Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-01-27


stood on the deck and gazed at the il-fsted
vessel with mingled emotions. She had been
our prison house for fourteen anxious, agon-
iEing days and nights. She was near being
our grave. Yet she was gllant ship. and a
stancher hull was never launched, else she
would have been our grave. She has ridden
out in safety twelve or fourteen days Of almost
incessant storm. Now she lay stretched in
all her vast length npon the Deep one hundred
fathoms long, battered and mutilated, like
some huge monster of the deep which, in a
contest with deadly foe, had beed conquered
and slain. We found the Three Bells sung,
staunch vessel. Her cargo consisted in part
of chloride Of lime, which had TO be thrown
overheard, mostcly to make room for the
sailors between ducks. The atmosphere of
the ship was strongly inpregnated with chol.
oride gas, and its qualities as disinfccting
agent were strongly tested. 1t caused good
deal Of irration about the lungs and ncessant
coughing for the first day or two The sick
ness began to abate almost Immediately,
owing in part, TO moral causes.
When the Three Bells left the wreck she
was in latitude SO and longitude SO 60, about
660 miles from New York we encountered a
great deal of north easlery wind, and our
progress was slow until Wednesday, the l1th
of January, when we were favored with 2
still breeze from the southeast, which drove
us rapidly on, and on Thursday afternoon we
were of soundings. Towards evening it grew
thick, and the captain fearing to venture too
far in, stood off and on till morning.
Fri day dawned bright and fair. We sig
palled for pilot, and then steamtug, and
at Z. M we were at anchor off the Bet
terry.
/ grant an emotion Of gratitude filled every
heart when We thought of the terrible danger
through which we had, by Gods mercy, safely
passed.
To Captain Robert Creighton, ofthc good
ship Three Bells, feel that every one OF us
who were rescued by his instrumentality owe
a dept OF gratitude which can never be re-
paid. For my part shall ever love and
honor him as noble specimen of a generous
and true hearted B Bitish sailor He merits,
and trust be will receive, rich reward
Two remarks as to the causes of the awful
disaster and have done. In the first place,
the ship was sent to sea without having tried
her engines. She had, indeed, tried them in
the smooth waters of the bay, but her first
encounter with the stormy pillows of the
Atlantic proved them no more TO be depen-
ded on than broken reed.
In the second place, she was too far deeply
laden. Her paddle wheels had SO much dip
as to cause great strain upon her shaft and
engines.
MELANCHOLY INCIDENT
Previous to falling in with the Three Bells,
a sort of congestive diarrhea broke out among
the men on board the San Francisco, owing
TO exposure 10 wet and cold, overwork, and
an undue indulgence in the potted meats,
picked cabbage, &c. Those who were seized
by this disease, died in few hours after the
attack. Corporal Smith, Of Company g.
came to me and said his eldest child was sick ;
the doctor visited it, and an hour after the
man himself sent for me- as he was dying; |
went to him and asccrtaned that su!h was
the case. Soon after was informed by his
wife that her husband and child were dead.
| had her brought into the cabin and put in
to state room with her child and sister
During the night the mo her was found dead,
and she was followed soon after by the other
child. The sister still survives. Many cases
occurred, and many robust persons were
seized in one hour and died the next--About
thirty persons died upon the Three Bells.
The ship brought home 1875 men, as fol-
lows: Companies g, IA; A, l8; D, 25; LILO;
b, IA; |, ~; II, II; X, 10; and musicians.
The Antarctic carried off Lieuts. q. S.
Nindler; and J. G.. Chandler, together with
l75 non commissioned officers, women, mu-
cicians and prvates.
| cannot accord too much praise to Capt.
Creighton, and his officers for their bravery
and uniform kindness to us uufortunates.
They are indeed our saviors, and nothing can
possibly repay them for their sef-sacriticing
humanity, save the warm glow Of satisfaction
that necessarily accompanies conduct SO emf
nenty humane and phanthropic
When we arrived in port we had Just half
days allowance of water and the continu-
ance of yesterdays fog would have placed us
III desperate situation. For several days
previous we were put upon short allowance
oil water, SO that you see We escaped one per-
H. but came near suffering another not much
less app" aling.
l would desire to speak in terms of fitting
commentator Of worthy man who eminent
y distinguished himself on board the San
Francisco; mean Sergent Brown, who for
five nights, during the most terrific period of
the storm, labored increasingly in keeping the
ship clear of water, and by his energy and
self-sacra6cing the devoted did more 10 keep
his fellow soldiers to their duty than almost
any other man on board.
EXPERIENCE OF ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WHO
WAS WASHED OVERHEARD.
On the oath \ 4 4 At about 8 o'clock a
mighty SWELL such as can only be formed by
old ocean when lashed by such a tempest,
struck our vessel amidships completely sub
merging the warehouses, and washing them
with all their inmates, within an instant, a;
least half mile distance, into the foaming
sea. Myself and Mr.. Rankin were among
the number who were washed away, and the
only two of this entire company who were
successful in regaining the ship. Al the rest
sunk in the jaws of death, and were rocked
into eternal sleep by the roaring,s yelling sea-.
AS can only describe the awful situations of
those mortals by my own experience, | hope
/ mill n.