Bark Admiral ~ 2 March 1879

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879:

The Norwegian bark Admiral stranded at midnight about one mile south of Station No. 5, Sixth District, North Carolina. She was promptly discovered by the patrolman, but on the arrival soon after of the life-saving men, the crew of the vessel, fourteen in number, came ashore in their own boats, the sea being smooth, but subsequently returned to the vessel. At ten o’clock in the morning the keeper boarded the vessel and advised the crew to come on shore, as the sea was rising; they refused, and the keeper and his men regained the beach where they remained ready to render assistance. At 4:30 p.m. the crew of the vessel signaled for a boat, and the life-saving crew again went off and brought them ashore. The vessel became a total wreck.

Bark Astoria Mitchel ~ 27 January 1842

The Republican, Carthage, TN
Friday, March 4, 1842; pg. 2; column 1:

The bark Astoria Mitchel[l], which sailed hence on the 16th of January for New York with a cargo of molasses, flour, whiskey, etc., struck on the Round shoal of Cape Hatteras on Saturday night, January 27th, at 9 o'clock and soon after beat over the breakers and at 10 sunk. The captain, crew and passengers were all saved.

Bark Arrina ~ 28 September 1874

Winds from a hurricane on this date clocked southeast 45 mi/h then southwest 50 mi/h at Wilmington and southeast 75 mi/h at Cape Hatteras. The destruction was very great in the Wilmington area, with large trees uprooted and carried a considerable distance. At places along Water Street the waves on the Cape Fear River were above the wharf. At Smithville (Southport) the storm was reported very disastrous, with several houses blown down, the warehouses on the garrison wharf completely destroyed, and the Ocean House demolished. The Spanish barque Arrina was blown over in ten fathoms of water. 

Bark Alphild (Swedish) ~ 27 February 1893

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893:

Wrecked on shoal. Boarded her, and after assisting wreckers for two days in an unsuccessful attempt to float her, landed them in surfboat. Crew of Oak Island landed 9 of the crew with lifeboat on 28th, and on following day took master ashore. Later, master and three wreckers having returned to vessel and threatening weather setting in, took them ashore with surfboat.

Bark Clythia ~ 22 January 1894

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

Stranded on Pebble Shoal during foggy weather; heavy surf running, making boat service impossible. After a hard struggle along the beach, life saving crew arrived opposite bark with apparatus cart and fired a shot over her as she lay (300 yards from and head on to shore); crew of False Cape Station then reached scene and helped land her crew of seventeen men and their personal effects with breeches buoy. Provided for ship’s company at station, sending 9 of them to Norfolk on 25th. Succored remainder of crew and agents for underwriters and wrecking company until 28th, on which date, sea moderating, transferred them to vessel. Employed in transmitting messages for wrecker until February 1, when the Clythia was abandoned on account of stormy weather, the crew being cared for at station until February 6, when they departed for Norfolk giving up the bark for lost. Saved and sold at auction all articles of value remaining on the wreck and turned the proceeds over to master, at whose request the sale was made. The following is a statement received from the officers of the Norwegian bark Clythia, stranded near Wash Woods Station, North Carolina, January 22, 1894:

The twenty-second day of January we stranded two or three miles north of the Wash Woods Life-Saving Station, and were saved with the rocket line; were on shore six days the first time. It is with pleasure we state that the life-saving people were active and took care to bring us on shore, and happy are this shipwrecked crew which came to such a station, where all do everything for the wrecked crew’s comfort in any way. We think, really, if we had been wrecked in our own country we never would have been taken so much care of as now. With thankful hearts we always will remember Captain Corbel and his men, and never lose them from our minds. J. Heffermehl, Master; A. Christensen, Mate; D. Kamenni, Second Mate; J.A. Jonsen, of Clythia.

