Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-12-13
THE MARCH OF DEATH!
Thrilling Narrative of the Loss
of the Jersey City.
HOW BRAVE MEN DIED.
HONOR TO TRUE HERO, CAPTAIN MONROE.

HOW BRA w MEN DLEU!
HONOR TO A TRUE HERO, CAPTAIN MONROE.
The sad details of the loss of the pro-
pellor Jersey City on the afternoon OF
Saturday, the oath of November, have at
length been received. The annals of lake
disasters present few incidents that can
compare in intensity and horror with the
simple narrative of the survivors of the
wreck. Rarely have there been scenes of
suffering and acts of true heroism that
could equal the tragedy enacted on Long
Point beach. The story, as narrated by
the survivors to one of our citizens who
went after the body of the lamented Mr..
A. H. Derby, is substantially as follows:
The propeller Jersey City, Capt. Mon
roe, from Toledo, bound for Buffalo, was out
in the great gale on Friday and Saturday,
the 23d and oath OF November Finding
it impossible to reach Buffalo in the storm,
Capt. Monroe headed the steamer for Long
Point, Canada, intending to take shelter
behind it. Every one in this latitude
will remember the terrible morning of Sat
urday, the Oath of November. The wind
blew with resistless force, and the snow
swept through the air with such violence
that it cut like sharp hail, and was so
thick that objects at short distance were
invisible. About eleven o'clock in the
morning, during momentary rift in the
snow cloud, Long Point was seen ahead,
and Capt. Monroe discovered that he had
been driven to far in to weather the point
without great difficulty. The steamers
course was changed and an attempt made
to get around the Point. The ordinary
fires were found unequal to getting up the
great pressure of steam necessary, and the
kegs of lard and butter were rapidly
thrown IN to feed the flames. But every
effort was in vain. A sudden shock,-a
dull grating sound that was felt above the
bowling of the tempest, and the Jersey
City was helpeless wreck. She had
grounded on the shoal about two miles
distant from the point.
Capt. Monroe Immediately ordered eve
ry one to the hurricane deck as the only
chance of safety. A number, needless to
his warnings, jumped intoa life boat and
made for the shore. They were all lost
among the breakers that hissed across the
intervening waste Of water.
Soon after the grounding the propel
Ter keeled over, broadside to the seas, and
with her deck exposed to the action of the
waves. Her deck load was at once wash
ed of, and the repeated blows of the huge
waves stove in her decks and dashed her
sides into pieces. The hurricane deck,
with its load of half.frozen sufferers,
foated towards the shore. About three
o'clock in the afternoon the hurricane deck
grounded within short distance from the
shore in shallow water. At this moment
boy who was on the wreck was washed
off by the wave, but was rescued by Capt.
Monroe. After this the boy became
frightened, for the first time, and clung
eagerly to his presever. Capt. Monroe
fastened a plank life-preserver to his body, |
and, taking the boy in his arms, leaped in
TO the water and waded ashore. As the
boy was landed, bis suspenders broke and
his pantaloops fell about his ancles where
they froze in a solid mass, chaining him to |
the spot where be stood. In a few mo-
ments the balfnaked boy was dead.
Capt. Monroe walked back to the
piece of wreck and directed his comrades |
where TO leap SO as to strike in the shall
lowest water. One by one the leap was
made in safety, until but one was left on
board, and that one was Mr.. A. H. Derby
the clerk of the propeller. He was seen
sitting on the wreck with his head bent
down as if in despair. Capt. Monroe call
ed him by name, but be did not answer
although his mouth opened. To second
hail, he again opend bis mouth without
giving an articulate sound. Capt. Mon
roe and Engineers Manchester and Cum
Minis went to the wreck and after consid-
rable difficulty got of the helpless man.
Capt Monroe took Derby on his back,
whilst the two engineers steadied bis legs
50 as to prevent the waves washing bim of.
In this way the party waded through water.
ce making on them at every step, the surf ,
lashing around them, the bitter wind freez- =
ng their hands and faces, and the blind
ng snow obscuring their view.
On reaching the shore, Capt. Monroe !
attempted to lower Derby to his feet, but :
ound it impossible to let him go. The .
living bearer had frozen to dead burden.
The Captains arms were frozen stiff,
nd clasped around tie arms of the dead r
nan. The two engineers were also so t
rozen about the hands that they could rem
sr no assistance. Finding it impossible a
0 rid himself of bis terrible burden in any fl
ther way. Capt. Monroe flung himself on v
be ground, head foremost, and thus Il
SMILED" the dead man from his shoulders. .