The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-09-30
STATEMENT OF JOHN BLACK THE
BOATSWAlN.

John Black. a boatswain of the Cen.
trail America, states that he was in charge
of life. boat with the third mate. Lef.
the brig on my third trip back to the
steamer about z O'Clock PM Reached
the steamer a few minutes before 8
O'Clock. Was hailed by Capt Herndon
and Mr. Frazier second officer. Told them
the boat was stove and leaking, and
Capt Herndon told me to keep off about
hundred yards. Did so until the
steamer sunk. Saw the last rocket fred
horizontally, and fifteen minutes later
the ship went down, amid the cries of all
on board. This WAS about 81 O'Clock.
As was approaching the steamer, saw
fore and aft schooner rounding her
stern and cfossihg her bow. Could no,
see her name, of learn whether she res
cued any from the steamer, as the sea
was running high crosswiss.
The following Vas &rittsh by Mr.
Ashby soon after be Arrived In Norfolk
aud learned the nature Of the charges
against him:
STATEMENT:
PORTSMOUTH, Va, Saturday. Sept !
Ie, 1857.
To the Editor of the Iranscript!
Erroneous istatements having gone
forth in connection with the disaster to
the steamer Central america as to my
conduct as Chief Engineer, I desire to
correct them through the medium Of
your paper and place my conduct before
the public in its proper light. It has
teen alleged that the loss ofthe steamer
is solely attributable to my neglect of
duty in permitting the fires of the en-
gines unnecessarily go out, and thus rem
deriDg the vessel unmanageable. The
statement is entirely false. The fact 10
that the steamer filled with water so
Rapidly from leaks and the boisterous
character of the sea that the 6res could
not be kept up, though every remedy
which suggested itself was employed f,9
the purpose.
-Another statement is that I acted
prematurely and unadvisedly in quitting
the steamer. This assertion is equally
false with the first. After consultation
with the Commander, Captain Hern-
don, aud the firstoficer of the ship,
Mr.. Charles Van Rensselaer,, it was our
unanimous opinion that the Central
America could not live till midnight on
the evening on which she foundered and
the justice of this conclusion il sustained
by the fact that in . much less space of
time than predicted the steamer went
down.
Previous to the melancholy termina-
tion of the struggle, however. and At the
solicitation, or rather the direction of
Capt. Herndon, I did get one Of the
ships boats ready, and placed in her all
the ladies and children on board the
steamer. The brig Marine Was coming
boats, and after rowing over, they were
safely placed on the brig.
It was after this, however, that Capt
Herndon saw the necessity Of obtaining
closer communication with the brig, as
also necessity Of having q large number
of boats in which 10 transfer the passsn-
gers from the steamer, and by his direc-
tion / left in the next BOAT from the
steamer for the brig to attend to the de-
sired arrangements. On my arrival
aboard the brig, communicated with
the Captain, who informed me be would |
bear down as fast as possible, but that il |
would necessarily have to be with eau
lion, az he was himself in disabled con-
ditioD, having lost his main yard and
some sails. Captsin Burke offered the
use of bis own boat, . yawl, but denoln-
BED her as entirely unsafe, that she would
aot live three minutes in such sea-
In the meantime two boats arrived from
the steamer with passengers aud por.
lion Of her crew, who, on being placed +
IN board, deserted their oonveysnoes,
eaying them along side of the brig with
,nly one quarter master in each of the
boats ] ordered and entreated the
,rew to man the boats return with me to
escue the others, but they positively re-
used to comply, as all on board the brig
'an testify. I Was thus left powsrless,
md had no other alternative but 10 Is.