Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-08-30
MIR. HaWkins' Letter.
From the Franklin Journal. I

VI A2HsUEs-A uGIGe SOu Will u UEHTt
bowed down with grief at the sudden and un>
expected loss of so many friends and acquain.
lance by the terrible and unexanpled storm
that devastated Lust Island on Sunday, the
10Th of August, 1856. But with feelings of
the deepest gratitude to the Great uttor of
my being for the unexpected mercy extended
to myself and those nearest and dearest to me,
in delivering us, with many others, from the
waters OF The mighty sea, which entombed SO
many, many Of our best friends and fellow
citizens.
For three days previously the surf had roll
led In against tue beach from The south east
increasing hourly in violence, the wind prevail.
ing from The north. Many speculations we're
made upon the severity of a far off storm that
caused such a phenomenon. On Saturday The
surf was SO violent that several ladies' came
near drowning whilst bathing in it aud that
evening no one, save Mr.. Turner and myse {,
ventured in tie water. Sunday broke upon Us
with the aiigrieSl sea ] ever beheid, far as the
eye could reach one sheet Of foam, white and
terrific as the spray of Niagara, cove ed the
ocean. The wind had increased in severity
and was still blowing from the north, and so
long as the wind continued in this direction no
apprehension of an overflow of the Island was
excited, the prevalent idea being that the tide
would eventually rerede, with Tho wind from
that quarter. About 10 o'clock A. NJ, the
storm evidently inci eastd, rain set in. and the
water began TO rise from the bay side Of the
Island. AL 2 o'clock it blew a gale and then
it was that The work of destruction commen.
ced. The boards and planks on Mr.. Reeds
livery stable were blown off, one of the Gotta.
ges IN front OF the hotel occupied by Mr.. A.
Foley and Mr.. Beatty's family sank down at
one corner from the blocks on which ii was
placed, every one was thoroughly to the a.
farming position they were placed in, and were
seeking places of refuge. Many aoeked to the
nam building Of the hotel and remained there.
while The dining room, billiard room and other
houses were momentarilV going to pieces. II
soon however, became evident that the hotel
was no longer tenable, and many went to the
kitchen which stood but a moment or two
longer than the hotel itself. At this time the
air was full Of plank and scantling from the
falling buildings, which by hitting persons dis
abled many from farther e~xertion. The wa,
Ter had risen from Is inches to 2 feet deep
where we were, n dense spray was driven over
the Island preventing ones seeing any great
distance, and the rain can be likened to nolbinp
better than small shot striking you with such
force as would smart and sting severely. II
was utterly impossible to force your way 8.
gainst the wind and as much as You could do TO
prevent its blowing you down into the water.
Many OF as took our position in the yard near
apen built to keep terrapins In and EeaF the
garden fence--soon these were carried of BY
the violence of the wind and waves, and The
cry OF many was TO go 10 Mr. Como's, as his |
house still resisted the storm. Alas! too
many obeyed The call, and were probably !
crushed but q little while subsequently, by the |
timoers OF that d Yelling, when it too gave way.
The ladies' and children under my charge and
those under charge of other gentlemen near
by US, remained exposed to the elements un-
I'll nearly dark. when the hulk of the steamer
Star having dragged her anchors, (thas we had
heard a few hours before was wrecked and ell |
lost on board of herr appeared almost mira.
cuIously q few hundred yards from US and
one cried out, "hold, on, we will get a
line out and get you on bosrd.' In less time
than 1t takes to wtits it, Dr.. Lyle who had
calamity protected Miss Mary Mathison, DIR.
Winter and servant, Mr.. and Mrs. Sims, Dir.
Leblanc, Mr.. MelaDcon, Mrs. DR.. Harris and
infant, Mrs. Hawkins and infant, Efr. Lewis.
wife and servant, Mrs. Wheeler and servant.
Master Pugh and brother and Nias Anna
a boy Of Mr. WhitwOFsh's whose arm
was broken, a servant of ME. Frere's, d servant
boy Of Mr. Foley's and of Mr.. Beatty's and
myself, were in the hold of the Star. The
had meanwhile suddenly shifted to the
and one minute after | reached The
deck OF The boat the waves broke over the
Island and nearly, if not quite 200 hui
man beings were swept 10 eternity. Twice in
hat terrible night did parties on some floating
wreck approach our hnlk and TWICE did they
grip the rope thrown for their succor In ~vain.--
Capt. Smith made one heraic effort TO saye
Turner, his wife, Col. Fisher and daughter,
lhe roof Of some house passed over their heads,
after he bad Miss Fisher IN his grasp, pressing
hem down into the sand and water, and When
rose Ilaif blinded with sand, nothing vas Il
the pafty and he was hauled On