Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-17
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION ~ THE POTOMAC.
The Gundoat Tulip Bloson Up and Fsjty-s:c
Lives Lost

Last friday evening, about six O'clock as the United
''es gunooat Tulip was steaming up the Potomac river
washington, her boiler exploded of Ragged Point
spou' tnrty miles above the mouth of the river
'oa was blown to pieces, and ut of the sxtyfour
anu men on board only ten picked up alive
Two Oh tne survivors died Sunday and three more are
considered to be 10 hopeless condition.
Ibe commander OF the boat, VIM H. Smith, was ost
The only officers saved executive officer WaOsts
Jonn Davidson' and Julian H. Reynolds masters mae.
and Benjamin f. Teal, engineer The only person saved
entirely uuiDiured was Mr.. Davidson, masters mate
We learn hat this terrible calamity was caused BY the
engineer crowdng too much steam upon boiler knownt TO
be none of the strongest.
The survivors were picked up by schooner and small
tug, after having been in the water forty minutes Mr.
Reynolds has thigh broken He thrown up into the
air great distance and fell into the water where he first
became conscious of what had occurred
The Tulip was one of the steamers built in New York
Tor the Chinese Government by contractors and pur
chased subsequently for volunteer navy She rated
caas screw steamer, and carried five gums STE
was blown to pieces completely that her hull dsap-
peared below the surface in FIVE minutes from the expo
sion.
The following official report was received at the Navy
Department yestsrdry morning:
UNITED STATES STEAMER DoN
Potomac Fotila, Mop. Is, 1864
Hon GIDEON WELLEs, Secretary of the Navy.
slh ~ mas become my painful duty to report to the
Department the total destruction of the United States
steamer Tulip, bya boiler explosion on Friday evening
last, off Ragged Point, 10 the Potomac river.
OF complement of fyseven officers and men, ten only
were saved two OF whom have since died The Tulip left
st Ingoes by my orders Friday afternoon bound
United States Navy Yard Washington for the purpose
having her starboaId boiler repaired which reported
by Chief Engineer Reilly to be unsafe condition She
started with steam on her port boiler only and her senior
engineer was cautioned by Chief Engineer Reilly not to
get steam on the sarboard under any circumstances
As will De seen by the accompanying reports dsobedence
of these orders led to the terrible explosion.
Very respectfully your obedient servant
FoxHALL A. PARKER,
Comd'r. Comdg. Potomac Flotilla.
Accompanying the above reports from John Davis,
acting masters mate, and r. M Wagsta acting ensign
and engineer officer The explosion took place Rag
ged Point between Elk and o'clock the evening
and the wreck went down in two or three minutes
afterwards The following is the report of the officer who
was sent to search for the remains of the unfortunate
u. S. STEAMER JUMPER,
Potomac FiotiUa November 13, 1864.
SIR: In obedience to your orders of the 18th instant
proceeded 10 Ragged Point in search of the bodies and
remains of the United States steamer Tulip which was
blown up by steam the of the 18th instant off that
point. sent our two boats and landed the beach,
where found large fragments of her remains. found
trunk belonging 10 Acting Masters Mate Reynolds of that
vessel vaise belonging to the pilot, coat, bsg and
eral blue shirts and number of officers caps also
found two sponges lot Of sgaa flags and package of
letters marked United States steamer Tulip Large por
tons OF her deck the top of her pilot house, and her first
cutter lay the beach but the present time have
not been able to find any bodies.
Very respectfully, your ODE dent servant,
PHILIP SHERIDAN,
Actt e Ensign Commanding.
P 8. should have mentioned that the cutter referred
to above entirely stove and that found of the
ribs and knees of the Tulip Shore showing that that
ve.se! was completely blown to pieces.