Friday 27 July 2018

Hornet (1851) | Timeline

The Hornet was an 1851 extreme clipper, of 1,426 tons, built by Westervelt & Mackay, New York for the San Francisco trade. The ship became famous for its race with "Flying Cloud" in 1853. Lost in the Pacific after a catastrophic fire, the survivors reached Hawaii, where they were interviewed by Mark Twain.

Some parts of this timeline are reconstructed until i have access to the ship's log book, buy another clipper ship book with the exact dates to fill the blanks or confirm reconstructed voyage dates. This message will disappear when that happens or another contributor provides the information first. Thank you so much for your visit. Buy books and CDs! Support the writers and artists!

June 20, 1851 - New York - The "Hornet" (1,426 tons) is launched at the shipyard of Westervelt & Mackay, New York, for Chamberlain & Phelps, New York =(START)
October(?) 9(?), 1851 - New York - The "Hornet" departs to San Francisco in her maiden voyage
November(?) 15(?), 1851 - Line of the Equator - Crosses the line of the Equator
December(?) 21(?), 1851 - Off Cape Horn - The "Hornet" reaches Cape Horn in 73 days
January(?) 25(?), 1852 - Line of the Equator - After 17 days off Cape Horn, the "Hornet" reaches the line of Equator in 36 days
February(?) 20(?), 1852 - San Francisco - The "Hornet" reaches San Francisco, 26 days after crossing the line of the Equator
March 1, 1852 - San Francisco - The "Hornet" departs to Panama with 300 passengers
April 2, 1852 - Panama - The "Hornet" arrives in Panama after sailing for 33 days
August(?) 1(?), 1852 - Whampoa, China - The "Hornet" arrives in Whampoa after sailing for 90 days
January(?) 5(?), 1853(?) - Whampoa, China - The "Hornet" departs to New York
April(?) 1(?), 1853 - New York - The "Hornet" returns to New York after sailing for 117 days
April 26, 1853 - New York - The "Hornet" departs to San Francisco, two days before the "Flying Cloud"
April 29, 1853 - 3 days south of New York - The "Flying Cloud" catches the "Hornet" and passes her, being about 12 miles in the lead
May 15, 1853 - Line of the Equator (31º45W) - The "Hornet" crosses the line of the Equator
May 19, 1853 - Off Fernando de Noronha, Brazil - The "Hornet" sails off Fernando de Noronha island
June 15, 1853 - Off Staten Island, SE tip of Argentina - The "Hornet" reaches Staten Island
July 24, 1853 - Line of the Equator - The "Hornet" crosses the Line of the Equator
August 12, 1853 - San Francisco - The "Hornet" arrives in San Francisco after sailing for 106 days
August(?) 27(?), 1853 - San Francisco - Departs to Philadelphia
October(?) 1(?), 1853 - Callao, Peru - The "Hornet" arrives in Callao after sailing for 34 days
April 9, 1854 - Philadelphia - The "Hornet" arrives in Philadelphia 
May(?) 1(?), 1854(?) - Philadelphia - Departs to San Francisco
June(?) 15(?), 1854(?) - Cape Horn - The "Hornet" rounds Cape Horn
August(?) 2(?), 1854(?) - San Francisco - Arrives in San Francisco after 91 days
September(?) 5(?), 1854(?) - San Francisco - Departs for New York, via Mazatlan
October(?) 1(?), 1854(?) - Mazatlan, Mexico - Stop at Mazatlan to load cargo
December(?) 1(?), 1854(?) - Cape Horn - The "Hornet" rounds Cape Horn
February(?) 15(?), 1855(?) - New York - The "Hornet" reaches New York
April(?) 1(?), 1855(?) - New York - Departs to San Francisco
June(?) 15(?), 1855(?) - Cape Horn - The "Hornet" rounds Cape Horn
July(?) 17(?), 1855(?) - Coast of California - After 107 days, the "Hornet" faces six days of calms near her destination
July(?) 23(?), 1855(?) - San Francisco - Arrives in San Francisco after 113 days
September(?) 1(?), 1855(?) - San Francisco - Departs to Calcutta, India
November(?) 10(?), 1855(?) - Calcutta - Arrives in Calcutta in 69 days
December(?) 1(?), 1855(?) - Calcutta - Departs to New York
March(?) 12(?) 1856(?) - New York - Arrives in New York in 102 days
December(?) 1(?), 1856(?) - London - Crosses the Atlantic to London 
January 12, 1857 - The Lizard - Sailing to Calcutta, India
April 20, 1857 - Calcutta - The "Hornet" arrives at Calcutta after 97 days
June 28, 1857 - Calcutta - Departs from Calcutta
August(?) 10, 1857 - Cape of Good Hope - The "Hornet" rounds the Cape of Good Hope
October(?) 1(?), 1857 - New York(?) - Returns to New York
January 19, 1859 - Boston - Departs to San Francisco under command of Captain Josiah A. Mitchell
May 28, 1859 - San Francisco - Arrives in San Francisco after 128 days sailing
July(?) 1(?), 1859 - San Francisco - Departs to New York
