The Abbey Bee

sabre15

sabre15

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Dec 14, 2008
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sabre15:

Not to give you a hard time, but it would be helpful if you'd posted a bit more information - where and when did she come to grief, etc.

I poked around the 'net a bit and this is supposed to be a Civil War shipwreck - sunk by a Union gunboat. That means there should be an account of the incident in the Official Records - War of the Rebellion (Navy, of course). At least, that is where I would start.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo
 

sabre15:

A very quick look - but it doesn't look good:

Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. ; Series II - Volume 1: Statistical Data of Union and Confederate Ships; Muster Roles of Confederate Government Vessels; Letters of Marque and Reprisals; Confederate De

Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. ; Series II - Volume 1: Statistical Data of Union and Confederate Ships; Muster Roles of Confederate Government Vessels; Letters of Marque and Reprisals; Confederate De

Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. ; Series II - Volume 1: Statistical Data of Union and Confederate Ships; Muster Roles of Confederate Government Vessels; Letters of Marque and Reprisals; Confederate De

I didn't see any mention in these indicies of the "Abbey Bee" - but here are the links.

Notwithstanding the fact she isn't in the index, I think this is the Volume that covers the period:

Official records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. ; Series I - Volume 17: Gulf Blockading Squadron (December 16, 1861 - February 21, 1862); East Gulf Blockading Squadron (December 22, 1862 - July 17, 1865)

No - I didn't read the whole thing. And, perhaps, there's a mention elsewhere. But the fact the Abbey Bee isn't in the index isn't a good start...

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo

Here's the link to the entire 30 volume set. There is also the US Dictionary of US Navy Fighting Vessels - which, I believe, includes the CSA Navy. But it's been many years since I looked at those works. Because so many of what Confederate records existed burned in Richmond in April 1865, the best plan of attack is to approach this from the Union gunboat angle. There would be a record of the incident if a Union naval vessel sunk a Confederate ship - armed or unarmed, warship or private merchant vessel, privateer, etc. There were serious legal issues, prize courts, and all the rest involved in such a matter.
 

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Thank you, yes that is all the information I have too, but, there is nothing regarding the records, I have only heard about this through other people. I cannot find any information on if it actually exist and what it was actually carrying if it exist at all.
 

sabre15:

At this point I would suggest a vessel inquiry to the National Archives and Records Service. If that comes back nil - well, it's probably a ghost.

I do not mean to be a buzzkill or a buster on this one. There are so many promising prospects, I hate to see people waste time on those with little or no opportunity of success. Back in the day I published the first reliable information on The Brother Jonathan.

Years later the salvors found her - but they didn't find the blunt. Perhaps because it was never there?

I hope the links I provided may help others - either with this wreck or the next one. For my money the American Civil War is remarkably well documented. Folks just need to know where to look.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo
 

Darren a treasure hunting friend of mine, Rodney Tyoe told me about a shrimper that snagged the anchor with his nets in 1978. He pulled up the anchor. Archaeologists dated the anchor to the Civil War and found a serial number on it. The Abbey Bee was a private blockade runner that was trying to smuggle part of the Confederate treasury to Cuba. A researcher found evidence at a life saving station. Thats all I know.
The anchor find sparked a massive treasure hunt in the Steinhatchee area. The shrimper claimed he was drunk and didn't know where he was. His Loran was not working. The shrimper also snagged a solid gold statue of what looked like an angel but it dropped out of the net.
 

THE LEGEND OF THE ABBEY BEE

The Abbey Bee was said to be a private schooner owned by David Yulee,cousin CSA Sec of State Judah P Benjamin.The story is that in April 1865,the Abbey Bee departed the Steinhatchee River with 20 million in gold heading for Cuba.The USS Sagamore of the Union East Gulf Blockade encountered the Abbey Bee and sunk the schooner.
What makes this story suspect:
Richmond fell on April 2,1865,and Davis,Benjamin,and Breckinridge departed with the remaining Confederate Treasury.The Confederacy,at the beginning of the War of Northern Aggression had only 20 million dollars,at the end less than $500,000,made up of gold,silver,silver specie,and Confederate bills.
The USS Sagamore's final action in the war was on June 7,1864,when,along with the USS Clyde,captured 100 bales of cotton in the vicinity of Clay Landing on the Suwannee River.
The USS Sagamore was decomission,Dec 1,1864 in Philadelphia and sold June 13,1865,in New York.
There are many tales of lost Confederate gold in Florida,including two Capt John Riley(Bless McIntosh)stories,one on the Steinhatchee,the other in the Everglades-Riley was a CSA blockade runner,but was never caught or sunk.
The origin on this story may lie in the fact that Benjamin and Breckinridge did escape through Florida with part of the Confederate Treasury,staying in Ocala with CSA Brig Gen Robert Bullock-Benjamin also stayed with his Ocala cousins,Solomon and Simon Benjamin,along with David Yulee's wife,before escaping the country.
AFTER:
In 1884,Union Gen Joshua Chamberlain bought Yulee's Homosassa plantation,and along with CSA Gen Bullock(who surrendered to Chamberlain at Saylor's Creek)and the Benjamin brothers formed the Silver Springs,Ocala,& Gulf Railroad Company.
 

