The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-10-01
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.] ]
BY DAVIS g. CREWS.
THE LOSS OF THECENTRAL AMERICA.

ded into eternity. 1t appears from the
statement of Capt. Badger, that the Central
America went down at night, inst.ad Of in
the morning, rs heretofore stated. Among
the lost was Purscr Dobbin, Of North Car
olna, brother Of the late Secretary Dob
hin. 1t will be seen that the brave It..
Hcrndon, is among the lost. lie was calm
and collected during the whole scene and
while upon a hatch-way. floating in the
ocean, gave his watch to another person.
requesting that it might be given to his
wife. The accounts which follow are from
our various exchanges.
The steamer Central America, left .Aspin
wall September 81, and arrived at Havana,
on Monday morning, the 7th inst, after Il
very pleasant trip, took Oh board 1+0 tons
Of coal, and left for New York, again on
Tuesday, the slh., ut 0 l2 O'clock A. NJ.
Capt. Thos. w. Badger, who in company
with his wife, came over as passengers, gi"cs
the following:
STATEMENT OF CAPT. Tnos. w. BADGER.
This is my third trip, rs Il passenger, on
the Central America. had considered her
staunch and safe as any vessel that floats
We left Havana, on Tuesday, s;h, with finc
weather, light wind from N. n. +, and
smootl, sea, until Thursday morning 10Th
inst, when fresh breeze from tke North
sprung up, increasing gradually, until eve
ming, when every thing indicated heavy
gale. The mercury in the barometer going
up slowly. The engine WAS making her
usual rcvolulions.- The gale increasing
gradually until morning, when owing to the
heavy sea, the engine had to he ':o'ke.l by
hand very slowly, and men were placed at
proper places TO push the cranks ly 20 keep
them from catching on he centre. On Fri
day, at II NJ, the ship WAS free from water,
with head to the wind, laying very easy
and engine working slowly. The passcn-
gers were perfectly quiet and unaware of
any danger.
AT 1-2 7. NJ, the ship gave three or
four heavy lurches, when l quietly went on,
Of the cabin and looking down in the en-
ginc room, found the engine working very
badly. I looked well down into the Ice
bilge and found the water rising. which
reported to Mr.. A,hl'y, Chief Engineer, who
was OH deck, occasionally looking into the
engine room.
I then returned to the cabin, when the
ladies inquired if there WIS any danger,
and to quiet them, told them there was
none, as honestly thought at the time
In half All hour returned 10 the deck to
see if she had bcttercI her condition, which
was about . o'clock Z. NJ, and found the
engine stopped and the ship paid of into
the trough Of the sen, which caused her TO
roll to leeward. then proceeded TO the
fire room, and found the water Lad increased
in the lee Lilge, and asked the engineer why
the engiue was stopped, saying I" if you
don't look out the ship will fill with water"
He then gave orders to the stewards de-
partment to get buckets and come down to
pass coal to the fire room saying, "if you
don't work brisk You will have to bail the
ship; for if the engines stop, the pumps, OF
course must"
then urged him 10 pnt gang to bail
ing and not wait any longer, as the water
had rose high enough to put out the lee
fires. and Immediately proceeded TO the
companion.way and passed orders to tho
gentlemen in the cabin to form line, and
help to bail the slip, which order they al
once complied with. At this time the
stewards gang commenced passing water
from the fire room, having abandoned the
coal; and the passenger gang passed thei
buckets from the cabin through the saloon
one or two gangs i'll the meantime were pu
10 work in the Storage. The Captain hae
the deck pumps rugged, about this time also
but they proved useless, and could not Le
made to work. At this junctarc, a rcpor
reached the engineer, that leak was dis
covered around the Ice shaft, which was oc
casionalIy submerged, while rolling in th'
sea. lhis was the Prnc'pal leak hat
heard of up to this time, and the ship wa
perfectly tight in her bottom.
About p. NJ, the engineer requested
tho Captain to keep the ship of tho wind
so as to right her, and enable him to &c
the engine 10 work again, but in setting th
head sails" they were blown away, and i
was found impossible to wear tho ship
The Captain then commenced preparing
dray, (which was made and placed over
board, but soon found to do no good.
then, proposed to tile Captain to cut ava
the fore mast, which lie Immediately ha,
done, and the ship Seemed easier, and up
peared to ride better.
The Chief Engineer then ordered II,
booths and otl,. wooden material hand,