Schooner Adamantine ~ November 1867

The Evening Telegraph, Nov. 13, 1867

Steamer Carl Gerhard ~ 23 September 1929

Steamer Carl Gerhard

The 244-foot long Carl Gerhard was built in Larvik, Norway. A Swedish-owned iron freighter, she was carrying 1,504 tons of plasterboard and was bound from Mabou, Nova Scotia to Tampa, Fl. She had stranded in the mud off Mabou soon after sailing and was thought to have sustained no damage,

     On September 23, 1929, less than two years after the loss of the Kysikes, the Gerhard was buffeted about by stormy winds off the New England coast and began to ship water. The weather was so overcast that sights could not be taken. According to a statement by Captain A. Ohlsson, they had been lost for 5 days, looking in vain for the stars or sun above, or warning beams of lighthouses on shore. He thought he was at least 50 miles at sea until the moment the Gerhard came to a sudden stop on the outer bar off Kill Devil Hills—she bumped over the sand reef and ran into the sunken hull of the Kysikes.

     Surfman Baum sighted the vessel soon after dawn and summoned the four Coast Guard crews under command of Keeper Herman Smith at Bodie Island Station. The sea was too high and rough for boat service, so the Lyle gun was placed in position. Fortunately, the shot they sent across the Gerhard’s deck was true, for in the words of Captain Ohlsson, “the seas, lashed for days by the strong northeast winds, pounced upon her like a lion upon its prey.” She immediately began to go to pieces.

     There was a woman on board, Mrs. Ethel Adehard, who was the wife of the mate. A crewman came ashore first to test the breeches boy, then Mrs. Adehard, and after her the 20 remaining men. Clothing and personal belongings were left behind, some recovered later, but as the breeches buoy made trip after trip other living things beside the human beings appeared there on the beech—first a dog, pet of one of the crewmen, then a second dog, and finally a cat.

     By noon the rescue was completed and soon afterward Mate and Mrs. Adehard and the crewmen returned to their native land or sought berths on other ships. In a ceremony in New York City, the Coast Guard was honored by the Swedish King for the heroism shown during the eventful rescue.

Schooner Danube ~ May 14, 1844

New York Tribune, May 23, 1844

Dudley Farlin ~ 2 April 1891

Wrecks and Derelicts in the North Atlantic Ocean, 1887 to 1893, Inclusive

The USS Yantic reports that the sunken ship Dudley Farlin about 24 miles N.E. of Bodie Island is not to be found. Concluded heavy weather has broker her up. The same conclusion may be reached as regards the two wrecks off Cape Lookout, NC (Aberlady Bay and Glenrath). March 30, a careful search during very favorable weather failed to reveal as much as a break or swirl of water by which the whereabouts of the sunken steamers Aberlady Bay or Glenrath might be known, both of which lay off Cape Lookout. Wreck of schooner Mollie J. Saunders was located and marked by a buoy March 31, 7 miles southeast from Bodie Island, the weather being too rough to blow her up.

Bark Ezra ~ September 2, 1869

The North Carolinian 9 September 1869

Schooner Florence C. Magee ~ 25 February 1894

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894:

Stranded and sunk on the evening of the 25th instant. Called Nags Head crew by telephone, and went to her with beach apparatus about 1 a.m. Crew of 10 persons were in the rigging. Tried to use the beach gear, but although three shot lines were placed on board, the swift current prevented the successful working of the apparatus. Finally launched the surfboat, the keeper of the Nags Head Station accompanying the Bodie Island crew. At about the same time a fishing smack ran down the beach outside the breakers and had taken off four of the crew when the surfboat reached the schooner. The life savers took off the remaining 6 persons and received into the surfboat the four men who had got into the smack. Landed them safely, and succored them two days at the station and provided clothing. The captain remained at the station 9 days. (See letter of acknowledgement.)

