Multiple Additional Early Accounts of Sightings of the Sea Serpent of Long Island Sound in 1823

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A sea serpent known variously as The Sea Serpent of the Sound, The City Island Sea Serpent, and other appellations has been sighted off Pelham shores on many more occasions than Nessie has been spotted in Scotland's Loch Ness.  Moreover, Pelham's version of Nessie clearly is a much fiercer beast that has tossed ships out of the water, grabbed and crushed porpoises, throwing their bodies high into the air, and has even taken on steamboats in the waters of the Sound.  As I have noted before, the gentle ambling Nessie of Loch Ness must be a doting, slow, and gentle distant relative of the fierce City Island Sea Serpent.

I have written of the Sea Serpent of the Sound on numerous occasions and even published an extensive article on the fearsome beast in the magazine Westchester Historian, an amazing journal that has been published continuously by the Westchester County Historical Society since 1925.  For examples of other prior articles on the Sea Serpent of the Sound, see:

Bell, Blake A., The Sea Serpent of the Sound:  Spotted in Pelham Waters in 1877, The Pelham Weekly, Vol. XIV, Issue 29, July 29, 2005, p. 9, col. 1. 

Wed., Jun. 29, 2005:  The Sea Serpent of the Sound: Spotted in Pelham Waters in 1877 (Part I). 

Thu., Jun. 30, 2005:  The Sea Serpent of the Sound: Spotted in Pelham Waters in 1877 (Part II). 

Fri., Jul. 01, 2005:  The Sea Serpent of the Sound: Spotted in Pelham Waters in 1877 (Part III).

Wed., Oct. 29, 2014:  Sea Serpent of City Island: Sea Serpent Sighted in 1877 Returned on Many Occasions.

Mon., Aug. 03, 2015:  More on the City Island Sea Serpent, Pelham's Monster of the Deep.

Wed., Apr. 27, 2016:  Two of the Earliest Yet-Known Sightings of The Sea Serpent of the Sound that Plied Waters Off the Shores of Pelham.

Detail from 19th Century "Bird's Eye View" Map of

Manhattan Entitled "NEW YORK" Published by Rogers,

Peet & Co. With Reports of Sightings of the Sea Serpent of

the Sound Arising on Nearly an Annual Basis Late in the

Nineteenth Century, the Mapmaker, Tongue-in-Cheek, Included

this Serpent Cavorting in the Waters of the East River.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Mariners and coastal dwellers seem to have sighted supposed sea serpents as long as there have been mariners and coastal dwellers.  Such beasts, however, reportedly have been sighted in waters along the nation’s northeastern shores since at least the late 1630s.  A truly sensational “sighting” of a sea serpent off American shores occurred in August 1817. Dozens of respectable citizens reported seeing a giant, snakelike creature in Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts.  The creature reportedly visited the harbor almost every day for a month. Many notable citizens observed it and many people traveled to Gloucester to see the curiosity.  See O’Neill, J.P., THE GREAT NEW ENGLAND SEA SERPENT: AN ACCOUNT OF UNKNOWN CREATURES SIGHTED BY MANY RESPECTABLE PERSONS BETWEEN 1638 AND THE PRESENT DAY, pp. 25-66 (Camden, ME: Down East Books 1999) (reprinted by Lightning Source Inc. 2003).

Following the Gloucester Harbor sea serpent sightings in 1817, sea serpent hysteria washed over the nation.  The New York and Pelham regions were not immune.  Indeed, only weeks after the Glouster Harbor sea serpent sightings, the Sea Serpent of the Sound was sighted on several occasions.  See Wed., Apr. 27, 2016:  Two of the Earliest Yet-Known Sightings of The Sea Serpent of the Sound that Plied Waters Off the Shores of Pelham.

Today's Historic Pelham article details two additional early accounts published only six years later detailing sightings of the Sea Serpent of the Sound in 1823.

