Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-17
6enerai gntsIligents.
Further Details or the late shipwreck.
From the New York Herald Of Sunday.


From the New York Herald Of Sunday.
SCENES AND INcIDEsTs.--We give below some
additional Incidents gathered by reporter from
Sergeant Brown, of company q, who was one Of
the most active participators in this sad affair.
Every circumstance connected with il, however
trivial in ITSELF acquires additional interest from
the connection in which Il appears:
SERGEANT ELIJAH H. BRowNs STArEMEST.-On
the night Of December "a the swell first struck us.
After the machinery stopped, our vessel lost her
Storage way and preached TO. She then shipped
sea which carried away the hurricane deck abah
of the wheels. Major Taylor and wife, Colonel
Washington, Captain Fields and Lieutenant Smith
were carried away by this first sea. The next sea
swept her decks entirely, and carried away the
cattle and the me is sleeping place on the upper
deck. was fearful that the women would get
out, and fastened the doors when they went
down below in the second cabin. then went for
ward, and was swept overheard, and at one time
was as much as twenty feet from the vessel.
There were several in the water, and three be-
sides myself were saved by the waves throwing
us back Alter this all hands commenced bailing
at once. formed the whole regiment on board
into rcliefs, and we continued the bailing inces-
sanity for six days and six nights. During five
days and five nights never left my station, until
at last my ANGLES became so weak that could not
stand and then Istood upon my knees until tine
mauder came and pulled me away. AT the worst
time Of ALL and when we were shipping the most
water, one of the corporals gave the alarm of fire.
At this alarm all the inmates Of the lower cabin
who were employed in bailing rushed slmultane-
ousy for the door, and put an end TO work for the
time. then sprang upon table, drew a'reyolver,
and threatened to shoot any man who repeated the
alarm. That quoted them, and they went on with
their work again. We were next ordered to cut
away the forward hurricane deck. During this a
heavy gale arose, so that we were forced TO lash
ourselves 10 the guard lines while cutting. She
then shipped sea, and was again thrown over,
and struck the side of the vessel, being prevented
from reaching the sea by the lashing line.
While we were baihng, young lady, named
Mariana holland, came up to me and wanted to
take turn at baiing, but refused. and told her
to go back 10 her berth. She afterwards died.
Her death was very affecting. She was attacked
by sudden indsposton, resembling cholera.
While the heavy sea was pouring over the
decks, the live stock became very unmanageable,
and broke through the partition which divided
them from the men. Cows, hogs, and men, We're
all mingled together, and caused so much confu-
sion that we were obliged to slaughter several
Of them.
During the storm was washed overheard three
times, and once jumped in after daguerreotype
portrait which lost out Of my pocket. lost
everything, including ST. $50 in gold, which was
taken from my trunk. Every trunk was brokon
open before il was thrown overheard. found on
the wreck book with this inscription on the fly
leaf: Miss Lydia Merchant, from her friend, Mrs.
Caroline Phillips, Newburyport, Mass 1907.
The volume is one of juvenile series, handsome
" bound. intend to send il TO her.
Many Of the ladies exposed themselves unne-
cessarily during the whole time, and one OF them,
while standing upon the main deck in imminent
danger of beng swept away BY the surf was
forced to carry down below.
The non-commssoned officers and men exerted
themselves to their utmost In fact, some OF them
worked until they dropped down from sheer ia
tgue.
"A man named Nit, a private of company X, was
on deck when the upper deck fell on him, and his
head went through skylight in such way that
he was but slightly injured, excepting that spin
ter of the wood ran into his cheek, and, as we
could not extract it, the wound healed up, and It
remains there now. 1.s&
During all the time that we we working at the
pumps, we could get nothing to eat but biscuit
and cold water. !,
One curious fact in the affair was, that nearly all
the sailors showed an unconquerable aversion 10
going near a dead body. On one occasion the
body Of the carpenters brother lay with his head
cut off by hour after hour, and no came near II.
The females on board evinced the utmost cool
ness and presence of mind throughout the whole
Of the time. Some Of them would come up to Inc
and ask me wether we were in danger, and when
replied that there was great danger, but every
thing depended upon our own exertions, they APP
peared perfectly satisfied, and returned TO their
quarters. @a
r & ~ e 4 i + 3 #t. &
Our reporter was shown a sword, battered and
bruised with the hard usage through which il had
gone, which had been the companion of Colonel
Washington through many years, and was saved
by Lieutenant Winder from the wreck. This,
with the exception of a case of revolvers, COM
prised everything saved by this gentleman.
The passengers who remained on board the
Kilby, in preference to taking the Lucy Thompson,
were: Us.
Mr.. Falcon and servant
Dr. Labrade and wife.
Mrs. Alexander Besse, and thirteen soldiers
who volunteered to assist Mr.. Low.
MEETING AT THE MERCHANTS ExCHANGE.--We
know Of no event which has excited deeper
feeling Of sorrow for the loss Of life by the wreck
of the ill-fated steamer San Francisco, or greater
commanders of the Three Bells, Kilby, and Ant
arctic, who so nobly stood by the wreck until all
who were living were saved, than that manifested
among our commercial men generally.
After short previous notice, large meeting
was convened in the rotunda OF the Merchants
Exchange, at about half past three, 7. M There
were probably over thousand merchants and
business men present
The meeting was called to order by Colonel
James Lee, who moved that Mr.. George Griswold
should take the chair. This was carried unani-
mously. The following assistant officers were then
uPPOlnteu. =
Vice Presidents--Messrs James Brown, Thomas
Tileston, Moses II. Grinnell, Charles II. Marshall,
E. Z. Morgan, Walter r. Jones, Mortimer Living
ston.
Seeretaries--Messrs. E. C. Bogart, Charles Ca
row, F. G.. Foster, r, G. Goodhue.
Mf. Pelitiah Perrett then rose to oher several
appropriate resolutions. He stated that the solemn
occasion which brought them together was SO
well known to all, and the feeling OF praise in
favor of the noble conduct of those who had so
heroically rescued the passengers OF the steamer
San Francisco was so general, that no heightened
remarks from him were necessary He then pro-
ceeded to read the resolutions as follows:
Resolved, As the sense Of this meeting, that the
highest praise is due to Captain Creighton, of the
British ship Three Bells, of Glasgow; Captain
--, of the bark Kilby, of Boston, and Captain
Stouffer, of the ship Antarctic, Of New York, for
their humane generous, and heroic conduct, in
rescuing the passengers, officers and crew, OF the
steamer San Francisco, in their late perilous ex-
posture on the ocean, which was accomplished at
the imminent hazard OF the lives Of these noble
hearted men, and those who acted under their
command.
Rcsoircd, That as an expression Of the high
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