Fire on the Beach : Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers

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Summary: Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Ethe
Review: David Zoby and David Wright take us through the breathtaking life journey of former slave Richard Etheridge in the late 1800's. Unlike many other historical accounts, Zoby and Wright reveal an intricately woven tale that flows brilliantly through the Civil War, the Reconstruction and on through the formation of the U.S. Live-Saving Service. This is a compelling story about a man who retains his dignity and integrity during a time when black people had no voice. The hardships endured by those early lifesavers that willingly put their lives at risk to save the victims of shipwrecks are memorably expressed in the detailed descriptions of the land and the power of the sea. I now have this compelling urge to visit the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

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Summary: A gripping tale of courage and bravery.
Review: Faced with several days of enforced inactivity as Hurricane Isabel bore down upon Baltimore, what I needed was a good book with which to pass the hours. There on my shelf was Fire on the Beach, purchased several months ago but set aside for just such a circumstance. As the wind howled around my apartment and rain slashed at my windows, I settled in to read.
Authors Wright and Zoby have written a thrilling account about the American Life Saving Service (ALSS), predecessor to the U.S. Coast Guard. Their focus is on the life of Richard Etheridge, born into slavery, a soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War, and later, leader of a courageous crew of lifesavers at Pea Island's Station 17 on the Outer Banks.
Richard Etheridge, probably the son of a white "Banker," raised and educated as part of his family, obtained his freedom fighting with the North Carolina Colored Volunteers (NCCV), under infamous Colonel Edward A. Wild. After the war, the scandel-ridden ALSS was reorganized and Etheridge was appointed Keeper of the station at Pea Island; the only black man to command a station up to that point. Etheridge was, indeed, a "man among men," risking his life time and again, driving his 6-member crew of surfmen to rescue sailors and passengers off unfortunate ships driven ashore by storms at least as furious as the one threatening Maryland on this day.
Here is a tale of daring exploits during an obscure time in American history; of courageous men of color fighting steep breakers and raging surf over shallow shoals while saving stranded survivors of doomed vessels before the deadly sea could claim them.
A fascinating account. Some might say it's black history. But it's more than that. It's about raw courage; about bravery against a treacherous enemy - the sea at its worst. Etheridge and his crew were black, but first and foremost, they were real men who willingly risked their lives daily for others.
I heartily recommend this work as an eye-opening account of a time along the Outer Banks before storms were tracked with high-tech equipment, and as a gripping tale guaranteed to hold your interest.

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Summary: suberbly written, well researched
Review: I am admittedly not a history buff. I do however treasure the three years I was lucky enough to live on North Carolina's Outer Banks. "Fire on the Beach" was recommended to me & now I would like to pass that gift on to anyone who reads these reviews. This book tells a fantastic tale of a man & a period of time that are both truly inspiring. It does not read like a "historical text", but more like a well plotted out novel. If you have any interest in Post Civil War South, Turn of the century maritime history, North Carolina's Outer Banks, or the US Coast Guard, do not pass this book up!

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Summary: Bravery At The Beach
Review: I have been a resident of North Carolina for over 12 years and had never heard of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Life Savers. The book Fire On The Beach by authors David Wright and David Zoby is a very important history lesson not just for those of us living in North Carolina but also for people living all over the world.

Richard Etheridge began life as a slave in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, he was property of the Etheridge family and was considered a part of the family. At the age of 21 Richard, without asking the permission of his owners, joined the army and became a Union soldier. Richard was proud to be fighting to try to end slavery. He was prepared to fight to the death to make life better for himself and those around him. While in the Army, Etheridge and other Black soldiers were known as the "African Brigade." These men fought valiently and after the war they all went back home to some of the same problems and issues they had before the war.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina had always been a problem for ships;they often ran aground on the North Carolina shores. As a result, in 1874, life saving stations were opened all over the Outer Banks. Initially most of the crews were checkered or made up of Black and White men. The Lifesavers of the Outer Banks had a troubled history of haphazardly run patrols, poorly trained lifesavers, and stations that were run erracticly. Many lifesavers got positions because of who they knew and were related to. The Lifesavers of the Outer Banks were in desparate need of an image change.

In February 1880, that image changed radically, Richard Etheridge was named keeper of Pea Island Station 17, and what made it even more special is that he had an all Black crew. A Keeper is a man who could keep stroke with an oar, knew the local currents and had a disposition that allowed for high risks at low pay. This appointment was historic and even as racially divided as the United States was at that time, everyone agreed that Richard Etheridge was more than qualified for the position.

Being a member of the Life Saving Service was not an easy task, add to that being Black and that makes for a lot of drama. This book is very informative and important for people of all races and all over the world. The dates,the facts,and the many stories told are put together well. On the RAW scale it is a 4.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks

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Summary: Should be" Wild's African Brigade Revised"
Review: The book purports to tell the story of Richard Etheridge but the first third is about "Wilds African Brigade," a black brigade that committed murder, arson, looting and the hostage taking of white women in Tidewater North Carolina and Virginia in October and December 1863.
On its return to base in Portsmouth Virginia Brigadier General Wild was relieved of command and the brigade disbanded.

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Summary: Great story - not a great book
Review: The story of Richard Etheridge is fascinating and inspiring. It is unfortunate that its telling here is tedious and uneven.

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Summary: More than a recovery effort
Review: This compelling history will appeal to many different audiences, including those interested in the Civil War (particularly in the U.S. Colored Troops), the complex politics and relationships of Reconstruction, maritime history and shipwrecks, and the Outerbanks region of North Carolina.
The authors have pieced together an enlightening and engaging life story of a special man in a unique time in US history. The amazing perseverance of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers is brought to life by Wright and Zoby.
I strongly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: suberbly written, well researched
Review: This history of the Pea Island Lifesavers is beautifully written so that the story captivates from start to finish. In fact, I wasn't sure that this was my kind of book, but the early, vivid description of the dangerous coast and the duties of the men who walked the Outer Banks looking for shipwrecks hour after hour convinced me that I had to read the whole book. Clearly well researched, this book taught me a great deal about the Civil War and U.S. maritime history but, more importantly, explored the humanity in our country's history. It takes saavy authors to recognize that the real beginning of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station begins not with its inception but with the lives of the men, namely Richard Etheridge, who served there. Because of the emphasis on people and place, the book reads quite like a novel and, therefore, can be appreciated by a wide audience. Fire on the Beach deserves to be read, for it demonstrates that history must be revealed and retold with all its contradictions, complications, and individuals.