LV 17 Barlett Reef Lightship

LV 17 Barlett Reef Lightship

YEAR BUILT: 1848

BUILT AT: Stonington (CT)

BUILDER: Reuben Hancox

APPROPRIATION: $12,000

CONTRACT PRICE: ? (Approp. approved Aug 14, 1848)

SISTER VESSELS: None

DESIGN: Wood - white oak & locust; copper & iron fastened

LENGTH: 78' (lbp), BEAM: 24', DRAFT: 7', TONNAGE: 150 gross

PROPULSION: Sail

ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 2 Lanterns, each having 8 oil lamps (multi-wick,bowl type)

FOG SlGNAL: Hand operated 624 lb bell

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQU]PMENf CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 17-

1862: Supplied with new illuminating apparatus (unspecified) but probably Argarid

type lampo with reflectors-

1862: Stated to be "so sharp at both ends that there is little storage room"-

1863: General overhaul - $5726.90-

Frequent repairs throughout service due to extensive & recurring rot

STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 17

1848-1867: Bartlett Reef (CT)

1867-1877: Relief (CT)

1877-1882: Eel Grass Shoal (CT)

1882-1891: Relief (CT)

(Prior to 1867 when No. 17 was assigned, official records identify this vessel as "Bartlett Reef")

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 17 (Records prior to 1863 are fragmentary and conflicting)-

Prior 1863, believed by some to have been on Succonnessett Shoal (MA) but

records provide no support for this, (perhaps confused with LV 13;-

1863: "Did duty" on Bartletta Reef (CT) per records-

1878: Stationed on Eel Grass Shoal (CT)-

1882: Dec 1, withdrawn, brought in for repair, reassigned as Relief-

1890: "Unfit for service" -"too old and rotten"-

1891: Jun 22, turned over to USN for target ship-

1891: Oct 15 -Washington Post stated that despite being fired on arid being hit

repeatedly "for some hours" by the Chicago, Newark, and Vesuvius~ LV 17 remained

afloat. "It was not until a boat crew fastened a torpedo to her stern post that

she was blown to smash and went down with colors flying"

More notes:

RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1891 AGE: 49

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: 1891: Condemned and dismantled. Delivered Jun 22 to US Naval Station, New London

(CT) for use as target. Sunk by naval gunfire Oct 15, 1891

1849-?: Eel Grass Shoal (CT)

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