Bark Codorus ~ 4 August 1886

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887:

At quarter to 3 o’clock in the afternoon the bark Codorus, of Baltimore, MD, bound thence from Rio Janeiro, Brazil with a valuable cargo of coffee, mis-stayed and stranded on the outer shoals off Cape Hatteras, NC, about 8 miles to the southward of the Cape Hatteras Station (6th District). There was a light southeast breeze at the time and the accident was, in great part, attributed to the strong set of the current. She had on board a crew of 12 men and one passenger. The station being closed at this season the keeper, as soon as possible, assembled a volunteer crew and put off to the vessel in the surf boat, reaching the scene near dark, but found it out of the question to go alongside on account of the heavy breakers on the shoals. As she appeared to be lying easy and in no immediate danger, the surfmen returned ashore to wait until daylight before attempting to board her. A strict watch was kept during the night and a fire built on the beach to guide the wrecked people to a safe landing in case they were obliged to abandon the craft before morning. Rockets were also set up to reassure them. Shortly after 6 o’clock (5th) the captain and three sailors managed to reach the shore in their own boat, to the south of the shoals, where they were met by the keeper and conducted to the station. As the assistance of wrecking tugs was desired, a message was at once sent to Hatteras village for transmission at that point over the Signal Service wires, but subsequent developments proved this step needless for when the surfmen went off again to the vessel, which they immediately did, she had broken in two and was fast going to pieces. Crews from the adjacent stations of Big Kinnakeet, to the north, Creeds Hill and Durants, to the westward, went to the wreck in their boats and joined in the work of rescuing the people, saving their effects, and conveying ashore provisions and cargo. The castaways were sheltered at the Cape Hatteras Station, all of them remaining a week, and the captain 6 days longer. Some 60 odd sacks of coffee were stored, which the keeper afterwards delivered on board a schooner authorized to receive them. The bark became a total loss.

Bark Casket ~ 14 September 1892

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893:

Struck on Frying Pan Shoals and was totally wrecked; vessel invisible from station at time of disaster on account of darkness and thick weather. As soon as it cleared up, life saving crew discovered ship’s company approaching shore in a small boat. Met them when two miles offshore and transferred part of the 10 men to surfboat; put a surf man in charge of ship’s boat, then took same in tow and landed all safely through the surf at station, where they were provided with food and dry clothing and cared for until next morning, when they were taken to Southport and furnished transportation to Wilmington. On 17th a boat belonging to the bark came ashore and was secured by life saving crew. Crew of Oak Island station boarded the vessel, but their assistance was not necessary. (See letter of acknowledgement.)

CAPE FEAR STATION, NORTH CAROLINA, September 15, 1892

DEAR SIR: This is to express the gratitude I feel for the services rendered to me and my crew by Captain J.L. Watts and his crew, of the Capt Fear Life Saving Station. My vessel, the British bark Casket, of Guernsey, England, from Huelva, Spain, to Wilmington, North Carolina, west ashore on Frying Pan Shoals, about seven miles south by east from the station at 11:30 p.m. in the evening of the 13th instant, during a heavy southerly wind and squally weather. The weather was very thick when my vessel went ashore, and remained thick until 8 or 9 o’clock the next morning. I could not see land, nor could anyone see my vessel from the land. In a short time after my vessel struck I was compelled to leave her in my boat, as the sea was breaking completely over her and she was going to pieces. When I left, my vessel was full of water. When about two miles from land, I met Captain Watts in his surfboat. He kindly took me in tow, and in a short time landed us safe on the beach abreast of his station. Dry clothing was furnished myself and nine men, and we were kindly cared for until today, when we leave for Wilmington. Very respectfully, RICH. R.C. TOGER, Master of the British Bark Casket

Bark Dulcimer ~ 12 February 1883

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1983:

