William Bell, No. 24 | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | William Bell |
Owner | N.Y. Pilots: Joseph Henderson, William H. Anderson, John Van Dusen, and James Callahan |
Operator | James Callahan |
Builder | Edward F. Williams |
Cost | $16,000 |
Launched | January 9, 1964 |
Acquired | 1864 |
In service | circa 1864 - 1867 |
Out of service | sank at sea |
Stricken | 1867 (est.) |
Captured | 1864 |
General characteristics | |
Displacement | 118 ton |
Length | 82 ft 0 in (24.99 m) |
Beam | 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m) |
Draught | 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m) |
Propulsion | sails |
Sail plan | Schooner-rigged |
Complement | 1864, 1865 |
The William Bell was a pilot boat built in 1864 by shipbuilder Edward F. Williams at Greenpoint, Brooklyn for a group Sandy Hook Pilots. She was captured and burned by the Confederate raiding steamer CSS Tallahassee during the American Civil War. A second William Bell was constructed in 1864-1865 to replace the first one.
The William Bell was built in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, in 1864 and launched on January 9, 1864 by shipbuilder Edward F. Williams of Greenpoint for the New York and Sandy Hook pilots: Joseph Henderson, William H. Anderson, John Van Dusen, and James Callahan. [1] [2] Williams sold the plans of the William Bell for $250, to the Delaware pilots. [3]
Her dimensions were 82 ft. in length; 22.6 ft. breadth of beam; 8 ft. depth of hold; and 118-tons. [3]
The William Bell was an expensive boat. She was built of white oak, live oak, red cedar, locust, hackmatack, yellow pine, and white pine. Her deck was "without a butt or knot," fastened with galvanized spikes, and was made of long and fine planking. All trimmings on deck were of mahogany or brass; her cabin was of "rose wood, zebra wood, tulip and satin wood." [3]
James Callahan was in command of the pilot boat at the time of the capture. The Confederate colonel, John Taylor Wood, fired three shots at the William Bell and ordered Callahan to come on board the Tallahassee. He then ordered his men to go on board the pilot boat and remove everything that was movable and bring it on board the Tallahassee. Wood then ordered the William Bell to be burned. Wood said "Turpentine her and set her on fire." The next day, Colonel Wood collided with packet ship Adriatic. Wood ordered every passenger on the Adriatic to be taken prisoner and put on the Tallahassee. He then captured another vessel, the bark Suliote, of Belfast, Maine. Passengers from the pilot boat William Bell, No. 24 and the burned ship Adriatic were transferred to the Suliote. James Callahan was ordered to pilot the Suliote into Sandy Hook, New York. [4]
In the book, "From Sandy Hook to 62", Charles Edward Russell, described the chase of the Tallahassee cruiser against James Funk, No. 22. The Tallahassee captured the James Funk and turned her into a tender and a decoy. Captain Wood used the pilot-boat to capture and burn other schooners and brigs. He then burned the James Funk, which he later regretted. [5] [6]
On March 4, 1867, the pilot boat William Bell, No. 24, lay full of water, a mile inside of the outer bar, eighteen miles east of Montauk Point, near the village of Amagansett, Long Island. There were four pilots on board at the time she struck the beach in bad weather. She was part owned by Captain Joseph Henderson (5/16th); James Callahan (5/16); John Van Duzer (4/17); and William Anderson (2/16). She was partially insured. The vessel was reported as a total loss. [7] [8]
On February 17, 1883, Henderson and Callahan petitioned the United States, via the Alabama Claims award, for compensation of their loss of the William Bell during the American Civil War. Joseph Henderson v. United States gives more information on these cases. Henderson and Callahan had to testify to their ownership and status as Sandy Hook pilots during the Court of Commissioners of Alabama Claims. [3] The final award, made on June 5, 1883, gave compensation for a total award of $18,699.73 (equivalent to $587,314in 2022). Although, this was less than the $24,000.00 amount claimed, it was a reasonable settlement. [9]
The CSS Tallahassee was a twin-screw steamer and cruiser in the Confederate States Navy, purchased in 1864, and used for commerce raiding off the Atlantic coast. She later operated under the names CSS Olustee and CSS Chameleon.
