Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-01-15
Loss OF THE III. S. BRIG sOMERS.

Loss OF THE U. S. BRIG SOMERS.
On the evening Of the 7th the Somers took
shelter under the Green Island, appearances pre-
saying storm. On the 9Th sail was reported
from aloit, and Captain Semmes, Of the brig, got
under way for a chase. IIe supposed the sail
was vessel intending to run into Vera Cruz
While in chase, the storm came on. And yari-
Gus expedienis to escape its effects, and order
was given TO let 20 the lee maintopsail, and on
the next instant cut away all tacks and sheets.
Finding she would not pay of, Capt. Semmes
ordered the helm to be put down, hoping TO bring
her to the wind. Ii was however unayailing.-I
| From the moment she commenced careening she
continued 10 go over with great rapidity, and in
thirty seconds was on her beam ends, In less
than ten minutes she sunk. The puff Of wind
was much more violent than could have been ex-
Pected from the appearance Of the weather.
The accident is, however, mainly due TO the ex-
treme lighmess Of the vessel.
| One or two minutes after she was over, most
ofihe officers and men had gained the side of the
vessel or the tops. DIR. Wright and Lieut.. Par.
ker, passing through the weather after port, were
the first to make the main chains. They were
followed by several men, and an attempt was
made with such means as was at hand, to cut
away the main rigging, the men and officers using
their penknives and sheath knives for the pur.
pose. Captain Semmes, who had been dashed
on the lee side, was now drawn from the water,
and as soon as he gained the side directed our
exenons.
Finding there was no chance to save the brig,
and that she was fast sinking, Capt. Semmes or.
dered Mr.. Clarke TO shove of with DR.. Wright
and seventeen men, beside Purser Steel, (who
reached the boat by swimming as she was clear
ing the wreck, first enquiring ifthere was room
in the boat for anoher,) 10 pull for Green Island
about half mile distant, and Immediately TO re-
turn if possible and save more lives. This order
was at once executed, but not until some of those
in the boat had solicited, by name, each of the
officers left on the wreck to come with them
These officers resolutely declared that they would
wait and take their chances with the brig.
Capt. Semmes, who was in impaired health,
was also enreaed to 90, but refused. Lieut..
Parker answered a similer solicitation by saving
he would drown with the brig. Lieut.. Claiborne
and Acting Master Clemson held the same Ian
guage. II is a remarkable circumstance that
three of the officers and all the men who acted
thus noby are saved. When the boat showed
off, the gale was blowing with great violence and
a heavy sea running, so that for some moments
il was matter of doubt whether the boat would
live. Purser Steele at one time proposed TO
leave the boat for ish-davit he saw floating by.
The boat. however, reached the island in about
twenty minutes.
As soon as the men were landed, Mr.. Clarke
disregardng the most strenuous entreaties, reso-
lutely showed off again with volunteer crew, at
The emminent hazard Of their lives. Less than
three minutes after the boat left the brig, Capt.
Semmes, finding the vessel settling under them
gave an order for every man TO save himself. All
simultaneously plunged into the water, and grasp
ed the posts, gratings, spars, coops and other
floating objects at hand. Many must have gone
down from the want Of any support whatever;
others struggled on frail floats to be finally drift.
cd on the reef and dashed into pieces.
Some were driven to sea TO be heard ofno more,
and others encountered the worst fate which
could be apprehended, in being destroyed by
sharks. OF near sixty who plunged from the
wreck only seventeen escaped.
Through all this appalling scene the greatest
composure was observed by men and officers
There was no appearance Of panic, no exhibition
orselfshness. Those who could not swim were
particularly enioined to gon the boat. A large
i
had got into the boat, Lieut.. Parker commanded
him to come out in order to make room for two
smaller men, and he OJeycd the order, but was af-
terward directed to 60 in the boat when it was
found he could not swim.
Capt Semmes and Lieut.. Parker were picked
up by Mr.. Clarke from a grating, and Jacob Haz-
ard, yeoman, was rescued swimming near them.
Those who survived have told ofmany instances
of heroic sef.devotion. The acting master,
Henry A. Clemson, was struggling on a small
steering sail boom with five others, two of whom
could not be supported; and he left and struck
out alone and unsupported. He was seen for the
last time upon sky-light and probably pershed
in the esurf. The five men he left were saved,
the two who could not swim being supported by
their comrades, Amos Colson and John William
son.
The Mexicans sawthe accident from the mole
and cheered and exulled for a long time. The
brig had been for long time engaged in the block
ade, and had done more 10 interrupt the commerce
of the port than almost all the other vessels
Within the last fortnight both town and castle
had been kept in a state Of constant alarm by the
burning of the creole, and other demonstrations,
which presume you will hear oIin due time,
Ihave no doubt the Mexicans were relieved
when they saw her sink 10 the ocean. append
a list of the lost and saved-S7 men SdUed-S7
lost. One officer, Mr.. Rodgers, Passed Midship-
man, and one man, John q. Fox, were captured
lbv the Mexicans two days before while reconoit-
ering an important point, in company with Dr.
Wright, the latter escaped to witness the catastro
phe Of the brig.
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rryH AnNJJNTcTD ATION THE REVE