The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-04-29
Wreck of the Ship Powhatan.

Long Beach, on the night OF the lOth INST
We subjoin the following:
Statement of Captain Jcnnings-IntereStingI
hteruie,c lcith Captain Myers during theI
Gale.
On Saturday the wind blew with great
violence from the northeast. The sea ran
very high all day, and supposed that there
would be manya wreck along the coast from
Barnegat to Egg Harbor On Sunday morn
ing | observed a ship Of about 800 tons
humping on the bar about one hundred yards
from the shore. / Immediately sent those
men who were with me to the Government
station house, distant about six miles, for
the life car. mortar. and other wrecklng ap-
paratus. During the day the ships decks
were crowded with passengers, and when
the surf ran out could get within seventy
five wards of the vessel, which found out
TO be the ship Powhatan, of Baltimore
CAPTAIN Myers, on her voyage from Havrr,
TO New York The surf ran mountains high
Indeed never saw such sea III my lie
Several persons now began to be washed
overheard
CAPTAIN Myers hailed me through his
speaking trumpet, and asked me- for Gods
sake to try and save some of those who
might happen to wash ashore. | told him
| had went down the beach to where the
bodies came on shore, but found them all
dead. and it was no use trying to save them.
as they were all drownded before they got
half way to the beach.
Captain Myers asked me just before this
if any aid would soon reach them. said !
hoped so, as four men had been sent down TO
the Government station for that purpose.
Captain Myers again called out to me to
save any Of those who might be washed
ashore alive. replied that would see TO
IL, and went down about two hundred yards
on the beach where the bodies were being
washed on shore. Women and children
came on shore first.
The vessel then lay E. s. E., and had
shifted from the N. Z. Her foremast was
gone at this time. | suppose she lost 1t be-
fore she struck on the bar. About o clock
p. NJ, on Sunday, the ship keeled over to
windward from the shore. The sea then
Of course. made clean breach over her, and
passengers began 10 be. washed off IN great
numbers. The sea running mountains high
and completely hiding the vessel from my
view, could no longer hold any commune
cation with the captain. | never saw hin
since.
The main and mi7zen masts soon went by
Inc DOaru, amt DOulSS dI'pSdIeu HOoNih7 IL
the surf in great numbers. Some twenty
five dead bodies. mostly women, came OF
shore, about a mile south OF the wreck.
About dark the sea rose to great height
and one large wave fully hundred feet high
struck the unfortunate vessel, and IN on
moment the hull was scattered into frag
ments. which tossed wildly through the surf
The shrieks of the drowning creatures wer
melancholy indeed but could render then
no aid, as the sea ran so high | could no
get near the unfortunate people. In few
moments all disappeared beneath the surtac
of the water, except few fragments OF IN
wreck. Never did see such sight i'll m
life. Never do | remember witnessing sue
dreadful gale or such high running sea-
In many places it made complete breache
over the island and carried no doubt, man
poor fellow into the bay behind it.
The men got back the next morning fror
the Government station house with lif
boat. mortar and the usual wrecking appa
tbs. but it was too late, as all on board tn
iU-fated Pophatdn had pe1'ishGd-nOt one RI
mGining to tell the fearful tale,
None Of the crew or officers of the vessf
came ashore. which is rather a curious fact
hut think they will be found some ten {
fifteen miles further down the beach.
The luggage and portions of the wreck la
scattered along the beach. have collecte