Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-05

sketch of the United States steamer
Oneida. She was screw propeller OF
1,132 tons old measurement, and 800 new
measurement:
H. fsShe was built at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard in 1861, her engines being con-
strIcted by Murphy 81 CO., of this city.
On the Goth of November of the same
year she was launched, and early in
March, 1862, she was put in commission.
She was rated third class in the navy, and
although built for ten guns carried but
eight. In all respects she was Thoroughly
constructed and equipped. Her propeller
had four flanges instead of two, and her
engines were of 1G0 horse power. In
length she was 228 feet, in breadth So,
and in depth Is feet. Her rig was that
of a three masted schooner. Her arma-
ment consisted of two eleYen-inch guns,
four thirty-two Founders, and two heavy
Dahlgren rifled guns.f
In March, 1862, the Oneida left the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, under command of
Capt. S. p. Lee, aud accompanied Ad-
! miral Farragut's fleet in the famous ex-
| petition against New Orleans, and on the
Oath of April passed Forts jackson and
st. Phillip, with other steamers, under a
heavy fire. No sooner had the fleet run
| past the forts than the Confederate gun
boats attacked them, and discovering one
| crossing her bows, the Oneida ran into
her with full head of steam and, cutting
her down, left herr
- She aided in the destruction of
the Gov. Moore, participated in the
| attack on the batteries of Chalmctte:
son the 9th of April destroyed the OBJ
structiOns in the Mississippi river, above
Carollton, Miss, and on the 18th of May
came in sight of Vicksburg, a demand for
the surrender of which was made by her
commander"
She accompanied Farragut when he at
tackled and ran the batteries on June %,
etc.
Throughout the war the Oneida was
attached to the West Gulf squadron, and
although she was not conspicuously en-
gagged in the naval operation which took
place subsequent 10 1862, she did good
and effective service.
Since the war she has been in the Asi-
attic squadron, cruising between the diff
ferent ports in China and Japan.
''She started from Yokohama, where
she had been for several weeks, on Jan.
%, bound for Hong Kong, and was sunk
the same day. by being run into by the
British Mail steamer Bombay.
The following particulars Of the
collision was received by telegraph from
San Francisco:
The most terrible accident and horrible
exhibition of inhumanity, known in the
East, occurred about twenty miles down
this coast. AT half-past six P. NJ, Jan.
81, the United States steamer Oneida,
homeward bound, collided with the British
p. Sc o. iron mail steamer Bombay, Cap
tain Arthur Wellsby, Esq, the Bombay
striking the Oneidas starboard quarter,
carrying away the poop deck, cutting off
her wheel and stern, running one of her
timbers entirely through the bows of the
Bombay, at the water lines, three times.
The Oneida hailed the Bombay with
''Ship ahoyl stand by; you have cut us
down" She blew her whistle, fired her
guns, all of which the officers Of the
Bombay saythey did not hear, though the
guns were distinctly heard at this port,
twenty miles away. The Oneida went
down stern first, in about twenty fathoms
of water, with twenty officers and fifty
five men. The captain of the Bombay
did not stop to rescue those on board, nor
did he, upon arrival here, report the acct
dent or inform the authorities The first
known of it was by the arrival on foot,
next morning, of DIR. Stoddart and fifteen
of the crew. But two cutters were avail
able, and the officers, almost to a man,
refused to take them, while a man re-
manned aboard. The discipline was com
pletC to the last, the sick being put
into the boats, the officers remaining
at their post until the ship went down.
The only United States Government yes
sci at Japan being a store ship: Minister
De Long was obliged to accept from
the English French Russian man-of-war
steamers, steam lauches, cutters, etc.,
in company with Col Shepard, Consul at
YeddO, and Mr.. Harrington, proceeding to
the scene of disaster, where all in human
power was and is being done TO rescue |
the sufferers and recover the bodies lost.
De Long, on his own responsibility, char
tered gunboat, lately sold by the United
States Government to private parties,
manned her with mixed crew of
the survivors of the Oneida, vol |
untccr citizens, and the engineer
furnished by the Russian corvette, and
placed her under the commander of the |
naval officers, and sent Consul Shepard TO |
represent him, while he with great energy
is making thorough investigation, by a
Naval Court of Inquiry De Long is en-
titled to great praise for prompt and |
earnest action. The position of the |
Oneida was to-day ascertained by a spar,
which at low tide rises four or five feet |
above the water. No bodies are yet |
found. Had the Bombay sent her boats
to the assistance of the Oneida nearly all |
might have been saved. The feeling of |
Indignation toward Capt. Eyrie was ter
rible but none of his company End few
spf his countrymcn attempted TO shield |
him