Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-04-01
Correspondence Of the Delaware Gazette.
Adventures on the Mississippi Wreck Of the
Steamer Fanny.

EDITOR GAZErTE -
I send you the following jottings from
e Fanny BulIett Tow Head (tow head
here means lofty sand BARI in the lower
Mississippi river near the Arkansas shore,
and about one hundred and twenty miles
above Vicksburg.
Ny account of the disaster must be very
meagre of detail as the probability is that in
a little while my fellow castaways and myself,
will be obliged to climb tree to keep out of
the rapidly rising waters, or else prepare to
resist guerrillas who are soon looked for from
the Mississippi shore.
The fine steamer " Fanny formerly the
Fanny BulIett and singular enough, named
after lady recently deceased, whose broad
plantation fields lie directly opposite to us,
and in full view, in the State of Mississippi
from whom the bar, or tow head, on which
the noble wreck is stranded, also takes its
name) started from St. Louis Missouri, on M
lucky Friday, the 1lth instant, for Vicks-
burg and the intermediate ports, wfth fne
freight and passenger list averaging about
100 good and true men, including widows.
Everything went merry marriage bell -
up to last night-Tuesday, March 18th, it be-
ing the frequent remark of officers and passen.
gers that the trip bid fair to the end to be the
most delightful one they ever participated in,
when at o'clock P. Ma bright moon
light with the wind blowing gale and with
al quite cold, the announcement was made by
Captain Bryan that the steamer was sinking
IA large hole having been stove in her hull on
the larboad side little aft the wheel as we
were leaving Eggs Point, some six miles
above here, where we had land to put off Mrs.
Wilson-niece on the rebel side to General
Butler, and ditto on the federal side to Post
Master General Blair-and a large lot of
plantation freight belonging to her) and that
we had better prepare to save ourselves.
The announcement was made coolly, and re-
ceived by all as coolly; the steamers head in
the meantime was pointed in shore, and after
several attempts to get lines out it was ac-
complished, and in little while we were all
shivering in the moonlight on this bit of shift
ing sand.
As soon as the leak was discovered the
pumps (six in number) were put to work,
and all kinds Of freight was thrown overheard,
but it was soon ascertained that nothing would
avail to save the vessel and when that was
known, all hands worked lively in landing
what freight they could also cord-wood for
the purpose of building fires, and bed clothing
for nights rest on mother earth.
The cold cleaf moon looked down on busy
and singular scene on this little island, as men,
women, mules and pigs, performed their res
pective parts.
In an hour after beaching the steamer, the
shore was covered with promiscuous freight,
several large fires built, and every arrange
ment made that circumstances would admit
of to make the best of a bad bargain and
then, before attempting to rest, all anxiously
waited to see the going down of the noble old
boat that we had learned to love not wisely,
but too well"(Mr. Shakspeare)
AT eleven and half o'clock P. NJ, the
Captain from the hurricane deck, sounded the
death knell of his pet on the big bell, set his
steam whistle and came on shore, when the
whistle-to the last-plaintivel, sounding, she
at IL o'clock, midnight, listed heavily to
starboaId and sank to her boiler deck being
now total wreck, with just her port side and
bow out of water.
The Fanny, owned jointly by her Captain,
first pilot and purser-M Messrs. Bryan, Down
ing and Fisher-was an old but good and ex-
ceedingly popular boat, recently rebuilt, and
was insured for about $4,000, less than a
third of her actual value.
Soon after landing, three of us (Wm. M. |
Springer, correspondent of the Chicago Times, |
and st. Louis Republican D. G. Heart, |
merchant at Vicksburg, and your correspond |
entl volunteered to make reconnaissance in |
force and see whether we were on the main |
land or an island and also discover if possible |
if there were any of these unwelcome gentry
MISUNDERSTANDING about loose, as we had
them in sight on either bank all the way
yesterday. Settling everything to our entire
we returned to the beach and
prepared to slumber in the sand, but were |
by being constantly obliged to
watch our single blankets, as each man seem
ed bent on flching from his neighbor, not
seeming to care who froze so be individually
was made more comfortable
In the morning all hands might have been
seen for an hour preparing their breakfast at
the different fires. This was quite simple
affair Each ancient mariner cutting a
slice of ham IA cask of them having with diff
iculty been preserved from the steamers
freight,) and placing it on long cotton wood
wand, and holding it in the fire until broiled.
At this writing (about 9 o'clock A. NJ it
having been discovered that great many
boxes and bales of merchandise had been
broken open and robbed of their contents du-
ing the eventful night, search of all private
baggage is taking place under the supervision
,f committee, and thousands of dollars
worth of plunder is being found, some, in the
legrO and Irish boats crew :" Kits" and much
more secreted by the same dastardS in the cot
on woods-a grove of which timber flourish
s on the tow head. Several of them have
'een put in irons against the wishes of the
'etter ~ portion, who wish to hang them.
Many very amusing things are taking I
'lace around me: A score or two of merry
ellows are riding out without the help of {
'ridle or saddle Tor attempting it, for they are
ossed off almost as soon as they mount) the l
mules that are kicking up their heels all over |
he island, seeming to rejoice in their liberia |
ion from the close quarters that was theirs
Thile on board the steamer. One young gen.
leman who is determined to look bis best in t
pite of fate, and 1 suppose that he may espe- +
tally appear to every advantage before the !
yes of our only white lady, rich widow, is b
eiDg shaven as he sits on a pork barrel by 8