Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-16

NEAR LONG BRANCH, N0o. IL, 5 Il. M.
d. II. CRAIG, Esq: AS promised this morn
ing by telegraph, proceed to give you what
particulars 1 have witnessed of the dreadful
wreck at Long Branch.
The news Of the wreck Of the New Era
ashore at Long Branch reached me about eight
o'clock this morning by telegraph, and i'm
Inediately conveyed the intelligence to Captain
reynolds, of the Achilles, who was then lying
TO of the Hook. While waiting an answer
from w. Il. Jones, as to whether he should
proceed atonce TO the wreck, or go to the city
tor the wrecking schooners, message came
from Mr.. Morris, at Long Branch, that the ship
ashore had three hundred and sixty passengers
on board, and was fast breaking up. Upor
tins, Captain r. decided to go at once to tn.
scene OF the wreck, to cooperate with those
already on the spot in saving life.
We left the Hook at half past nine, in /,
dense fog and southerly wind, which raised /,
very heavy head swell. The fog, however, s.
increased In density as to render it i'm possibl,
to discern objects further than the vessels
length, much less to keep sight Of the shore a.
a safe distance, or see objects near it. w.
however, kept on, until we must have been
within short distance of where the wreck Law:
but as it was impossible to see or do anything.
capt. k, after waiting some time put the yes
sefs head again to the northwest When op
posite the Highlands, the fog suddenly lighted
up, so that the land could be distinctly seen
and We again steered to the southwark in
search of the wreck
About 8 O'Clock we came in right of her, "
ing broadside to the beach, heading to the south
ward, with her fore, main, and mizen topsail,
close reefed still standing. On reaching her, she
proved to be level with the water and full, anG
the swell breaking in heavy surges across he
decks. We had already passed many pieces o
the wreck, and half mile further on we saw
the body of little child, apparently about fou
or i've years old, and in quick succession ais.
that of man, stripped of clothing and other
with clothes on--four or five bodies in all. A
we approached the wreck, so as to get neare
Elew, most narrowing spectacle met the eyt
Ihe Jib-boom, rigging and top of the ship
tore and aft, were filled with human being,
closely packed. together, and clinging to each
other and to the ropes while the ship SURGE
to and fro with each returning wave, whic
broke into spray far into the rigging and ovel
the ship, drenching and suffocating the passen
gers, while the poor creatures filled the air with
the most soui.harrowing and pitiful outcries foi
assistance. On the beach were some two hun
bred persons, gathered in groups, apparent,
ieisurely upon the gunwale of the boats. which
the heavy surf rendered it certain destruction
10 launch.
We saw several boats upon the shore, appa
rently well adapted for the purpose, and a crowd
OF persons dragging long life.boat toward the
beach, where 1t was left, and no further attempt
was made to launch it.
We saw no line from the ship to the shore,
and no iife-car. From the fact that what ap
peared the ships boat was lying on the beach
we judged the officers and crew, or most OF
them, must have landed or been thrown ashore
IN her. The tide was now about at its full
the wind had died away, and q slight breeze
sprung up from off shore, which greatly in
creased our hopes that the swell would 20 down
with the tide, and render it possible for tn,
boats TO be launched from shore As to our
selves, we found we could do nothing.
The steamer, which is employed expressly
by the underwriters to render assistance to YES
sells ashore, has not the sign of surfboat OH
board-nothing but two miserable yawls, both
ofwhich would scarcely float the vessels crew,
were she sinking, and one of them could not
float herself if put overheard. Not spar,
line, or life-preseryer-not a piece Of cork big
enough to float drowning dog. By AZ o'clock
the swell had so much subsidized, that every pas
senger could have been rescued had there been
a surfboat on board, and there was not man,
from the fireman TO the pilot and captain, who
would not have rejoiced at the opportunity OF
snatching the poor sufferers from death had
they the means of doing it.
BY whose neglect is it that these steamboats,
are not provided with surfboats for such dread.
full emergencies as this2 Still hoping for a
movement toward launching the boats from
shore, we continued painful spectators of the
scene, ringing our bell to encourage them, and
beckoning to them on the shore to launch the
boats. When our wheels were put in motion
to adjust the position of the steamer, the pas.
sengers, apparently fearing we were about tc
leave them, would rend the air with implorine
cries, while others tolled the ships bell, the
sounds OF which were borne to us above the
wailings Of the surf that swept over the ship
We were near enough to distinctly see wo-
men holding their little ones with one hand
while the other, bleached by the spray, clun,
with death grip TO the ratlines on which the
stood; on one or two in the mizzen riggin
having on but shirt On the forecastle Their,
stood few moments ago group Of four cling
ing to the stay; but they are now gone
heavy swell has probably swept them away
Men have been seen to fall from the iibboon
into the surf.
Thus we have looked on, unable to approach
The ship. Captain Reynolds twice hailed them
on the shore, and asked them to launch the
boats, as the surf to us, seemed to be nov
sufficiently smooth to do so on the lee side ofth.
ship. Finding that we could do nothing, and
as the sun went down. seeing the boats hauled
back upon the beach, we left to procure life
boats, making signals to the wreck that we
would return Immediately. Meantime the lie.
viathan also arrived opposite the wreck, but,
like ourselves, had no boats to render any as.
sistance.
On our way up We soon met the Hector, hav.
ing in tow q wrecking schooner, in charge OF
Captain Bovine, and with him we went back 10
the wreck. On reaching it, Captain Bovine in.
formed us that. although be had boats he had
not two men who could pull an oar, and asking
if any on board would go with him in the
boat? / replied, "here is one" and Mr.. Has
kell volunteered to do the same.
Captain Reynolds then informed Captain
Bovine that be could get men to man his life
boa, by coming alongside of the Achilles We
then made preparations tojoin Captain Bovine,
but, TO our surprise, he pulled away from us,
toward the ship, leaving word for the Achilles
n.