BODIE ISLAND, NORTH CAROLINA, February 28, 1894

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: We, the undersigned, master and mariners of the schooner Florence E. Magee, wrecked on this beach on the night of the 25th instant, desire to testify to the great bravery and exertion exhibited by Captain Jesse T. Etheridge and his gallant crew of Life-Saving Station No. 15 (Bodie Island) in rescuing us from our perilous position on the wreck. They worked from the time the wreck was discovered, at 12.40 a.m. the 26th, until 4 p.m., when we were landed. Having used every effort to shoot a line across the wreck, and succeeding in this, found it impossible to land us on account of the long distance the vessel was stranded from the beach; launched the surfboat, and at great peril of his life and crew came to us and rescued us. For this rescue and the efforts put forth to accomplish it we desire to express in this matter our appreciation of his kindness in rescuing us and the very kind treatment which we have received during our stay at the station. Yours, truly, HENRY C. ROGERS, Master ; SAMUEL G. BLACK, Mate ; JOHN RUBY, Second Mate ; FRANK KNIGHT, Cook ; ANDREW STRIGH, Engineer, MICAL ANTON, Seaman ; GUNDER KISTENSEN, Seaman ; JOHN MARTINSEN, Seaman ; HARRY HANSEN, Seaman ; THOS. MESSENA, Seaman

Schooner George M. Adams ~ 1 May 1897

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

Stranded about 4 a.m. 1 mile SSE. Of the station and 75 yards offshore, the casualty being discovered a few moments later by the patrolman as he returned along his beat, whereupon he discharged his night signal and hastened forward to give the alarm. The keeper, having first telephoned the Bodie Island crew for assistance, to which call they promptly responded, set out with his men and the beach apparatus, drawn by the Government team, for the scene, where they arrived at 5.45 a.m., and at the first shot laid a line across the vessel and landed the master in the breeches buoy. The latter did not desire to have his crew taken off at that time, but while discussing the situation the vessel came in close to the beach, broadside on, forming a lee, and her hands, 8 in number, launched their yawl, and, making fast to the whip line of the buoy, were hauled ashore in safety, with their effects, by the two life saving crews, three trips being thus made. All the shipwrecked sailors were now taken to the Nags Head Station, whence 6 of them left on the 3d inst. By steamer for Norfolk; but the captain and two men remained until the 14th instant, saving what they could from the schooner, with the assistance of the surfmen, and finally disposing of her at public auction.

Schooner Laura A. Barnes ~ 1 June 1921

Built in 1918, the Laura A. Barnes was a 120-foot wooden four-masted schooner out of Camden, ME. She set sail without cargo from New York en route to South Carolina and stranded in breakers off Bodie Island during a Nor'easter on June 1, 1921. Her crew of 8 men, which included owner/master C.H. Barnes, was rescued by the men at the Bodie Island Coast Guard Station.

Brig Marion ~ November 4, 1842

The Times-Picayune, November 28, 1842

Ship Mathilda ~ October 27, 1897

The Baltimore Sun, Oct. 27, 1897

Steamer Oriental ~ May 1862

The sailing steamer Oriental was built in 1861 in Philadelphia, and was used as a Federal transport ship in the Civil War. She met her fate in May of 1862, shipwrecked off Bodie Island 33 miles north of Cape Hatteras. The passengers and crew were saved. Today, one of the Oriental's portholes is on display in the town of Oriental, NC at the Oriental History Museum. The fate of the Oriental's nameplate is unknown.

New York Times

Published: May 25, 1862

The steamship Oriental, ashore twenty-five miles north of Hatteras, lies in the same position as when she went on. One wrecking vessel has been to her assistance, and another had been sent from Newbern. As she was not leaking at last accounts, hopes are entertained that, should the weather prove favorable, she would be got off without damage. One-half of her cargo had been thrown overboard, and the rest was being lightered off. There was thrown overboard 100 tons hay, 1,000 boxes hard bread, 10,000 bushels oats, 200 boxes cartridges.

