Thursday, September 20, 2012

Sand Island Lighthouse Gets Its Island Back-- Part 3

John Glenn swore that he'd return and "tumble the Light House down in their teeth."  February 23, 1863, a month after his first attack, he did just that, placing 70 pounds of gun powder under the tower and blew it up.  He reported to Daniel Leadbetter, a brigagadier general in the Confederate Army of his success.  Leadbetter had been the builder of the lighthouse.  You have to wonder how he felt about the deed?

Union forces then erected a temporary 48-foot tall tower that served until the end of the war.

The new brick tower was built and activated Sept. 1, 1873.  Constuction involved 171 pilings overlaid with 12 feet of cement.  This new 132 foot tall lighthouse was built 670 feet from the previous one.

Yet, there was erosion back then and by 1880, the previous one's foundation was under water.

We'll Leave the Light On...Maybe.  --Cooter

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