gardiner and eight others clinging to the wreckage. Unable to fire a line because the high water prevented the Lyle Gun’s deployment, Etheridge directed two surfmen to bind themselves together with a line. Grasping another line, the pair moved into the breakers while the remaining surfmen secured the shore end. The two surfmen reached the wreck and, using a heaving stick, got a line on board. Once a line was tied around one of the crewmen, all three were then pulled back through the surf by the crew on the beach. The remaining eight persons were carried to shore in similar fashion. After each trip two different surfmen replaced those who had just returned.
     For their efforts the crew of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station, Richard Etheridge, Benjamin Bowser, Dorman Pugh, Theodore Meekins, Lewis Wescott, Stanley Wise, and William Irving were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal on 5 March 1996.

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Steamer Glanayron ~ 22 May 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:

Stranded at 7.45 p.m. in heavy weather on the outer Diamond Shoals, about 9 miles SSE. Of this station (Cape Hatteras), her master attributing the casualty to the fact that the light on the cape seemed to show indistinctly. A rocket sent up from the vessel was answered by the patrolman with his Coston light, and when the keeper was notified, a few moments later, he in turn displayed a signal which, being responded to, confirmed his fears that a wreck had occurred. Cooperation was requested by telephone from the Big Kinnakeet and Creeds Hill Life Sating stations, the station team being sent to the latter point to haul their boat to the north shore of the cape, the southwest wind making it too rough to launch from the southern beach. On the arrival of these crews, at 10.55 and 11.30 p.m., respectively, a consultation was held by the three keepers and it was decided, as the night was very dark and the breakers heavy, to wait until early morning before going off to the vessel. A little before daylight two of the surfboats were manned and set out for the scene, arriving alongside the ship at 6 a.m., the third crew being left on shore as a reserve in case of accident. The steamer’s two lifeboats were lowered, laden with her crew’s personal effects, and taken in tow, the men themselves, 23 all told, being distributed among the several boats, and the return trip safely accomplished by 11.45 a.m. On May 24 Cape Hatteras surfmen again boarded the vessel and towed her small boat ashore, also bringing several articles for her master. The shipwrecked crew were maintained at the station until the 26th instant, when they left for Norfolk, VA. The vessel proved a total loss. (See letter of acknowledgement.)

CAPE HATTERAS LIFE-SAVING STATION, May 25, 1896

DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned, are under deep obligations to yourself and to keeper P.H. Etheridge and his crew, as also to the keepers and crews of Big Kinnakeet and Creeds Hill life-saving stations for magnificent services rendered us when our steamship Glayron, of Aberystwith, stranded on Diamond Shoals, off Cape Hatteras, on Friday, the 22d of May, at 7.55 p.m. On sending up rockets they were immediately answered by the patrol from the beach, a red Coston signal being burned, and ten minutes later a red rocket was sent up from the life-saving station. At daybreak the noble keepers and their crews came off to our assistance, which was a very difficult task, owing to the state of the sea and the breakers which prevailed at the time. However, they were successful in their work, rescuing all hands on board with their personal effects, and we wish to express to yourself and the keepers and crews of the above life-saving stations our appreciation of these services and our sincere thanks. EVAN FLLOYD, Master ; E.M. LEWIS, First Mate ; E. MURPHY, First Engineer ; WILLIAM F. HAWKES, Third Engineer ; DAVID HUGHES, Second Mate ; EVAN DAVIES, Steward

Barkentine Henry Norwell ~ 7 July 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30 1897:

Stranded at 2 a.m. 2-1/2 miles NNE. of the station, having failed to wear ship in a heavy squall. Information of the disaster was brought to the keeper two hours later by a local resident. A crew of 8 men was employed (inactive seamen), and with the assistance of the keeper of the Chicamacomico Station the life savers proceeded to her aid in the surfboat. Finding that the vessel had worked over the outer bar, close inshore, it was decided not to use the boat. A line was sent from the wreck and a hawser set up by the life savers; a boat-swain’s chair was then rigged on a traveler, and all hands (10 in number, including the master’s wife) were safely landed, together with their effects and a portion of the ship’s stores, which were hauled to the station by the service team from Chicamacomico. By ordered of the owners the vessel was turned over to the wreck commissioner on July 10, and the material saved was sold on the 14th, the barkentine proving a total loss. The shipwrecked people were sheltered at the station, the crew leaving for Elizabeth City on the fourth day, but the master remaining until the final disposition was made of the wreck.