The express matter was lightered off, and will probably be saved. The Albany brings back the following passengers from the Oriental:

Capt. J.G. Atwood, Volunteer Engineers; Capt. J. Price, Ninth Pennsylvania; Capt. Proudfit, Eighth Michigan; Dr. J.D. Mitchell; Dr. W.S. Byerle; Lieut. D.C. Brown, Volunteer Engineers; Lieut. E.L. Granville, Forty-seventh New-York; Sergt. L. Brooks, Volunteer Engineers; Sergt. Massey, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania; Sergt. R.P. Fithian, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania; Lieut. Babcock, Fifty-fifth New-York; Capt. N. Wayne, Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania; Dr. H.M. Field; Lieut. F.C. Withers, Volunteer Engineers; Lieut. S. Morton, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania; Sergt. F.G. Trowbridge, Sergt. II. Finch, Volunteer Engineers; Sergt. Brubaher, Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania; Sergt. W.H. Moore, Seventy-Eixth Pennsylvania; E.L. Buel, Gen. Hunter's Clerk; Corp. James Cole, Forty-fifth Pennsylvania; F. Coolie, Commissary's Clerk; and five privates of the Ninety-seventh Pennsylvania. Also, as passengers from Newbern. Acting Major M. Hazard, Fifty-first New-York; Capt. Wheeler, Fifth Rhode Island; Lieut. Chapman, Adjutant Fifth Rhode Island; George Ridglay, Captain of transport H. McIntyre; mate of do., Abm. H. Berry, and fifteen men discharged from transport; Capt. Noyes, Fifth Rhode Island; Lieut. Flecher, Signal Corps; Lieut. Gerdenoch, One Hundred and Eight New-York, wounded; Wm. Hunt, Captain of transport Wm. H. Hunt; mate of do., three soldiers on sick list, two privates of Eighth Connecticut, on furlough; one corporal. Fifty-first New-York, do; one private, of Battery F, Rhode Island do., from Hatteras; five privates of Ninth New-York Regiment.

A drawing of the wreck of the SS Oriental, from an 1862 issue of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. The caption reads that the drawing was done by “Our Special Artist, Mr. J. H. Schell.”

According to the Outer Banks Free Press

(http://www.outerbanksfreepress.com/atlanticgraveyard.html), this boiler belongs to a different vessel, the steamer Oriental:

“The Oriental…was a Federal Transport ship. The boat sank on May 16, 1862. The ship was 210 feet long. It is also known as the Stovepipe Hat Wreck. The ship lies about 200 yards off the beach at Pea Island National Wildlife Headquarters, three miles south of the Oregon Inlet on Rt. 12…. [T]he boiler stack [is] sticking out of the water.”

The Steamer Oriental, Image by Wilton Wescott (OBX Shooter)

Steam Packet William Gibbons ~ 20 October 1836

The first reported wreck of a steamboat on the North Carolina coast occurred when the navigator of the packet William Gibbons, miscalculating that he had cleared Cape Hatteras on the run from New York, turned to the southwest heading and ran his vessel ashore. Residents of Chicamacomico, where the William Gibbons ended up at night on the inner bar, assisted with the rescue of its 140 passengers, including 32 women and 14 children, and no lives were lost. 

Captain E.L. Halsey was an experienced seaman who made an estimated 400 trips past Cape Hatteras. For the last two years of his career he commanded the steam packet William Gibbons on which two passengers and three crewmen were killed after its chimney exploded in New York Harbor in January 1836. Halsey retired soon after the accident.

     The following October, he was hurriedly called out of retirement to sail the Gibbons from New York to South Carolina as its new master, Captain Spinney, had taken sick. It was his understanding that he was not expected to take charge of the navigation of the craft, since First Mate Joshua Andrews and his navigator, T.W. Winship, were both experienced in that regard. He also understood that he was to “preside at the table, and to assist in having every necessary attention paid to the comfort and convenience of passengers during the passage, and also to advise with Mr. Andrews, if necessity required.”

