The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-11-18
He vent Down with Harness on.

We find, in the National Intelligencer,
letter to the Secretary of the Navy, written
BY Lieut. Maury, giving in detail the order
Of events connected with the loss Of the
steamer Central America" Lieut. Maury
who was brother-in law Of the brave Hern-
don, in the introduction says:
AS q tribute to his (Herndon's) memory
as material for history, as an heirloom ofthe
Navy and legacy to his country, ! desire to
place ON record in the Department this sim
Die writing and memorial Of him.
The letter gives the history of the disaster
as CLEANED from the most authentic sources,
and is thrillinsly beautiful We make one
extract, which we know will draw tears
from eyes unused to weeping. The letter
saws:
There were many touching incidents Of
the most heroic personal devotion to duty
and to humanity during that dreadful storm.
Even after the ship had gone down, and her
passengers were left in the water clinging by
whatever they could lay hands on, Offices of
knightly courtesy were passed among
them.
AS one of the last boats was about to leave
the ship her commander gave his watch to
passenger, with request that it might be
delivered to his wife. He wished to charge
him with message for her also, but his
utterance was choked. Tell her -"
Unable to proceed, he bent down his head
and buried his face in his hands for mo-
ment rs If in prayer, for he was devout
man and true Christian.
p In that moment, brief as it was, he endur-
cd the greatest agony. But it was over now.
His crowdinc thoughts; no doubt, had been
Of friends and home; its desolation; a be
loved wife and lovely daughter dependent "
lone for support upon him. God and his
country would care for them now. Honor
and duty required him to stick to his ship,
and he saw she must go down.
Calm and collected he rose up from that
short but mighty struggle with renewed Wig
or, and went with encouraging looks about
the duties Of tile ship as before. He order
ed the hurricane deck to be cut away, aud
RATS to be made The life-nreservers were
also brought up and distributed to all who
would wear them. Night was setting in,
and he directed Frazer, the second officer, to
take charge Of the arm-chest and send up
| a rocket every half hour.
Van Rensselaer,, his FIRST officer was also
by him Herndon has spoken ofhim to me
| in terms Of esteem and admiration, and Van
Rensselaer, proved himself worthy to the last
| of such CONNIE ndations. Side Ivy side these
two stood at their post, and perished togeth-
er, with their harness on
| After the boat which bore Mr.. Payne, to
whom Herndon entrusted his watch, had
showed of, the captain went to his state
room and put on his uniform. The gold
band around his cap was concealed by the
oil-silk covering which he usually wore over
it. He took the covering of and threw it
| on the cabin floor then walking out he took
his stand on the wheel-llouse, holding on to
the iron railing with his left hand. A rock
ct was sent off; the ship fetched her last
lurch and us she went down he uncovered.
| A cry arose from the sea, but not from his
lips. The waves had closed over him, and
the curtain OF night was drawn over one Of
the most sublime moral spectacles that the
sea ever saw.
| Just before the steamer went down a row
boat was heard approaching. Herndon
hailed her lt was the boatsw aims boat,
rowed by "hald hands and a gentle heart,
returning on oard from u brig to report her
disabled condition. II she came alongside
she would be engul phed by the sinking ship.
| Herndon ordered her to- keep oil. She did
| SO and was saved. This, so far as have
/ been able to learn was his last order. or
4
| beautiful to the last and in his death he adj
ded = ne* glory in the annals OF the !. sea :
1t does not appear certain that her COM
mander was seen or heard, after she went
down, by any OF those who survived the
wreck Mr.. Childs one Of the passengers,
thinks he ,cnnversed with him in the water
after midnight on Saturday, only q little
a. 4 1 EoA Rnt
| Herndon was small Of statue, of delicate
frame and constitution, and by no means in
robust health. lie was already suffering
| from the incessant labor and exposure VI the
last two DAYS and that long Friday Night
His fatigue must have been great, and when
the waves closed over his ship he was in all
! probability, too much exhausted to struggle
/ with the rest in that pool Of drowning men,
for floats and for life.
| Everything that could be done by the best
sea captain to save his ship was done to save
this one Brave hearts and strong arms,
and willing minds were on beard. There
| yrs no lack Of skill or courage Order and
! discipline were preserved to the last, and
she went down under conduct that fills the
heart with sentiments Of unutterable admi.
ration.
Herndon was in the 44th year of his age.
He was born in Fredericksburg, Va, on the
25th day Of October, 1913. He was the son
Of Dabney Herndon Of that place, and was
the fifth Of seven children. Ave sons and two
daughters Of whom Mrs. Maury 10 the elder
He was named after captain William Lewis
Of the Navy, who was lost ct sea on board
the U. s. brig Epervier. Lewis Herndon
was left early an orphan, and entered the ma
W at the aye If fifteen. Affectionate in dis
position, soft and gentle in his manners, he
was beloved of his own family; he also won
the love and esteem OF his associates where
ever he went and he became q favorite
throughout the service.
None knew him better, or l0ved him more
than, respectfully, your obedisnt servant
NJ. +. MACkY,
Lieut.. D. 8. Navy.