Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-01-21
WRECK OF THE STEAMER SAN FRANCISCO

On Wednesday, December 81, the troops, consisting
of eight companies of the Third Regiment OF Artil-
lery, were embarked from steamtugs on board the
steamer, then anchored in the North River They
numbered, rank and file, some 500 men. The 9th
GERS, with their families together with the soldiers
wives and families certain portion OF whom were
allowed to each company-brought up the number
to about 600. There were 20 OF 30ot passengers
The crew numbered from loo to $50; so that, all
told, we were between 750 and 800 souls on board
On Wednesday morning the steamer dropped down
to the Quarantine and anchored for the night. On
Thursday, the 22d, after having been detained two
or three hours waiting for dilatory officer, she
weighed anchor about 10 O'clock and stood out to
sea- At - passed Sandy Hook and discharged our
pilot
Our voyage was now fairly commenced. A sue
ceSsion of constantly recurring and ot-repeatcu ue
lays had delayed departure week after week ana
month after month. At last every obstacle had Dcen
overcome, and the gallant ship, with her heau point
ed to the southwest, moved steadily, tnouSh not
swiftly on her course She was deeply laden-far
too deeply as the result proved. Her engines were
new and untried and the strain upon them great
Thursday was a lovely morning the sea calm ana
smooth, with gentle breezes from the northwest
Whatever gloomy forebodings might have existed
were quieted by so fair presage
Friday morning. the 23d, rose brightly on our
course We had entered the Gulf Stream, and the
weather which yesterday had been chilly, and
caused the ladies and children to gather around the
stove, had become mild. The wind still from the
Northwest, with enough to cause the dinner ia
BILE to be comparatively deserted. The day passed
without incident of any kind, and gave no presage
of the awful disaster so soon to follow.
Immediately after tea retired to my room, and
after reading two hours quietly if on shore, I'M
dressed and retired There was more roll to the snip
than had previously experienced, and the WIND
seemed freshening; but thought nothing OF it. But
/ soon found there no sleeping. 1t soon blew
gale. The ship rolled and pitched to degree that
it difficult to keep my berth. All the books and
loose articles upon the table were thrown upon the
floor. Every article in the room, though confined,
was thrown in an alarming manner.
At IL O'Clock l could bear it no longer. rose
dressed hurredly, and went out upon deck My room
was on the hurricane deck, on the forward part OF
the ship. The scene, stepped on deck, was ter
rifle. The sea complete mass of foaln boiling
and swelling like cauldron. The gale was terrific.
The steamer had broached to twice., anu had really
become unmanageable: Her head was toward the
wind. The whole crew were engaged IN strenuous
but vain efforts to take in the sails. They were
blown to ribbons. The foremast-we carried no
mainmaSt-Tas wrlthing- and twisting like young
sapng. 1t was large enough for the malnlnaSt OF Il
l. 900 ton ship. The fury OF the tempest such
that could not stand before it moment; but |
seized the iron brace connecting the king bolts and
surveyed the scene for moment Then threw my
self on-my hands and knees and made Tor the near
est hatch, to get below This happened to be over
the forward galley. Swinging myself down by the
cabin | reached the main deck.
Here scene of confusion indescribablc and con-
founding presented itself Four hundred soldiers
were berthed his deck, in double rows of standee
berths, three tiers each. They had all crept from
their berths most of the standees had been broken
and thrown down. The live stock, of which there
was considerable, had escaped from their pens on
the same deck and soldiers, bullocks calves pigs,
sheep and poultry, all ngled together amid the
broken standees. The steamers guards had been
carried away some time previously, and the sea
washed over the deck with every roll of the ship.
The lanterns extinguished and the darkness
was almost total plade effort to reach the after
cabin, but found it impossible. With my penknife
cut leather belt from one CT the soldiers KNAPP
sacks hanging around and fastening 1t to carllne,
made secure place to hold on. / remained there
toward hour, the storm all the while increasing.
About o'clock the foremost came down almost
over my head, crushing in the hurricane-deck.
almost feared now that the deck would be swept
clean of everything, and determined to seek refuge
below. went first into the steerage, but as they
commenced battering down the hatch, with perhaps
two hundred soldiers in it, left, and went to the
second cabin, occupied by the non-commisSoned
officers and their families was wet to the skin and
chilled through After waiting here for two hours,
with no abatement in the fury of the gale, | crept
into one Of the soldiers berths, pulled blanket
Inc, and after while fell asleep. The first raw of
dawn awoke me- | arose. and through the storc-room !
and pantry succeeded in gaining the main saloon. /
Saturday morning the 9th, had last dawned upon
us, and this awful night had end
While passing between the second and after cabin |
felt tremendous strike the ship, but had no
idea Of the awful consequence. 1t was the denou- |
ment-the finale of the awful tragedy which had /
been going on through the night. An overwhelming |
sea had struck the ship on her starboard quarter,
carrying away the starboard padde-box both smoke |
stacks, the whole promenade deck abaft the paddle
boxes, two rows of state rooms of twelve each on /
the main deck, and stove in the main deck hatch |
This was the smallest part of the havoc. At one |
fell sweep nearly one hundred and fifty human be-
lngs we're swept into eternity The majority were /
private soldiers of the different companies of the |
Third Artillery. One company lost all but ten of its
members. -Four officers went with them; Colonel |
w ashington distinguished at Buena Vista and other |
hard fought fields; Maj. Taylor and wife; Captain
Field, and Lieut. Smith. The sea was covered with |
drowning men. The roar Of the tempest srnothered |
the " bubbllng cry of strong swimmers in their ag-
ony." In few moments they sunk to rise no more
till the sea gives up her dead. Two of all the crowd
succeeded in regainng the ship-Mr. Rankin, an
army suttler, and Mr. merchant, of Rio Janeiro.
few moments had elapsed when reached the
saloon. 1t was filled with water to the depth of
nearly two feet. The females and children mostly
in their night clothes, and wet to the skim were
scattered on panks some wailing and sobbing some
stupeted, and calmly awaiting what
seemed their inevitable fate. All supposed the last
hour had arrived and in a few moments they would
meet their Maker face to face
"Then rose from sky the wild farewell
linen shrIeked the tmId and stood still the brave"
Happy those who in this awful moment felt that
tnelr peace was made, and nothing left but calm res
lgnatlon to their Makers hand But Death is the
Nng OF Ierrors, and when he meets us in the midst
OF hie with our bones full of marrow and our limbs
iuil OF sap, human nature clngs life and even the
instinct OF inc dumb animal shrinks from death
1 ne cream OF poor Clarence over me- and |
Alas! it is an awful thing to drown"
Another like that which struck ms and o,r fat
had been that of the Presidcnt-not a soul would
have survived to tell the tale Rnt If nla,sod -,