The bark Dulcimer, of London, England, with a crew of 11 men, bound from Pernambuco, Brazil, to New York, with a cargo of sugar, was wrecked at half past 5 in the morning on the coast of North Carolina, about a mile and a half south of Durants Station (6th District), near Hatteras Inlet, the disaster being attributed to the foggy weather then prevailing. She was discovered at 6 o'clock by the station patrol and reported to the keeper. As the sea was too rough to use the boat the life saving crew set out with their beach apparatus, arriving abreast of the bark at half past 6, an hour after she struck. The wreck gun was placed in position as quickly as possible and fired, the first shot carrying the line over the fore yard arm. The whip line and hawser then followed, and after some little delay, occasioned by the strong current, which prevented very rapid work. all hands were safely landed from the bark and conducted to the station, where they were properly cared for. On the following morning (13th) the life saving crew assisted the captain in recovering some of his personal effects which had been left on board, the vessel then being in the hands of wreckers who were engaged in stripping her. In the afternoon the sea became much worse, and word reached the station that four of the wrecking gang, who were on board the bark, needed the help of the life saving crew in getting ashore. The latter responded to the call without delay, and by using one of the bark's boats soon had the men safe on the beach. The sailors were sheltered at the station for several days and then took passage for Norfolk, the vessel and cargo becoming a total loss.

Newspaper Article:
New York Times, February 13, 1883
New York Times, February 14, 1883

Bark Ezra ~ September 2, 1869

The North Carolinian 9 September 1869

Bark Emilie ~ 3 December 1845

The French bark Emilie, of Bordeau, having crossed the greater part of the Atlantic without mishap, was nearing land. Her destination was Norfolk, VA where she was to pick up a cargo. But thick and foggy weather had prevented Captain Sauvestre from taking observations for 24 hours and at sunset, 2 Dec 1845, he was not certain how close he was to land. By dead reckoning he figured that he was sufficiently far north to make Cape Henry and a sharp watch was kept throughout the early evening for its light.

     At 8 p.m., not having seen the light, the Captain became apprehensive and decided to wear ship and stand off from shore until daybreak. However, as he gave the necessary commands the vessel struck so violently that her rudder, sternpost and part of her stern frame were tore off. She immediately sank in two and a half fathoms of water. Captain Sauvestre did not know it, but his vessel had stranded at a point near the boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, less than 150 yards from shore.

     Efforts were quickly made to get the launch overboard, but she was stove in before striking the water and soon sank alongside. All 10 hands then took refuge in the rigging as the vessel beneath them was constantly swept by tremendous breakers.

     The next morning, the coast was shrouded in a dense covering of wave-borne spray so thick that they could not see shore. Their clothes soaked, the masts beneath them swaying wildly in the wind and threatening to fall each time a wave rolled over the deck, the men held on until mid-afternoon when one crewman climbed down, jumped into the tumultuous surf and attempted to swim to shore for help. He was drowned soon after striking out from the ship.

     By then, the weather had cleared sufficiently for the coastline to be visible. All hands pitched in to make a raft from the sails and dangling spars. Once completed and launched, the remaining men took positions on the unwieldy craft. However, as the last man got on board, the line holding the raft to the wrecked ship parted. The raft was swept into the breakers and 6 of the men were washed overboard leaving the Captain, mate and one crewman who succeeded in holding their positions on the raft while it was driven through the breakers and washed up on shore. They were soon discovered by residents; all were in desperate shape, especially the mate who was not expected to live. The 6 men who were washed off the raft were drowned and later recovered from the surf.

Bark Formosa ~ 20 February 1893

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1893:

Struck on Outer Diamond Shoal and sunk; crew of 9 men landed in their own boat. Brought 7 to station and cared for them, the remaining two staying at Cape Hatteras Light-House. On 21st took 6 of them to Durants Station, where they were taken care of until the 23d, when they procured transportation to Philadelphia on schooner Addie Henry. On 22d transported master and two males to Big Kinnakeet Station, from which place they took steamer for Elizabeth City on the 23d. (See letter of acknowledgement.)

CAPE HATTERAS STATION, NORTH CAROLINA, February 20, 1893

I wish to acknowledge my thanks to the life-saving keeper and crew for services and kindness rendered to myself and crew after landing on the beach at the hour of 7 p.m., February 19, 1893. The barkentine Formosa struck on the outward Diamond Shoal, and immediately bilged and fell over on her beam ends, sea at the time breaking over the ship. No time was offered to signal the life-saving station. One boat was immediately launched, wind blowing a fresh gale from west-southwest. At 2 a.m. on the following morning landed three miles north of Cape Hatteras Light House, and was immediately discovered by life-saving crew, taken to station, and kindly cared for. J. SHEPPARD, Master ; H. PURDY, Mate ; G. Neuhaus, Second Mate

Bark F.L. Carney ~ 22 January 1882

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882:

The body of one of the sailors of the bark F.L. Carney, the loss of which occurred on January 22 at a place outside of the scope of operations of the service, identified as that of Thomas Manning, of New York, was found on the south side of Hatteras Inlet, by the crew of Station No. 23 (6th District), North Carolina who brought it across the inlet, made a box, and had the corpse buried. (NOTE: 19 killed in this wreck.)

