Virginia (pilot boat)
{{short description|Sandy Hook Pilot boat}}
{{for|the schooner|Virginia (schooner)}}
{{Infobox ship begin|infobox caption=}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Virginia Pilot Boat.jpg |Ship caption= Pilot Boat Virginia }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|1860}} |Ship name= Virginia |Ship christened= |Ship builder = |Ship operator=
|DUPLICATE-Ship owner= |Ship owner=N. Y. Pilots |Ship namesake= |Ship original cost= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= ca. 1838 |Ship out of service=March 7, 1860 |Ship renamed= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship honors= |Ship fate=Wreck (1860) }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Header caption= |Ship class=schooner |Ship tonnage= |Ship length= |Ship beam= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship sail plan= |Ship propulsion=Sail |Ship complement= |Ship armament= |Ship notes= }} |
The Virginia was a 19th-century Sandy Hook pilot boat. She came from Savannah to New York City in 1838. In 1840, the Virginia was No. 8 in the list of only eight pilot boats in the New York fleet. She went ashore in 1860 and was replaced by the pilot boat William H. Aspinwall in 1861.
Construction and service
On April 3, 1838, pilot boat Virginia was cleared to leave the port of Charleston, South Carolina, with Captain G. Wright for Norfolk, Virginia.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75243716/cleared/ |title= Cleared. |work=The Charleston Daily Courier |place=Charleston, South Carolina |date=3 Apr 1838 |page=2|access-date=6 Apr 2021}} She left Charleston for sea on April 6 and arrived in the Port of New York on April 24, 1838.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75243929/went-to-sea/ |title= Went To Sea Yesterday. |work=The Charleston Daily Courier |place=Charleston, South Carolina |date=6 Apr 1838 |page=2|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75238251/arrived/ |title=Arrived. |work=New York Daily Herald |place=New York, New York |date=24 Apr 1838 |page=3|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75239038/savannah/|title= Memoranda. |work=The Evening Post |place=New York, New York |date=30 Jun 1838 |page=3|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
In 1840, there were only eight pilot boats in the New York fleet. They were the Phantom, No. 1; Washington, No. 2; New York, No. 3; Jacob Bell, No. 4; Blossom, No. 5; T. H. Smith, No. 6; John E. Davidson, No. 7; and the Virginia, No. 8.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/466525096/?terms=%22boat%20Jacob%20Bell%22&match=1 |title=A New Pilot Schooner. |work=The New York City Herald |place=New York New York |date=22 Jan 1840|page=2|access-date=2021-01-09}} The boat number "8" was painted as a large number on her mainsail, that identified her as belonging to the Sandy Hook pilots.
On December 14, 1840, the Thomas E. B. Johnson, of the pilot boat Virginia, along with other pilots from the port of New York, stated that they had never been employed by J. D. Stevenson and no compensation has been offered or demanded.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74712869/pilot-boats/ |title= To the Public. |work=New York Daily Herald |place=New York, New York |date= 16 Dec 1840 |page=21|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
On August 14, 1843, Captain G. Wright, of the pilot boat Virginia, was 45 miles east of Cape Henlopen, when he spoke to the brig Wm. Neilson from New York bound to Port-au-Prince.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75235343/cape-henlopen/ |title=Marine List. |work=The Evening Post |place=New York, New York |date=14 Aug 1843|page=1|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
On July 17, 1848, the New York pilot boat Virginia spoke to the British Brig Sisters that was short on provisions. She was on her way to Halifax, Nova Scotia.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75235788/sisters/ |title=British Brig Sisters. |work=New York Daily Herald |place=New York, New York |date=23 Jul 1848|page=4|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
On October 26, 1850, the pilot boat Virginia, near the Narrows, was returning from a cruise when she was struck on her starboard side by an outbound schooner causing damage to her rigging. The schooner also received damage and one man was seriously injured.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75236156/unknown-schooner/ |title= Disasters. |work=The Evening Post |place=New York, New York |date=26 Oct 1850|page=1|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
On October 13, 1854, the Virginia No. 3, came across the cutwater, stem, and a female figurehead from a vessel. The figurehead was painted a light blue with a wreath of roses around her head.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75229362/figurehead/ |title=Figure-Head Picked Up At Sea |work=New-York Tribune |place=New York, New York |date=13 Oct 1854 |page=7|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
On October 9, 1859, John Burke, a native of Germany, was a hand on board the pilot boat Virginia when he died of exhaustion.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75237365/consumption/ |title=Died. |work=New-York Herald |place=New York, New York |date=9 Oct 1859 |page=5|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
End of service
On March 7, 1860, the New York pilot boat Virginia, No. 3, ran ashore in thick fog and gale ten miles east of Rockaway Shoals. The crew was able to escape to safety. The boat was owned by pilots Walter Brewer, Thomas Morley, William Rock, George Burgess, and Ralph Altkins.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75223840/went-ashore/ |title=Miscellaneous. |work=The New York Times |place=New York, New York |date=9 Mar 1860|page=8|access-date=6 Apr 2021}}
{{cite book |last=Russell |first=Charles Edward |date=1929|title=From Sandy Hook to 62°|location=New York |url=
https://books.google.com/books?id=7KBOAQAAMAAJ&q=%201860%20Virginia
|publisher= Century Co.|oclc=3804485|page=114}}
{{cite book |last=Allen |first=Edward L. |date=1922|title=Pilot Lore From sail to Steam |url=https://archive.org/details/pilotlorefromsai00unit/page/38/mode/2up?q=Virginia
|location=New York |publisher=The United New York and New Jersey Sandy Hook Pilots Benevolent Associations |page=38}}
On January 30, 1861, the pilot boat William H. Aspinwall, No 21, was launched from the J. B. Van Dusen Bros. shipyard at the foot of Sixteenth street, East River. She was a replacement for the former pilot boat Virginia. Captain Walter Brewer was in command.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72622612/wm-h-aspinwall/ |title=Miscellaneous. |work=New York Daily Herald |place=New York, New York |date=30 Jan 1861|page=2|access-date=2020-10-14}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{commons category}}
{{List of Northeastern U. S. Pilot Boats}}
{{1860 shipwrecks}}
Category:Individual sailing vessels
Category:Schooners of the United States