October(?) 1(?), 1859 - New York - Returns to New York in 87 days
April(?) 23(?), 1860 - New York - Departs to San Francisco
September 4, 1860 - San Francisco - The "Hornet" arrives in San Francisco after sailing for 135 days
October(?) 10(?), 1860 - San Francisco - Departs to New York
November(?) 27(?), 1860 - Cape Horn - Reaches Cape Horn in 47 days
January(?) 16(?), 1861(?) - New York - The "Hornet' arrives in New York after 96 days sailing
February(?) 1(?), 1861(?) - New York - Departs to Bristol, England
February(?) 15(?), 1861(?) - Bristol, England - Arrives in Bristol in 14 days
March(?) 1(?), 1861(?) - Bristol, England - Departs to New York in ballast
March(?) 28(?), 1861(?) - New York - Reaches New York in 27 days
May(?) 1(?), 1861(?) - New York - Departs to San Francisco
September(?) 10(?), 1861(?) - San Francisco - Arrives in San Francisco after 131 days sailing
January(?) 1(?), 1862 - San Francisco - The "Hornet' departs to Philadelphia
February(?) 15(?), 1862 - Valparaiso, Chile - Reaches Valparaiso in 42 days
March(?) 1(?), 1862(?) - Pisagua, Northern Chile - Stops at Pisagua to load cargo
March(?) 10(?), 1862(?) - Iquique, Northern Chile - Stops at Iquique to load cargo
July 23, 1862 - Philadelphia - Arrives at Philadelphia
August 2, 1862 - Philadelphia - Departs for New York with a cargo of nitrate of soda
August 4, 1862 - New York - Arrives in New York with a cargo of nitrate of soda
September(?) 1(?), 1862 - New York - Departs to San Francisco
February 17, 1863 - San Francisco - Arrives in San Francisco ater 124 days sailing
April(?) 4(?), 1863 - San Francisco - Departs to Liverpool, England
August(?) 1(?), 1863 - Liverpool, England - Arrives at Liverpool with a cargo of wheat after 120 days sailing
September(?) 1(?), 1863 - Liverpool - Departs to New York, loaded with coal
October 3, 1863 - New York - Arrives at New York with a cargo of coal, after 32 days sailing
November 30(?), 1863 - New York - Loading at New York for San Francisco. Captain Harding, and the Captain Reed of the "Star of the Union" bet $500 each that their respective ships would arrive out in 120 days or less
December 23(?), 1863 - Line of the Equator - Reaches the line of the Equator in 23 days
January 22(?), 1864 - 50ºS - Off Puerto San Julián/Rio Gallegos area - Reaches 50ºS in 53 days
January 25(?), 1864 - Cape Horn - The "Hornet" reaches Cape Horn and takes 18 days to round it
March 14, 1864 - Line of the Equator - Reaches the Line of the Equator in 103 days
April 1, 1864 - San Francisco - The "Star of the Union" docks in San Francisco after 121 days, with the "Hornet behind at the "heads" of San Francisco. Both captains loose the bet
May(?) 1(?), 1864 - San Francisco - Departs to New York
July(?) 3(?), 1864 - Cape Horn - The "Hornet" rounds Cape Horn
September(?) 5(?), 1864 - New York - The "Hornet" reaches New York in 101 days
October(?) 5(?), 1864(?) - New York - Departs to San Francisco
January(?) 24(?), 1865(?) - San Francisco - Reaches San Francisco after sailing for 111 days
February(?) 20(?), 1865(?) - San Francisco - Departs to Valparaiso, Chile
April(?) 1(?), 1865(?) - Valparaiso, Chile - Stop at Valparaiso to load wool
May(?) 1(?), 1865(?) - Tomé (NE Talcahuano, Chile) - Departs to New York with a cargo of wool
September(?) 1(?), 1865(?) - New York - The "Hornet" reaches New York in 58 days
January 15, 1866 - New York - The "Hornet" departs to San Francisco under command of Captain Josiah A. Mitchell, with a cargo of 6,195 boxes of candles, 2000 cases of kerosene oil, 400 tons of Pacific Railroad iron and 3 small steam engines
March 17, 1866 - Cape Horn - The "Hornet" rounds Cape Horn in unusually calm waters
May 2, 1866 - Line of the Equator - Crosses the Line of the Equator
May 3, 1866 - 1,000 miles W of Galapagos, 2,500 miles SE of Hawaii - The mate went below to draw some varnish, when his lantern caused an explosion, the flames from which shot up through the open hatch and ignited the crossjack, which was hanging clewed up. The fire spread and in a short time the whole ship was in flames
May 4, 1866 - 1,000 miles W of Galapagos, 2,500 miles SE of Hawaii - The "Hornet" goes down. The crew leaves the ship in three open lifeboats =(END)
June 15, 1866 - Hawaii - The captain's boat, with 14 survivors, reaches Hawaii after 43 days at sea.


Bibliography
LUBBOCK, Basil - The China Clippers
OCTAVIUS THORNDIKE HOWE, Frederick C. - American Clipper ships, 1833-1858, Vol.1
RICHARDSON, John - The Cutty Sark Story

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