Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-04-25
The wreck of the ship rowhatan.
Full Partic ulars of The Terrible Disaster Taoo
Hundred and Fifty Bodies Recopered.

BY the last mails we received full details Of the
loss of the Ship Powhatan, Captain Meyers, (of
Baltimore,) and crew, with 3l1 passengers.
Long Beach, on the night of the 10th inst. We
subjoin the following:
Statement of Captain Jennings-lnteresting Ia
terpie,o Nth Capt. Meyers during The Gale.
On Saturdaythe wind blew with great violence
from the northeast. The sea ran very high all
day, and supposed that there would be many
wreck along the coast from Bernegatto Egg Harder.
On Sunday morning observed ship of about
$50 tons humping on the bar about one hundred
yards from the shore. l Immediately sent those
men W no were with me 10 the government station
house, distant about six miles, for the life car,
mortar, and other shipwrecking apparatus. During
the day the ships deck was crowded with passen-
gers, and when the surf ran out could get within
seventy yards of the vessel, which found out to
be the ship ow hatan, Of Baltimore, Capt. Meyers,
on her voyage from Havre to New York. The surf
ran mountain high. Indeed | never saw such
sea in my life. Several persons began now TO be
swept overheard. u-
Captain Meyers hailed me through his speaking
trumpet and asked me for Gods sake to try and
save some of those who might happen to wash "a
shore. told him had went down the beach TO
where the bodies came on shore, but found them
all dead, and itwas use trying to save them, as
they were all drowned before they got half way 10
the beach.
Captain Meyers asked me just before this if any
aid could soon reach them. | said hoped so, as
four men had been sent down to the government
station for that purpose.
Captain Meyers again called out to me TO save
any of those who might wash ashore alive. re-
piled that would see 10 ii, ami went down about
two hundred yards on the beach where the bodies
were being washed on shore. Women and chill
dren came on shore first.
The vessel then lay E. S. E., and had shifted
from the N. E. Her foremost was gone at this
time. suppose she lost it before she struck on
the bar. About o'clock. P. NJ, on Sunday, the
sep keeled over to the windward flom the shore.
The sea then, OF course, made a clean breach over
he'll and passengers began 10 be washed off in great
numbers The sea running mountains high; aud
completely hiding the vessel from my view, /
could no longer hold any commu ncation with the
captain. l never saw Inn since.
The main and mizzen lnasts soon went by the
board, and bodies appeared floating in the surf in
great numbers. Some twenty FIVE dead tudies
mostly women, came on shore about mile south
of the wreck.
Abont dark the sea rose to great height and
one large wave, fully bundled feet high, struck
the unfortunate vessel, and in moment the
hull was scattered into fragments, which tossed
wildly through the surf. The slneks of the drow
ing creatures were melancholy indeed, butl could
render them no aid, as the sea ran so high could
not get near the unfortunate people. In lew
moments all disappeared beneath the surface OF
the water, except few fragments OF the wreck.
Never did see sucn a sight in my life. Never do
remember witnessing such a dreadful gale or such
ahlgh running ssa. In many places it made COM
pIte- breaches over Tie lsland,. and carried, no
doubt, many poor fellow into the bay behind il.
The men got back the next morning from the
government stationshou with life boat, Inorta:
and the usual wrecking apparatus. but it was too
lnte as all on ard The i'll afed Potpha1n ai per-
isLed-aoE one TeInGnine % tel the fearful tale
None of The crew or officers of the vessel came
ashore, which sIather c rions inct; but think
will be found some ten or fifteen miles further
down the beach, $500
The luggage and portion of the wreck lay scat