The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-04-28

ner of death was less painful than with 9TH
theirs, who were first crushed beneath the
falling spars and funnel, and then swept away
to be devoured by the sharks who were
prowling round the wreck. From The mo-
ment the ship struck, all appears to have been
done that human courage and coolness could
effect. The soldiers were mustered on the
aftrrdeck. The instinct Of discipline was
stronger even than the instinct of life. The
men fell into the place us coolly as on the
parade ground. They were told off into re-
licfs, and sent, some to the chin pumps,
some to the paddle-box boats. Captain
Wright, of the 9lst regiment who survives
to relate the dreadful scene, tells us.
Every man did as he WAS directed, and
there was not cry or murmur among them
until the vessel made her final plunge. |
could not name any individual officer, who
did more than another. All received their
orders and had them carried out ns if the
men were emtnrking instead of going To the
bottom there was only this dificrcancc-that
| never saw any embarkation conducted with
so little noise or confusion.
Poor fellows. Had they died in battle
field, and in their country's cause, their fate
would have excited less poignant regret but
there is something ineXprcssibly touching in
the quiet, unilinching resolution of so many
brave hearts struggling manfully to the last
against an inevitable disaster. 1t is crafty
ing, also, TO find that the women and chill
drcn were all saved. They had been quiet
ly collected under the poop awning, and were
as quietly got over the ships side, and pass
ed into the cutter The boat stood off about
$50 yards from the ll-starrcd Brkcnhcad
and all were saved. There is not the name
of single woman or child upon the list of
persons who pershcd. The other boats, rs
is usual in such cases were not forthcom-
ing in the hour of need. One gig and two
cutters were all that could be rendered avail
able. In one account we find that when the
men were ordered to get the paddlc-boX
boats out, the pin Of the davits was rustcd
in, and could not be got out. Captain w
on the other hand, tells us that when the fun
mel went over the side it carried away the
star-board paddlc-box and boat. and that the
other paddlc-box boat capszcd rs it was be-
ing lowered. OF the lSi persons who were
saved, ll6 made their escape in the three
boats which succeeded in getting clear of the
wreck.
Never was destruction more sudden or
more complete. Within fifteen minutes af-
! ter the vessel struck, the bow broke short
of. Five minutes more elapsed, and the
hull of tho vessel went in two, crossways,
just abait the engine-room. The stern part
of the vessel Immediately surgcd, filled, and
went down. The only hope of the survi.
vors lay in the main topmast and main top
sail yard, which still showed above water.
There were some fragments of the forecas-
tie deck still floating about; there were II
few spars, and driftwood.
About forty-fvc people clung to the yard
and after remaining until o'clock the fol-
lowing afternoon, were picked off by the
Loness, n schooner which was provi-
dentially at hand. Capt. Wright asserts
that of the 200 persons, more or less, who
were clinging TO the drftwood when he got
away, nearly every man might have been
saved had one OF the ships bo.tS done her
duty. Into this boat the assistant surgeon
had got, with eight men. They immediately
pulled away, and landed about fifteen miles
from the vessel. The fsct ;.ppcars to have
been that the poor creatures who were
clinging To the driftwood had been carried
by the swell in the direction of Point Dan.
cr. There they got cntanglrd among the
scawccd, which 1t this point Of the coast is
thick and ofimmcnsc length. CaptW Wright's
opinion is, that had not the assist ,nf-surgcon
carried oil the boat, or even had the boa,
pulled back to the scene of the disaster af.
ter landing the Medical gentleman in safe.
~, the majority Of these persons might hav,
been picked of the scawccd ID only re-.
mains for us to mention h re- that Capt. Sal.
mond, who appears TO have done his duty
aftcr the vessel struck, his not survived the
c..lamity. When last seen alive, he was
swimming from the stcrn-post of the shin
which had just gone down, to portion OF
the forccastlc-dcck, which WIS floating abou,
twenty yards from the main body of tn,
wreck; something struck him on the back
of the head aid he never rose aCain.-Ion
don Times
EnITnn,S, Tn lnTI,