Hurricanes: 1813 St. Marys, Georgia-- Part 5: Fernadina, Fla. Hit Too

"Gunboats ashore shouldn't be too damaged, a few new boats, 3 or 4 cables and anchors-- some canvas and carpenter work.

"The Gun Vessels and almost every Vessel on shore lay in the street.

"No. 6 lost rudder and channels.

"Nos 160 and 165 the ironwork of their rudder.

"The Saucy Jack, Privateer of Charleston, Laying Ready to sail is now laying high and dry on a marsh that must be at least five feet above the line of Low Tide.  She draws 14 feet, seven feet being the Common Rise.

"The town has suffered much.   Seven inhabited houses blown down but no lives lost.

"Fernadina has 20 houses blown down and every vessel in port drove on shore except a Swedish brig.  Considerable amount of mercantile property destroyed."

It Was Sure a Bad One.  --Brock-Perry

Hurricanes: 1813 St. Marys, Georgia-- Part 3: Damage to Gunboats

Commodore Hugh Campbell continued with his damage report:

"(Gunboats) Nos. 160, 158, 63 and 165 are on shore above high water mark and should be gotten off with little damage.

"160 and 158 in ordinary.

"No. 3 Hospital Vessel parted her cable and drifted over a body of marsh about three miles and is now on Florida shore and hope to get her off.

"No. 168, John Hulbert, cmdr, is laying off the south end of Cumberland when hit ran for harbor at Fernandina and anchored above it but driven over a marsh about 7-7 miles from this place with loss of its mainmast."

And, There Was Still More to report.  --Brock-Perry

Hurricanes: St. Marys, Georgia-- Part 2: Fate of the Gunboats

Commodore Hugh Campbell continued his report:

"Gun Vessel No. 164, Jno. R. Grayson, cmdr. had just returned from convoying troops to Beaufort, sunk at anchor-- 20 died of 26.Mr. Grayson and 2 others reached a marsh on the Florida side and survived the night.

"Mr. Lecompt, midshipman and 2 others were rescued from an old wreck 2 1/2 miles down the river.

"No. 161 in ordinary lies sunk above the harbor and hope to be able to raise it.

"No. 62, condemned at anchor and had men from vessels in ordinary, sank at anchor but no lives lost."

--Brock-Perry

Hurricanes in the War of 1812: 1813 Hurricane at St. Marys, Georgia-- Part 1

From the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Commodore Hugh G. Campbell wrote a letter to Secretary of the Navy Jones from St. Marys, Georgia,  on 18 September 1813:

"We had yesterday morning and night proceeding one of the most severe Gales I have ever witnessed--  It commenced about 6 p.m. at NNE and veered to NNW when it blew with the greatest force and continued until about 1 A.M. at which time the Tide, which had Risen to an uncommon hight ceased to flow, and for about one hour we were favored with a calm--

"About two o'clock the Gale recommenced, every Vessel in the harbor drove on shore or sunk at their moorings."

More to Come.  Brock-Perry

Fla.-Ga. Sept. 16-17 Hurricane-- Part 2" A Major Hurricane and the Saucy Jack

The descriptions of the damage, storm surge and wind directions make it clear that this was what has to be classified as a major hurricane, not just a regular one.

It made landfall at St. Marys River and proceeded some distance inland.  Its fury was also felt along the Georgia coast.

A letter from Commodore Hugh Campbell, commanding the naval forces at St. Marys to the Secretary of the Navy included: "The Saucy Jack privateer of Charleston, lying ready to sail, is now lying high and dry on a marsh that must be at least five feet above the level of low tide.  She draws 14 feet, seven feet being the common rise."  This would indicate a storm surge of at least 19 feet above Mean Low Water.

--Brock-Perry

HMS Sappho Takes Saucy Jack's Prize

I missed this bit of information on the Sappho.

On July 17, 1813, the Sappho recaptured the Eliza, which had been captured three days earlier by the American privateer Saucy Jack.  It took the Eliza to Jamaica.

This is the privateer that was wrecked at St. Marys by the September 17, 1813 hurricane that did so much damage.

The Sappho also captured the Sisters near Totugas.

