The New York herald., 1846-03-28
The Wreck of tho Packet Ship
HENRY CLAY.
YHB Loss or LIVES.
NAMES OF THE DEAD.

The announcement made in the Herald en Thurs
day last, that the packet ship Henry Clay had gone
ashore; that several lives had been lost; and that
there were three hundred human beings on board,
of whose fate we were all uncertain, threw the city
into state Of the greatest excitement and anxiety.
We were induced in consequences of this, to despatch
a special messenger 10 Squsn Beach. IN order to
gather all the particulars Of the disaster, and return
by an express to this office.
About noon yesterday, our special messenger re-
turned, and, we are happy to say. with much more
favorable intelligence than was generally anticipated
The following are the particulars gathered at
Squan Beach, from those who came out in the
Henry Clay, which we published exclusively at Eve
o'clock yesterday afternoon, in an Extra Herald
Our messenger lefs the ship at O'Clock yesterday
morning.
The ship sailed, as we have said. on the 22t ult,
from Liverpool. She was on the Banks OF New
foundland the l4h instant, after very boiserous
weather. On the 18th and 10th, had tho wind from
the eastward; 17h, heavy weather and northwest
wind. From the 17th up 10 Monday the 2Srd, had
north winds, generally light and variable. On Tues
day, the morning, light east winds; At noon, sun OBJ
served, but owing to haze, not reliable ooservaton
afternoon winds from E. N. E. to e. In
the evening ii increased gradually. When she went
ashore, had steering sails allow and aloft on the lar
board side wind South by East; steering North
West by West She struck on Squan Beach, OPP
pos,te the head Of B,rnegat Bay, about two and a
half miles South Of Squan Inlet at half past eleven
p. M. Brought up on the outer bar; slewed her
head to the Northward. 1t was found that the rud.
der was injured Took in the steering sails, hauled
up the msiasail and crotchet cIewed up and iurled
mizzenopsail and topgallant-sails. Thumped heavi-
". The carpenter attended the pumps; she made no
water It that time; but shortly after. she had about
two iest in her; passengers and all hands attended
the pumps, and commenced throwing bags of salt
overheard out Of the fore hatch, and continued this
labor. At2A. M, clewed M fore and main top
gallant sails lowered the main top.sall down and
made il snug. At about 3 A. M, stopped dscharg-
ing salt, having thus lost about 200 bags.
The ship striking severely on the larboard bow,
hauled up foresa and fore-topsai; wind increasing
and equally, the sea breaking over the ship heavily
Atfour A. M, shifted to 500 boxes Of tin over to
larboard side, to try and heel her shore, and it
had the desired effect. AT six A. M, the wind in
creasing rapidly and blowing gale, cut away the
main and mizen masts to the ship. Part of the
false keel came up along sido--the broken spars
dragging and crashing heavily. At about eight A.
M, all hands got breakfast, and a. it was broad day
light the passengers, 270 in number, were less ex-
cited, seeing many men on the shore prepar-
ang to save them. A. nine "A. NJ, Mr. Cooley,
.he second mate, and four men, took the life boat
from the stern, and, at much hazard, owl ng to the
wrecked spaEs and very strong south current, suc-
ceedsd in getting line safely on shore. At 10 A.
NJ, gale still increasing. and the weather very
thick, sea making breach over the ship fore and
eft and she striking veryheaviy, cut away the FORE
mast hauled hawser ashore. At IL A. M, the
life boat came off with the second mate and two
seamen, named Harley and John Thompson; four
second cabin passengers and three steeraRe pas
sengen jumped into the boat. and IN attempt was
made to land. In going ashore, the line, on board
Of the ship, became entanged, and the boat
Immediately capsized, by which tho two
seau,en, Harley and Thompson, three steerage
passengers, viz-John Felt; - Farley; and one,
name unknown; and Charles -, and Daniel
Mcdonald, who were second cabin passengers.
were drowned. Thus, six persons perished The
disaster believed to be more fatal, for the life
boat upset and drifed along the undertow until John
s. Foreman, with his men, turned her over, and then
Mr. Cooley, the second mate, and three passengers,
named jackson, Woodhouse and Munday, were
found to be alive, although insensible. Munday
was bleeding profusely from an injury received
Mr. Foreman had taken the timely precaution to
secure the attendance Of a neighboring physician,
and Munday's life Is saved, with the three persons
last named. The dead bodies of Harley, Thomr-
son and Mcdonald have been recovered, and are
now lying in Meeting House at Squan, near Mr..
Foreman's house. The other bodies were not re.
covered up to s A. NJ. this morning. The man
Charles -. left awife and one child in England.
To presume our narrative--st4 p. M. Mr.. Foreman
pcYsodd]ly led boats crew Of fearless surf of
- the Ship at the imminent hszard Of their lives and
offered to commence saving and landing the passen-
senges; bat Capt. Nyc believed that it would be
unsafe, until the weather moderated The same
attempt and offer was repeated, and it was decn-
ed. Capt. Nye, Mr. Fletcher, Of Brooklyn, the
6rst officer Of the ship, with two ladies, (he Misses
Cunningham and two gentlemen. cabin passen-
seye, and with l20 second cabin, and 145 steerage
passengers and the seamen spent long night Of hor-
rors, in momentary expectation Of death. But their
lives were protected by an all seeing Providence.
At the peep Of day. that H. Of Thursday the 18th in
slant, the Jsrssymen were anxiously on the alert
The surf bosts uld not approach the ship, owing
% the play oi the wrecked spars BY this time the
Captain planned with Mr.. Foreman, method for
saving all hands. The scene pls truly agfl Strong
bodied men had given up in despair. The '0o~'eH
ssd chtldrs~ lying about in srosps paraiyaed
Sy fear. But the ship had worked round 20 ss to
head directly of shore, with her stern near
the beach. Captain Nye risged derrick on the
tafere, to whioh q strong hawser was secured,
and the other end was tauled on Shore and proper
~ made fast. A hogshsad was then safely lashsd
and sung, with traveller and hauling lines. to and
from The ship. The hogshead was hauled aboard
loaded with its human freight, and in parties Of
twos and thress, Ill were BY these judicous means
safely landed, without even wettlng their feet
Then much Of the luggage was landed in the same
way, Captain Nyc and the crew remaining and di-
recting There were, no sails saved, and, oonse-
quenty, no tents were erected to protect the pas