Bark Harkaway ~ November 30, 1885

The Morning Mercury, Alabama, Dec. 5, 1885

Bark Istria ~ June 1868

New Orleans Republican, June 23, 1868

Bark Josie Troop ~ 22 February 1889

The Sunday Inter Ocean
Chicago, IL
February 24, 1889

ELEVEN SEAMEN DROWNED OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST.
MARINERS DROWNED.

The Nova Scotian bark Josie Troop, with a cargo of chalk and a crew of seventeen men, was wrecked at 7 o'clock last evening at Chicamicomico, N. C. The master and ten men were drowned. Six were saved. The vessel and cargo are a total loss. The vessel is broken up and strewn on the ocean.
     The cause of the disaster was miscalculations owing to thick weather, which made it impossible to get accurate lights and bearings. The crew of life-saving station No. 19 could see no signs of the vessel until the eleven men had been lost, and were just in time to save the six survivors. Thus far only one body has come ashore, that of CHARLES MEDEAC. Following is a list of the saved and lost:

Saved:
Robert Hunter, chief mate;
Edward Hunter, steward;
Albert Williams, seaman;
A. Brown, seaman;
Walter Cauley, seaman;
C. Anderson, seaman.

Lost:
Capt. W. G. COOK, master,
C. S. SCINDBALD, carpenter
H. R. CHRISTIESIN,
J. B. RUTHDERSEN,
THOMAS MCCOY,
GEORGE WILLIAMS,
HARMOND ANDERSON,
JOHN CAFFIE,
CHARLES MEDAAC,
JOHN ROGERS,
J. JOANNSEN, seaman

Albert Williams is badly injured about the neck and is being attended by the physicians at the station.

The North Carolinian, Elizabeth City, NC, 6 March 1889

Bark J.W. Dresser ~ July 23, 1895

The Times-Picayune, Louisiana, July 28, 1895

Bark M.A. Forbes ~ May 1870

The Baltimore Sun, May 7, 1870

Bark Mary Varney ~ 5 April 1856

The bark* Mary Varney wrecked and broke apart off shore of Hatteras Island on April 5, 1856. Although one sailor lost his life in the disaster, legend has it that another crew member made it to shore in an unusual fashion, and never left.

According to one version of the story, the people of Hatteras Island had been suffering that winter from a prolonged period of bitter cold and lack of supplies from the mainland. Shipwrecks, as tragic as they were, often brought much needed supplies (lumber, food, and more) to the bleak shores of the Outer Banks. In April, 1856, one local preacher even prayed, were a shipwreck to happen (and God forbid it would) that a barrel of pork would wash up on the beach to help feed his hungry flock.

As it happened, when the Mary Varney broke apart the people on shore saw a large pork barrel washing in from the stricken vessel, tossed about by the heavy seas. It looked like the preacher's prayer had been answered! A crowd gathered around as the barrel rolled in on a breaker, and crashed against the sandy beach. Almost immediately the top popped off.

To their amazement, Herbert Oden, one of the sailors on board the Mary Varney, climbed out of the barrel. As the ship began to break apart, Oden had emptied the barrel, and climbed in, using it as a makeshift lifeboat. Some claim Herbert Oden was the first of his family to arrive on the Outer Banks. He never left, and the Oden clan continues to call Hatteras Island home!

* A bark is a sailing ship of three or more masts with the aftmost mast fore-and-aft rigged and the others square-rigged.