--Brock-Perry

Gunboats 161 and 164

From the St. Marys Gunboat Project site.

GUNBOAT NO..161 was built at Charleston, South Carolina, by J. marsh in 1810.  It mounted one long 32-pdr and two 18-pdrs.  It was first sent to St. Simons and then to St. Marys in 1811 and again in March 1813.  It was sunk by the September 17, 1813 hurricane and all hands were saved.

GUNBOAT NO. 164 was built in Beaufort, South Carolina, by F. Saltus in 1810.  It mounted one long 32-pdr. and two 12-pdrs.  Sent to St. Marys in 1811 and sunk there by the September 17, 1813 hurricane with only 6 of the 26-man crew saved.

--Brock-Perry

St. Marys Gunboat Project-- Part 2

State Representative Cecily Hill, R-St. Marys, plans to introduce a resolution at Georgia's General Assembly when it convenes in January to create awareness of Georgia's role in the War of 1812, especially for her district.

The project's organizers say they have "a good idea" of the ships' location, but decline to say where to preserve the wreck sites for formal underwater excavation and to protect against looters.  They also know a couple areas where the ships definitely are not located.

Research indicates that the entire crew of Gunboat No. 161 were rescued, but 20 of 26 crew of Gunboat No. 164 went down with their ship (which would make it a war grave).  An attempt to raise the ships took place in November 1813, but was unsuccessful.

Jason Burris, deputy state underwater archaeologist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources says he believes the St. Marys group has a 50-50 chance of finding the gunboats.

Here's Hoping They Find Them.  --Bock-Perry

St. Marys Gunboat Project Hopes to Locate and Acquire Artifacts-- Part 1

From the December 8, 2005, Florida Times Union "St. Marys Group Floats Scheme to Search for Gunboats That Sank; the Two Boats Went Down During a Hurricane That Struck Coast of Georgia in 1813" by Gordon Jackson.

Two Jeffersonian gunboats were ported at the battery of Point Peter in what is today the town of St. Marys, Georgia.  Recent archaeological excavation at the battery has yielded much information of its use as a Navy base before and during the War of 1812 (important for its location right on the border of Florida).  It also verifies that St. Marys was the site of the last battle of the War of 1812.

Now, a group of area residents have formed the St. Marys Gunboat Project to search for two gunboats that were sunk there by a hurricane in 1813.  Hopes are for locating them and raising any artifacts they may still contain

--Brock-Perry

The Georgia-Florida Hurricane of 1813-- Part 1

From My Home Page War of 1812 in Georgia "The Hurricane of 1813"

The hurricane that his the Georgia-Florida Line (hey, that band played at the Indy 500 this past Saturday) on September 16-17, 1813 was a major meteorological event and would most likely be rated a Category 3 hurricane by today's modern standards.

It cause at least a 17-foot storm surge up the St. Marys River and hit the port of St. Marys, Georgia, and Camden County where Gunboat No. 168 and five other gunboats were stationed.  It pretty well destroyed the small American flotilla.

Three gunboats were sunk in the harbor, two others run ashore and, as I have already said, No. 168 was driven ashore seven miles inland, where it came to rest in the marsh at the foot of Harriet's Bluff.

--Brock-Perry

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

The War of 1812 in Florida-- Part 4: Capture of Fernadina

Fernadina, on Amelia Island, just south of the St. Marys River was an important port.  General George Matthews sent nine ships to protect American interests there.  The  small Spanish force commanded by Don Jose Copens was forced to surrender on March 17, 1812.

An agreement was signed to allow Fernadina to be a free port, open to all, but should war begin between the U.S. and Britain, British ships could not trade there.

--Brock-Perry

The War of 1812 in Florida-- Part 2: The Republic of Florida

From the Exploring Florida site, War of 1812.

As relations between Britain and the United States worsened in the years  leading up to the war, the U.S.government began to fear that Britain would just seize Florida from Spain and use it as a base of operation against them.  President Madison tried unsuccessfully to get Spain to cede Florida to the United States.

Even before the war started there was a movement to form the Republic of Florida along the banks of the St. Marys (which separated Florida from Georgia).  They decided to act on the Florida question immediately and moved against the Spanish.

