Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-11
THE SAN FRANCISCO DISASTER.


United States, Court Of Inquiry into the facts connect
ed with the loss Of the steamship San Francisco now
sitting at the headquarters Of Gen. Scorr the city
New York. The Court is composed Of Gen. ScorT Gen
STANTON, and Col. SUMNER with Major JOHN r. LEE al
Judge Advocate.
The Court commenced its session on Monday when the
first witness examined Col. THOMAS r. SWORDS
Of the army the New York station who
produced the correspondence that had taken place be
tween Quartermaster General JEsUp and himself in re
gard to the charterng of vessel to convey the troops
under command of COL GATES from New York San Fran
cisco, via Cape Horn
Col Swords advertised for proposals in October last
ana the only two vessels offered the clipper ship
Lghtfoot and the steamer San Francisco The Quarter
master General preferred the steamer and instructed Col
Swords to charter her if Gen. Scott Gen. Wool ap-
proved. Gen. Wool approved the steamer and she was
accordingly chartered.
After the charter was made and the steamer was
the service she given in charge of the command
ing officer of the troops COL GATES and the regimenta
quarermaster Lieut. L. FREMONT to receive the troops
their freight and COL Swords considered her entirely
at their disposal. s.
COL GATES present during the sitting of the Court.
This gentleman had applied for Of inquiry will
be seen by the following letter:
HEADouARTERs THIRD REGIMENT ARTILLERY
New York. JANUARY "a, 1854. 4
CoLoSEL Having been informed by Capt j. Mcdowell Of
the staff of the Generan-chief that communication from
under the hand Gardiner the been
addressed to him few days since which reflected dsrepect
fully upon my fair reputation the commanding officer
the third regiment of artillery and which here declare
an act Of great injustice to have the honor of requesting
that court inquiry may be oderehat ample justice may
be done to me in relation to that complaint.
1 have the honor TO be, your obedient servant,
WIN. GATES, Col Third Artillery.
To Col. SAMUEL CoorER, Adjutant Gen. us. Army.
The Court, however, was not ordered in compliance
with the above request lin which the inquiry would
have been confined to Col Gatess conduct alone but it
is ordered to make its Investigations cover all the
facts connected with the affair. Nothing less we pre-
sumo, win satisfy the Of public justice as ntma-
tons have been repeatedly made through the newspapers
and otherwise that the lives of the soldiers who embarked
in this unfortunate steamer improperly placed in
peril Touching these rumor we have even now just re-
ceived letter from highly respected citizen himself
sadly afflicted in the loss Of relative by the ca
amity from which it is not out of place here to subon
the essential portion, as follows:
The the relatives Of those lost by the wreck OF
the San Francisco reflect all the circumstances the
they distressed with apprehension whether the
troops ordered to San Francisco had been properly cared
for. Col Gates has requested court to disproye the
slanderous imputations against him. This certainly
should be granted not only to exonerate him, but like
wise all others in the public service and at the same
time to publish to the world the mertorous conduct of
those who displayed such signal traits of character in
scenes trying 1t is good military rule every in
stance where by calamity, large of pub
lie property has been lost by falling in the hands of the
enemy, or by shipment fire, &C., where men have
been unexpectedly captured, their lives lost exposed
to unusual suferings, to institute inquest general
inquiry of all relating thereto and minute investiga-
ton ordered net only to correct for the future
but to bring before Government the conduct of all its
agents.
1T has been said there defects in the San Fran
cisco which did not escape the remark of many. Among
other circumstances it is rumored the vessel was loaded
to depth which must necessarily have hazarded the ma
chinery; that she had what termed guards known
to every to be unsafe for steamer that she
had saloons not forming part of the framework of the
vessel acting like immense SAIL forcing the broadsde
to the fury Of the tempest and by sinking the lee wheel
so deep as to prevent its action Had the sea have
washed off these towering snmmer-houses and at the
time have torn up that part of the deck forming
the guards the vessel must have upset or filed at once
1t is also said the ship up and piled on
and numbered with all kind Of furniture, animals &C.
for the accommodation Of ladies and families as to leave
space for the soldiers who pressed together like
cattle In marketca1. There is reason to con-
clude that had the ship continued on some dreadful cpl
demic such as cholera yphus fever, have broken
out among the soldiers, and carried off if not ALL
Can 1t be true that, in making the agreement for
transporting the soldiers the Of the vessel re-
served the right though limiting the freight to receive
any number of passengers? Can it be true that this
tested by running out ateat far as the Gulf stream
II those aboard suffered severely from cold in latitude
4O what provision made for giving them warmth in
latitude 60o?
Should 1t be made to appear that every thing was
done for the safety and comfort of those ordered ont by
Government then will be relieved of much anxiety
and left with the ournful reflection that the Almighty
who is unbounded in wisdom, love, and mercy has so
ordained"