Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-11-11

Under this fally of crew and passengers they
gained ON the water for little while, butA.they
were worn out with the toll of the last night
and day they had not the strength to keep il
under.
Finally, about noon of Saturday, the 10Th the
gale began to abate and the sky to brighten A
vessel hove in sight, saw the signal of distress,
ran down to the steamer, was hailed, answered,
ami was asked for help. She could give none,
and kept on her course.
At about P. NJ, the brig 'Marine," Capt
Burt, of Boston, bound from the West Indies to
New York, heard minute guns and saw the
steamers signals of distress. She ran down to
the sinking ship, and, though very much Grip
pied herself by the gale, promised to lay by
She passed under the steamers stern, spoke,
rounded to, and kept her word.
The steamers boats were ordered to be lower
ed the Marine had none that could live in such
sea.
Now came another trying time. The boat
scenes of the steamer "Arclic" had made deeT
impression upon HerndoH's mind; they now
crowded into remembrance Who of this crew
should be selected to man his boats? Would
they desert him when they got off from the shipi
There were some who he knew would not.
1t was not an occasion when the word might
be passed for volunteers; for it was the post Of
safety, not of danger, but nevertheless OF great
trust, that was to be filled. The captain want
ed trusty men, that he knew well from long as
socation, and the crew of such vessels is not
very permanent as to its personal. Therefore
he tet at loss, for there was still man want
ing for Blacks, the boatswain's, boat. A sailor,
perceiying the captains dilemma, stepped up
and modestly offered to 60. He had not, it may
be supposed, been long in the ship, for Herndon
evidently did not know him well, and replied,
in his mild and gentle way, II wonder if can
trust your" The sailor instnctively understood
this call for shibboleth, and simply said, 81
have hands that are hard to row, and heart
that is soft to feel" This was enough he went,
and was true. Not boat destered that ship.
All the women and children were first sent to
the brig, and every one arrived there in safety.
Each boat made two loads to the brig, carrying
in all one hundred persons.
By this time night was setting in. The brig
had drifted to leeward several miles away from
the steamer, and was so crippled that she could
not beat up to her again.
Blacks 0he boatswains) boat alone returned
the second time. Her gallant crew had been
bufetng with the storm for two days and a
night without rest, and with little or no food
The boat itself had been badly stove while a.
longsde with the last load of passengers. She
was so much knocked to pieces as to be really
unserviceable nor could she have held another
person. Still those brave seamen, true to the
trust reposed in them by their captain, did not
hesitate to leave the brig in her again and pull
back through the dark for miles across an angry
sea, that they might join him in his sinking ship
and take their chances with the rest.
Let no one call this rash, idle, or vain it was
conduct the most loyal, noble, and true. The
names of this brave crew have not been given,
else | should suggest the propriety of making
some formal acknowledgment of the high appre-
citation in which such devotion to duty and such
conduct are held by the Department. ~
/ am aware that these men do not belong to
the navy, but they are American seamen, nobly
doing their duty under the American flag, and
adding lustre to it by theit deeds. Whether of
! the naval or of the merchant service, such con-
duct should not go upreQuited by the Govern
ment.
During the lowering of the boats and the en-
barkaton of the women and children there was
as much discipline preserved among the crew of
that ship, and as much order observed among
her passengers, as was ever witnessed on board
the best regulated man-of war
l0e law requires every COIIiluuuCi III tHo
navy to show in himself good example of vir-
tue and patriotism; and never was example more
nobly set or beautifully followed. Capt. Hern-
don, by those noble traits which have so endear-
ed his memory to the hearts of his countrymen,
had won the respect and admiration of the crew
and passengers of that ship in such degree as
to acquire an influence over them that was mar
vellous in its effects. The women felt its force.
Calm and resolute themselves they encouraged
and cheered the men at the pumps and in the
gangways; and, finally, to Herndon's last appeal
for one more effort, they rose superior to their
sex, and proposed to go on deck themselves and
with their hands and feeble arms there do mans
work in battling with the tempest
| There were many touching incidents of the
most heroic personal devotion to duty and to
him during that dreadful storm. Even after the
ship had gone down, and her passengers were
left in the water clnging by whatever they
could lay hands on, offices of knighty courtesy
were passed among them. a
As one Of the last boats wa&Nbout to leave
the ship her commander gsvSAis watch to o
passenger, with a request that it might be deli
vered to his wife. He wished to charge him
with message for her also, but his utterance
was choked "Tell her --" Unable to pro-
ceed, he bent down his head and buried his face
in his hands for moment, as if in prayer, for
lie was devout man and true Christian.
In that moment, brief as it was, he endured
the great agony. But it was over now. His
crowding thoughts no doubt had been of friends
and home; its desolation q beloved wife and
lovely daughter dependent alone for support up
on him. God and his country would care for
them now Honor and duty required him to
stick to his ship, and he saw that she must go
down.
Calm and collected, he rose up from that short
but mighty struggle with renewed vigor, and
went with encouraging looks about the duties of
the ship as before. He ordered the hurricane
to be cut away and RATS to be made. The life
preservers were also brought up and distributed
to all who would wear them. Night was setting
in, and he directed Frazer, the End officer, to
take charge of the arm-chest and send up
rocket every half hour.
Van Rensselaer,, his 1st officer, was also by
him. Herndon has spoken of him to me in
terms of esteem and admiration, and Van Rens-
salear proved himself to the last worthy of such
commendatons. Side by side these two stood at
their post, and perished together with their har-
ness 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.slk covering which he
usually wore over it. He took the covering off
and threw it on his cabin floor; then walking
out lie took his stand on the wheel-house, hold
ing on to the iron railing with his left hand A
rocket was set off, the ship fetched her last
lurch, and as she went down he uncovered.
A cry arose from the sea, but not from his
lips. The waves had closed about him, and the
curtain of the night was drawn over one of the
most sublime moral spectacles that the sea ever
saw.
Just before the steamer went down row.
boat vas heard approaching. Herndon hailed
her. 1t was the boatswain's boat, rowed by
Al.