The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-26
The Wreck of the Central America.

The wreck OF the Central America.
There is little TO add TO the melancholy record
ofihe loss OF the Central America. The statements
already given TO the public embrace an unuaualy
full account OF almost every fact connected with
the distressing event. No intelligence has been
received Of further rescued persons although a
hope is entertained by many that the vessel seen
by Mr. Black, the boatswain, near the wreck
when Il went down, may have picked up some
others.
LADY s STATEMENT.
Mrs Frederick s. HawIey il a daughter Of
Charles de Forest, Of Bridgeport, Comm Her
husband is amongst the lost She has with her
two children an infant of five months, and another
two years old, both boys With most of the other
ladies she went to the Metropolitan Hotel Her
narrative Of the exciting scenes through which she
has passed is very direct and Ineligible. She
says: We left the steamer by the second boat, In
company with Mrs, Easton, Mrs. Badger, Mrs.
Thayer, Mrs. Mcneil, Miss Winiford Falop,
Mrs. Thayer's nurse. (susan,) and Miss Smith.
The last saw OF my husband he stood on the
wheel-house and kissed his hand to me as the boat
pulled away from the ship. There were five
men in charge Of the boat, four at tho oars and
one steering. Three boats had been stove along.
eide the ship, was told, before they succeeded In
getting any of the passengers safely away; the
sea was 80 rough, and the boats tossed about and
was with the greatest difficulty we could be placed
in the boat. We were all lowered down the YES.
sells side by stout rope, in which moose or bow
line was made; we Eat in the moose and held
on by our hands. Mrs Badger, Mrs. Thayer,
and Mrs. Mcneil, could not reach the boat at
the proper instant, and were immersed in the sea-,
but they were all soon hauled on board the boat.
They were much frightened, but remained very
calm. The little children were passed down, the
| ham NV ba.,
the swung underneath and they could be caught
hold of by the boatmen TWAS fightful to see these
helpless little ones held by their tiny arms above the
waves. My babe was nearly smothered by the
flying spray, as they were obliged to hold him
long time before he could be reached by the boat.
men; but when pressed him once more to my
bosom and covered him with my shawl he soon
fell asleep. The children did not cry except
when the salt water came over us and few in their
faces. We were all without clothing or bonnets,
except the thin dresses we had on. | took nothing
with me except heavy shawl and my watch.
Some OF the children also were without clothing
or shoes and stockings. Captain Hcrndon and
Mr.. Hull, the purser, were active in directing
about getting the women and children into the
boats, and when our boat was full heard Mr. Hull
give the order for the boat to shove off, Captain
Herndon, at the same instant said to the boat
men, Tell the captain of the brig for Heavens
sake to lay by us all night" The brig had drifted
far away from us, and we were half an hour in
getting to her. She was very deeply loaded and
rolled badly her bulwarks were nearly level With
the boat when it was lifted by the sea, and great
care was necessary in going alongside to keep the
boat from being swamped Capt. Burt and mate
stood with open arms and willing hearts to re-
ceive US; rope was thrown, and in another mo.
ment the children were being passed out Captain
B. took my little Willy, and the mate received De-
Forest, playfully saying as he passed him over the
side, " He is all gold" Ny heart was lighter when
saw my children safely on board the brig All
the ladies' were then passed out and the boat i'm
medately returned to the steamer We found on
board the vessel six or seven passengers who had
come sway in the first boat, and one of the deck
hands who refused to return TO the steamer. He
was an oarsn an; did not hear his name We
were Immediately placed in the cabin where we
were made as comfortable as the circumstances
would permit. We were all thoroughly drenched
by the salt water, and everything was wet on
board the brig, but Capt Burt opened his chest
and handed out his own clothes such rs flannel
drawers, under-vests, &C., which we put on, and
soon made ourselves very warm and comfortable
Nothing could exceed the kindness of the captain
and his officers; they did everything that kind
and generous hearts could prompt to relieve our
suferngs. In about an hour another boat load
came, bringing more than by either of the other
loads. Among them were two or three men, viz
Mr.. Priest, ian old gentleman,) Judge Munson
and, believe, the colored boy Garrison, the cap.
tains servant. / was told that Capt Herndon,
when he saw him going away in the boat, up
braided him sharply for deserving his post About
o'clock the fog cleared away, and we saw the
steamer very distinctly against the sunset clouds;
she looked beautifully, and did not seem like a
sinking ship.
As night came ON, and the last or fourth boat
load arrived, We began to despair for the safety OF
our husbands who were yet on board. II was now
after dark and the men refused to return To the
ship, but We had seen schooner run down and
heave to near the steamer shortly before and our
hopes again revived for those on board the steamer
Night soon hid her from our view, however, and
it was the last we saw OF the doomed vessel. At
daylight on Sunday morning she had disappeared,
and with her all hope for the hundreds Of her pas
sengers, and the dear friends from whom we had
parted the day before with such confident hopes
FEARFUL NIGHT ON THE WAVES
Mr.. George was one of the hundreds who had
supplied themselves with life-preservers pieces Of
plank, &C., and preferred to wait the ships going
down to leapiDg overheard in anticipation OF her
fate. When she went down stern foremost after
giving three lurches that made every timber culver,
and which were to every quaking heart as the
throbs that instantly preceded her dissolution he
was dragged with the rest on board of her some
twenty or twenty five feet beneath the surface He
heard no shrek, nothing but the seething rush
and hiss Of waters that closed above her as she
hurried, almost with the speed of an arrow 10 her
ocean bed. Night had closed in before the vessel
sank, and he was sucked in by the Whirlpool caused
by her swift descent TO depth that in il seeming
was unfathomable, and into a darkness that he
had never dreamed of. Compared with it the
blacklist night, without moon or star, was the broad
MONDAY. He was rather stunned than stihed,
and his sensations on coming to the surface were
almost as painful, from their reaction, as those
which he endured at the greatest depth to which
ne sank. IL was when he had drifted far from the
companionship Of anyofh his feowsn misfortune that
Mr.. George began to realize his situation. The
night was quite dark Tho swell of the sea was great
and the poor foaters holding on to their
panks with the energy Of despair we're riding on the
brink OF precpice, and buried in deep valley Of
water For two three hours the water was not un.
pleasantly cold, and it was not till about one O'Clock
on the morning Of Sunday, when they bad been
nearly five hours in the water, that fresh chilling
wind arose and their limbs began to feel benumbed
When, rising and falling with the swell of the waves,
the lights OF the barque Ellen were first discerned
by the survivors in the water the thrill of hope that
at once filled every breast amounted, il may well be
believed, to perfect ecstacy. Let Mr.. George