Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-05-12
POwhatan House, Richmond May 9, 1860.
THE DISASTER AT CAMDEN q. C.-FURTHER
PARTICULARS


The Sumter IS c. Watchman brings further partcu-
lars of melancholy disaster Camden s. c., Saur
day. by which twenytour persons, chiefly young ladies'
lost their lives The party had enjoyed the morning
pleasantly in picnic excursion mill pond ten miles
from the town. aud in the afternoon about thirty of them
all ladies one or two, embarked on a flat boat TO
sail on the pond. The Watchman says:
They had been out some time, aud were near the
tire of the pond when the boat snag. This
cited little fears, it was supposed that speedy
extrcaton could be effected. All life and spirit
all was hope and happiness Soon it was perceived that
the great pressure of the boat upon the snag in
quence Of the number contained puncturing its
bottom and that the water making its way inside
Now the excitement began. Now fear began TO picture
its sad upon those just happy counenances
Now the tender and tmid ladies called upon their pro-
for that assistance and dyerance which, painful
20 say, they were unable to afford.
Momentarily the danger became greater aud momen
tariy the excitement Of those board, well those
on shore, became more intense IL seems that deliver
ance would have come, and that the boat would have
probably been pushed off and run near enough to the
shore for many if ALL TO have escaped, had it
been that those who stood at each end white and
a negro with their poles aboring with all their pOwe
showed each in the same direction, thus mutually =
stroying the effect of their efforts Soon in few mo-
ments she began to sink When this seen, aud the
fact that she could be moved became too apparent
the became iTightful indeed. The widest excite
and fear seemed TO seize every heart and but few
if any were sufficiently collected enable them to
poy their efforts for rescue advantageously In few
moments now she sank, when the scene may be better
imagined than described
Piercing cries and shrieks and calls for help both
from those shore and those the unfortunate boat
filed the air Sisters and brothers, parents and children
relatives and friends whose hearts bound together
by the nearest and dearest of earthly ties and animated
by the warmest and most tender affection, there
some on the sinking boat and the shore. Oh,
how rudey those cOndng hearts torn asunder and
ravished with wild and aching grief!
The boat seems have committed them TO the bosom
of the water hudded together, mainly, in The
water is supposed to have been about twenty feet in
depth Thus thrown together, cnging TO the other,
with that grasp which belongs only to those in drown
ing condition. there little opportunity for the males
in the company to rescue the ladies TO them
selves.
But a few 1--WE have not been apprzed of the exact
number) were saved Of those upon the boat One a !
OF daring manly and gallant rescue which has been re-
ported TO us and which We believe true demands espe
ca notice at our hands aud should be rewarded by the
lifetime gratitude Of thoss Immediately concerned, as
well as TO the relatives and friends Of se same Mr.
Jones' fireman upon the Camden train, this train was,
as well as we can learn the time of the awful occur
renee near the spot rushed the spot and by almost
superhuman efforts coupled with most cool aud manly
courage brought three OF the drowning persons 10 The
shore.
Mr.. S. S Rcbburg surveyor formerly of this pace
with noble devotion lost his life, understand, at
tempting to save another Two negroes also lost their
h,eL
Efforts to rescue the bodies of the unfortunate drown
ed were Immediately employed Some were taken from
the water Others could not be found The toodgates
of the pond hoisted but the body OF water
great and could not be soon run Oh IL asthought