William Bell, No. 24
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | William Bell |
| Acquired | 1864 (est.) |
| In service | circa 1864 - 1867 |
| Out of service | sank at sea |
| Stricken | 1867 (est.) |
| Captured | 1964 by Confederate ship Tallahassee |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 123 ton |
| Length | 82 feet |
| Beam | 21 feet |
| Propulsion | sails |
| Sail plan | Schooner-rigged |
'The William Bell No. 24 was a New York Pilot boat.
Service History
On September 29, 1864, during the American Civil War, the pilot-boat William Bell No. 24, ventured too far out to sea and was captured and burned by the Confederate raiding steamer the CSS Tallahassee.[1] The objective in capturing the vessels was to secure a pilot who could take the Tallahassee into Long Island Sound. The William Bell was 70 miles east southeast of Sandy Hook. In the book, "From Sandy Hook to 62", Charles Edward Russell, describes the chase of the Tallahassee cruiser against the pilot-bat William Bell. The Confederate colonel, John Taylor Wood ordered the Bell to be burned. Wood said "Turpentine her and set her on fire." [2]
Construction and early service
On May 7, 1865 a new pilot-boat William Bell was built and launched from the yard of E.F. Williams, Greenpoint, New York. Her dimensions were: Length of keel, 82 feet; breadth of beam, 21 feet; depth of hold, 8 feet.
On March 7, 1867, the pilot boat lay full of water, a mile inside of the outer bar at Amagansett, Long Island. She was part owned by Captain Joseph Henderson (5/16th). The vessel was reported as a total loss.[3]
On June 5, 1883, Joseph Henderson (pilot) was compensated for $6,170.31, as he owned 5/16 share in the William Bell.[4]
References
- ^ United States. Dept. of State, Geneva Arbitration Tribunal - 1872
- ^ From Sandy Hook to 62, Charles Edward Russell, 1929
- ^ New York Herald (New York, NY) Issue: 11146 Page: 7
- ^ The Tallahassee, Complete Rebel History of Her Depredations, the New York Times, pg. 1. and The William Bell, A New York Pilot Boat, the 1969 issue of The Log of Mystic Seaport, pg 17