The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-21
THE UNDERWATER and HUMBOLDT.
THE WRECK OF THE POWHATAN.

&c, &C., &c.
THE WRECK OF THE POWHATAN.
THE PARTICULARS FROM THE SPECIAL REPORTERS
OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Two hundred and fifty human beings have been swept
together into eternty-men, women, and chdren-there
is NOT one left to tell the tale.
The Baltimore ship Powhatan the night of the 18th
of Apnl-during that terrific storm which we felt so
severely here, though comfortably housed-was lying
among shoals below with tho waves washing over her
Seldom is it the painful duty OF journalist to record
such awful We often read Of horrible ship
wrecks and blood curles at the tale Of suffering
but seldom is it thus brought home to us Eighteen
years have passed away since chronced account
heartrending as the now before But though
eighteen years have elapsed who has forgotten the loss
of the Mexico and the Brso The details Of the wreck
Of the Powhatan are even yet more terrible.
Within the memory of man such a storm that which
Friday, the l4th and lasted during the
three succeeding days. has not been known. The coast
strewn with fragments of shipping, told Of its
unparalleled fury. The fierce northeaster felt
even here, and damage was done to vessels in
our sheltered harbor. What wonder then, that the
Powhatan-an old ship of about six hundred
tons-became ungovernable and struggled frutlessy in
the waterss What wonder that Saturday last after
running before the gale for hours under bare poles she
found herself at last rretrevaby entanged in the shoals
about twelve miles below Barncgat inlet?
So it The ship, laden with passengers left avre
for New York the 1st Of March last under the com
and of Captain Meyers, Of Baltimore. She driven
among the shoals at the place have indicated above
and remained there until Sunday evening at FIVE O'Clock
before she went to pieces 1t observed by the
eyewnesses shore that directly she struck she
"haued to the wind,' from which circumstance it
for NJ To
certain death being the result They however hoped for
the best They trusted that the storm which had
lasted 90 long must abate During the long night
of Saturday and the whole OF Sunday the unfortunaes
it ia supposed two hundred and fifty in number
we're cnging to the leeward bulwarks of the ship
with the continually washing over them and expect
ing death at the rise of every succeeding No
sstance could be offered to them for the sea then
high that boat (f any had been at hand) would have
been instantly swamped.
Between four and five O'Clock Sunday afternoon the
ships bulwarss burst and about fifty persons al the
same moment were washed overheard. Mr. jennings
the MASTER with Others made great efforts to
some of those who in the water but in vain The
captain too was heard to cry from the ship For Gods
sake save of those who drowning" Every ex-
ertion made but it use and in all of the six
bodies which the wreck master succeeded in rescung
from the water life extinct.
1t was Immediately after this that the ship commenced
going to pieces in earnest No small boats to be
procured the government boats did not arrive until
all was over. About five O'Clock the vessel COM
pletey broke up most of her passengers and
drowned, but few still survived, oinyng TO pieces
of the The shrieks of the dying above
the roaring of the storm which scanned to be increasing
rather than subsding in fury. 1t at this moment
that huge wave noticed rolling nwards-the dead
and the dying were alike engulfed within it-and when it
had passed over them, there not left alive Of
those passengers and OF the illfated Powhatin
who numbered two hundred and fifty souls that same
morning. singular fact connected with this is that
even the ship itself splntered into minute fragments
that scarcely trace Of her existence remained with
the exception Of the few pieces of the rigging that
washed ashore. She probably laden with heavy bal
last for her hull supposed to have sunk, else some
portion of II must have been discovered
More distressing than such sight this TO those
on shore, was the sight of the beach next morning.
The storm had increased during the night, and the
waves cast up their dead far and Twenty
six men and two discovered nea
the scene OF the shipwreck, and from Absecom-
some twenty miles below-we learn that about forty
bodes-men, women and chillren-had been washed
ashore on that and Brgantne Beach, about quarter
of mile across the channel Those seen by our re-
porter appeared to have been Germans. They were all
much disfgured and when reporter left bodies
still drifting ashore Twenty eight of those found
decentiy buried at Manahawkin amid the profound
sation that the event has caused in that village Mr..
Joel Hayward citizen Of westcrcek picked up the body
OF lady while crossing tho bay Tuesday and il is be-
eyed that many others win be discovered there
as the weather becomes more favorable.
Little has been collected yet from the wreck prove
the identity Of the deceased parties Some melancholy
records however have been saved and charge
Of Mr. Jennings, the wreck master, at Manahaw wkin
About thirty FIVE passengers boxes we're washed
unbroken Money has been found. Around one
mans waist belt clasped, containing
S4o-his all probably-that he vainly sought to
save. On this belt the Of "G. Kill" was en-
graved. Several Of the trunks bore respectively the
initials ct c." "S. c. another " R. Griffin was
written, and another "Phillip Smith, for New
York" ladys ring found, with the initials
X. L." inscribed upon 1t. These all that have
been discovered yet. ntrinsicaly they trdcs,
but they will speak volumes to those who recognise in
them the treasures TO which their lost friends cung
the last hours OF life.
AS derive any further particula s~of
the shipwreck they shall be laid before the public For
the present turn aside from the painful contempla
ton OF 30 sad an event.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT FROM CORRESPONDENT.
MASAuAwKIS, OCEAN COUNTY, N. j.,
April IL, 1854. I
The most terrible catastrophe that has ever happened
coast, occurred ON SUNDAY lat nacket \, RI