Joseph Henderson was a 19th-century American harbor pilot who guided large vessels into and out of New York Harbor as a Sandy Hook pilot. During his long career his work included bringing the ship that carried the Statue of Liberty safely into port after its trip from Europe.
George W. Blunt, completed in 1856, was a schooner built in New York that operated as a New York Sandy Hook pilot boat designated Pilot Boat No. 11. The schooner was used to pilot vessels to and from the Port of New York and New Jersey. That schooner was sold to the United States Navy in 1861, renamed and commissioned as the USS G. W. Blunt (1856), serving in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in the South. A second schooner, also named George W. Blunt, was built in East Boston in 1861 and purchased to replace the first schooner as a pilot boat.
The Ellwood Walter, No. 7 was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1853 by Edward F. Williams at Greenpoint, Brooklyn to replace the pilot boat Yankee, which was lost in December 1852. The schooner was used to pilot vessels to and from the Port of New York. She was replaced by the Edmund Driggs, No. 7, in 1864.
The Isaac Webb was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1860 by Webb & Bell for the New York and Sandy Hook pilots. She received a reward by the Board of Pilot Commissioners of New York for saving three sailors from the wreck of the bark Sarah, that was caught up in a hurricane. The Webb was shipwrecked in a dense fog at Quonochontaug Beach, Long Island in 1879. She was replaced by pilot boat Columbia.
The Moses H. Grinnell was a 19th-century pilot boat built in 1850 for the New York maritime pilots. She was designed by the yacht designer George Steers. The Grinnell was the first pilot boat to feature a fully developed concave clipper-bow, which was to become the New York schooner-rigged pilot boat's trade mark. This new design was the basis for the celebrated yacht America.
The Fannie was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat built in 1860 by Edward F. Williams at his shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for New York City pilots. She was in the pilot service during the American Civil War. In an age of steam, she was sold in 1896.
James Funk was a 19th-century New York City pilot boat built in 1862 at Greenpoint, Brooklyn for a company of New York Pilots. She was built for speed. She was assigned the "Number 22," which was displayed on her mainsail. The James Funk was captured and burned by the Confederate raiding steamer CSS Tallahassee during the American Civil War. The Charlotte Webb was built in 1865 to take the place of the James Funk that was destroyed.
The Caldwell H. Colt was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat, built in 1887, at the Samuel H. Pine's shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, for a group of New York Pilots. She was one of the pilot-boats that was in the Great Blizzard of 1888, that was one of the most severe blizzards in American history. In 1903, she was sold to a group of Pensacola, Florida pilots.
The Ezra Nye was a 19th-century pilot boat, built in 1859 by the Wells & Webb shipyard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn for a group of New Jersey and Sandy Hook Pilots. She was one of the pilot-boats that was in the Great Blizzard of 1888, that was one of the most severe blizzards in American history. In 1896, in the age of steam, the Ezra Nye along with other pilot boats, were replaced with steamboats.
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The Edward Cooper was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat, built in 1879 for New York Pilots at Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She was named in honor of the Mayor of New York City. The Edward Cooper helped transport New York City maritime pilots between inbound or outbound ships coming into the New York Harbor. She survived the Great Blizzard of 1888. In 1892, the Cooper sank in a snowstorm and was replaced by the Joseph Pulitzer in 1894.
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Charlotte Webb was a 19th-century New York City pilot boat built in 1865 at the Webb & Bell shipyard to take the place of the James Funk, that was destroyed by the rebel Tallahassee during the Civil War. She survived the Great Blizzard of 1888, but was run down by the French steamship La Normandie in 1889. She was replaced by the pilot boat George H. Warren.
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From Sandy Hook to 62;̊ being some account of the adventures, exploits and services of the old New York pilot-boat.