What could be a Civil War blockade runner recently found exposed on the beach near Gulf Shores Alabama after Hurricane Ike.
Hurricane Ike uncovered a ship on the public beach near mile marker 6 on Alabama Highway 180/Fort Morgan Road. For those of you unsure of where this is, it is on the narrow Bon Secur peninsula that has Gulf Shores on end and old Fort Morgan on the other- jutting into mobile bay. The fact that there is a ship there is the only certain thing. No one is positive what it is or how long it’s been there. Hurricanes Camille (1969) Fredrick (1979) and Ivan (2004) briefly uncovered portions of the ship but nothing like what Hurricane Ike did. A local historian from nearby Ft Morgan measured the wreck and found it to be some 136.9 feet long and 25 feet across. The wreck shows signs of being burned to the waterline. This means that at least three ships fit this bill:
The most popular story that local historians state with confidence that it is the wreck of the 136 foot long two mast-ed schooner Monticello. She was a Confederate blockade runner that burned to the keel after being grounded June 26, 1862 when she lost a race with the Union navy gunboat USS Kanawha. The problem is that the wreck found on the beach has many woven steel cables as well as what looks like asbestos tiles - neither of which were used in shipbuilding in the 1860s. The Monticello was also a pure sailing ship, whereas the wreck appears to be steam powered and shows no characteristic signs of having been a mast-ed vessel. This would rule out the Monticello as a candidate. Other of the civil war faithful state that the ship, if not the Monticello, could still be one of the estimated 350 purpose built blockade runners, several of which have faded into history and had their names forgotten. However the point must be made that the wreck found is a very ‘beamy’ ship, built for stability not speed. The typical blockade runner was a narrow fast ship with a beam to length ratio of 1:8 or even 1:10, whereas the wreck found has a beam to length ratio of about 1:5.5, typical for a merchantman.
Blockade runner naysayers state that the ship is most likely the 134 foot schooner Rachel lost in 1933 in Mobile Bay. The US Army Corps of Engineers even marked the wreck as being that of the Rachel in 2000 when only a portion of the craft was exposed. The Rachel was designed and built in the renowned John DeAngelo and Sons Italian American Shipyard in nearby Moss Point, MS in 1919. She was a beautiful vessel with three masts and a shallow draught. The De Angelo yard often included small diesel engines in their sailing craft up to 300shp, however none were steam powered. Popular legend has it that she was sunk not long after being built for the insurance money, burned off of Gulf Shores. The wreck found on the beach in Alabama has what looks to be connection rods for an expansion steam engine as well as a long central condenser pipe for the same type of power plant. Also the true waterline length of the Rachel was only 93 feet, her schooner bow giving her the longer overall length quoted above. This would seem to rule out the Rachel as a candidate.
The last of the at least three mentioned contenders for the title of "Name that Ship" is the rum runner Aurora. Found at sea with some 1400 cases of premium liquor at the tail end of prohibition. She was seized at the mouth of the Mississippi by the 100-foot US Coast Guard Cutter Forward based in Pascagoula. The ship was ordered towed to Mobile with her crew and part of the cargo put aboard the cutter. The rum runner became separated after it caught fire, sinking near Fort Morgan on March 12, 1933. The Aurora was a coaster registered in British Honduras (now Belize) but little other information is available on her. The New York Times of the day lists that she only had eight crewmembers aboard, making the ship unlikely to be a labor-intensive steam vessel.
This leaves the question; will the real history stand up and claim this lost skeleton of the sea? Or will she be forgotten again in the shifting sands and wait for the next hurricane?
Bricker, Richard W. The Italian American Shipyard at Pascagoula
Gaines, W. Craig, Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks, Louisiana State University Press, 2008 (page 4)
Busby, Guy Ike Uncovers Historic Ship on BaldwinCountyBeach, Mobile Press Register September 19, 2008.
Rum Runner Sunk off of Mobile, New York Times, March 12, 1933.
As well as personal inspection of wreckage by author Sept 20, 2008.
