Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-18
THE CITY.

DISASTER OK rHE RIVER JAxEs-ExPLosIoY o.
THE CONFEDERATE STATES 4" FLAG or TErcE
Boar SCuULrz" BY ONE Or OUR ;TORPEDoEs--
FoUR LIREs LOST
sye gather the following facts oC the destruction
of the G. &. Gag -of-uuce" steamer "Schut2,r
Capt. Hill commanding By torpedo ia the James
River, between Cox's Landing and ChaiEn's Bluf,
at about IL O'clock yesterday evening:
The Schultz had gone down in the morning u
Cox's Landing, in company with the steamer .sWi!.
liam Allison" for the purpose Of bringing Itp a
number Of our expected returned prisoners Of war
who were TO have been received at that point. By
ProyidentiaI interposition--in view OF the subse
quent catastrophe that betel the "Schultl cur
expected braves did not arrive at the Landing in
time TO embark upon the two steamers that were
awaiting them. The fog, ii is said, delayed the ar
rival of the Yankee boats at Varina the point
at which our men were to have dsembarEel. In
formation having arrived that our men would not
reach Varina until this morning, the "SchultZ" and
the "Allson" proceeded to return to Richmond
the "Allison" having quantity of Yankee supplies
aboard as freight.
When between two aud three miles from Co.'s
the bow of the Schultz struck a floating torpe.
bow foremost, the stern protrudirg several feet
a oye the surface Of the water, and sfording safe
ty to the majority Of those aboard OF her consist
ing Ct some twelve OF fifteen persons, aunOTg whom
were several members OF the Ambulance Commit
tee Of this ct, tsgether with number OF surgeons
hospital nurses, &c.-who chung to tia. portion Of
the vessel until rescued by the 'sAllison" witch
v al about fifteen minutes behinds the "Schultz -
many. also, being saved BY means OF the 'Schulzs
lie-boat which was fortunately not included nf he
wreck
From q gentleman who was aboard Of the
"Schultz" at the time We learn that when the cx-
plosion occurred he sitting in the stern OF the
boat, and heard the report OF the explosion, but
scarcely felt any shock in consequence. The result
of the contact with the torpedo was as has been
described above.
The following named gentlemen, members Of tie
Ambulance Committee, were on board and we're
all, We are happy to say, saved Messrs. " J.
Beyill, James l.. Apperson, Edward Wilson, An
drew Johnston and Edward d. Eacbo.
Two of the guard, namely, priva,es Condid OF
Bedford county, aud Cribs, belongipsto a Georgia
Regiment, were drowned as were also two negro
fremen Of the boat.
William Hudson, 20tA South CaroliEs, and Jas
Spear, Of the same regiment, are also among the
saved.
The names of these given above as among tie
drowned, are believed to complete the list of tie
lost By this sad catastrophe.
Captain Hill. we understand, was acting as pilot
of the Schultz at the time. We are informed
that whilst passing the feet on the downward trip
in the morning, he had hailed one Of the guuboats
and asked that pilot be sent aboard to to the
navigation Of the boat but received the answer Il at
there were no pilots to be had, as they hal gone to
Richmond. The affair, we presume will undergo
an investigation.
The /" Schultz had lately undergone extensive
repairs at the hands Of the Government, and this
iil-omened trip was, we believe, her second since
her resumption of trips.
The officers of the Exchange Bureau were up0E
the "Allison" at tie time Of the catastrophe.