The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-10-24

f~AtsfUL SATASTROPHE.--W
nave already published the particulars q
Inc burning of the r. Campbell. Jr.. bu
Ine ioilowlng thrilling description from 8
private letter of Gen. w. S. Smith will he
read with fearful interest: ~,
AT o o'clock on the morning of the 2stb
ut, as the steamer Robert Campbell. Jr..
was passing the encampment at Mill
a nen bend, we We're all aroused by the
| alarm OF fire, and so rapid were the pro-
gress OF the flames that we were driy-
minutes. >'' '-'"A VIZ GO
Inc hre overlook one poor woman.
wAohn can see now, as she spranc up and
, uo"n ~ ner agony, wreathed in flame, and
G 1..erIng such heart-rending cries as 1 trust
uou may never hear again. I drew on
NY clothes and went down stairs. endeay-
orlng to quiet the excitement. exhortinp
an 10 Keep cool, and directing the sta
Eng ena 3 ana s planks to be thrown over
poard 1or the women and children. The
yaWl belng at the stern Of the boat. we
were cut OF from it by the flames. We
succeeded IN getting one of the stages
9TS ,ra and on this many escaped
Two out OF three Of the surviving ladies'
were Immediately aided to the shore. The
lhlrd succeeded, she does not know how. in
reaching the wheel, to which she chung i'm
III she was brought off by the second mate
IN IN the yawl to which he swan from shore.
ms lady, Mrs. Cooley, had two children
on poard-a lovely little girl of seven and
d il't4e Ooy OF nlne.years. These were both
lost. The little girls clothes took fire and
she sn, said to soldier standing near her
Oh, see, am on fire!'' When he seized
her IN his arms and jumped overheard and
endeavored to save her; but she was torn
from his grasp by others who leaped upon
MN, and drowned. Another soldier tried
10 save the little boy, but failed from the
same cause. 'a.-. ~ l7tlT -
We continued to throw trunks. boxes
and planks overheard, so that all might be
provided with the means Of escape. l-ea
finally the cord OF the safety valve burn,
ed OF, and puff Of steam escaped which
drove almost all remaining on board over.
IN precipitate rush, on the side of the
boat next to shore, which was distant about
two hundred yards. We could get no near
er as the tiller rope had burned off and the
boat became unmanageable.
still remained on board, determined to
yield to no panic-till the stairway was in
flames, and felt the heat OF the greedy
element which shot its glazing fingers at
me. Between me and the shore was n
crowd OF poor, struggling creatures, who,
feared, would pull me under, as am a
very poor swimmer. So, stripping off nv
coat, quietly let myself down on the side
OF the boat tarthest from the land, and
struck out for Il plank that had helped to
throw overheard, and which was drifting
away at a considerable distance. Ihad to
go around the boat, that cut me off from
the shore, and as I felt the hot glare upon
my cheek, L feared that the oyerheated
boilers would burst and bury me under
the scattered fragments of the wreck. I
did not then know that the puff of steam
had heard was from the safety-valve. l
soon felt my limbs begin to stiffen,
and as neared the plank, my strength
failed me SO rapidly that l feared 1
could never reach it. I kicked off one
OF my shoes in my efforts to keep afioat.
and this assisted me some. But when
was within an arms length of the plank,
my limbs became so powerless that sank
once just below the surface, still keeping
my presence of mind and PRAYING to the
OmniDresent One to lend me the little
strength that required to save myself
Oh, the fervency OF that prayer, poured out
with all the strong desire Of life which char
acterizes the strong man upon whose arm
a helpless and loving family leans for sup
port! My prayer was answered, and I re-
covered just strength enough to rise and
reach the plank. I laid my arms over it,
and, while resting, looked up toward the
boat at the group that We're still struggling
for life between it and the shore. could
sec those who had escaped nobly making
such efforts to assist those who needed help
suggest. Here was a gallant fellow strik-
ing out, conscious of his own strength and
skill as swimmer, to lend a helping hand;
or manfully pulling some weak one to the
shore. Near him another was pushing out
plank and shouting encouragement to
some one almost sinking. And as gained
the bank and staggered from exhaustion
up toward the burning vessel, Oh herrors
There clings poor Mrs. Cooley to the wheel,
reckoning to us for help as the flames were
cracking over her head-both children lost
and she clinging to the slender line of life
between the two destructive elements.
''The yawlv' shouted. "Cannot some
good swimmer reach it and rescue her or
for Gods sake take my plank, and ran
and pushed it up. But meantime the Sec
ond mate, Hardy Wilson, a noble fellow,
wheel and and lifted her all dripping into
the boat and brought her ashore. I can
see him now, as he struck out hand over
hand as fast as Newfoundland dog could
have gone.
Then looked for Captain London, my
acknowledgment general, confident thathe
had escaped as he was an expert swimmer.
I knew the noble fellow would be looking
for me, but he was nowhere to be found
The last I saw of him he was standing on
the very point of the bow, fully dressed
and apparently perfectly cool. He after
ward aided all he could in getting planks
and staging overheard. To Captain Rose,
who asked him if he could swim, he repli-
ed, ooh yes, don't trouble yourself on my
account" ask no odds of any body, so far
as swimming is concerned" On inquiry
I learned from an acquaintance Of his that
he had swan out to the captain, who was
clinging to trunk to which another man
also chung, and endeavored to help him,
but found him sinking. The two rolled
the trunk, and presume the captain was
rolled under. ~ r.!.
May kind heaven grant him its sweetest
rest from the stormy scenes Of his brie
life! A gallant, noble spirit was his.
Poor old Colonel Hicks managed to get
ashore with his one arm, the other having
been disabled at Shiloh, He owes his safe
ty to his own uncomfortable GOODNESS and
courage, and to the assistance lent him by
the devoted Capt. Moreland, whose con-
duct is worthy Of all praise.
We lost about thirty out of about one
hundred and forty persons, who were on
board. All seemed to be entirely unselfish,
and saw none strive to save himself re-
CARELESS of those around him. Plank after
blank and trunk after trunk went over
hoard and each shouted to the rest, take