New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-08-13
maiped coayersiog upon the front deck until II s4ox
departed. which was at II 0 clock.

| A
Feeling fat. ,ued, ] retired to ny s,.te-,oon d.
thu 'our, put not to sleop long Tor was tuddsniy
l Weh.yc. ~ ttc = Jos at II O'clock vao eta,.j
! itti ne Iot T'H o. fire, implornG re 10 get I'd
iwmedia'ey- hprang from ny BERTH took NV
wa o. rom cnfer 10Y pillow, placed y -, I. easy
ood hpr dy drew 90 my pss,E. I.ooIino. fr..n M,
siaie- door ufOu tire N irds sv- thss II. irs
was IN tie b'cr.. u the bOSt, which ssr,akiu,
rapid prog ces - Tie shore J therefore ,l ,,,t,
! hat t'- aivsuc ofte flames would bs s,C,, Win
couce..l / bad obly tiGe to lhrOw on ,sy YES, snd
coat, oray, on ny socks and ooe boot, having tbs
other partially ca when the fire burst iu'o nv ftsi.
room door. s,igec ny watch IL had aud nv
carp2t sack (~uiCh WIS by The c'alrl In The C,har
and dashed through The smoke ahd se foY the 'front.'
! ~ tho boat. 81 this moment there vss terrible
crash and jar, rolling he smoke in bl ding clonds
ana spring the ilauies through the entire y-sse
knew we RAD struck he Shore, and ir 1 y - asfe
Seeing The mont portion Of the satin free FROM
fire, took d rapid glance Of our money apd prop.
ery stored there and went TO the lie al 81 ire stair
on the outer deck, which found filed with men
ftrng glIg TO get precedence. Among them four Of
! our guard with one Of our smaller boxes | viii
| here icsye mys IL and tell you .. hgjor Brnlo,,s
movements. Upon leaving me, he LDforms me, hs
went 10 the front upper deck, and there gave dec.
touS 70 tho guard, who were cool and obedlen,. He
leaned over ne railing, rs the soldiers on The
deck below, 10, being aware that toe boat was csss
! 10 shore, when sne struck. The bow had All the
force that two powerful engines could give Il, anA
the boat felt TO me ike telescoIe that wa being
cos,d mp AS the vessel struck, the haJor Das pre-.
cpitatod head foremost 20 he deck below, but for.
tuna,ey tor blu, struck some one beneath with his
shoulder, whiet broke Tire tail, and he was oaly ~
yerely bruised. Some poor fellow, nams unknown,
c,Ine down with bIui, but he struck sohdly upoa
deck and never stirred aitrrward.
For u second TIC Major was unable TO move, bu
upon recovering found that the boat hsd not 70
NAMED upon the bank but wss rapidly recoding V
the middle Of the nyor; tue gang PLANK had 5eea
ehoyed on Shore and wGs Just falling when he sprane
upon il aud reached the shore as l, fell Il was
fortunate he did go ~ he was too severely hurt 70
swim. In the fall of the plank three OF the soldiers
bad secn carrying the box Of money were struck
beneath tie water never TO rise again All tlis
t.ms was unconscious Of the boats movements,
end when found the stairs clear and had reached
The deck, discovered 10 my di-may that We were
rome Gi-tance from the shore. group Of mea
stood With he on tue reCedIng vessel debating upoa
the chance. az a jump AMI swim FOR NE Eyery
QUO SEEMED cnlm and heard speaking bu, noe
a. sound Il excitement could be detsc'ed IN theR
voices. Major Jameson and Major White wev
efaudiug talking gitb poor LansDn, who was IoS&
Msjor JalnesoG's clerk, the Only child OF Boston
Gle ~, uen) persIading him 10 jump with snutss,
he being unable 10 SWIM.
