U.S. Gunboat No. 168-- Part 3: Big Old Hurricane

From My Home page War of 1812 in Georgia.

If 168 was built to protect North Carolina, it certainly was stationed there.  Apparently it was mostly in Georgia and Florida waters during its service.

Still stationed on the Georgia-Florida border over a year later, it was among the American squadron battered by an epic hurricane 16-17 September 1813.  Six U.S. Navy gunboats were sunk or run aground in the St. Marys River as a result of it.

Four were recovered and two, No. 161 and No. 164 are still,believed to be somewhere at the bottom of the river.  Efforts are being made to find these two ships.

Gunboat No. 168 was dismasted and driven ashore seven miles inland by the storm surge at the marsh by Harriets Bluff.  It was recovered, repaired and returned to service.

It would have been interesting to find out how they were able to move the ship so far.

--Brock-Perry