Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-09-22
LOSS OF THE GENT Raj AMERICA
STATEMENT OF III. IL. CHILDS.
AUGUSTA, Sept. IS, 1857

AUGUSTA, Sept IS, 1857.
The following is the statement of Hen
ry H. Chids
81 left Havana in the steamship Gen
trail America for New York on Sept. S.
The weather was delightful and tie sea
calm Oh the passage from AsPinwall. :
On the afternoon of the day of the sailing
from Havana fresh westerly breezes
sprung up. On the following morning
the wind blew very strong, the gale con-
tlnulng to increase III violence as the day
advanced. At night there was no abate-
ment IN the fury of the gale, and ii COM
menced raining torrents. On Thursday
1t blew hurricane, the sea running very
high. On Friday, the storm ragged fear
fully; at IL o'clock in the morning of this
day, 1t was first known among the pas
sengers that the steamer had sprung Il
leak, and was making water fast. a line
OF men was immediately formed, and they
went 10 work battling out the water from
the engine rooms, the fires having al
ready been extingui<hed. We gained on
the water so much that we were able to
get up steam again; but we held it but a
few minu IS, and then she stopped for
was kept up in all parts of the ship until
she finally went down. During Friday
night the water gained gradually, but all
on board being in pretty good spirits,
they worked to the best of their ability,
feeling that when the morning came they
possibly might speak some vessel and
thus be saved. The fatal Saturday came
at last, but brought nothing but increased
fury in the gale. Still we worked on,
and about o'clock in the afternoon the
storm lulled lille and the clouds broke
away. Hope was renewed, and all now
worked like giants. At 4 NJ. we espied
sail, and fired guns and placed our flag
at half-maSt. 1t WIS seen, and the brig
MARINE OF Boston bore down upon US,
and we spoke TO her and told her our
condition. She laid by abou, mile dis
tant, and we, In the only three boats saw
ed, placed all the women and children,
and they were safely put on board the
brig. As evening was fast approaching,
we discovered another sail, which res
pended TO our call and came near U.S.
Capt Herndon told them our condition.
and asked them 10 lay by and send boat,
as we had none left. She promised to do
SO, but that was the last we saw of her
except at distance, which grew greater
and greater every moment. AT o'clock
we saw no possibility of keeping aAoal
much longer, although we ali felt that, if
we would do so until morning, all would
be saved. In Il short time a heavy sea
for the first time broke over the upper
deck of the vessel and then all hope faded
away. Llfe-preSsrvers were now sup
Piled TO all, and we sent up two rockets
when tremendous sea swept over US
and the steamer IN a moment went down.
| think some 400, or some 40 souls were
launched upon the ocean at the mercy of
the waves. The storm at this moment
had entirely subsidized. We all kept near
together, and went as the waves took us
There was nothing or very little said, ex-
cept that each one cheered his fellow
comrade on. Courage was thus kept up
for two or three hours, and | think for
that space Of time no one had drowned
but three who could not swim became ex-
hausted. After this, gradually one by
one passed away to eternity. The hope
that boats would be sent to US from the
two vessels we had spoken, soon fed from
us, and our trust was alone in Providence
land what better trust could You or
ask for g | saw my comrades sink fast,
and at one o'clock that night | WAS nearly
alone upon the ocean, some two hundred
miles from land. heard however, shouts
from all that could do 50, that were not
far fro me, but could not see them
Within an hour from this time | saw
vessel, which Judged to be about one
mile from me. Taking fresh courage, |
struck out for the vessel and reached it
when nearly exhausted, and they drew
me on board of it 10y ropes. 1t proved to
be a Norwegian bark from Belize Hon
duras, bound for Falmouth, England
found on board Of her some three of my
comrades. and at - o'clock, the next
morning, We had forty nine noble fellows
on board, and these are all | know of
having been saved. We stayed about the
place until we thought that all alive had
been rescued, and then set sail. We
found the bark short of provisions, and
the crew living on Cruel. We had some
tea and coffee to refresh ourselves, and
at noon on Sunday we spoke to this Amer
lean bark (The Saxony,) bound for Sa-
vannah, which supplied us with provisions,
and took five of us on board. Our names
are B. II. RIDLEY of Maine; JABEz
HowEs of San Francisco; SAMUEL w.
LOOK of Maine; ApoLPH FREDER1ck
of San Francisco; HENRY ii, CHILps
of New York.
MORE OF THE SHlpKVRECK on