Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-12-22
The Banlss' E1pedLtion--Teriao storm at

J Sea
I Port Royal Correspondence New York Tmes.l
/ On the afternoon of the 10th inst, three
steamers and sailing vessel were sighted
of the bar and entering the hsrbOT, and
were supposed to be the avant-coUriers Of
a large and powerful heet-either Banks
or Hunter's-whereat great excitement
and Joy Invaded the quiet monotony of this
( place. But they brought us no glad tidings
7 beyond few later daiies from New York.
/ One Of the steamers was the Boston ferry,
/ boat John Adams, and the other two the
steamer Ericsson towing the steamer
/ Thames, whose engines had become dis
abled in 3 gale, by the breaking Of the
rock shaft Both these vessels belonged to
General Banks expedition, which left
| Fortress Monroe on the 4th inst, and had
on board portions of the 10th and
1l4th New York regiments. When
/ twenty-four hours out the feet met
| o violent storm of wind and rain, which
ragged SO furiously that the vessels were
unable to keep together. 1t was at the
! heighth Of this storm that the Thames
met with the accident to her machinery,
which rendered her utterly hopeless. Her
signal of distress was fortunately per-
ceived by the Ericsson, through the haze
which nearly hid the vessel from view,
I and was IasT becoming more dense. The
Ericsson Immediately went to her assist
ancc and sHoCeeded in attaching . hsw-
ser, but not without great difficulty, as the
sea ran so high that the two vessels col
I lided with shock which threatened des-
truotion TO the frsil Thames. The collision,
however, resulted in nothing more serious
than the demolition Of the small boat be-
| longing to the Ericsson, and the fracture
of the rail and carrying away Of
the spanker-boom Of the Thames. In the
tumult, Captain Avery, Of the Thames, re-
ceived blow upon the thigh from the
boom, which knocked him down, and in
capacitated him from further service dur
ing the voyage. After towing the disa-
bled vessel for tTenty-four hours, the haw-
ser parted, and another scene Of excite
ment and peril followed In the attempt
to re-fasten it, the bow Of the Thames and
the stern of the Ericsson came into re-
Peatsd collision, and another small boat Of
the latter was dashed into atoms. Not the
least among the excitements was that
caused by the peril Of six Of the Eriosson's
crew, who bravely manned and launched
the life-boat to assist by carrying the haw-
ser to the helpless vessel. The connecting
rope between the life-bost and the Ericsson
was severed to prevent her being crushed
between the conflicting vessels, and the
boat was Immediately whirled far astern
over the boisterous waves-where she was
tossed like an egg-shell, and only regsined
the steamer by the he-culesn exertions Of
the gallant fellows at the oars. During
the whole Of the storm, which increased in
fury until midnight, Saturday, the Thames
lurched and rolled continually. Bunks
which had been constructed between decks
for the soldiers, were prostrsted into q
mass of lumber the cooking galley was
swept overheard, and boxes, barrels, and
hogsheads, thrown from their lashings.
The danger arising from the latter circum-
stance compelled the sacrifice of large
quantity Of commissary stores, clothing,
SC. Ali who we're on board speak Of the
voyage as intensely exciting, and concur
in condemning the craft as entire ly IN
seaWorthy.