The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-23
Account OF the Loss OF the United States
Ship Yorktown.

L Account OF the Loss OF the United States
Ship Yorktown.
Xhe following letter, giving an account of the
loss of the United States ship Yorktown, com
manded by Captain MANSION, has been ad-
dressed by one Of her officers to his parents and
brother, To whom we are indebted for copy
Of it:
ISLAND or MAYO, (CApE DE VERDEs,)
September 18th, 1850.
hasten to inform you Of the wreck aud entire
loss Of the United States sloop-of. war Yorktown,
she having stranded coral reef, at the northern
extremity of this Island, the 9th September 1880
About five o'clock the morning Of the 9th,
while endeavoring to pass between Bonavista and
Mayo, Gas is our custom in coming from the wind
ward TO Porto Praya,) low land was discovered
very close port-bow. Orders were imme-
dately given to haul the ship on wind. as she had
been going free, at the rate Of eight knots
an hour, from the time we first made the Islands,
which was on the previous day. but, rapid was
the current, that in less than fifteen minutes (sc-
cording to my Judgment,) We struck very
broken coral reef Endeavors were then made TO
brace aback, but without effect, as she had COM
pletely wedged on the reef The topgallant yards
were then sent down, minute guns fired, and the
ensign hoisted, union down, signals of distress
Happily for US, however, by the untiring excr-
tons of the officers and men, the boats were hoisted
out in time, or else deporable, indeed would have
been our fate. In less Il should think) than thirty
minutes after we had struck, she was an entire
wreck
Orders were then given for every one to save all
they could; but, before any one could get below,
she careened over on the starboard- SIDE making it
m for 10 hall,
deck Word was then passed to cut away the mssts,
IN the hope that she might right again; but alas for
the Yorktown, her days were numbered, and her
race was run, although every thing in the power of
man had been done to save her; and that, too
must say, with the utmost calmness and composure
Fortunately, however, no lives were lost nor was
even the slightest bodily hurt received by any one
although every thing on the deck was tumblng
about in the widest confusion. Two men were
saved from drowning in the ward room by having
the quarter deck scuttled over their heads
Every thing having been done that could be of
any service, the boats were called away, and every
person ordered to get into them, and subsequently,
we were all landed on the beach. But alas for human
misfortune, here we were doomed to suffer new diff
hculties and privations which you can much better
imagine than it will be possible for me to describe 10
you, at least on paper Imagine large level point
of land covered entirely with bits of sharp broken
lava and stone which, to many of who were forced
to leave the ship without shoes or stockings was ex-
tremely painful. But this not the worst for
we had nothing TO eat, and not pint of water to
cool our parched tongues; nor could we obtain any
water for many hours, the nearest springs being
three or four miles off. Nothing had been saved
from the wreck that could allay our thirst or satisfy
our hunger.
In the evening we succeeded in pitching a tenn
porary tent, which answered in a measure to shield
us from the burning sun and damp night dews-
which are so dangerous in this country.
On the following day preparations were made for
taking us all to the town of Mayo which was about
twenty one miles distant from the wreck Accord
ingly we took up our line of march, some on mules
and some in boats, (mysclf in the latter,) and
reached town late in the evening, where we were
kindly received by the American Consul Ia col
ored MANI and many of the natives We were
soon as comfortable the circumstances would
admit.
At the hrst alarm of danger the second lieute.
nant was dispatched with the second cutter to Por-
TO Praya to procure assistance for u.s. and returned
again on the Sth with a small schooner containing
provisions for us.
we are all doing as we'll at present as could be
expected by shipwrecked mariners on an almost
desolate island and in the daily expectation of
the arrival Of the store ship the Daes which we
have long since learned fitting out for our re-
lief, or some other vessel, to take us home
think no blame can be attached to Commander
MANSION, or indeed any other person. a. we have
frequently passed through the same passage, and
were steering the same course as usual, which
should have kept US at least twenty miles from the
reef but the Oldest inhabitants Of this place az well
as many sea captains, cay that there is no regular
lty at all in the current at certain seasons Several
wrecks have occurred on this island very Iatelv
and within twenty miles Of the same spot where we
struck; the officers and crew of one of which (tbe
Isabella, barque,) are here at present, and are
partners in our distress.
On the 18th, John Bages, one of our men, while
washing clothes. as is supposed, at the rock, was
knocked of by the surf and drowned. He was af
forwards recovered and buried on the beach.
Thus ends one Of the most melancholy ndven
lures through which it has ever been my fate 4.
pass and which pray Almighty cd may never
happen to me again; and oh let us all unite in
praisng Him for having preserved us thus far from
harm.
"A subsequent letter states that all hands hal
been received on board the Dale