Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-01-18
To the Editor Of tie Neaeport Mercury


DEAR SIR:-The following account of the loss OF
i the q. s. Revenue Cutter Hamilton, may be OF IN
terest to the friends of some who were on board who
have hitherto not been able to procure any authen-
tic statement of that dreadful catastrophe The IN
formation has been. obtained from repeated eonyer-
satiops with the only survivor, and from careful en-
quries amongst intelligent and reliable persons IN
i Charleston =
The Hamilton sailed from Charleston about noon
of the 7th December, to proceed upon a winters
cruise off the coast for the purpose of relieving
sells in distress. The wind light from the South
/ West and as she approached the bar, it became
| necessary to make few tacks. 1t is well known
| that tho inner buoy of the bar had been=tor some
time lost but of this fact Capt Rudolph appears to
have been unaware. No pilot being allowed to the
vessel, the middle buoy mistaken for the inner
one and she run aground upon the north side
of the channel the eXertons of the officers and crew
succeeded in getting her aoat by ten o'clock ofthat
night, when she anchored in the ship channel to
wait for daylight During the night the wind shifted
to North East and blew fresh that the cable part
ed but the other anchor being let go, she rode safe
ly until morning. The weather had by this time be-
come very threate ming, and as earlyas practicable,
the cutter got underway, with the intention, as
is supposed, of beating back into the harbor Find
ing however, that she losing ground, the yes
sci was again anchored From digent enquiry, and
from careful examination of the chart am led to
conclude thather 2ositonmust have been to the north
ward of the bank forming the south breaker, and
westward Of the ships channel. Ifts supposition
be correct she there embaycd with terrific
breakers astern, and upon each quarter. The whole
night the wind shifted to the North, and increased
in fury About ten o'clock the remaining cable
parted, when there nothing left but kedgc, and
that powcrless to hold her. although the foremost
was Immediately, which in falling carried off the
head of the nlainmast with it. The unfortunate
sci soon struck astern, driving the ruddcr upwards
with irresistible force. She swung round at
broadsidc to the sea- bringing the starboard side to
leeward the two weather guns were thrown over
board, and all hands were set to work pumping, and
battling from the cabin, where the water soon rose
above their knees 1t is impossible to determine
how long these gallant men, thus arrested in their
mission of mercy, remained in this state of anxious
suspense My informant candidly admits that min
utes seemed like hours, and that he has of
knowing tn c time accurately. But at length it
concluded to take to the boats, and when James IIa
gan, the only survivor of that awful night, call
ed from the cabin where he still baling, to go
in the boat with Capt. Rudolph, he saw the other
boat about twenty yards from the vessel. This is
conclusive evidence that she had just showed off, and
Capt. Rudolph left afterwards as his boat
could be cleared away. They saw nothing more of
the first boat; she ordinary wooden boat
single banked and pulling six The boat in
which Capt. Rudolph went life boat, much
smaller than the other. He took with him Thomas
Stone, Quarter Master Thomas johnson, John John
son, James Hagan, and one other man, Scamen; and |
two boys. Hagan took the prccaution to lash him
self to the seat with gasket The boat al
most immediately capsiZed i'll the breakers and |
righted again; this occurred three times, and each
time some of the unhappy men sunk to rise more.
Hagan was soon left alone, and on Friday he !
picked up near North Edisto, by the Savannah |
steamboat
Between the 9th and 18th December, six bodies
were washed ashore upon the islands to the South
ward of the Bar many miles distant from the scene
of the disaster. Hagan conducted to the spot,
and recognized distinctly the Carpenter, the Master
ut Arms, the Cabin Steward, a who was famil-
arly called George who doing duty as Quarter
Master, and negro boy, neither of whom he posi-
lively asserts, was in the boat with Capt. Rudolph;
he sixth body Cthat of seanan) nc could not iden
ity. The remains of Capt Rudolph were recovered
lpon the 18th, but since that time the most diligent
search for other bodies have been unavaing:
On the 18th December a boat answering to the
description of the one in which were Lieuts Saun-
lers and Hines was picked up by the ship Coosa-
vatche, eighteen miles East of Tybce Light and ia
en- to Savannah she bottom up, and of course
here was nothing in her. Means Immediately
aiken to identify her, and there remains not the
lightest doubt that she belonged to the Hamilton
nd that all on board persisted!
The cutter driftcd to Stone Inlet where she was
discovered, and identified on the 18th December, by
lieut.. Murden of the cutter jefferson Davis. She
ias thought not to be worth the expense of raising
nd has since been sold, with reservation of all pr
ate property that may be recovered from her.
Capt Pease of the Jefferson Davis, and his Off
ers have been untiring in their efforts to discover
ne lost bodies. The Collector of Charleston Hon. |
v +. Colcock, has also furnished every facility,
nd employed all the means at his disposal to further
nc same end. The friends of who ,
GARD desire to acknowledge their la5ng obligations
those gentlemen, for these and other acts Of kind
ess and attention There are also many citizens of
who will ever be held by them in CRATE
Il remembrance for their generous sympathy and
,rvices.
There exists no accurate list of those who
oard the Hamilton at the time of her loss but the
lnexed copy of the pay roll, furnished by Mr.. Col
'ck, exhibit the names of all who were attached to
er on the Both November
homas c. Rudolph, Captain.
amillus Saunders, LIST. Lieut.. y
Curtiss Hines, Sd do (no ID Lieut.. at
ched.)
ohn Mahony, Boatswain g
Gorge Carter, Gunner doing duty as Car t
enter) I
James Sullivan, Seaman doing duty as Mas t
r at arms)
homas Stone, do doing duty as Quart
Mastery a
Is. Nc. Neigh, do a
lillian Rowan, do
eter Williams do f