Found at https://villagecraftsmen.blogspot.com/2018/04/mary-varney.html

Bark Nuova Ottavia ~ 1 March 1876

Annual Report of the Operations of the United States Life-Saving Services for fiscal year ending June 30, 1876:

Became a total wreck, whereby nine of her crew were lost, in attempting the rescue of whom the gallant crew of the station also perished. The details of the melancholy disaster are given in the following abstract of the report of the superintendent of the district, dated from the United States life-saving station No. 4, Jones Hill Coast of North Carolina.

Wreck of the Bark Nuova Ottavia

The record of the service for the year 1874-75 was marked with one memorable shipwreck, that of the Italian bark Nuova Giovanni; and it happens that the most signal disaster which occurred during the past year also involved the loss of an Italian bark, the Nuova Ottavia, which stranded off Currituck Beach, NC, on the night of the 1st of March last, and became a total wreck, whereby 9 of her crew were lost, in attempting the rescue of whom the gallant crew of the station also perished. The details of the melancholy disaster are given in the following abstract of the report of the superintendent of the district, dated from the United States life-saving station No. 4, Jones Hill, coast of North Carolina.

     The bark Nuova Ottavia was seen from the station house at sunset to the southward and eastward, about 5 miles distant from the shore, on the evening of March 1, the weather being cloudy and the wind from southeast, the sea rather rough and the surf rather high, heavy, and winding. Between 7 and 8 p.m., or soon after dark, she stranded on the reef with her head northwest, or before the wind, about 400 yards south of this station, having probably been run ashore either intentionally or through mistaking Currituck Beach light for the Cape Henry light, as it evidently was not from stress of weather, quite a number of her sails being left standing, not even clewed up, all night, and went over the side in this condition with the mast the next day. The keeper and crew of this station started for the bark about 7.20 p.m. in the lifeboat, passing beautifully through the breakers, and secured to her the whip line (a 2-1/2 inch manila rope) just forward of the main mast. It was then too dark for the boat to be seen on shore. About 7.30 a scream was heard on shore, and at the same time the light in the boat was suddenly lost to view, which induced the belief that at that moment the boat swamped or was capsized, which was afterward confirmed by four of the oars drifting ashore abreast of the wreck, and in a few minutes afterward the life boat itself, bottom up. Just after this the body of one of the surfmen, Malachi Brumsey, drifted on shore, some two or three hundred yards to the southward. Early the next morning, the wind blowing strong from the northeast, with a high sea, and cold, cloudy weather, the bodies of Capt. John G. Gale, keeper of the station, surfmen Lemuel Griggs, and Lewis White, and a workman from the Currituck Beach lighthouse, named George W. Wilson (who had volunteered to go in the life boat in place of surfman John G. Chappel, who was absent from the station procuring provisions) were found on the beach between the station house and a point about 1-1/2 miles south of it; making in all 10 bodies recovered, all of whom were properly cared for by Capt. Willis Partridge and two of his crew, who had come hither from station No. 5, assisted by a party from the lighthouse. The bodies of the keeper and crew of this station (No. 4) thus found were delivered to their respective families for interment, and those of the 5 Italians were buried about 300 yards north of the station. About noon of the 2d, four of the crew of the bark came ashore on pieces of the wreck, one injured in the foot from a spike or nail, two in a state of exhaustion, and one insensible, whose resuscitation was not accomplished until night. During all these events Mr. J.W. Lewis, superintendent of construction, and Mr. H.T. Halstead, clerk of the Currituck Beach lighthouse station, were constant and assiduous in their efforts to render all possible aid, and too much praise cannot be awarded them. Mr. Halstead offered to take an oar in the life boat before she left the beach, and only gave way to Mr. George W. Wilson, who was a much stronger and more athletic man, and presented himself as a volunteer just as the boat got afloat, by which heroic act he lost his life. The officers and working party of the lighthouse rendered most useful assistance, and worked night and day, and it is hoped their services will be recognized in some official manner. It seems a fatal mistake on the part of those who went in the life boat not to have worn the life belts when so much danger must have been apprehended. The promptness, however, required under the circumstances probably overshadowed every forethought of personal security, and sad and lamentable as the results were, their noble efforts to rescue the shipwrecked shed a luster on the victims and credit on humanity.

