1863-1869
Location & historical notes: South Carolina, in Port Royal Sound.
Lightships assigned:
1863-1864: "V "
Station: 1863-1864: Fishing Rip (SC)
Notes: Former schooner ASCENSION, a Civil War prize purchased from USN May
1863. Commandeered by USN during period Jul 5, 1863 - Mar 1864, then
returned to station. Found rotten, and worm damaged then retired 1864.
Later used for storing lighthouse supplies.
1864-1866: ?
1866-1868: Relief LV-34
YEAR BUILT: 1865
BUILT AT: Philadelphia (PA)
BUILDER: Vaughn & Fisher
APPROPRIATION: $150,000
($48,000 for LV 29 & 34)
(Jul 2, 1864 for 2 light-vessels, unspecified)
CONTRACT PRICE: $24,000
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Wood - live oak, white oak & yellow pine; galvanized iron, copper
& treenail fastenings
LENGTH: 101'10" (loa); BEAM: 23'; DRAFT: 11'0"; TONNAGE: 218 displ, 150 gross
PROPULSION: Sail
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 2 lanterns, each with 8 fountain-burner oil lamps
FOG SIGNAL: Hand operated bell
CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT
CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 34-
1868: "Completely" repaired but "defects" found in mast-
1872: Extensive repairs Jun 2 - Oct 29, Wilmington (NC)-
1886: Jul, badly worm eaten on both sides; repaired, recaulked, resheathed
and
rolling keels replaced; new mainmast, new hawse pipes and new water tanks-
1894: Repaired for damage by 2 hurricanes ã $1,800-
1898: Nov 16-Dec 27, major overhaul and refit-
1900: May 18, hauled for replacement of hull timbers-
1901: Nov 7-Dec 10, 4HP oil engine, compressor, and 8" chime whistle
installed-
1904: Wireless equipment and operator supplied by USN; apparently
discontinued-
1916: Feb, fog signal changed to air diaphone (this was the first US
lightship
to be equipped with a diaphone)-
1916: Feb, Illuminant changed from oil to acetylene-
1919: Equipped with radio; discontinued 1923
STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 34
1866-1876: Relief (6th District)
1871-1875: Frying Pan Shoal (NC)
1876-1880: Martins Industry (SC)
1880-1886: Rattlesnake Shoal (SC)
1887-1892: Martins Industry (SC)
1892-1894: Rattlesnake Shoal (SC)
1894-1924: Charleston (SC)
(1866 Mar 11 - 1868, temporary duty at Fishing Rip
(SC)
(1894 May 31, Rattlesnake Shoal station moved and renamed Charleston)
(Prior to 1867 when No. 34 was assigned, official records identify this
vessel
as "Relief")
HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 34-
1866: Mar 11, Placed "temporarily" on Fishing Rip while in Relief status-
1866: Nov 3, lost anchor & 30 fathoms chain from loose shackle pin-
1872: Jul, "accidentally sunk" at Wilmington (NC) while being repaired-
1877: "now on Martins Industry"-
1880: Apr 27, withdrawn for repairs: completed Aur 1880 but remained
unassigned-
1880: Dec 29, placed on Rattlesnake Shoal (SC)-
1882: Aug 27, parted chain In hurricane; replaced on station Aus 31-
1886: Jul 26, leaking; withdrawn for repairs-
1887: Jul 23, placed on Martins Industry (SC)-
1892: Placed on Rattlesnake Shoal (SC); Aug 27/28 blown off station by
hurricane
parting both chains and losing both anchors. Driven ashore at Long Island
Beach
(SC), 40 feet above low water mark. While beached, damaged by a 2nd
hurricane in
Oct. Hauled off in 1894 and brought to Charleston for repairs;-
1894: May 31, placed on Charleston (SC) (Rattlesnake Shoal station was
relocated
and renamed Charleston at this time)-
1904: Nov, wireless telegraph equipment installed and operator provided by
Navy
but apparently was later discontinued
More notes:
RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1924; AGE: 59
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Condemned and sold during 1924
COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV 34
1874-1893: John McCormick, Keeper
1894-1896: Antoni Neilson, Master
1896-1899: Carl F Kellin, Master
1906-?: Carl F Kellin, Master
?-1917: Antoni Nielson, Master
1917-1919: John W Fullwood, Master
1917: Mathew Slavich, Mate
1917: Joseph P Francis, Mate
1917-1918: Charles Rose, Mate
1918-1921: Victor Karlson, Mate
1919: George Larsen, Master
1919-1924: John A Jansson, Master
1868-1869: LV-33
YEAR BUILT: 1857
BUILT AT: Philadelphia Navy Yard
BUILDER: same
APPROPRIATION: ?
CONTRACT PRICE: ?
("probably paid from appropriation for Cornfield Point light-vessel")
SISTER VESSELS: None
DESIGN: Wood - white oak framed and planked, yellow
pine deck -' masts; 2 red
hoop-iron daymarks "covered with canvas & triced up during day" "painted
red
with RELIEF in white letters" 4640 lb mushroom anchor & 2 lighter spares
LENGTH: 81' 6"; BEAM: 22'; DRAFT: 8' 8", TONNAGE: " about 260", also listed at 150
PROPULSION: Sail.- schooner rig
ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 2 lanterns each with 8 oil lamps & 12" reflectors
FOG SIGNAL: Hand operated 1000 lb bell and horn
CONSTRUCT ION NOTES, MODIFICATIONS, EQUIPMENT CHANGES
AND IMPROVEMENTS: LV 33-
1861: Dec, repaired at New Bedford (MA)-
1868: "Thoroughly overhauled"-
1869: "Thoroughly repaired" before moving to Tybee Island Knoll station-
1872: "General condition is very bad'; (no repairs having been made since
1869);
"not worth repairs"
STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 33
1857-1861: Relief (2d District)
1862-1864: Martins Industry (SC)
1864-1868: Relief (6th District)
1868-1869: Fishing Rip (SC)
1869-1872: Tybee Island Knoll (GA)
(Fishing Rip station discontinued 1869)
(Prior to 1867 when No. 33 was assigned official records identify this
vessel
as "the Relief", and later as "Martins Industry")
HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 33-
1857: Jan 27, delivered to New Bedford (MA); "Relief vessel for the
District"-
1861: Dec, moved to Port Royal (SC)-
1862: Placed on Martins Industry (SC) "to facilitate Naval movements at
Port
Royal" in place of former light vessel "destroyed by insurgents"-
1864: Aug 17, withdrawn and assigned as Relief (6th District)-
1868: May 21, Placed on Fishing Rip (SC) (replacing LV 34)-
1869: Withdrawn, when Fishing Rip station discontinued, then placed on
Tybee Island Knoll (GA)-
1872: Sep 6, withdrawn (relieved by LV 21 which remained until station was
discontinued); LV 33 reported to be "unfit for repairs" and was sold 1873
More notes:
RETIRED PROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1872; AGE: 15
SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: Sold at public auction, Charleston (SC), 1873
COMMANDING OFFICERS: LV33
None Listed
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