--Brock-Perry

Florida's Role in the War of 1812-- Part 1: Early and Late

Florida was still a part of Spain during the war.

But, already, the United States was essentially looking to annex it (much the same as it intended to do with British North America, Upper and Lower Canada).

There was also the nascent Republic of Florida.

Florida's biggest role in the war occurred early on, in 1812 and then right at the end of it, around the St. Marys River.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of Fort Peter-- Part 4

At the end of February, Cockburn learned of the Treaty of Ghent through newspapers but refused to stop shipping slave refugees from Florida and Georgia.  Some 1485 slaves were freed.  He finally departed from Cumberland Island March 15th, but the HMS Albion ran aground and wasn't able to get off until March 18th.

In 1818, the federal government purchased the land at Point Peter and in 1819, the Adams-Onis Treaty was  signed and Florida became a part of the United States.  By the Civil War, Fort Peter was a ruin.

--Brock-Perry

The Battle of Fort Peter, Georgia-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

I found out that I hadn't done much writing about this battle that took place even after the Battle of New Orleans, which was after the Treaty of Ghent.  In a few months, we will be in Savannah for a wedding and we will go to Florida afterwards, so planning on spending some time along the St. Marys River along the Georgia/Florida border.

The attacks of Fort Peter and Fort St. Tammany took place in January 1815, after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, ending the War of 1812, but before it was ratified by the United States which officially ended it.  Even then, the war could continue as long as the participants were not aware of its ratification as in the case of the USS Constitution and HMS Cyane and Levant.

This battle took place at the same time as the Siege of Fort St. Philip in Louisiana and the British occupation of St. Marys and Cumberland Island in Georgia.

Point Peter is the first landing spot on the Georgia side of the St. Marys River.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of St. Marys River-- Part 3

On February 24, 1815, 47 days after the Battle of New Orleans, 42 days after the Battle of Point Petre (Point Peter) on the St, Marys River and 12 days after the 2nd Battle of Fort Bowyer (Alabama), the Royal Marines reached a point 3/4 mile away from their objective.

This is where they were attacked by Americans from Camp Pinckney.  The British barges were forced to turn back under heavy fire.  Once out of range, the British landed and after 20 minutes were forced to retreat.  American casualties were reported at 2 killed.  The British lost 29 killed and wounded., including the two commanding officers.

The battle took place 3/4 mile downriver from the present-day Camp Pinckney Landing near Folkstone.  The battle also continued downriver until near the town of St. Marys.

--Brock-Perry

Battle of St. Marys River-- Part 2

Rear Admiral Sir George Cockburn sent a company of Royal Marines up the St. Marys River, reportedly to destroy Archibald Clark's sawmill near present-day Folkston, Georgia.  Also, they were possibly after the U.S. "works," maybe the American post at Camp Pinckney near Coleran.

Regardless, it was a huge operation, with the British force numbering some 52.  They proceeded upriver by water on Feb. 23, 1815, in seven barges and one gig under Commander Charles George Rodney Phillot of the HMS Primrose and Cmdr. David Euren Bartholomew of the HMS Erebus.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago Today: British Capture Fort Peter in Georgia

JANUARY 13, 1815"  A British amphibious force attacks and captures Ft. Peter and the town of St. Marys, Georgia, right on the Florida border.  They occupy the town for a month before withdrawing.

More on this tomorrow.

--Brock-Perry

200 Years Ago: Sinclair's Expedition

JULY 23-26, 1814:  CAPTAIN ARTHUR SINCLAIR'S RAID UP THE ST. MARY'S RIVER

The raid on St. Mary's River (Sault St. Marie), Upper Canada, was a part of the American expedition for mastery of the upper Great Lakes.

After burning the abandoned Fort St. Joseph, Captain Sinclair sent a flotilla of boats of boats loaded with sailors and infantry up the St. Mary's River where they torched the North West Company trading post and storehouses, vital assets in the British fur trading infrastructure.

They also destroyed the locks of the Sault Ste. Marie Canal built in 1798 by the company to allow freight canoes to bypass the falls.  Sinclair's men also captured and burned the company's schooner Perseverance, one of the few British vessels on the upper Great Lakes.

--Brock-Perry