The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-04-03

wild. dsordsriy rush to the boats followed the cap
tain Of the General Lyon as u stated being among
the most eager TO abandon the and safety In
the first boat lowered The moment the boat touched
tho water he was overheard but the next the boat
camc in collision with the steamers wheel and the cap
tain was thrown out the wheel striking him and Captain
Weber Of the Fftysixh, and Instantly sending them
lfeless bencash tho The engineer and st mate
In vain attempted TO restore something like order Major
James Fyles in command OF the Fifty sixth, made .
like vain endeavor quel tho insane tumut that pro-
vaed but all such efforts useless in tho presence
Of tie derry element that fast gaining the mas
tsy, and whose inevitable approach deprived the unfor
tunate people Of all hope from human aid OF the
majority Of those below seeking rest but few
escaped and these only BY rushing deck at
the arst alarm. Through some agency or oshcr
tho matches were closed. and ~ the alarm
spread the CONSERVATION Of those below broke bounds
rush made to the ladders but the wild instinct Of
selprcsevation deprived the unortunates d her only
chance on escape 10 the deck Those foremost tho
ladders pulled back by crowd who pressed b.
hind and n the struggle that followed the ladders were
pulled down and every attempt to replace Thorn Yves
thwasted by the blind and desarag efforts Of the unfor
tunates themselves The cries from below became heart
rendng but they unheeded that terrible moment
OF common danger TO a Within half hour tho YES
sol wrapped in Aames and those deck had dsap
pared In the enguphng waves very few escaping to the
boats many Of those who first gained them
by the roughness Of the capszed their places being Ia
ken by who able 70 combat for brief space the
waves, which were then running mountains high.
Michael s. Brockett member Of the Fifty sixth regi
ment and Of nformants entered the first boat
lowered along with the captain Of the steamer He and
eight others were In boat for nearly four hours and
only intervals that the burning steamer could be
N~~~I~
had not been turned on; and thus mpelled by wind,
steam and tide tho doomed vessel broad sheet OF
aarze hurried to twofod destruction The screams and
plorng cries Of hep shouted in van coming more and
moro family over tho stormy waters Besides the first
boat lowered, in which Mr. Brockett was, there
were two othem got clear Of the steamer containing
about thiry-Ave persons in all and these were all
that escaped. There were about ifty women and
children on board refugees coming North, but
not ono was saved Mr. George W. William, Of
the Fifty sixth CALAMITY rsked his life In An effort 10
rescue He succeeded in getting her on the
same plank he himself chung to- but when finally aid
camS abe past all succor the immersion in the water
and tho GOA having done their fatal work There were
sixty seven male refugees but three Of whom wero saved
There were twonty six enlisted Of the Tenth Mis-
souri, en- route their homes; Of these were saved
From the exhaustion they had undergone and tho SUI
ferings they enduring In their hafsupmergeu
boats every moment threatened with destruction, all
hope Of being dying out Of the few survivors
of this terrible calamity when at last the steamer Gene
raj Sedgwick camc in sght-almost unseen until the
moment she threw out the Of escape The boat
Mr. Brockett was in the last hailed He managed
10 catch the line thrown TO him, and in an instant
| tho friendly coil was round his body, but
ere he was drawn up the boat capszed and while in the
water he was grasped by two Of ms companions in mis-
fortune with the clutch Of drowning they chung TO
| him. and when drawn upon deck he was unconscious,
the terrible stress of the others causing the rope 70
tighten so as to almost deprive him Of all respiration
The terrible scene board the narrowing cries OF men,
women and children for help whore no help cold GOMEZ
the almost hopeless struggle for life through which they
passed have left such an effect the hearts and memo
res Of the survivors that many of th details and cir
cumstances of the moment in the whrl Of emotions
created yet unremembered but enough has been told
to class the loss and fate Of the Lyon and its i'll
passengers among the most DISASTROUS calamtes
| that have occurred at sea for years
The survivors received al the carsand attention from
tho captain and onicen of the General Sedgwck that
| their unhappy condition demanded
NAMES OF PORTION OF THE LOST.
The following names Of members Of The Fnty-nztn
| Illinois are furnished by surviving comrsda