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ECS you are exactly right. I got the same info from Rodney. The schooner was owned by David Levy Yulee. Levy county was named after him. The schooner might have had a different name before leaving the Steinhatchee River. I tried to get the log book of the USS Sagamore but the archives want $200 for a microfish of just the month of April, 1865. Who knows what is on board the Abbey Bee? If you could find any more info on this I would really appreciate it.
The shrimper was taken at gunpoint off shore in 1980 to find the wreck. He couldn't find it. But he secretly recorded the LORAN numbers before disabling his machine. The shrimper died in a fire in 1990 and his son has the numbers. He said he is saving it for his retirement!
 

BCH posted this link on the SWAMP GOLD thread.
It is about the discovery of a CSA/British blockade schooner sunk by the USS Rosalie near Cape Coral.
WINK News
 

Salvor6:

With all due respect, I've never heard of an anchor having a serial number on it.

I'm sure others here have far more experience in this area than I.

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo
 

Salvor6 said:
ECS you are exactly right. I got the same info from Rodney. The schooner was owned by David Levy Yulee. Levy county was named after him. The schooner might have had a different name before leaving the Steinhatchee River. I tried to get the log book of the USS Sagamore but the archives want $200 for a microfish of just the month of April, 1865. Who knows what is on board the Abbey Bee? If you could find any more info on this I would really appreciate it.
The shrimper was taken at gunpoint off shore in 1980 to find the wreck. He couldn't find it. But he secretly recorded the LORAN numbers before disabling his machine. The shrimper died in a fire in 1990 and his son has the numbers. He said he is saving it for his retirement!
Click to expand...
If this event happened,it did not involve the USS Sagamore,as she was decommissioned Dec 1,1864.
Incidently,Yulee's cousin,Judah P Benjamin,ran the CSA blockade operation.
After leaving Ocala,Benjamin stayed with the CSA "Cow Cavalry" Lesleys at Gamble Plantation,Ellenton,before CSA blockade runner,Capt Archibald McNeil sailed him to the Bahamas.
David Yulee was arrested by Union troops,May 1865 near his Cottonwood Plantation in Archer/Gainesville and was sent to Fort Pulaski in Savannah where he served 9 months,when US Gen U S Grant had him pardoned.
 

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Old Bookaroo the serial number evidence was related to me by the current owner of the anchor. After close personal inspection, I did find a raised emblem on the anchor but the numbers are illegeable due to the heavy corrosion.
 

Salvor6:

Please understand - I'm always ready to learn something new!

A maker's mark - a Broad Arrow - even the name of the foundry where it was cast or forged wouldn't surprise me a bit. Even a date.

But a serial number? One would think a cannon would have that before an anchor - and I've never of a big gun having a serial number.

Again - I'm old enough to remain open minded.

Good luck to all,

~ The Old Bookaroo
 

Salvor6 said:
Old Bookaroo the serial number evidence was related to me by the current owner of the anchor. After close personal inspection, I did find a raised emblem on the anchor but the numbers are illegeable due to the heavy corrosion.
Click to expand...
Is the anchor still at Charlies Fish House on Kings Bay in Crystal River?
 

Yes last time I was out that way it was, some people say that it is not the anchor from the AB. I spoke with the owner of the fish house and he said for years people have stated that it was but he said it was from another boat. I posted a picture here once of it, I will try to find it and repost it for others to see. I worked with the cousin of the shrimp boat captain's son that snagged the supposed wreck, he told me the same story and was shocked when I called it the Abbey Bee, almost as if it were a family secret. His cousin would never give me the loran numbers and in the beginning tried to convince me it was off of ST. Augustine.
 

58620060.jpganchor comp 2.jpg
 

As I mentioned,what I find suspect to the story is the mention of the USS SAGAMORE and date of the incident,the 20 million in gold,and departing from the Steinhatchee River.David Yulee's railroad ended at Cedar Key,near the lower Suwannee River,but Cedar Key was Union occupied and several CSA blockade schooners were captured or sunk in that area.Indeed,during April-May 1865 the escape of the Confederate government leaders was on,and the baggage train of Jefferson Davis's personal property did make it to Yulee's Cottonwood Plantation in Archer,but Yulee was arrested in Gainesville for aiding and abetting Davis,and for giving finacial support for the "Southern Cause".
The legend of the Abbey Bee appears to be local lore,compiled from several actual real events...but that is just my opinion and I could be wrong,but it is based on a lack of solid historical documentation or a Yulee registry of owning the schooner Abbey Bee.
 

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