Rasmus Midgett rescues SS Priscilla crew single-handedly (1899)

Rasmus Midgett, a surfman for the United States Life-Saving Service, single-handedly rescued ten crew members from the sinking barkentine Priscilla near Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, on August 18, 1899. Midgett chose to attempt the rescue immediately rather than waiting for station assistance, a decision that led to his award of the Gold Lifesaving Medal from the Secretary of the Treasury on October 18, 1899.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Rasmus Midgett was a surfman in North Carolina, part of a family line known as the Mighty Midgetts. On August 18, 1899, he was on patrol for the Gull Shoals Lifesaving Station. The Priscilla, a 643-ton barkentine out of Baltimore bound for Rio de Janeiro, was wrecked during a stormy evening. Midgett faced a critical choice: spend three hours bringing assistance from the station or attempt a rescue without aid.

Rescue. At 3:00 am on the stormy, windy, and rainy evening of August 18, Surfman Erasmus Midgett left Gull Shoals Life Saving Station on beach patrol. He single-handedly rescued ten men from the sinking barkentine Priscilla. The decision to act immediately rather than wait for station assistance was based on the urgency of the situation and the conditions of the wreck.

Recognition. Johnston recommended Midgett for the Gold Lifesaving Medal based on the station log, the keeper's wreck report, and the assistant's investigation. The medal inscription honored his single-handed rescue of ten men from the Priscilla on August 18, 1899. Midgett was awarded the medal on October 18, 1899, becoming one of seven Midgett family members to receive this honor.

People involved

Sources

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