Litchfield enquirer., 1854-01-19
nnrI.nar srRAMER.

days have been filled with the rad par- ,iculars Of the deslruciion of the new steamship San Francisco. The steamer left New York on the 22d of December, to take its place in the line of the Pacific Mail Steamship Com pany. plying between Panama and San Francisco, and having Ou board the Thi'd Regiment of the United States Artillery. as yell as several cSbin passeagers, among them Dr. William P. Bucl of this village. who was returning to the Pacif- ic coast to resume his duties as surgeon intending to remain with the San Fran> cisco on her tips between Panama and San Francisco. Dr. B. was rescued and brought to N. Y. On Saturday morning. Dec. 24, when about 200 miles east of Charleston. a violent northwester sprang up, and the sea commenced running very high. For several hours the steamer stessaed the waves nobly, but in the night. her spars and sails were blown away in the gale. At one on the morn- ing of the 25.h the engine stopped, the piston rod breaking off. leaving the ves- sei totally unmanagcable, the sea striking her tremendous blows under the guards. and tearing up the planking fore and aft on both sides. At the same time she began to make water and the troops were organized into bailing gangs.
 thine o'clock. on the 25th, heavy sea struck her amidships, carrying away both smoke stacks, all the upper saloon, staying the quarter deck through and washing overheard a large number of passengers, and OU. s. troops. At the same time, three were killed. await CT, the barber of the boat, and man named Duckett.
 On the 2sth, spoke the barque Kilby of Boston. bound to New Yo,k, who lay by her until three o'clock of the after- noon of the 29th, when she commenced getting passengers on board. UpwaSds of one hundred got on board. men, wo. men and children, including several off cers with their families. At night. the wind increasing with squally weather, the Kilby let go the steamers hawser at ten. and her passengers have since arrived at New York in safety.
 The gale continued through the 3Oth and slst, and large number of men on board the steamer, were sick and dying On tl,e morning of Jan. lst, she spoke the British ship Three Bells which lay by, off and on. until the Sd, when her boat came alongside. The same day spoke the ship Antarctic from New York for Liverpool. who bore down for her.
 On Wednesday,. the 4,h. both ships commenced taking off the passengers. provisions and water. and at sunset of the 9th had them all on board. Next morninG took oE the crew and officers, Capt. Watkins being the last manto leave the San Francisco.
 The.nunlber of the lost is not accurate ly known. Several Gf lheaccounts state
 
 that abodt E5o were swep, overheard. and that nearly or quite one hundred died of sort of congesliye diarthoes. sup- posed to have been induced by eating i'm proper food. This would make the to- tai number of deaths abou, 250. and yet it is said that when the San Francisco left New Yosk she had on board. all told, about 100 persons, and that 230 were taken or board the Three Bells, l20 on the Kilby. and ls3 on the Antarctic, which would leave but about l67 to have perished.
 The number of U. s. troops lost, as neatly as can be ascertained from the sergeants,of the companies is eighty five -the list from company B. not being fully made out.