Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-10-13

the boat and left her afoat. The brig worked down toward the place of the wreck during the night, but saw persons in the water, and nothing whatever except the light of a schooner, several miles distant. He also saw the schoon- CT in the morning She was then ust.ylsble
 During the trying hours preceding the total disabling of the stamer's engines, was ably and manfully seconded by all my assistants, every one of whom worked without cessation so long as anything could be done to save the ship.
 Inasmuch as erroneous and unjust statements have been made in regard to my conduct upon leaving the steamer and after leaving her, l deem it proper to refer to Mir. Payne, Mir. Me Carthy, Judge Munson, Captain Burt, of the Marine, and Mrs. Marvin, all of whom are fla miliar with tke course I pursued on reaching the brig, and the two first named of whom heard the orders given to me by Capt. Hern- don. GEORGE E. AsHBY.
 THE CENTRAL AMERICA-MRs. MARVIN ON THE CONDUCT OF ENGINEER AsHBY.-Among those to whom Mir. Ashby appeals in conirma- ton of the truthfulness of his defense against the charge of neglect of duty, as an officer of the Central America, is Mrs. Marvin, passen- ger whose husband is supposed to be lost- Mrs. Marvin says she saw good deal of the
 
 as far as she could judge he seemed anxious to do his duty He came several times into the cabin on Friday and Friday night, in search of passengers who had retreated to their state rooms, with view to skulk from the labor of bailing the ship. On such occasions and at other times he was not especially gentle or refined in his use of terms whether addressed to passen- gers or crew; but this, Mrs. Marvin concluded, was the current language employed on board ship
 Capt. Herndon, on the contrary, our inform ant states, was particularly mild and respectful in the presence of the ladies' and at no time in her hearing did he express himself in coarse or pro fane language. Indeed, he appeared to her altogether too easy, and wanting in the stern energy and fearlessness so indispensable in an emergency like the present. Mir. AShby, she says, was active in trying to free the ship from water, and worked as long as the best He as- sisted her into the boat when she left the steamer with the other women and children, and her opinion is that he accompanied one of the boats to the brig in the absence ot any other othcer competent to take charge who could be spared, and with no view to desert his comrades Tn distress. After placing his precious load safe on board the Marine, Mrs Marvin says he found only one of the sailors willing to return to res cue more of the passengers.
 The other three tlaty refused to again ven. ture on the waves, and none of the passengers (which is greatly to their discrediDwould con- sent to take tn cir places. Mir. Ashby entreated saving: "For Gods sake come and help save some more of the poor men; if two men will go with me l will go back.' The steerage pas sengers when appealed to, declined rsking their lives in trying to rescue others, saying that they were as good as the cabin passengers = Under these circumstances Mir. Ashby was com peled to give over any attempt to save more of the people still on board of the steamer- On the whole Mrs. Marvin thinks that Mir Ashby was disposed to do his duty from first to last and that the opinions already expressed as to his conduct have in most cases been toe harsh and altogether undeserved.