! went to the bow OF the boat, put my watchh
my ,ockti, took of NY coat, yes. and ooo1s, and
laid them on my yaliss. While dong tnir' hss
Jameson had jumped overheard with nls trsnt,
which was light Hud buoyant and saved his life
Major White followed immediately otter, sA
truck Og' for shore. A, | was taking of my IaA
.oot The steam drum burst with terrible exposioa
and the next infant 1 was under water, ana sooa
enQs zei IL tie nost terrible struggle for he have
eser dieaaed Of. 1t VIII give you soIne Idea OF ny
,o..tioI when Ieil you neary as far from the
share IA from II rke, 10 Chestnut street IN easy dth
lance for one 10 ssim who Vas prepared TOR 1t, %
vita heavy clothing and muscles relaxed from SET
ness found II "A dreadful tack. The eDsins oil Ia
slarbosrd wheel had stopped, but that Of the lss'
board was in motion, ond this GRADUALLY threw ~
,.orn OF tie boat round, 20 | WAS Obliged to swI1
with all my power against strong current TO avoa
the burning stern. passed II, but my head felt ~
II IL was being toasted, and several times veal
uLder wafer 10 avoid it, intensity.
After this | swan more slowly, but fek ny
strength was slu.ost gone the snor1 seemed darS
aud distant; / looked back st the boat; Just then
come poor fellow spgsng for bis lie; rs he touches
he water, a bullock (he boat was loaded with
theml umIed upon him. tue bullock swap gwsy-
tie Bau never roee again. l was now near lie
shote but haa lot strength To reach II. Mr. Greves
seeing me AID how exhausted vas. caught COZ
God tree, " hioh IL long and sn, aud held 70
me- usef ny only remaining strength, and, reacA-
ing, seized IL, and wss drawn 70 shore esnuos ex'
press y hat nay feelings were when reacae1 iha
beach. saw but few men scattered here and
there ont Of go We started with. aud MAJ. Bnntoo
not among them. Ny strength was gone though:
was diving. Wien recovered Little, found
/
up tie ok. which was very steep ana oyessrown
With cottonwood The heat OF the burning vesssa
was too severe for any 10 reMain below.
Among those thus saved was the Major You
may lmayiue my deliglt. This takes son,e tine 70
relate, but yen viii scarcely credit it wien lssors
tnGt from TIE breaking out OF tee IRE up 10 Tue
time when jumped overheard was three minutes,
and then the fire was bursting from the wlndo VS. o.
the oi;se ia the front Of the boat. Not soi could
have lived five minutes from i's coOmenceLaeah
The boat WIS now one, and hal toe most periecs
spparal us for subdu.rg hre o! any ON toe " estsn
~aters but 80 rapid was tie progress Oh tie haines
that II was impossible 10 make use OF IT,
need not Tell you thst saved nothing bot whu
swan 10 shore IN, and found myself without cosi,
vest, boots and hat. We kiade.i fire, and having
srlayed nlyself like Adam III paratise, dried uS
few clothes that remained 10 me- and Was eoon assm
comfortable. | am thansiui 10 severai gnknown
persons for acts Of kindness. a, ia the morning
Ihc steamer Shiugls came from Columbus, and TOOK
all thet remained to Cairo. where we Were SOFA
comfortably located, but will proceed ny next tsAa
TO 81. Louis.
The loss by this disaster is greater than any that
ever occurred in river usygation-Dot only lsrSN
amount Of money being destroyed, but very valid
sblo cargo and vessel To he members o. tho Pay
Department il ~ irrepaable, til tie papers eceu-
mulated since entering service are destroyed NJ
rived st Caro- ut o'clock, and after writing some
hters and sending kilograms l went with MAJOR
b lioa on board the kayons, 20 Wow tho wreck
aui 200 II ss could find ANY trace Of bodies or vaa'
solel. We found !, three miles below where she
FIRST struck, In deep water, only few iimoen'
pieces u the machinery. and the side OF wheel
house being left TO mark its resting place. Floating
on the suriace Of tho water, tied 10 lumber, wer0
tho charred and swollen remains OF cattle and mules
We found no trace OF any of the lost, and retuTaea
90 Caro- too late for to-day 70 train s'ail ior o.
Louis tomorrow. and will again write. We seen
to be rearnC nothing but sorrow IN this district.
have iu-, learned Of the death OF Major III. h Ms
zslton nj Merphis. lie was gentleman ana ans
officer, and as great a los, to the Government rs
Ills friends Nine others are very Ill. Weean'
stand tie climate. hARHf'