, 1865-04-06

Gen. s. steamed toward the burning vessel
and went to within seven fathoms OF Hatcr;
but could not reach her. When jumped
overload from the Gen. Lyon. between mtsy
and sixty persons had preceded ne. tney
floating mateiials. The scene On deck when
were about. fifty. women and children on
board belonging to the refugee families, and
they were moaning and begging for Lie.
Old soldiers. who had faced the enemy lnou"
None ofthe women or children were seen in
tic water. What became Of them do not
know, Nearly ali of tho paro1cd and escaped'
prisoners were sick be!o" ueck, ana Tete
most probab]y burned to death. The Gen.
sctgwick rescued 90 soldiers q and a., = a., o. tne
known 10 hare been saved ,althoughit Is hoped
TINT the schooner which was Eeen may have
picked up sone. Among those on the Ten.
Lyon whom knew, werc Thomas ". Smith.
james VI. Zinn, and Peter Wade, ai Of
tI6r fate. Those rescued in common with
myself received the kndest attention from
The officers and crew OF the Gen. 2edgwick.
We{szriye5 In this city on Sunday noon.n
Mr.. Colby describes the scene on board the
burning vessel as one Of the most terrible
ard impressive sights he ever Witnessed
while the mothers werc rendered frantic by
their appeals soldiers suffering the most
hoirid agony, and ehIicking, gfonning, and
crying, weie the awful sights Displayed.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
From other SUI yiyors Of this most disas-
trt us calamity-members OF the 56th Illinois
/, we have received the following additional
: 56th-who formed considerable portion Of
The unfortunate passengers OF the ill:fated
vessel, we're on their way from the front.
1 having. nobly discharged their duty to the
countFy--and, indeed, had exceeded their
term Of se1yice-io he mustered. out at
listed men md officers embarked at VIII
mfngton for Fortress Monroe On the
so,h ult. The vessel was one night
delayed off the bar ct the mouth
Of the river, waiting for the tide. From
the moment tho vessel started on her yoy-
and great numbers of the passengers were in
consequence below suffering from sea sick
ness; 4 circumstance which subsequently
lent additional horrors to tue, terrible scenes
on board, as tue great majority Of those thus
confined were, in the excitement and terror
Of the mcmtnt, unable to make their way to
| the d. ck, and thus fell victims to the smoke
bnd flames without chance or effort to cs-
cape. The fire having broken out as above
! described, spread with great rap1dity: It was,
hoTever, immediately DETECTED, and a. ths e.!
lnants acco,d all praise, were at once directed
| to its cxtinguisament. But alarm usurpcd
|, the mace Of GOODNESS md discipline.
| and all the efforts of the mate and
few Of the crew, Who ran to the
| hose, were rendered abor1ise by tue attiehtcd
i passengers, men and women, who run ABOUT
| The deck, ard thus preyenttd timely apptica-
tion Of the means Of safety till oil means
were too late to be Of any nyatl. 1t was IN
| view Of this state Of things, and the evident
fate that awaited the vessel, that the Captain
boatso' A wild. .disordctly rush 10 tue boats
| followed, the Captain of the General Lyon,
ps It Is stnted, being among the most eager to
abandon the vessel and seek safety In the
first boat lowered. Tic moment the boat
touched the water he was oyeEboard but N
st. amcr's wheel, anu the Captain VA thrown
out, lie wheel Striking him and Captain
Weber, Of the Seth, and Instantly Sending
them Iieless hcneaM the waves. The en-
eincer and first mate In vain attempted II
, restore something like order. Major Jamc!
Ike vain enaeayor to quen the insane tu1nul
! that p1eyailed but all such efforts were use
! les il the presence Of the fiery element tha
| was now fast gaining the mastery, and whost
: inevitable appros ch deprived the unfoftunat'
, people Of nll hope from human MD. Or tn
majority Of those below seeking rest, but
? few escaped, and these only ty rushing Of
deck at the first alarm. Through some asen
. cy or other the matches were closed, and a
: the alarm spread the CONSERVATION Of thos
below broke all bounds. 4 rush was made t
! the ladders, but the wild instinct Of scifp:c
{ tcryation deprived the unfortunates Of the
. only chance OF escape to the deck. Ihos
/, FOREMOST on the ladders we're pulled back
i the crowd who pressed bthind, and In th
r struggle TINT followed the ladders were pullc
J. down, and trery attempt to 1eplacc them vi
q tAwafted By the blind aud despaiElQg eno!,
b Of the untortnnates themselves. jhc cEie
l. tx II below became heartrendiug but the
# were unhecded at that terrible moment I
n common danger to nil. Within half an hor
: the vessel Was wrapped in flames, and thoi
/. on deck had disappeared In the engulhu
q waves, very few escaping to the boats IN
q were by tie roughncss Of the sea capslzc
their places being taken By those who We
"a able to combat for a brief tplce the nave
Ii which were then running mountains big
d Michael 8. Brockctt, member Of the 56
le regiment, and Que Of our informants. entert
~ the first boat lowered, along with the CAPITA
e of the steamer. He and eight othefs were
a. lie boat for nearly four hours. and IT r.
:. onIy at Intervals that the burning steam
of could be 1iscelncd as she dritted away
a. tho breakers. The steam had no. pc
turned off; and Thus 11nps1led by win
|
to sheet OF tiamc, hurried to twofold destructio
t, The screams and implorlng cries Of he!
I'll shouted in vain, coming more and me
family over the stormy waters. Besides t
first boat lnwered, In which Mr. Brooke
=. was, there were two Others got clear Of I
L. in I'll, and these were ali that escaped. The
we've about fifty women and children
bonrd, refugees coming North, hut Eot 9
was savcd. Mr.. George y: William. Of
EGth, galllntly ziskel his life in an eff3rt
rescue one woman. He succeeded ~ eclll
Eer on the same plank as be himself clung
I'd. | but when finally aid came ehc WAS past
succor. the INNER sion IN the water and t
Sc, cold Lavipg done their fatal work. Tn
were si1ty-eeycn male refugees, but three
1k' whom were saved.
There were twenty-sIx enlisted men Of
1Oth Missouri, u. TpNte to their homes; nc
ths se were eaved. From the exhaustion Il
had undergone, and the sutIerings they III
enduring tn their half submerged boate, e
~ moment threatened with destruction,
l,opc Of being rescued was dying out OF
few survivors of this terrible calamity, wi
at last the steamer General Scds~ick came
kight-almost unseen until the monlcnt
lhtGW out the means Of escape. The b
Mr.. Brockctt was In vas the last hailed.
msuascd to catch the limo thrown to b
and ia an instant the friendly cofl WAS ro1
lis body, but ere e e VS. drawn up tne .
capsHcd, and while In Inc wafer ne vas rla
cd By two Of liB companions in 1nisortu
with The clutch Of drowning men lhe5 clunl
him, and when drawn upon deck he was
conscious, the terrible stress Of the 9th
causing the rope to tighten 60 as to alu,
deprive him oi all respiration. The terri
scene on board, the narrowing cries of u,
women and children for help, whore no b
=, could come; the almost hopeless struggle
e.. life through which lhey pussel, have left 8
on an effect en- the hearts and memories Of
~ survivors TINT many Of the detatls aud
u cumstanccs Of the momeDt are In the II
ne Of emotions crea ed yet unremembered
ny f.ta 6T thn General 1yon and its fll.Gs
ain -..esenoers omnnor fhc rnost dfsostrous mi
or }ties tI,at laYo ocenr. I'd At sea for years.