The copyright of the article Mystery Ship Uncovered by Hurricane Ike in Modern War is owned by Christopher Eger. Permission to republish Mystery Ship Uncovered by Hurricane Ike in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Many are saying this is the Monticello but it is not. The fate of the
Monticello is documented by the Navy. See link to Navy's Historical Center
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-m/montcelo.htm
Sep 23, 2008 9:01 PM
Guest :
The Schooner Rachel was 132' at Keel and 156 Stem to Stern. The Wreck is
very close considering measurement is difficult given the condition and
position of the wreck. A deck plan, inboard profile, typical frame sect
drawing is available. The length on Schoonerman.com is a mistake. The
burned condition also matches the Rachel's end. The red paint is also
consistent with other vessels from De Angelo yard at Moss Point. An effort
will be made to compare the wreck to the drawing. The Rachel was
constructed with steel fasteners, yellow pine tembers in the keel, and oak
along the bottom of the keel. Ken De Angelo, Grand Bay, AL
Sep 24, 2008 12:02 AM
Guest :
THIS IS THE " MONTICELLO"!!! We are talking about the Confederate
ship the "Monticello" not the " USS Monticello" which
was sold after the war and foundered off the coast of Newfoundland in the
1920's. This was a twin mast double wheeled steamer. If you would pay more
attention to the constuction you would notice the double ribs ( something
you dont see on a private ship ) and notice that the ship is constructed of
not just yellow pine,but also red and white oak,white pine,cedar and
cypress. The keel by the way is solid oak not yellow pine, and yes people
there was wire cable on ships of the 1860's, we started making steel cable
in the 1840's, look it up.The construction of the first suspension began in
1865, we all know it as the "Brooklyn Bridge" ring a bell.Last
but not least I personally know the man who bought the tiller from the
"Rachel" and all the photos of her being dismantled after she ran
aground in 1933, he has it hanging in his home as a decoration.
Sep 27, 2008 10:22 PM
Guest :
Thank-you Ken De Angelo for your comments about the Schooner Rachel. This mystery wreck that was further uncovered by Hurricane IKE has
brought to light some details of interest. The bronze gudgeon for the
rudder would be a fitting from the same era as Rachel’s constructions. My
reference is Howard I. Chapelle’s book The American Fishing Schooners
1825-1935 page 598 “Rudder Pintle Brace” drawings and dimensions. The wreck
has been measured 136.9 feet long and 25 feet across but only has enough
frames left from the floor timbers to the first futtock frames. So this
vessel could have had an overall beam much wider than 25 feet. The stern
counter and bow overhang is undetermined on this wreck. Based on Naval
records of the USS Monticello was 180’ and had a 29’ beam and went out of
commission July 21, 1864 and was sold at public auction at the Boston Navy
yard and then served in the merchant marine and foundered off Newfoundland
April 29,1872. This eliminates the USS Monticello as the wreck. The Rachel
was a three mast Schooner. My question to anyone who has viewed this wreck
in detail is: Have they seen any mast footings and how many? Lee Fox,
Corpus Christi, Texas
Sep 28, 2008 10:46 AM
Christopher Eger :
Please note---I think it is safe to state that it was never assumed that
this ship was the USS Monticello. The Monticello referred to in the article
was that of the privately owned (making it a privateer NOT a confederate
naval ship 'CSS') blockade runner Monticello.
Mobile Bay was
home to several of these vessels such as the Banshee, the Ivanhoe, and
others who made the almost regular Havanna to Mobile run past the Union
blockade fleet.
