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Preface

On 22 August, 2005, the city of St. Marys, Camden County, the State of Georgia and the United States
were the beneficiaries of the generosity of Land Resource Company. The donation of artifacts discovered at
Point Peter and presented to the National Park Service Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum
accomplished three things.

1. The first was the presentation of a priceless gift of a community's heritage.

2. The second was light shed on a long-forgotten struggle during a perilous time in our young Nation's
history.

3. The third was to set in place a foundation upon which the community could build a formidable
memorial to the region's role during the War of 1812.

History is a viably commercial commodity. History/heritage-based tourism is a clean, environmentally
friendly industry, which benefits education, and the local economy.

Land Resource Company's donation helps tell of the military efforts on land. The Gunboat Project will
help bring to light the naval component of St. Marys' role during the War of 1812 and open the door for
further study.

It is appropriate that the gunboats of Station St. Marys be the focus of this project. For it was one of the
Station's gunboats, No. 168, that fired the final shot of the war in defense of its flag, in American waters,
against the bomb ship HMS Erebus, on 16 March 1815, off Wassaw Island, Georgia. This engagement
took place notwithstanding the peace Treaty of Ghent had been signed on 24 December 1814, ratified by
Congress and President Madison on 18 February 1815.

Focus

The focus of this project is the Jeffersonian Gunboat as a vessel-type specifically Gunboats 161 and 164,
their mission, and their deployment at Station St. Marys prior to, during, and after the War of 1812.

Background

Both vessels were lost during the Hurricane of 16-17 September 1813. The storm was a major
meteorological event. By modern standards, it ranked as a Category 3 hurricane. It brought ashore a
storm surge at least 17 feet high and impacted the port of St. Marys and Camden County in a significant
manner. Three gunboats were sunk in St. Marys harbor. Two were run ashore. One gunboat, No 168,
was driven ashore seven miles inland and came to rest on a marsh on Harriet's Bluff.

The Hurricanes of 1813

The Hurricane season of 1813 was exceptionally active in the North Atlantic basin. Two storms in
particular wreaked havoc on both combatants along the Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coasts: 27
August and 16-17 September.
Three weeks after the 27 August hurricane a major tempest struck St. Marys. This storm approached
from the Leeward Islands and pounded north Florida and South Georgia. The hurricane left significant
destruction in its wake. On the modern Saffir-Sipson scale this storm is considered to have been a
Category 3 Hurricane and spawned a 17-19 foot storm surge.

The renown Charleston privateer Saucy Jack was at St. Marys ready to sail when the hurricane struck.
Saucy Jack was driven into the marsh, left high and dry 5 feet above the level of mean low water. Saucy
Jack had a draft of 14 feet.
In addition to Saucy Jack, three U.S. Navy Gunboats were sunk and two run aground. Both Gunboat No.
161 and Gunboat No. 164 sank at St. Marys in four fathoms. Gunboat No. 164 went down with 20 men.

Despite efforts to do so, both No. 161 and No. 164 were unable to be recovered. Gunboat No. 62 sank at
anchor at St. Marys. Although "rotten and unworthy of repair." Gunboat 62 was re-floated and given to
the man who raised her. Gunboat No. 3 was driven ashore 500 yards into a marsh on the Florida side of
the river. She was later raised and used as Hospital ship. Perhaps most remarkable is the account of
Gunboat No. 168. She was dismasted and driven 7 miles inland on Harriett's Bluff by the storm surge.
She was recovered, returned to service and would fire the last shot fired in anger, in American waters,
against HMS Erebus, on 16 March 1815, off Wassaw Island, Georgia.

Methodology

Phase One

The initial phase of this project will be research of the subject matter, specifically U.S. Navy Gunboat No.
161 and U.S. Navy Gunboat No. 164. Once the research phase has been conducted, we will advance to
Phase Two.

Phase Two

During Phase Two the information gathered during Phase One will be analyzed and conclusions made.
This phase will include the production of reports.

Phase Three

Once we are confident with the results of the analysis, we will embark upon phase three, an expedition to
locate U.S. Navy Gunboat No. 161 and U.S. Navy Gunboat No. 164.

Phase Three can proceed only with the permission and approval of a number of Governmental agencies.
Among which are: U.S. Navy, in whom title to the wrecks is vested and must issue a permit; National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, tasked with granting permission for wreck recovery in U.S. waters,
and must issue a permit; The Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with monitoring all work executed in the
navigable waterways of the U.S., and must issue a permit; The United States Coast Guard, tasked with
monitoring operations that pose an impediment to the safe navigation of vessels in the navigable
waterways of the U.S.; and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Archaeology-Underwater
Branch, tasked with permitting underwater archaeological operations in Georgia waters.

Phase Four

The fourth phase of this project will be the underwater survey of the aforementioned vessels. This phase
will include the analysis of data gathered and the production of a report.

Phase Four, like Phase Three, can proceed only with the permission and approval of a number of
Governmental agencies. Among which are: U.S. Navy, in whom title to the wrecks is vested and must
issue a permit; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, tasked with granting permission for wreck
recovery in U.S. waters, and must issue a permit; Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with monitoring all
work executed in the navigable waterways of the U.S., and must issue a permit; The United States Coast
Guard, tasked with monitoring operations that pose an impediment to the safe navigation of vessels in the
navigable waterways of the U.S.; and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,
Archaeology-Underwater Branch, tasked with permitting underwater archaeological operations in
Georgia waters.

Phase Five

Phase five will be the recovery, conservation, and display. Like Phase Three and Phase Four, the final
phase can proceed only with the permission and approval of a number of Governmental agencies. Among
which are: U.S. Navy, in whom title to the wrecks is vested and must issue a permit; National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Agency, tasked with granting permission for wreck recovery in U.S. waters, and must
issue a permit; Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with monitoring all work executed in the navigable
waterways of the U.S., and must issue a permit; The United States Coast Guard, tasked with monitoring
operations that pose an impediment to the safe navigation of vessels in the navigable waterways of the
U.S.; and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Archaeology-Underwater Branch, tasked with
permitting underwater archaeological operations in Georgia waters.

Current Situation

Currently, the locations of the vessels are generally known. Further research must be undertaken to
learn as much as possible about previous U.S. Navy salvage operations (1813 -1816) to offer accurate
insight into the possible inventory of items / associated artifacts yet remaining within the wreck site.

Therefore, we propose to write a detailed grant proposal to:

(Phase One)

" Conduct research at archives and repositories that we know have information and others that we believe
have a high likelihood of containing information.

" Allow for checking other repositories that we identify during the research process.

" Fund duplication of pertinent records that would be domiciled at a recognized local historical repository
(Bryan-Lang Library?) following completion of the research.

(Phase Two)

" Fund analyses of the records generated.

" Fund the production of two reports--a technical one to be used for future research and a popular one for
the education and enjoyment of the general public.

" Fund reproduction and distribution of the popular report.

The research would be geared toward:

" Writing an historic context for St. Marys as an international border, the Jeffersonian gunboat program,
and pre-War of 1812 (including the Florida Patriot's War) and War of 1812 army and naval operations in
the St. Marys' area.

" Identifying detailed histories for each vessel including their individual designs (with all the diagnostic
information to be found), construction, operations, loss, contents at loss, salvage, etc. Perhaps, a model of
each vessel might be commissioned for construction, for local display.

" Identifying the most likely locations for the vessels.

" Identifying the likely character of the wreck sites based on vessel designs and expected contents (after
salvage).

" Developing a detailed plan (with time and cost estimates) for locating the vessels that would serve as the
next grant proposal for Phase Three.