Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-18

IL
ing at the entrance of Charleston harbor,
went down at her anchorage-went sud-
denly, swiftly ard unaccountably to the
bottom-and carried with her, to a hor-
rible death beneath the waves, four Of
her engineers and twenty-six of her crew.
Saturday had been bright and beau
tiful day, with scarcely a breath of air
astir, and with calm, unruffled sea. Du-
ring the night breeze sprang up, and
the wind, blowing freshly at daylight on
Sunday, increased by noon to violent
storm.
The iron-clad fleet was lying, mean
time at it's usual anchorage The frig-
ate New Ironsides was stationed off Nor
ris Island, at a distance of about one
mile due east from Fort Wagner-on, as
it is now called, Fort Strong. North of
the Ironsides lay the flagship Philadel-
phia, distant about four hundred yards.
The Weehawken was next in line, an
chored two Or three hundred yards to the
northward of the flagship The Mon
tauk was on picket duty, between Fort
Sumter and Fort Moultrie. Astern of
the Ironsdes lay the Nahant and Pas
saic-the latter farthest away from the
flagship, and nearer than any other yes
sci to the Morris Island shore. The
South Carolina and Home were rocking
on the ruthless tide, some FIVE or six
hundred yards astern of the iron-clads.
The above was the position of the feet
when the first signal was made from the
Weehawken, at few minutes before two
o'clock. The signal was seen and an
swered at once from the flagship,
from which four boats were dispatched
to her assistance, and by the South Caro-
lima, which sent two of her boats to the
Weehawken's aid The tugs Dandeloin
and Iris were also at once called up, and
with them Commander Duncan, of the
Weehawken, who chanced to be on the
flagship, and in conversation with the
Admiral, when the signal was made,
proceeded Immediately, with the hope of
running his vessal on the beach. He
had scarcely left the Admiral when the
officer of the deck made out from the
Weehawken, and Immediately reported
her to be sinking.
A moment after, she settled down
swiftly by the head, careened slightly
over to the starboard, and disappeared
beneath the waves.
1t is impossible to convey any idea of
the appalling nature of this disaster
1t came with the suddenness of thun-
derbolt. When the first signal of dis
tress was made no one OWNED how Sc
rious was the danger, and, when, at
length, the vessel went down, it was diff
cult for those who saw her disappear
to credit even the evidence of their own
senses. The confusion on the flagship,
arising mainly from the difficulty OF
launching her boats, and the desire OF
both officers and men to be first in them,
was mostintense and painful. The wind
was now blowing with great fury, and
the boats which hastened from all sides
to the scene encountered great peril in
picking up from the water the few who
had succeeded in getting away from the
Weekawken before she sank. Almost
at the moment she went down some
twenty or more sprang to the boats anC
succeeded in getting away. As many
others were rescued from the surging
waves by the launches of the flagship
the South Carolina, and the tugboati
Dandelion and Iris. Thirty perished.
All day the Weehawken had laboreC
heavily in the sea, which kept her deck
constantly submerged, and which fire
| quently swept in huge volumes into he
forward hatch. Towards noon the creV
commenced playing out chain, to cas-
her; but, accustomed as they were il
every gale, to the shipping of such seas
it is believed that they had grown conf
dent and careless of danger, and paid n
heed to the encroaching waters, until /
was too late to resist them. They dream
ed of no peril till the waves had fairl
yawned to swallow them. Then, when
was known for certainty that the yes
sci was 10 be lost. panic of fright an
fear benumbed them, and the terror
stricken crew below had little power
help themselves. There we're men i
irons between decks, and the sergean
alarms rushed frantically away to r
lease Them Poor fellows, they all wei
down. There were invalids in the sic
bay, and to their relief the surgeon SCI
his steward, who never returned. Thel
were fremen at the furnaces, to who
vain shrieks for helping hand at Il
: pumps were made. A few of the con
dent we're rushing to their quarters
: save their effects, jostling the timid {
d their way to the deck to save themselve
) 1t was in the midst of scenes like the
s that the Weehawken went down
. ] believe that uone of the officers pc
IS ished, save the four assistant engineer
8 who were overtaken by the food befo
re they could make any effort to escaE
10 Commander Duncan had only tax
m command of the Weehawken on SAT-
De day, having been detached from t
'y Paul Jones to relieve Commander G
IN houn. The officers clothing, the p'
in masters funds, and the papers of t
ID ID ship sank with her.
It, The yeoman was brought alive
~ board the flag ship, but died with spas
d, d. few moments afterwards Varic
at parties were picked up and taxed to I
i'll nearest vessel, where every provision v
ny made for their restoration. Those
the crew who were saved are now SC
. tered in small squads throughout
- feet. 1t is impossible at present to p
cure the names of those who were Ii
. The Weehawken is lying in five fatho
Na of water, and will soon. be raised.
til she is brought up no one can tell "
certainty why she sank. 1t was thror
J., no fault of her "overhang," for she
parently took in no water except at
gs, forward hatch and hawse hole 1t v
to the best of my knowledge, through
inattentions, neglect and bad mans
. ment of those on board that the We
&c has been lost. Had the pumps been
'urt at work when the waves first dashed
reek it is probable that the Weehaw
,. would at this moment have been ah
mye Had the bars with which her comp