Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-01-18
Cnfaafrnnhc AZ Sea.

rived at New YORK Win one nunuled ana Sixty
persons saved from the San Francisco, and bring
ing the appalling intelligence that two hundred
aud forty of the seven hundred human beings with
which she was freighted had been swept over
board and had persisted in the sea. number OF 9th
or passengers were taken off the sinking ship by
the barque Kilby, bound for Boston, and many by
the ship Antarctic, bound for Liverpool. The fol
lowing is an account of the disaster transmitted
from New York by telegraph:
In the gale Of the 23d December the San Fran
cisco preached TO twice, and was much disabled.
On the oath all her spars and sails were blown
way. At one o'clock in the morning of the 25th
the engine stopped in consequence of the breaking
of the pistoa-rod and left the vessel totally unman-
ageable, the sea at the same time striking her ire
mendous blows under the guards, tearing up the
planking fore and aft on both sides, and causing
the ship to leak badly. The troops were then or
gauized into baing parties. At nine o'clock on
the 18th heavy sea struck the steamer amidsh'ps,
CARRYING away both smoke stacks, all the upper sa-
loon. staving the quarter deck, and washing over
board large number of persons, besides killing
three of the ships crew. On the 18th the barque
Nilby was spoken aud laid by the steamer until
three O'Clock in the afternoon of the goth. when a
number of the passengers were transferred to the
barQue, which let 90 her hawser at ten O'Clock at
night, and nothing has since been heard of her
The rale continued throughout the 30th and 3lst,
4 number of the men being sick and some in dy-
inc condition. In the evening Of the lst of Janu-
airy the British ship Three Bells was spoken, and
laid BY the steamer uatil the Sd, when her boat
was GOT alongside. On the same day the ship
4 l. G., ,too
er. and on the 4th both ships commenced taking
off the passengers, together with the necessary
provisions and water, which was accomplished by
six o'clock in the evening. The next morning
they took off the officers and crew, Capt. Watkins
having been the last man to leave the ship, which
had been with difficulty kept afoat for ten twelve
DAYS. The steamer sunk "a hours after she was
abandoned The latitude (lat. SO, long. SO. } in
which she is stated to have been, places her about
five hundred miles north of Bermuda and about
eight to nine hundred miles from New York,
little south of the usual track of vessels bound to
Liverpool or Southampton.
The lost overheard are Col. John NJ. Washing
ton, Major Geo. Taylor and his wife, Capt. H. b.
Field, Lieut.. R. II. Smith, three civilians and
two ladies whose names are not reported. and some
two hundred and thirty of the troops. Of the crew
of the ship there were eleven deaths from the time
she was disabled till the 9Th instant.
A dispatch from New York on the 18th says:
The Lucy Thompson spoke the barque Kilby.
sixty miles southeast Of Sandy Hook, in leaky
and crippled condition, short OF provisions, and
took off all the passengers except l3 soldiers, who
remained behind to help in bringing her into port,
and Mrs. Major Wyse, who was too much e1-
hausted to be removed. They also supplied her
INho K;ihr hoe. dnuhtlacc haen
blown to sea again, and a steamer has been sent
in search of her.
The survivors of the Kilby arrived last night,
cold, hungry, and almost naked, and were taken
to the Astor House and properly provided for.
The following are additional names Of those
swept from the decks by the waves - -..
Mr.. Tenney, Mr.. ID. e. Stockwell, Miss Bolton.
Mr.. Gates. Mrs. Chase and child, Mr.. Lacrade
and wife. Miss Lucy Moore and Mr.. Farnswerth,
an engineer. The following is list ct the troops
lost as nearly as can be ascertained: From Com
pany A, 10; Company ID, 7; Company u, 10;
Company |, 2; Company K, 81 Company L., IL;
total so far, S5 The list of Company Is has not
yet been fully made out.
The Baltimore American makes the following
remarks:
The orderly conduct of the crew and sodery,
their obedience to orders. and devotion to the OH
GERS, cannot be too highly commended. 1t is an
evidence of general intelligence and respectable
ity honorable TO the country. We have read OF
scenes of desperation and debauchery, under SINH
lar circumstances, which would have rendered
certain the loss of the vessel. The noble conduct
of Cant Watkins, the commander of the San
Francisco, throughout these fourteen days OF lnde-
scribable anxiety and suffering, even TO his taking
of massacre on board the Antarctic bound to Liver
mol the least desirable of the means OF succor,
which was doubtless done to prevent dlsSa'isiac-
ton. STAMP him at once as man fit fer any emer-
gency in his dangerous calling. 1t gives us peas
ure to add in this connection that Captain wat
kins is Marylander having many warm friends
in this city and the eastern section of the State
Whilst the politicians at Washington are busy
bestowug sword upon the Administration tor
the Marcy letter in support of the gallant lngra-
ham, they ought to extend some substantial recog,
milton to the noble conduct of the Captains and
crews Of the Kilby, the Three Bells, and the An
tarctic. but especially to Captain Creighton OF the
Three Bells, who, although himself IN distress,
stood by the unfortunate sufferers. They VIII all
receive the heartfelt thanks of hundreds OF CRATE
full friends and relatives as well as the acknowl-
edgments of the entire country.
Two of the saddest features of the disaster were
the continual inroads which death was making
upon their numbers, and the hopes which were
raised again and again by the appearance OF yes
sells promising aid, only to be destroyed again by
their disappearance in the night Those hapless
men were fighting thewater inch by inch which,
in spite OF their struggles, gained inch alter men
upon them-women and children were covering
under wet blankets in dismantled cabin, iamish-
ed with hunger and pinched with cold men, wo-
= Jo;l Ivipor hv the
end in the midst of all this misery, vessel after
vessel hove in sight, spoke few encouraging
words, and was borne away on the relentless
wings of the very blast which was hurrying the
fated vessel 10 its doom.
Respecting the officers Of the army who were
lost on the S. F., it may be stated that Col.
Washington leaves a wife and children, under
stood TO be now in Alexandria, Major Taylor
leaves no children. Col. Smith was married
few wears aqo in New London, but his wife re-
manned at home on account of delicate health. -
Mai. Merchant had all his family on board. except
two sons. one OF whom is in the Naval School at
Annapolis, and the other in California; but they
have all arrived safe. The family with HIM con-
sisted Of widowed daughter and child. and ihree
other daughters Maj Taylor and Col. smith
have for several years past been stationed at rev
I.ondon. lieutenant Fields, as before stated,
leaves wife in this city.
Much reluctance Vas felt on the part Of most OF
the officers to going to California by way OF cape
Horn, in the manner prescribed, and number OF
them obtained permission 10 go by way OF the 18TH
mus, paying their own expenses.
Oe- The indicator seems disposed to deal very
seriously with the silly stories afoat in the coun-
try about the insecurity of life in Stanton
For our part, We regard them as too supremely
ridiculous to be dignifed with grave denial
The best way of treating them, in our opinion. is