Schooner Addie Henry ~ 14 April 1895

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1895:

On April 14 a grounded vessel was spotted in Pamlico Sound about 10 miles WSW of the station. The vessel proved to be the schooner Addie Henry, on passage from New Bern to Ocracoke Inlet with a load of lumber. The Henry, under the command of Captain B. Hill, had been built at New Bern in 2864. She was a complete loss and only about $300 worth of the cargo was salvaged. Keeper Howard's report of April 20 follows:

Lookout cited sch. Look like she was anchored in Pamlico South. But taking rainge found that she did not move. No signal hoisted. Near Ocracoke Island on the inside. No. 2 tuck supply boat started to scene to assertain the trubble. Reaching the scene about one 30 pm found sch sunk full of water, laden with lumber and crew had left sch in there boat, went ashore at Ocracoke vilage all right. Count not do eney thing for her not untill sch could get lighter, so returned to station 4 pm. The wind blew hard before the capt of sch could get lighter. The sch went all to peaces, sch totle lost, cargo part saved but bad order. No assistance rendered.

Schooner Ida B. Silsbee ~ 18 August 1879

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880:

The schooner Ida B. Silsbee, of Patchogue, NY, bound from Pall’s Point, NC, to Portland, ME, with a cargo of watermelons and a crew of three men, foundered at her anchors during a southeast gale, in Pamlico Sound, about one mile northwest of Hatteras Bar, her crew taking to the rigging. The stations not being manned at this season of the year, the keeper of the nearest station, No. 23 (6th District), North Carolina did not learn of the disaster until some hours after it occurred, but as soon as he heard of it he mustered three of his crew, procured a boat at the village of Hatteras, on the sound, a mile distant from his station, and with the aid of volunteers from the town, boarded the wreck, took off her crew, and gave them shelter at the station for several days. The vessel was lost.

Schooner Lorena ~ 2 March 1907

Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, MD

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907:

The Lorena capsized in thick, squally weather, at 9:30 a.m. on the 2d, 10 miles N. of the Durantes Station. The keeper was informed on the morning of the 3d and the lifesavers went to her assistance in the supply skiff, righted her, bailed and pumped her out, and turned her over to her owner.

Schooner Luther B. Mayo ~ Abt. 29 July 1906

Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, MD

Washington Progress, Washington, DC

Schooner Mary C. Ward ~ 26 January 1900

NORTH CAROLINA MARITIME MUSEUM

Beaufort, NC

www.ncmaritimemuseum.org

1902 Chart

On this day in 1900 the schooner Mary C. Ward sank in the Pamlico Sound. She was carrying a load of oysters from Middleton to Swan Quarter. Of the 8 crew members on board only 3 survived. The ship was a total loss.

GEORGE WASHINGTON'S HURRICANE ~ 23 JULY 1788

On July 23 & 24, 1788 a hurricane brushed the coast of North Carolina with the eye passing to the east of Cape Hatteras. A report from Ocracoke after the storm indicated six vessels destroyed, eleven driven ashore and two dismasted. Strong northwesterly winds blew the water out of Pamlico Sound and left many vessels stranded in low water.

Not only did the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army end up with a snowstorm named after him, this hurricane was awarded his namesake also. The name stems from the path of the storm’s destruction as well as the fact that most of what we know about it came from Washington’s journals. The center of the hurricane passed right over his Mount Vernon estate where he’d returned after winning the War of Independence. He wrote of the storm, “In aword it was violent and severe—more so than has happened for many years.” Washington also wrote about extensive crop damage and several ships that ran aground including a small ship that had been gifted to him. The Federalist which he’d owned for only six weeks sank during the chaos.

Even before the hurricane made its way up the Potomac, it wreaked havoc on those living along the Chesapeake Bay. According to a Philadelphia newspaper account, when the storm hit the tidewater area, it “continued for 9 hours—wind at start from NE—at 0030 [hours] it suddenly shifted to S and blew a perfect hurricane—tearing up large trees by the roots, removing houses, throwing down chimneys, fences, etc., and laying the greatest part of the corn level… Only two ships in Hampton Roads survived the gale.”