The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-09-04
Sinking of the Sfeamboaf X Knieb..n
near the HighIanda. so Ifre. ~

The steamboat Knickerbocker, Capt.in N.I..
on her passage from Albany TO New York sun'
day night, Immediately after having passed West
Point ran upon the mast of . sunken sloon " 80
stove hole in her larboard side near the kelsa-,
She directly commenced filing, but as there =.
no shore on which she could be run within three
miles of the spot where she struck, the captain
deemed it advisable to run for that
In the meantime the bell was tolled the steam
whistle blown, and life boats got ready The pas
sengers lent helping hand to get the boats down
from the upper deck, while each one had on from
twoto three of the tin life preservers deposited in
every berth. A tow boat with q lot of barges
came along about this time which Captain Mel
son hailed and asked for aid but they replied that
tney could not give it-but that they would bring
700 IN case we could not reach the shore.
.h omng however, to the good management of
tne captain and crew, made Fort Montgomery
CreeX, SIX miles from West Point and four miles
RON feekskil-going on bow first Anchors
were mediately got ont, the life boats and yards
GO. sae water and lines carried to the trees and
Iastened 10 the bow But her stern was in the
water twenty feet deep. and her bow on snch a
snmy bottom that every one anticipated that as
her stern went down she would slide off. Such
afterwards proved to be the fact
,,aab; however, to her sliding of, the sloop
hAo..an'e, N4pI Coe came alongside and after
making fast, Capt Nelson ordered that the ladies
and children should first be put on boa after that
me male passengers, and then, If time the bao.
gage. Inc Oaptans coolness and decision caused
everything to go On harmoniously; and in plentv
OF time, the passengers were safe on hoard The
sloop. The writer of this article and friend 1varo
the last passengers to leave the vessel which tbav
did in small boat, and Immediately put for th.a
east shore, in order take the first train to New
York N'0"
When in the middle of the river they saw the
steamer slide off, and soon all that was visible Of
the Knickerbocker was her smoke pines and
wheel houses She had on board twentvtwo
horses, about one thousand sheep, and a large
freight consisting of butter, cheese, brooms beer
&c, probably amounting in all to the value of
$4,000. About half of the sheep swan ashore
but the horses were tied fast under the deck and
their dying groans reverberated among the High.
lands and made night hideous.
The accident occurred about one o'clock in the
morning. Every one behaved with courage
even the women and children. Too much credit
cannot be given to Capt. Nelson for the courage
and coolness he manifested on this trying occasion
His orders were plain and explicit, and obeyed
with alacrty. Hiram Long. the steward and VIII
liam Burnett, the mate, were constant in their en-
deavors to make the road of safety visible to all
The engineer and fireman staid to their posts
until driven away by the rushing waters--in fact
all hands from the Captain down to the pantry
man, We'd with each other in promoting the safety
and comfort of all the passengers-Neao York Ez
press.