The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-10-03
THE DAILY DISPATCH
Friday NIersiss, October 4. ISs6.


SCENE ON BOARD THE wRxcxrp srr.MrR
FLoRiDA-The steamer Florida va. vrsct.d !,
s'. sssephs Bay, during the late severe gale q.
"s ooun A lady who was on board, In . letter
70 nst hsser, describes the scene ON board during
the time the vessel was suejeeted 70 the fury o,
toe storm. There were forty passengers on board.
Inc upper cabin had been swept svav and Al,
nands were clinging to ropes to staadv ,h.r,.
selves and prevent the waves from washing them
overheard Sk9
was just about to despair. when ..v
ueman with whom was unacauainted. bnt the-s
,h.. motning IN ns face and chivalrous bearing
'ost gave me confidence In him. applied N him
ana begged be would try and save my little P.ttie
ne ssid, Madam, give you my word Of honor
,nat viii do all that can to save vourself .nd
n',,s girl NY health is very bad, butI win do all
side that It was impossible to stand visbout hoaS
ing on TO something. The whole side of the cabin
IN which was gave way. The angry waves rush.
ed In and came near being washed off. Nv dear
ana noble friend, ihis name is Col Winchester, Of
virginia. still held my little girl and sought IN
give me all the encouragement he could Bnt ons
hope was now left us. 1t was 10 get into the ~
room that still remained.
We succeeded In reaching It. There was in this
room, besides myself children and servant CoI
Winchester, and Swedish woman. limit mvtwo
children in the berth. and it was all conId do 10
hold them In. the ship was on her side The Colo.
mel stayed by me some time, and told me What 7
must DO, and urged me not TO bold too TIGHT
would not be able to hold on long IL didethat 7
must tighten my grasp before, and relax IL after
each wave would come In the midst of ali m y dan.
ger, heard man cry out, Take out this child
or WIN throw it overboard-I cannot save myaelf
muen 1 less IT. Oh, sister, can You imagine my
feeiingss The thought of that speech makes me
shudder as ! write. The Colonel risked his life
again by letting go of the rope and went after the
man who held Pattie The Colonel told him she
would cut his throat If be threw the child oven
open them all night. / thought both nv little dar
ungs were thrown overheard Now, the Colonel
could not get back to me-the water would have
washed him off had he attempted it. There was
left hanging on to the side of the ship with no one
oy me but my servant Oh it is impossible for
me to describe the terrors of that night. There I
chung to the rope, thinking every one was drown
cd and that every wave would sweep me away
Then large piece of timber struck me several
times. and stunned me so that forgot W here was
and let go my hold. hut fortunately caught hold
of the rope again before the next wave struck me
When daylight came, all that was left of
the ship was . part of the larboard wheel
house, the rest having been all washed to
pieces. All the main deck, as far as the en-.
gine room, was gone, with all the cabins, and
part of the after deck. 1t found that the wreck
was then lying At the edge of the weeds the island
being all overfowed. At 9 A d., the water COM
menceu 10 Iaii ana the vino 10 Gle away. In one
hour from that time the island was dry, and on
walking off the wreck we found the weeds atrewed
with portions of the vessel and cargo Most of
the trees on the island had been either broken or
torn up by the roots.
The vessel was driven ashore, aud the lady and
her child were saved, with the rest of the passen
gers.
The Tampa (Fla) Peninsular, referring to the
gallant gentleman above, says:
Col. w. was also q passenger on the schooner
Roalefs, of this place, when she was cast away in
the gale which swept Last Island-three of her
crew were lost. Colonel w. returned to New Or
leans, made fresh start on the Florida and was
again overtaken by gale in which he narrowly
escaped with his life. The Colonel again embarked
in sloop at Apalaobicola, for Tampa. When the
sloop anchored in the channel short distance
from our wharf the Colonel being somewhat anx.
ious to get ashore, started in the yawl which cap
sized, and he barely escaped drowning by swim.
ing ashore.