The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-10-26
THE BRIG. AGNES BARTON
WRECKED MARCH IA, 1889

WRECKED MARCH IA, 1889
One of the most distressing cases
of shipwreck in the year 1889 &C.
Cured March IA. During a heavy
northeaster the brig Agnes Bar
ton, of Baltimore, Maryland, was
wrecked on the Virginia coast a
short distance north of the Dam
Neck Mills Station, (Sixth Dis
trict). She was bound home from
Navassa, West Indies, with a car
go of phosphate rock valued at
$1,000, and a crew of ten men of
whom four were saved and six
lost. The master was named H. B.
Knight, and he persisted.
This disaster was particularly
unfortunate in view of the attend
ing circumstances. The brig went
ashore only quarter of a mile
from the station, in broad daylight,
within easy reach of line opera
tons, but owing to succession
of unavoidable incidents six of the
sailors lost their lives, drowning
in plain view of the workers on
the beach, who had exhausted ev-
cry means known to their calling
in vain efforts to save them.
The vessel, valued at $4,000,
was of four hundred tons burden
and had started from Navassa,
February goth, on her return voy-.
age. Her passage was a very tenn
pestuous one, and on March 14th
she encountered an unusually Sc
we're northeast blow. Owing to the
thick and rough weather that had
been experienced, she was thrown
a considerable distanc to the
westward of her reckoning and in
stead of making Cape Henry, at
the entrance of Chesapeake Bay,
in the forenoon of that date, as
the captain expected, it was found
that she was off Currituck Beach,
more than thirty miles to the
southwark. When this fact became
known the vessel was hauled by
the wind, now mounting to nearly
a gale, and a course shaped about
north-by west, some five miles off
the land. Soundings were taken
and the depth of water was ascrib-
ed to be twelve fathoms. The brig
had been leaking ever since she
left Navassa, and by this time the
watch were compelled to pump at
the rate of thousand strokes an
hour to keep her free. AS she
proceeded northward under a full
press of canvas, she was driven to
leeward and constantly neared the
shore.
Beached by Crew
After reaching a point opposite
the Dam Neck Mills Station, it
became obvious that she could not
be made to fetch by Cape Henry,
and it was decided to beach her
as near the station as possible.
The weather was too heavy to
tack; besides, in the vessels leaky
condition, it would have been a
perilous venture to stand off shore.
The captain hoisted a signal of
distress to inform the station crew
of his intentions, and then headed
the brig, under all forward sail,
squarely for the beach. She was
driven at high rate of speed be-
fore the gale and furious sea and
struck the outer bar, head on some
two hundred and fifty yards from
the land. This was at twenty min
utes of five o'clock. The tide was
nearly half flood. The swift sue
ceeding breakers swept over the
stern and reached as far as the
foremost, the crew being obliged
to seek safety near the break of
the forecastle.
The vessel was first sighted from
the station when she was some
three miles to the southeastward.
She passed by, attracting no I'M
usual attention. AS soon, however,