1848-1880

Location & historical notes: Georgia, inside the Savannah River, 0.7 miles and 340 degrees from the Tybee Lighthouse.  Replaced by range lights and buoyage.

Lightships assigned:

1848- ? ?

1869- ? ?

1869-1872: 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1864: Aug 17, withdrawn and assigned as Relief (6th District)-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1869: Withdrawn, when Fishing Rip station discontinued, then placed on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1872: Sep 6, withdrawn (relieved by LV 21 which remained until station was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 - ? ?

1872-1880: LV-21

YEAR BUILT: 1863

BUILT AT: New Bedford (MA)

BUILDER: Stephen Andrews

APPROPRIATION: None
Treasury Dept authorized vessels for Upper & Lower Cedar Point (141)) & Cross Rip

CONTRACT PRICE: $47,500 (for 3 vessels)

SISTER VESSELS: None

DESIGN: Wood - white oak; copper & iron fastened; bowsprit; 2 masts

LENGTH: 78' (lbp), BEAM: 21'6", DRAFT: 10', TONNAGE: 150 gross

PROPULSION: Sail- schooner rig


ILLUMINATING APPARATUS: 2 lanterns each with 8 lard oil lamps

FOG SIGNAL: Hand operated bell and horn

CONSTRUCTION NOTES - MODIFICATIONS - EQUIPMENT CHANGES & IMPROVEMENTS: LV 21-

1867: Hauled at Norfolk (VA); sheathing repaired; painted red-
1868: Nov-Jan 1869, found leaking and rotten, recaulked, deck planking replaced-
1875: Examined and "hull is quite rotten"


STATION ASSIGNMENTS: LV 21
1864-1867: Upper Cedar Point (MD)
1867-1868: Willoughby Spit (VA)
1869-1871: Relief (VA)
1871-1872: Wreck of Weehawken (SC)
1872-1880: Tybee Island Knoll (GA)


(1869-1871: While in Relief status, performed temporary duty marking Wolf Trap, Jan 8-Feb 24 1869; Windmill Point Shoal, Mar 8-Sepi 1869 during lighthouse construction; York Spit, Sep 1869)
(1880 Tybee Island Knoll station discontinued)
(Prior to 1867 when No. 21 was assigned, official records identify this vessel as "Upper Cedar Point Light Vessel")

HISTORICAL NOTES: LV 21-

1864: Sep, placed on Upper Cedar Point (MD)-
1867: Jul 20, withdrawn; station discontinued on activation of Upper Cedar Point
Lighthouse-
1867: Aug 17, placed on Willoughby Spit (VA)-
1867: Dec 6, in collision with steamer, bowsprit broken off-
1868: Jan 21, parted chain due to defective shackle, returned to station Jan 24-
1868: Nov 4, withdrawn and replaced by LV 23; LV 21 assigned Relief duty-
1869: Jan 8ãFeb 24, "temporarily" occupied Wolf Trap (VA)-
1869: Mar 8-Sep 1, "temporarily" occupied Windmill Point (VA) during lighthouse
construction-
1869: Sep, temporarily occupied York Spit (VA)-
1871: Jun, transferred to 6th District, placed on Wreck of Weehawken (SC)-
1872: Jul 15, withdrawn upon completion of range beacons for Charleston Harbor-
1872: Sep 16, placed on Tybee Island Knoll (GA)-
1879: Vessel is "old, un seaworthy, and not worth repairing"-
1880 : Jan, withdrawn, station discontinued, "other aids being substituted in
her stead''


More notes:


RETIRED FROM LIGHTSHIP DUTY: 1880 AGE: 17

SUBSEQUENT DISPOSITION: 1880 Jan 7, sold at public auction $200; net $173.70

 Back to Lightship Stations and the Ships that Served on them.

Copyright © 2004  United States Coast Guard Lightship Sailors Association INC. All rights reserved. Copyrights also protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998
Revised: 10/23/06.