     The superintendent subsequently furnished the following additional facts obtained from the survivors of the bark:

     The boat pulled entirely around the vessel when she first went off, and finally secured a line on the lee side. Holding on this line with a considerable scope brought the boat under the bows of the bark where the sea was curling around, which partially rebounding, filled her. The line thus made fast was the whip, which with the No. 2 grapnel, one boat and one house lantern, one water and one fire bucket were lost from the boat, which afterward came on shore bottom upward. The only injury sustained was a small split in the stem and the starting of several planks. It can be repaired at a cost not to exceed $10, and in case of emergency could go to sea in her present condition. Following those casualties great excitement must have prevailed in the crowd assembled on shore, and the station house being open and unrepresented by any one understanding the discipline and use of the apparatus, the mortar was taken out and fired until the vent was completely stopped by the sand, four shot lost and about 20 fathoms of the shotline. Forty-one rockets were also set off. The keeper and surfmen who were drowned left widows and small children.

Life Car

     The first of the disasters mentioned appears to have been a case where no aid from the station could have assisted in preserving the lost life.

     In the second instance it will be observed that the disaster occurred three days after the termination of the active employment of the crew and the closing of the station for the season. T is not likely, however, that any aid could have been rendered had it been otherwise, inasmuch as the loss of life appears to have arisen from the imprudence of the crew in attempting to land in their own boat in the darkness.

     In the catastrophe of the Nuova Ottavia, the devotion to duty, the courage and gallantry of the crew of the station and the brave volunteer from the lighthouse party are unquestionably alike honorable to their memory and creditable to the service. In their unselfish ardor to extend the speediest relief to the sufferers on the stranded bark they unhappily neglected to equip themselves with the cork life belts, the wearing of which is an indispensable precaution against accidents, and the necessity of the use of which by the surfmen on every occasion of entering the surf boat the Department has assiduously endeavored to impress upon them. Had these belts been used on this occasion, the immediate landing of the boat, the escape of four of the sailors, and the drifting ashore of the bodies, indicate almost to a certainty that the crew of the station would all have been saved, and most if not all of those on board the bark. It may be doubted, too, whether the best judgment was exercised in selecting the method of attempting the rescue at that hour. The wreck lay within easy range of the shot line, and the life car might have been readily used without exposing the life of a single surfman. It is probable, however, that the surf was not running so high as to seem to render the use of the surf boat extremely hazardous, and it must be said that the boat unquestionably afforded the promptest means of succor, at a time, too, when dispatch was necessary, while the employment of the life car, though without risk, would have involved a tardier operation. The fatal accident occurred under the bows of the vessel, where the management of the boat required the highest skill. It is possible, also, that in a panic among the sailors of the vessel, who were unable to understand the directions of the captain of the boat, an indiscriminate scramble for place in the latter may have ensued, and that one part being over weighted she was upset. However this may be, the means of a safe deliverance of the victims of the wreck were at hand, and though it cannot be positively said they should have been used in preference to those employed, the loss of a gallant crew and of those they endeavored to save must cause regret that they were not.

     It is gratifying to acknowledge the receipt, through the Consul General of Italy, of the sum of $408 in gold, which, in obedience to the directions of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Marine of that nation, and of the Italian Society for Salvage, he transmitted for the benefit of the families of the unfortunate crew of the surf boat, in recognition of the gallant behavior of the latter, and requested that it be distributed, $78 to the family of the keeper, Captain Gale, and the remaining equally among the others, amounting to $55 each.

Newspaper Article:
New York Times, March 7, 1876

Bark Nineveh ~ January 24, 1903

NORTH CAROLINA MARITIME MUSEUM

Beaufort, NC

www.ncmaritimemuseum.org

Late January 1903, the bark Nineveh was traveling from New York to Mayport when she began to leak outside of Delaware. They rectified the leak and continued their trip, which brought them off Cape Fear where the 442-ton ship sunk. Captain Gilbert and his men spent 52 hours in a small boat before they were saved and safely landed. According to "The Wilmington Morning Star" out of North Carolina, the captain refused to give information on what had occurred. The ship sunk on January 24.