Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-08-18

were lowered away, but in the confusion
the ladies, who were to have been pllced in
them first, could not be found, or else the
frantic men gave them little heed. Some
Invested themselves Of their clothing and
boldly plunged into the water, with the in
tention Of swimming or drifting TO the
shore, and others frantically clung to the
woodwork until the vessel was at last en-
gulphed.
The steamer John Faron, from NvwberD,
with Quartermasters stores, and in charge
Of Capts. Biggs and Hall, was lying at
anchor a mile or more from the scene Of
the accident, and the cries Of the drown
ing could be distinctly heard. At first it
was supposed that party Of soldiers were
bathing in the river from some transport
and that the noise was their joyous excla-
nations. The George Peabody, however,
soon fired two guns, and the true state of
affairs was conjectured, though the whis-
tling of the shot from the guns, which hap
pened to be loaded at the time, created
some appreheusions that something Of an
entirely different nature was transpiring.
The FarOn, the gunboat Reliance, and
an unknown bark or schooner, went to the
assistance of the ill-starred vessel, and
through their exertions two hundred and
three persons in all were rescued. Cap
tains Biggs and Hall, and the Captain Of
the Faron, did all in their power, aided by
their officers, to relieve the unfortunate
men. As fast as they came aboard they
were provided with warm dry clothing and
blankets, and ratiOns were dealt out to
them from the steamers stores.
The damage to the Peabody is just for
ward of the port wheel house, where the
bow of the other steamer entered, pushing
in its progress an iron bar between the
paddles, thus locking the wheel and pre-
venting its revolution. For this reason
the Peabody was unable to render any as
sistance, except with her small boats. She
drifted down the stream, and for several
hours, until the iron bar was withdrawn,
ioated at the mercy of the tide. The saved
were then put on board of her, and when
Captain Biggs, with his boats and lanterns
had made tour of the vicinity, striving
TO catch, through the darkness, any sound
or voice of a still surviving swimmer, she
started up the river and came to anchor off
this place yesterday morning.
Before finally leaving the spot, Captain
Biggs visited the wreck, and from between
the submerged decks drew forth the body
Of n drowned soldier. He also picked up
another which was floating by. Neither
has been identified, and they have been
since buried.
The total number missing is seventy six,
not seventy three, as telegraphed last
night. This number may be reduced some
what, as several were observed floating
away on boards and planks 10 the surroun-
ding shore, who may turn up in day or
two The list sent aboard with the SOL
diers went down with the steamer, and
until recourse can be had to the records of
the surgeons in charge of the hospital at
Newport's News, the remaining names
will not be positively and fully known.
Dr. Newell, of the Forty-eighth Pennsyl-
Yania, one of the victims, was beloved by
all who knew him, for his professional,
social and gentlemanly qualities, and the
survivors testify to his gallant conduct in
eudeavoring 10 the last to rescue the uE-
fortunate ladies. He remained by them.
exerting himself for their safety, and had
he been less chivalrie might have escaped
with his life.
Lieutenant Colonel Scott whose wife
was drowned, having seen all the boats
carried away, divested himself of a portion
of his clothing and sprang into the water
with the intention of swimming to one of
the vessels near by and bringing relief,
but before he could succeed the steamer
had gone down, and his wife was borne
away by the tide.