Litchfield enquirer., 1857-02-26
From the New York Tribune.
\ Heroine of the Sea.

l ~+e1@ ~ aeAVAu0 VI tk6 06db l Among the noble band of women who, Ly
 their heroic bearing, under great trial and sut
 feriBg, have won for themselves imperishablt a fame, Mary A. Patton may claim prominent position. Mrs. Patton is 3 native of Boston
 aLd but 20 years of age Her husband Capt
 Joshua A. Patton, sailed from this port ii July last, for San Francisco as commander o
 the ciippership Neptnnc's Car, of Foster < Nickersol's line, and it was during this voyage that his wife rendered herself SO distinguished Capt. Patton is well known in this port, and at the eastward, as young aud rising sea man and the vessels under his command have made some of the swiftest passages on record. He took command of the Neptune's Car about two years ago, and made his first voyage in ] her to San Francisco in 90 days. On that oc- casion Mrs. Patton accompanied him to San I Francisco, China, London, and back to New York. His next voyage was that last year to San Francisco, in which his wife again acom- panied him. The Ncptune's Car left port at the same time with the clippers Romance of the Sea, Intrepid, and two others, the names of which we do not remember As usual with commanders in the Pacific trade, Capt. Pat ton wished to get his ship into port ahead of
 
 first mate slept during half his watch on the quarter deck, while he kept the ship under reefed courses, and after repeated remonstraa- ces had proved unavailing, he found it neces- sary to remove him. After that he undertook to discharge the mates duties as we'll as his own, and in consequence of fatigue was taken sick while passing through the Straits of Le- mairc, around the Horn, and in short time, brain fever developed itself. From that time, up to the period of her ar rival at San Francisco, Mrs. Patton was both nurse and navigator. When her husband was taken sick, the ship was given in charge of the second mate.> He, however was but an indif- ferent navigator, and although he knew how to take an observation, he could not work up the reckoning. Mrs. Patton, who, on her previous voyage, had studied navigation as pastime, new took observations, worked up the reckon ing by chronometer time, laid the ships cour- ses, and performed most of the other duties of the captain of the ship. During this time her husband was delirious with the fever, and she shaved his head, and devised every means in her power to sooth and restore him. To this end, she studied medicine to know how to treat his case intelligently, and in course of time sue ceeded in carrying him alive through the crisis of his complaint.
 About one week after the Captain fell sick, the mate wrote letter to Mrs. Patton, re- minding her of the dangers of the coast, and the great responsibility she had assumed, and offering to take charge of the ship. She re- piled, that in the judgment of her husband, he was unfit to be mate, and therefore she could not consider him qualified to fill the post of commander. Sung by this rebuff, the fel- low tried to stir up the crew to mutiny against her but she called the other mates and sail DTS aft, and appealed to them to support her in her hour of trial. To man they resolved to stand by her and the ship, come what might. It was pleasant to witness their cheerful obe- dicnce to her orders, as each man v;ed with his fellows in the performance of his duty.
 By the time the ship came nearly up to the latitude of Valpairaso, Capt. Patton had somewhat recovered from the fever, although far too weak for any mental or physical exer- ton, and the mate, under promise of doing better in future, had partially resumed duty. But Mrs. Patton discovering that he was steering the ship out of her course, and ma king for Valparaiso, appraised her husband of the fact The mate was summoned below aud asked to explain his conduct, which he did by sa ying that he could not keep the ship nearer her course. Capt. Patton then had his cot moved to part of the cabin from which he could view the "tclltalc" of tbe compass, and soon found that the mate was still steering for Valparaiso. He then sent for the four mates and the sailors, and formally deposed the first mate, promoting the second officer to his place. Then he gave orders that uuder no crcum- stances was his ship to be taken into any other ! port than San Francisco Soon after, he had | a relapse, and for 25 days before the vessel reached port, he was totally blnd At length San Francisco was reached in safety, after Q short voyage of l20 days. the vessel beating l three out of four of her competitors.
 The safety of the ship, and the preserva- tion of her husbands life were wholly due to the constant care and watchfalness of Mrs. Patton. On her arrival she informed the con signee of the vessel that for fifty nights previ- ous, she had not undrcssed herself ~s l Some time in December last, we published \ the only account of this remarkable instance of female fortitude which had been given, in an ! extract from a commercial letter to the owners l in this city. Yesterday we received note from our ship-news collector, stating that Airs. Patton and her husband were in this city, hay 1 ing arrived ill the steamer George Law. We I found them at the Battery Hotel, and obtained l m interview with Mrs. Patton, She was as l jsiduously attending her husband as heretofore but his situation is such as to preclude all hope of recovery. Before leaving San Fran. cisco, deafness was added to his other af1ic
 tions, and he now lies on his couch insensitle
 to everything but the kind offices of his beloved
 companion. and so weak that he may expire al
 any moment. Occasionally he speaks to hi wife. sometimes luciGly. but oftener in . wild I aud Incohcrent manner. Mrs. Patton $ broth
 CT, Mr. Brown, we believe, who is foreman of | ship yard in Boston. is in attendance upon hi
 sister and brotherin-law. From him we learn : cd that Capt. Patton had been taken care .