The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-11
The Loss of the Steamship FIambeau.

The President of the Atlantic Mail Steamship
Company has received the folio wing letter from
Major A. f. Compton, OF the United States
Army, relative to the loss OF the steamship
Flamb beau:-
In behalf of Captain Everson, commanding
the steamship Flambeau, have lhe honor to
state to you the following facts connected with
her voyage from Alexandria, Va, and her
stranding on New Inlet Bar. near Fort Fisher,
N. e., on the afternoon of the 1st instant. The
ship left Alexandria on the evening of the 26th
OF February, with five companies of the 40th
United States Infantry on board, mum mbering 0
officers and 462 men, and two ladies destined for
Fort Fisher, Fort Caswell and Smithvlle, N. G.
From the hour of leaving the point of en-
ba1kation, we were favoraby impressed with
the kind, courteous, and gentlemanly bearing
OF the captain of the steamer and during the
voyage repeated instances were presented TO us
OF his abilities as thorough seaman and skilful
navigator. Everything was most prosperous
and agreeable until the lst instant. On the
morning OF that day we entered New Inlet, N. c.,
and in answer to a signal for a pilot, one
boarded the vessel some twelve miles from the
bar, and in my hearing Captain Everson ask ked
him (the pilOO if he was bur pilot. He replied
in the affirmative, and asked the draft Of the
ship. The captain replied ten feet.
The ship was brought to anchor outside the
bar as it was determined to wait for high water,
which occurred about P. NJ. At this hour, the
pilot at the wheel, the captain standing at the
doorway of the wheelhouse, the vessel was put
under way to cross the bar, the captain inform
ing the pilot that If there was the slightest pos
sibility of the ship touching not to go in. AT
this time l was standing near and distinctly
heard the captain give this caution to the pilot
at least three several times. The pilot replied
that ships of eleven feet had gone through; and
in probably one or two minutes after this con-
versation the ship struck and was hare and
last.
Immediately every means at hand were ap.
piled to relieve her, but this proving fruitless,
an officer of this command was despatched
ashore in the pilots boat for succor, whe pro-
] II % Enpt mil wi 10 IN Na
! night in an open boat but he could get
! nothing; nor could he even get promise of
! ANYTHING, excepting that tug would come to
| the rescue on the afternoon of the next day.
| This promised assistance was not, nor was any
! other furnished. During the night of the lst
| instant the surf which rolled heavily, forced
| the ship about two lengths further towards the
shore, leaving her in about six or seven feet of
ON the morning of the I'd it was deemed ad.
| yisable to make an effort 10 remove the troops
from the vessel to the shore, and through the
| assistance and by the combined efforts, ably,
| willingly and cheeriully rendered by Captain
| Fyerson, his officers and crew, about four hun
dred men were safely landed in the ships
| boats. Before daylight on the morning of the
Sd the wind had changed to the northeast, and
| the surf rolled entirely over the ship. At times
the spray flew over the foretopsai yard, her
boilers shifted during the night and she made
| water to the depth OF six or seven feet in the
| lower hold; the mind had increased TO a
| gale, and through tremendous sea the re
| mainder of the troops were safely landed. I
| feel satisfied that we are all under never-to-be-
forgotten obligat ion for the skilfulness of Cap.
| tain Eyerson, which has resulted in safety to so
many lives. and to give thanks to an All-Wise
! Providence that we were in the charge OF so
| able CON mander, who Is no more responsible
for the loss OF the steamer than ! you %o or /.
| Major 40th United States Infantry.
This letter is also signed by all the Officers of
the command and the lady passengers.