On Wednesday, July 23, 1823, Captain Wyer of the sloop Rose was sailing in Long Island Sound from New York to Nantucket.  The Rose began passing through the Race.  The Race is a treacherous area roughly eight miles from New London, Connecticut where rough waters of Long Island Sound rush both ways with great velocity and force.  Many vessels have been lost on nearby Race Point Reef.  Congress began appropriations for a lighthouse at the Race in 1838, but it took decades to build the Race Rock Lighthouse that was completed in the mid-1870s.

As Captain Wyer sailed through the treacherous waters that day, he saw the famed Sea Serpent of Long Island Sound.  Newspapers throughout the nation reported that Captain Wyer had a "full view" of the terrible monster and "judged him to be about 80 feet in length."

The first paper to report the most recent sighting of the monster was one published in New Bedford, Massachusetts.  Within weeks newspapers in England, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Vermont, and other locations carried reports of the sighting.

Once again the famed Sea Serpent of Long Island Sound was on the prowl.

*          *          *          *          *

"The Sea Serpent was in Long Island Sound on Wednesday the 23d ult.  A New Bedford paper says -- 'we are informed that Capt. Wyre, of the sloop Rose, from New-York for Nantucket, in passing through the Race had a full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet in length."

Source:  [Untitled], Vermont Journal [Windsor, VT], Aug. 4, 1823, Vol. XLI, No. 2087, p. 3, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"DOMESTIC SUMMARY.

The sea-serpent has been seen in Long-Island sound by Captain Wynn, of the sloop Rose who had a full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet long. . . ."

Source:  DOMESTIC SUMMARY, The York Gazette [York, PA], Aug. 19, 1823, Vol. VI, No. 16, p. 3, col. 2 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

The Sea Serpent was in Long Island Sound on Wednesday week.  A New Bedford paper says, 'We are informed that Capt. Wyer, of the sloop Rose, from New York for Nantucket, in passing through the Race, had a full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet in length.'"

Source:  [Untitled], Lancaster Intelligencer [Lancaster, PA], Aug. 26, 1823, Vol. I, No. 28, p. 3, col. 3 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

"The Sea Serpent was in Long Island Sound on Wednesday last.  A New Bedford paper says, 'we are informed that Captain Wyer, of the sloop Rose, from New-York for Nantucket, in passing through the Race, had full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet in length.' -- Late American paper."

Source:  [Untitled], The Liverpool Mercury on Commercial, Literary, and Political Herald [Liverpool, England], Sep. 12, 1823, Vol. XIII, No. 641, p. 6, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"The Sea Serpent was in Long Island Sound on Wednesday last.  A New Bedford paper says -- 'we are informed that Capt. Wyer, of the sloop Rose, from N. York, for Nantucket, in passing through the Race, had a full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet in length.'"

Source:  [Untitled], National Standard [Middlebury, VT], Aug. 12, 1823, p. 3, col. 5 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).  

"The Sea Serpent was in Long Island Sound on Wednesday last.  We are informed that Capt. Wyer, in the sloop Rose, from New York for Nantucket, in passing through the Race, had a full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet in length -- N. Bedford pap."

Source:  [Untitled], Woodstock Observer, and Windsor and Orange County Gazette [Woodstock, VT], Aug. 5, 1823, Vol. IV, No. 31, p. 3, col. 3 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

"The Sea Serpent has been seen in Long Island Sound, by Capt. Wyer, of the sloop Rose, who had a full view of him, and judged him to be about 80 feet long. -- True American.

Our Boston correspondent states, that 'the Sea Serpent was off Sandy Bay Point, and was fired upon several times, the balls apparently making no impression upon him.' -- [ Frank. Gaz.

We assert upon unquestionable authority, that the far-famed 'Sea Serpent,' or something very much like him, was taken at Plum Island, on Wednesday last, after a sea-fight of two hours and a half! -- [ Depositions hereafter.

[Newbury post Herald."

Source:  [Untitled], National Intelligencer [Washington, D.C.], Aug. 16, 1823, Vol. XXIV, No. 8491, p. 1, col. 3.

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