The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-24
OFFICIAL
REPORT OF THE LOSS OF THE UNITED
STATES SHIP PEACOCK.
U. s. SHIP VIScENNEs,
BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO,
Upper California, October 81, ls4l.

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Upper California, October 81, 1871.
To the honorable the SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
STA have now to report, what | have expected
long since might occur TO Of from the DANCE
Of the service commlttd to the Squadron
under my command the loss of the u nited States
ship Peacock the 18th of July, the bar of the
Columbia RIVER, in attempting to enter it, agreeaby
to my orders to Captain Hudson, in pursuance ofin-
structions from the Department.
The Peacock as had the honor to inform you in
my letter dated November 10, lS40 was ordered to
leave Oahu on the I'd December last and after
duous and dangerous cruise of22S days (ofwhich only
% were passed in porD to the Phoenix, Samoan, FL
lice, and Kingsmil groups of islands far to the
westward the Piscadores, thence northery through
a range of shoals and islands Heretofore said TO ex-
ist) to the Sandwich Islands, where, after taking on
board supply of water and provisions, she proceeded
for Columbia River off which she arrived on the 18th
of July, the day previous to the accident
Captain Hudson was furnished by with direc-
tons for entering the Columbia, which obtained Of
Captain -- of the ship - at Oahu, who had
just arrived there from the Columbia, and was as
sured that they could be depended recent
sJered correct.
was gratifed in being able to obtain tho nforma-
ton and furnished copies each Of the vessels Of
the Squadron, placing much confidence in them, hav
ing been unable to obtain any information which
could be relied on, to enable US TO encounter the dt
culties and well known dangers which exist there,
These directions ~ere apparently drawn up with care,
although there existed in my mind doubt, from
their giving only magnetic BEARINGS generally of little
value and particularly SO in this case my eYpe-
renee, from recent survey Of the bar has since
proved.
To these mus. be imputed the loss of the Peacock,
which Captain Hudson implicitly followed and held
in his hand at the time he made the attempt to
cross the bar appears by his report hereafter CO.
pied. am well satisfied that such was the case, from
the fact of Captain Varney, master Of the American
brig Thomas Parkns, having run over the same part
of the sands in following the directions, copies
(which he obtained from me at Oahu but draw
ing only feet Of waer he entered without accident
The following is a copy of Captain Hudson's re-
port to me of the loss Of the ship:
con the morning Of the 18th of July we obtained
soundings in 1870 fathoms off the Columbia River, af-
to s. W., made Cape disappointment the same aiter-
noon and through the night had light airs and calms,
accompanied with dense fog. On the morning Of
the Is h. between and 8, the fjg cleared off, and we
had light breeze from the southwark and eastward
with pleasant weather, Cape Disappointm mt N sight
ahead, distant . miles Until meridian we had
light southerly breezes AT 9, got cast of the
lead and found 40 iathoms water, at 10 10 oh.
tanned soundings in \ tathoms, and wore ship of
shore. AT II wore again and stood in, AT mell.
dian the wind came out moderately from the
southwark and eastward; and weather little cloudy
Soon after meridian being off the entrance through
the reef called all hands to work ship into port had
a lieutenant looking out the foretopsa yard and
myself the forecasle and occasionally in the fore
rigging stood in, according my directions, through
the channel or passage, until brought Cape Dsap-
pointment to bear N. E IA Z. by compass, and was
leading up to tito bring Cheenoos point to bear Z. n
f when we discovered the sea breaking ahead of Us
Believing myself ather too far to the southwark wore
ship and run short distance until clear of the break
ers and where the passage appeared smooth and clear
Of break, both fro n below and alof when we again
stood in, and in less than minutes the ship touched
The helm was Immediately put lee and every effort
made TO bring her by the wind and haul off, but thump
after thump and the heaveo the sea- forced her end
and rendered her unmanageable Every sail was i'm
medately furel Stseam-cable and anchor got ready
for running out; lst cutter hoised out launch ready,
| and Lieut. Enmons sent to sound in various drcc-
tons about the ship in of the waist-boats The
wind had now got to the n. and w. and was gtadu-
ally increasing, accompanied with haze and fog, and
the ebb tide meeting the ocean swell, producing, in
few moments, dangerous comblng sea, which stove
the st cutter with careful hands in her. and moor
ed with nesto play her from the fore and aft parts OF
the ship and rendered her perfectly useless It was
with great difficulty and hazard Lieut. Emnons got
alongside after sounding, and his boat taken on
board.
"'The ship lifting and striking heavily,
and the sea had been furious venture the launch
over the side meet like fate with the cutter in
deed no boat could have lived about the ship. Had
the pumps ggcd sent the royal and top gallant yards
mass and rigging deck, and every thing Of weight
out of the tops to our lower masts from switching
over the side. Finding the ship was now making wa
ter fast divided the watches in gangs at the pumps
and kept them going from that time until the boats
left the ship. Had the guns buoyed for heaving
board got pendan, tackle the fore-yard arm, and
swung the larboard bower clear of her bottom as she
was now quarering to the sea, her after body lifting
with every surge, c ming down heavily, and the ship
with all forging end.
81 was in hopes, by this process to bring her head
to sea, have her strike fore and aft on her keel
our iron tller broke off some SIX or eight
inches from the rudder head rudder-5races and pir-
tails gone, and the rudder thrashng about violently
with every sea, unable to escape through the rudder
port and acting, when its head brought upon the bot
tom, as lever or pry upon the transom and stern
frame, until il finally ground its way OUT commenced
heavng saot the stern, starting the water in
the hold, &c. As anticipated the hove her stern
around and the force of her striking senslby d.