Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-21
The Great Republic in the CaIe-The
Management of Five Hundred Horses
-Inferesting Narrative oftheVOya0e.

The Great Republic in the GaIe-The
Management of Five Hundred Horses
Interesting Narrative OftheVOyage.
The New York Tribune contains extracts
from apiivate letter written by forage master,
who was on board the steamer Great Republic,
which was attached to the Beaufort Naval Exl
petition, during the terrific gale on the Sd Of
November. He says:
SUNDAY AFTERNOON, November 3, 1861 You
see have not written for a day or two, will
therefore 60 back TO Friday, which came in
with rain, clearing of at eight A. NJ, with
every indication Of gale. Forty.tyo Of the
feet in sight. At twelve NJ. the wind blew a
gale and continued TO increase In violence for
twenty four hours; some Of the waves swep clear
over our decks, and striking tho ship with the
force Of solid shot. At eight p. NJ for some
reason, the VonderbN let 90 our haWsers. It
made fearful commotion among our horses
for few minutes. The effort was like pow
erful coDcussioD, throwing the horses out Of
their equilibrium, and some twenty of them
were thrown entirely off their feet. We then
began to pitch and roll at a terrible rate, until
we got some sails set, which steadied the ship
very much. We held our course S. by W.
until one o'clock at night, when the sailors
having hauled our hawser in, making the ship a
little more manageable; we "tacked ship and
stood more to the east. Then the ship rolled fear
fully, the decks at every roll standing at an an
glo of 45o. TIE horses plunged madly as If
they would tear every thing loose. Many of
them gave uttersDce to most mortal groans,
while others in their desperation buried their
teeth in the wood of their stalls and maugers
was below through the whole of it, keeping
my men to their duty as we'll as could, which
was not very well, for they ran for safety every
chance they could get. One horse, as stood
by him, turned a complete summsrset, his head
striking where his heels stood. When he came
down the horse Dext to him kicked him in the
head, nearly killing him. 1 could do nothing
but let him struggle till morning, when had
him killed and thrown overheard. Another
I torse dropped dead without struggle, and two
Others were so injured that had them killed
ard thrown overheard, making the loss in all
that night four horses. While on the upper
deck compelling my men to go below, block
I u from aloft, striking sailor who stood
within reach Of me, on the head, iDjuriug him
badly, but OF past recovery. Three or four of
my men were injured severely. One that 1 had
ordered below, and was following up to see that
be went, was caught just ahead of me by a
hatch as it broke from its fas,enings. I got
him out and found his limbs badly bruised.
During all this timo the sea presented scene of
rare grandeur and beauty. / thought when I
had seen the sun rise and set that had seen
the rsrest of the beauties of '1ife at sea-" but
it was reserved for that night OF storm and
danger for the sea to put on her robes of
beauty, and so deck herself with gems and or
naments of flame as to rival the beauties of the
sky. Great waves Of phosphorescent light
would come rolling on and break against the
prov, dasbiDg off in ten thousand fragments Of
flame, while in our wake, reaching off for one
hundred fathoms, was q solid mass of light
twisted in smoke like curls Each crested
wave, as far as the eye could reach, was GOV
cred with light, while in the hoIo rs, each
separate rain drop as it fell turned to a star,
and deep in the sea solid blocks of light fOated
past. When the Vanderbilt cast US off we we're
in very shosl water, and the hawser, one hun .
6red fathoms long, rested like drag, render
il the ship uDmanageable, until il was hauled
in. AS it came on deck it was covered with
mud from the bottom, and the luminous ami.
malcul@ clipgipg to it made it look like huge
tsrpents feeked with fame. When we tackled
ship we were in but fifteen fafhoms of water,
and our Captain says he never wants to come
pearer going to bottom than he did then.
Saturday the gale continued unabated, and
only three of the feet were in sight. This
Sunday morning things are looking little
less squalIy. To-day we have got out our
dead horses and thrown them overheard, aud
lowered the horses that were on the upper deck
on to the lower deck.