Year: 1870

DESCRIPTION OF GREAT POINT RIP-HOW THE


GUERRIERE WAS RESCUED.


The following is description of the place
whereon the Guerriere carrying the remains of Admiral
Faagut grounded and Capt Duncans statement OF the
manner in which he got his vessel of;


The Guerrere had taken coast pilot and New-York
pilot to Portsmouth, and was in their charge at
the time OF the accident. Thursday the day OF the
accident very pleasant, and. with tne eXcep0n vi


se s n difcnitT in seeing the land at distance OF
miles anywhere near Nantucket. Great Point KIP Is
long sand bar formed by the conflicting tides running off
from Great Point which iuts out into the sea about IL
miles northeast from the town OF Nantucket Inc lNp
for four miles to the easn0rtheast from inc fOht


In pleasant weather tho water is quite this bar
(nd the depth varies from to fee rough weather
the surf rises to hight of 10 or Is feet but at no time
be sailed over by vessels OF heavy draught When
vessel is caught on the Rip IL is speedily broken to pieces
About eight years ago Prussan ship caught on the
and went 10 pieces in less than three hours The
milton of this humane act the PrnssOn Government sent
the captain of the vessel that rescued the hand
some chronometer. 1t was this spot that the
Guerrero ashore and narrowly escaped destIuc
tiOn.


the Great Round Shoa and steered W.N.W directly
TO the point of the Rip instead of allowing eeway to
was aground. Capt Duncan, pilot OF Nautucket, saw
ON nearing her he Vas hailed by Capt stevens, who
desired him to come on board and sent boat for him


The following is Capt. Duncan's statement: As soon
as got board, Capt Stevens wished TO know which
way his ship should and was answered that she should
be got TO the eastward. | suggested that an anchor
should be taken out at once went with the sailing
in OF the GueTreres boats and sounded the
water myself Although five boats were available they


failed to get the anchor out (weigh 1900 pOunds, so
strong the tide running AT this failure said to
the captain, if had anchor weighing 4O0or 500 pounds


could carry 1t out; he one. ana TOOK Out,
aided by his boats crew. and dropped 1t ahead OF tho
ship then line from the ship to schooner near
by so as to haul the schooner alongside the ship TO get
on board the larger anchor weighing 1900 pounds MY
boat had to Nantucket at the request OF Capt
Stevens, for steamer and two vessels:
the schooner. the steamer and vessel arrived.
1t calculation that after we got the anchor on


the schooner the could haul her and thea nchOr
out where it TO he dropped sooner than we could
do it by hand The effort was made but failed although
from p NJ until dark was spent ~ nghtng the heavy
tide Night coming we were Obliged 10 suspend Opef
ations until morning. gave orders that the anchor on
carried to the ships N.NE. port bow. remained on
beard the GueTriere all Thursday night the steamer hed
fs to the sncS % TON the s SRfa S
We began to tighten the ship taking out shot shells ana
the Rip and shOal water: We stopped the engine and
The tightening was kept up all night The ships officers
and men did their share of the work we'll Next morn
ing friday at c. the steamboat Island Home hooked on
TO the schooner which had carried the 9OGpOund an
chOr sung over her stern all night and started TO place
the anchor at the spot had indicated the previous
afternoon II had succeeded In doing this the mght
before the ship would nave got OIL on the saue gat
tide When let go the 9,O00pound anchor we had the
hawser tight and commenced tightening again, ana that
afternoons tide oated the vessel and by means OF the
anchor and her steam she got of then TOOK her
around into the bay Qnsde OF Great Pomo into smooth
water order to bring the vessels containing ana
shell and provisions into position for puttng them ag


on board tie Guerriere. On Friday the wind blew st


breeze from the eastward and at night increased almost
TO gale by Friday evening the articles removed
the tide she did she never would have come on AT an.
She never could have wthstoOd the sea at swept over
sound on Saturday afternoon at O'Clock, and arrived
| here at y. M on sunday