     The Gibbons set sail at four o’clock the afternoon of October 8 with 140 passengers, among them 32 women and 14 children. She steamed southward along the coast that night and all of the next day at a steady speed of about 10 mph and was off the outer banks of North Carolina by the second night. Visibility was poor the night of October 9, making it impossible for Andrews or Winship to take observations. Instead, they relied on soundings, taking them every quarter hour, and finding at midnight some 11 fathoms of water.

     Then, as now, there were lighthouses along the coast—one located on the southern end of Bodie Island and another further south at Cape Hatteras. At approx. 2:30 a.m. a light was seen bearing on the northwest, which Andrews identified as Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. This opinion was confirmed during the next hour as the water deepened—to 15, then 17 and 19 fathoms—and Andrews, looking through his spyglass, said he could distinctly see the breakers on outer Diamond Shoals.

     At 3:45 a.m. the leadsman reported no bottom, and 15 minutes later Andrews told Halsey they had passed Diamond Shoals and were going to change to a westward course, heading for Cape Lookout. All seemed to go well with the exception of one slight mistake; the light Andrews saw was not Cape Hatteras but Bodie Island, and instead of heading westward through deep water toward Cape Lookout, they were heading straight for the outer banks of North Carolina, approx. 40 miles further north.

     The Gibbons struck at 4:40 a.m., lurched over one bar, slipped across a gully and ended up in shoal water close to shore. Halsey, realizing too late that the captain who sits at the head of the table should be in charge of the ship as well, now proceeded to take over. He ordered the engines reversed and repeated efforts were made to back the vessel off the shoal. When she finally did move, it was discovered that the rudder was out of commission. She soon grounded again.

     At daylight people were seen on shore, and one of the small boats was dispatched to find out where they were and what accommodations could be secured on the beach for the comfort of the passengers. It was reported that they were in New Inlet, at the north end of Chicamacomico Banks, and that there were two small deserted houses less than a mile away. Four miles distant, it was reported, stood “Mr. John Midyett’s residence, containing a bountiful supply of provisions.” Two ship’s boats shuttled 116 passengers ashore before the wind and tide had risen to such an extent that the remaining passengers refused to leave the stranded vessel. That afternoon, more than a hundred men, women and children—without crewmen among them—were crowded into the two small houses with a very limited supply of water—the “bountiful provisions” of Squire Midyett several miles away. On the Gibbons, the remainder of the passengers and entire crew were in an equally bad situation.

     For three days a strong nor'easter and high tides marooned those on board and confined those on shore. By the second day aground, Captain Halsey noticed some of the crewmen had been partaking of hard liquor and were no longer obeying his commands. He ordered the bartender to destroy all of the liquor, but some of the crewmen—the firemen especially—had already stolen enough gin to keep them in a drunken state for some time. First Mate Andrews soon joined them below decks. Before it was over, the crew of the Gibbons had broken open practically every bag and trunk on board, stealing the more valuable contents, and had pilfered through the mail which the Gibbons carried.

     For all the confusion, danger, lack of discipline and privation the wreck of the William Gibbons ended without the loss of a single life. When the storm let up, Halsey went ashore in one of the boats and assisted in making arrangements to transport passengers and crew back to Norfolk. Meanwhile, Andrews and his buddies among the firemen commandeered the other boat and set out for Elizabeth City where they were reported two days later to have tried to sell the items they had stolen.

     The first mention in newspapers of the loss of the Gibbons included a card, signed by a number of passengers, censuring old Captain Halsey for his negligence; a charge which he vehemently refuted, and of which he was proved innocent some time later when Andrews and four of the firemen were arrested and jailed in New York. The five were later tried at Raleigh—the firemen got off free and Andrews received a token fine which he paid from the proceeds of the very crime with which he was charged.

Brig Waltham ~ May 4, 1874

The Baltimore Sun, May 11, 1874

Sloop William J. Watson ~ November 15, 1840

Norfolk Beacon, November 28, 1840

Sloop William J. Watson ~ 15 December 1841

Tarboro Press, January 2, 1841

Schooner Western Star ~ September 11, 1877

The Observer, Raleigh, Sept. 12, 1877