The ''Gratitude'' was a 19th-century

Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern en ...

pilot boat A pilot boat is a type of boat used to transport maritime pilots between land and the inbound or outbound ships that they are piloting. Pilot boats were once sailing boats that had to be fast because the first pilot to reach the incoming ship ...

built in 1824 by Brown & Bell for

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

pilots. She helped transport

maritime pilot A maritime pilot, marine pilot, harbor pilot, port pilot, ship pilot, or simply pilot, is a mariner who maneuvers ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbors or river mouths. Maritime pilots are regarded as skilled professionals ...

s between inbound or outbound ships coming into the

New York Harbor New York Harbor is at the mouth of the Hudson River where it empties into New York Bay near the East River tidal estuary, and then into the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of the United States. It is one of the largest natural harbors in t ...

. In 1839, she had a narrow escape from the

slave ship Slave ships were large cargo ships specially built or converted from the 17th to the 19th century for transporting slaves. Such ships were also known as "Guineamen" because the trade involved human trafficking to and from the Guinea coast ...

'' La Amistad''. In 1839, the ''Gratitude'' No. 3, was

shipwreck A shipwreck is the wreckage of a ship that is located either beached on land or sunken to the bottom of a body of water. Shipwrecking may be intentional or unintentional. Angela Croome reported in January 1999 that there were approximately ...

ed when a hurricane swept the New York coast. The New Jersey Pilot Boat ''John McKeon'' was lost in the same storm.

Construction and service

The New York pilot boat ''Gratitude,'' No. 3, was a built in 1824, by Bell & Brown and launched in January 1825. She was valued at $6,000. La Amistad (ship) restored

Several New York pilot boats came across the

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

'' La Amistad'' with 25-30 black slaves on board that had taken control of the ship. The pilot boat ''Blossom'' discovered the ship on August 21, 1839, but fled when the captives attempted to board her. Two days later, the pilot-boat ''Gratitude'' came across the ''La Amistad'' when she was twenty-five miles east of

Fire Island Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York. Occasionally, the name is used to refer collectively to not only the central island, but also Long ...

. Captain Seaman of the ''Gratitude'' said "I will bring your schooner in safely," with the intention of putting a pilot aboard. One of the ringleaders of the ''La Amistad '' ordered the men to fire on the ''Gratitude''. Gun shots hit the pilot boat but the pilot boat was able to escape. The pilots on the ''Blossom'' communicated what they felt was a slave ship to the Collector of the Port of New York. The ''La Amistad'' was later captured by the U.S. Navy off

Montauk, New York Montauk ( ) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, on the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 4,318. The ...

and detained in

New London, Connecticut New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...

End of service

In August 1839, the pilot schooner ''Gratitude'' No. 3, went out at sea with six pilots. Two of the pilots had left to board outbound ships to sea. A few hours later, the ''Gratitude'' was caught up in a severe hurricane that swept the coast from

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

on August 28 and 30. The ''Gratitude'' lost four of her pilots, three apprentices and a cook. The names of the pilots that were lost were: Enah Harris, Joseph Hendarchott, Owen Wilson, and Sydney Waite. The pilots had no insurance. The New Jersey Pilot Boat ''John McKeon'' was lost in the same storm with four of her crewmen.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gratitude Service vessels of the United States Individual sailing vessels 1825 ships Schooners of the United States Pilot boats

Construction and service

End of service

See also

References