Thanks
Chris Eger
Sep 28, 2008 6:54 PM
Guest :
Thank-you Chris Egar for your clarification about the Monticello. I doubt
the mystery wreck was ever the USS Monticello nor was there ever a
Confederate navy vessel CSS Monticello but like you say a privateer vessel
called Monticello. I have read many letters of marque and reprisal from the
Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of The
Rebellion books that were published 1921 and in Series II Volume I Parts 1
to 4 there are letters about the Monticello where Mr. John Bass of
Monticello Florida was seeking approval for use of a vessel as a Privateer
that was an iron clad steam propeller vessel of 460 tons burthen. There are
no comments to the Acting Secretary of State Wm M Browne that the
Monticello was a sidewheel steamer nor any details about her length, beam
or armaments. I’m sure there are other records about the “Privateer” Monticello about blockade runners that might clarify if the mystery wreck
could have been this vessel with such a tonnage? Lee Fox – Corpus
Christi
Sep 30, 2008 1:18 PM
Guest :
He must have a big house if he's got the rudder from this wreck hanging on
the wall.
Oct 1, 2008 8:31 PM
Guest :
The construction methods and design of the wreck are not 1860s and the ship
was not steam powered. I visited the wreck last week. The frame spacing is
that of the Rachel and the center keel and two sister keels are the same as
the Rachel. The rigging design is like that of the Rachel. The Rachel had
a change in thickness of the hull near the keel that can be seen near the
stern of the wreck. There is no evidence in the wreck that it is not the
Rachel. The Rachel was burned and the wreck was burned. I have a drawing
of the Rachel containing the inboard profile, a typical frame section and
the structual deck plan.
Oct 8, 2008 6:03 PM
Guest :
Oct.1 post about visiting the wreck and stating that "There is no
evidence in the wreck that it is not the Rachel" can you please tell
the readers of this post on suite101.com if you were able to see three mast
steps on the keelson that would be in the correct locations distance wise
for the three masted Schooner Rachel? That would be worth looking into. Lee
Fox - Corpus Christi.
Oct 10, 2008 2:44 PM
Christopher Eger :
On the Aurora- according to Nora L. Chidlow Archivist with the United
States Coast Guard Historian's Office - was a Honduran oil screw caught by
the Forward with 502 sacks of illegal liquor. No records can be found with
LLoyds of London as to the size/description of the ship. Per Louise
Bloomfield Information Officer with Corporate Communications for Lloyd's
Register Group Services Limited: "I have looked through the Lloyd's
Register of Ships, the Lloyd's Casualty Returns and the Mercantile Navy
List for 1932/3/4 but can find no record of an Aurora lost in 1933"
The nature of the ship- a smugglers craft during operating from
central american waters in the 1930s- this is not uncommon.
Christopher Eger,
Oct 26, 2008 8:39 AM
Guest :
I myself also went and visited the wreck. No matter what ship it was it
is interesting. I did find myself wanting to know more about it. I did
notice when I was there was an amount of what appears to be black and
yellow rope. Can be seen in the second picture in front of where the young
man is standing. To me it looks like nylon rope. I don't know for sure but
seems they could use a sample of that and find out a little more. If it is
nylon, that was not introduced until the 1930's. I'm no expert for sure but
would like to know about this.
Oct 27, 2008 7:35 PM
Guest :
What ever ship it was, this guy has done one hell of a job photographing
it. Sure beats all the cell phone photographers out there who have posted
blurry and pixelated shots online.
Here is the link:
http://myweb.cableone.net/timothylapierre/TSE.htm
I think this
guy is a pretty good photographer.
Oct 27, 2008 7:37 PM
Guest :
http://myweb.cableone.net/timothylapierre/TSE.htm
Really good
photographs of this mystery ship.
Sep 5, 2009 1:16 PM
Guest :
Timothy LaPierre's photographs of this shipwreck are now on another
site:
The record of the Rachel's grounding can be found in the Montgomery
Advertiser Dated October 19th in 1923 "Many ships it is said, are in
need of assistance after the high seas and heavy winds caused by the
tropical blow in the last few days . . . In addition to the reck of the
Bluefields a wireless message from Fort Morgan stated than the American
Schooner Rochel of Mobile was ground near there, .... the crew of seven
were safe. . . .Captain, N.C. Willams is in command of the schooner."
Also search google's Picasa for Rachel Wreck for additional info.
Sep 22, 2008
