Posted inMaritime & Naval History US Civil War

August 8, 1861 – From Charleston—The St. Lawrence Sinks a Privateer

destruction of the privateer PETREL by the ST. LAWRENCE, showing the smaller ship, the Petrel sinking while in the background the frigate St. Lawrence is firing cannon at the vessel.
Destruction of the privateer PETREL by the ST. LAWRENCE

Philadelphia, Aug. 7.—The U. S. gun boat Flag arrived at Fort Mifflin this morning with 36 rebel prisoners taken from a rebel war vessel, formerly the revenue cutter, Aiken, seized at Charleston last winter. The Aiken fired at the St. Lawrence off Charleston, probably mistaking her for a merchant vessel, when the St. Lawrence returned a broadside, sinking the rebel boat. Five of her crew were lost and the rest received and placed on board the Flag.

Posted inMaritime & Naval History Shipwrecks & Nautical Disasters

Collier Nero is Ashore on Block Island

USS Nero By USNHC photograph Photo #: NH 92197, Public Domain

Struck Dangerous Portion of Coast Early This Morning in Fog

Hole Stove in Her Forward Compartment and Portion of Her Crew Taken Off by Life Savers, While Word is Sent to New London for Assistance, and It Is Expected That She Will Be Gotten Off Before Dark This Evening, Though Her Bow Is Filled With Water.

While proceeding up the coast this morning, bound from Newport News to the Bradford coaling station, the United States auxiliary collier Nero, in command of Captain Shurteff, grounded on the rocky coast of Block Island and stove a hole in her forward compartment, which immediately filled with water.

The ships pilot, it is believed, mistook the distance of the fog signal on South eastern light and ran his ship too close to the shore.

Posted inBlack History Maritime & Naval History US Civil War

Schooner S. J. Waring Recaptured

Schooner S. J. Waring

We publish on this page an engraving of the schooner S. J. Waring, of Brook Haven, Smith, master, hence for Montevideo, July 4, with an assorted cargo. We also give views of her deck and the cabin, where the tragedy described below occurred. She returned to port on 21st, and reported as follows :

On the third day out from port, the 7th inst., when 150 miles from Sandy Hook, in lat. 38°, long. 69°, was brought to by the privateer brig Jeff Davis, which sent a boat full of men alongside, and ordered the captain of the schooner to haul down the United States flag, and declared her a prize to the C. S. A. They ransacked the vessel, and took from her what they wanted—such as charts, quadrant, provisions, crockery, etc., and after returning to the schooner a second time, they put a prize-crew of five men on board without arms, and took away Captain Francis Smith, the two mates and two seamen, leaving the steward, two seamen, and Mr. Bryce Mackinnon, a passenger, on board. The prize-crew were Montague O’Neil, a Charleston pilot, in command; one named Stevens, as mate, and Malcolm Liddy, as second mate, and two men.

Posted inDaily News Maritime & Naval History

The Dramatic Artist and the Terrible Marine Monster

The Semaphore of December 22 says:

While the steam packet Le Claire was on its way from Marseilles to Algiers, with 400 passengers on board, it encountered a strong gale from the south-west. In the middle of the night a tremendous sea struck the ship, swept the deck, penetrated into the cabins and engine room, and threw every thing into the greatest confusion. In the midst of the general panic, while the crew were making every exertion to rid the interior of the boat of the superfluous element, a terrific cry was heard from the second cabin: “Help! help! the shark is gnawing me!” screamed, in a voice half-suffocated with terror, an unfortunate dramatic artist, who, awaking in a cold bath, had found in his arms a sheep, which had been precipitated into the cabin through an opening made to let off the water.