Steamer James Woodall ~ 12 January 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:

Stranded in hazy weather, about 8 p.m., on New Inlet outer bar. Patrolman burned his Coston signal, which was answered by the vessel’s whistle, and promptly informed the station. Keeper notified the Pea Island and Chicamicomico stations, requesting the latter to send crew and mules to his aid. The New Inlet crew proceeded to the scene with their beach apparatus, but vessel was found to be out of range of the Lyle gun. They returned to the station for the lifeboat, and then the keepers sent up two rockets to reassure the shipwrecked men and hurry the other life saving crew. Having started with their boat they were met by the Chicamicomico crew and mules and together proceeded to a point abreast the vessel. Here another rocket was displayed, and at low water, about 10 p.m., in a heavy surf and very dark night, the lifeboat was launched, her own crew being strengthened by two of the Chicamicomico crew. Found the vessel lying broadside to the sea, rolling deeply and with the breakers sweeping her for and aft, requiring the whole strength and most skillful efforts of the crew to prevent their boat from being dashed to pieces against her. After a hard struggle got the entire crew of 10 into the lifeboat and landed them safely. The Pea Island crew were now on the beach and assisted to get lifeboat and beach apparatus to the station. On the following day brought ashore the personal effects of the shipwrecked crew. Sheltered and fed the distressed seamen for 5 days, and the mate one day longer. A small portion of perishable cargo was saved and disposed of by the captain on the beach, the keeper notifying the residents near by of the sale. The vessel proved a loss. (See letter of acknowledgement.)

NEW INLET LIFE-SAVING STATION, January 14, 1896

DEAR SIR: I take this opportunity—and it is with pleasure I do so—to express through you the gratitude and very high appreciation which I and my shipwrecked crew of the steamer James Woodall have for Captain J.H. Westcott and his brave crew of the New Inlet Life-Saving Station, assisted by the crews of the Chicamicomico and Pea Island stations, for the skill and daring which they displayed on Sunday night, the 12th instant, in rescuing us with their lifeboat from a watery grave, at the peril of their own lives, on a dark night, through heavy breakers and seas, which swept all over my steamer. Their kind and humane treatment of us while with them bespeaks for them and the Service which they represent the loudest praise and commendation. Very truly, yours, C. H. LANGE, Master Steamer James Woodall ; W.L. MESSICK, Mate ; ARCHIE KING, Chief Engineer ; ERNEST E. LANGWORTH, Assistant Engineer

Newspaper Article:
New York Times, January 14, 1896

Tug Levi Davis ~ 29 November 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services fr the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897:

Stranded in hazy weather, about 6 p.m., 4 miles SE. of the station and ¾ mile off shore, her master mistaking an old sunken wreck for a buoy. The evening patrolman, having discovered the casualty, burned his Coston signal to reassure her crew, and the surfmen were soon on the scene, where they were shortly afterwards joined by the life savers from the Cape Fear Station and by the tug Blanche, which vessel at once proceeded to Southport to procure additional hawsers, there not being sufficient length of line at hand to reach the stranded towboat. However, during her absence the boiler of the Levi Davis broke loose and the craft bilged, her crew of 8 men being taken off in the Oak Island surfboat, together with most of their personal effects, while the Cape Fear surfmen saved a small boat belonging to the steamer. Upon the return of the Blanche the shipwrecked men were put aboard her and the life savers returned to their posts, the Oak Island crew being given a tow abreast their station. The Davis proved a total loss.

Newspaper Article:
New York Times, December 1, 1896

Catboat Maud ~ found 3 May 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:

Pea Island’s south patrolman, while on duty from midnight to 3 a.m. (Sunday), discovered the catboat Maud in the edge of the surf. The following day the lifesaving crew hauled her well upon the beach above the high-water mark, finding the craft considerably damaged. She was turned over to the wreck commissioner, and finally sold by him on May 19.

Shooner Maggie J. Lawrence ~ 10 February 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896:

The Maggie J. Lawrence stranded during a strong northwest wind, at 3:30 a.m. She was discovered by a patrolman and reported at the station, and also at the Oregon Inlet Station. The keeper and crew hauled beach apparatus and a surfboat abreast of the vessel and awaited daylight before beginning action, as the schooner was gradually working inshore, and in no immediate danger of going to pieces. As it grew light, it was found that the surfboat could be used to advantage. This was soon launched, and the wreck was reached. A crew of seven and their baggage were taken off and landed without mishap. The Oregon Inlet crew arrived in time to assist in landing and hauling the surfboat upon the beach. They sheltered the crew at their station for six days, while engaged in saving stores, rigging and sails of the wrecked vessel. Her master was cared for during fifteen days while this work was in progress, and was aided by the station crew. The schooner was a total loss.

Steamer Sardinian Prince ~ 1 January 1896

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1897:

During a rift in the fog, at 6 a.m., the Wash Woods surfman on the south patrol discovered the Sardinian Prince aground about 2-1/2 miles SSE of he station and ¾ miles offshore. Having burned his Coston signal, he returned and called his mates. After summoning towboats the surfboat proceeded to the scene, reaching the steamer at 7:30, and at once assisted to carry out a kedge. Having been shortly joined by the lifesavers from Currituck Inlet a second anchor was run out, but the tide had fallen too much to admit of releasing the craft. The deck load of lumber was now thrown off, and at 3 p.m. four tugs, which had reached the spot, took hold of the stranded vessel and succeeded at 5 p.m. in floating her. On the 4^th inst. 2,000 feet of the jettisoned lumber, which had come ashore near Wash Woods, was saved by outside parties employed through the efforts of the keeper, who notified the insurance agents and wreck commissioner, the latter disposing of the same by public auction on Jan. 9.

(Note: It's not clear to me that the Sardinian Prince was actually wrecked. JH)

William H. Anderson ~ February 3, 1896