Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-11
Especial Correspondence Of the The Star.l
CHATTERToN's LANDING, VA,

CHATTERTON'S LANDING, NA.,l
August 10, 1873.
The dreadful disaster last Friday by the burn
ing of the steamer wawaset off Chatterton's
landing, some forty miles down the Potomac,
and destruction of many women and children
by burning and drowning is the subject which
most engrossess the attention of the public at
this time. In order to give the readers of THE
STAR the latest and fullest particulars of the
shocking affair obtained directly from the
scene, on Saturday evening a STAR reporter
took passage on the steamer Georgianna, Capt.
Field, bound down on her bay trip, and by the
kindness of the captain was put ashore at
Stewards landing, some five miles below the
point Of the disaster. The boat left the
wharf foot of 7th street at CLOCK, with
large number Of passengers bound for the seve-
raj landings, most of them for Point Lookout.
Before she reached Alexandria, the tugboat
"Mary Lewis" was passed having on board
Captain Samuel Gedney on his return from the
fatal spot, where he had spent the day in
DRAGGING FOR THE BODIES
Of the drowned. In passing, the effects of his
days work were plainly visible on the deck OF
his tug, several rude boxes being ranged side by
side with green boughs covering them Cap
tain Frank Hollingshead, who was on board the
Gcorgiana, hailed Captain Gedney Chow
many bodies have you recovered, Captain"
towards the city. This information
CAST GLOOM
over the passengers, and many an expression of
sympathy was uttered by them. After stop
ping at Glymont few moments the boat pro-
ceeded on her way, making no other landing
until she arrived at Stewards Landing, about
10.45 O'Clock. Some dozen friends of the lost
passengers here went ashore with the view of
learning some tidings of the lost ones. Finding
no accommodations for sleeping here Except
the bare wharf, the party started on
foot for Chatterton landing some five
miles above. This undertaking of walking fy We
miles on the old Virginia shore by moonlight
was, by the advice of the keeper of the landing
at Stewards, who assured the party that good
shelter could be obtained there, and the dts
lance was not above two miles The party
thought differently when they arrived at Boyi's
Hole about O'Clock, wet with perspiration,
shoes filed with sand, and completely worn
out. AL the way along, the beach was strewed
with
CHARRED FRAGMENTS OF THE LOST BOAT,
and when about halffthe distance some recent,
hurriedly made graves were passed. The next
object was the body of a colored woman which
had foated ashore, and was rocking up and
down by every wave which came surging in.
The sight was not a very pleasant one, and as
there was no danger of the tide taking 1t out
again, the party plodded on. She appeared to
be very large woman, and was dressed in
homespun. A little further along the body of
colored youth lay dead; next were found the
bodies of four more colored women, which had
been dragged ashore and ranged side by side on
the sand. Further along were two small col
ored children and another colored woman,
who was afterwards ascertained to be the
wife and children of one Hobsn, who lives on
small farm about four miles inland. They
were all removed by Hoban himself yesterday,
there being no one to assist him.
THE SEARCHING PARTY.
Our party were as follows Messrs. Harvey H.
and VIII. H. Hazard, of this city, who were in
search of their father, one of the passengers of
the Wawaset, who has not yet been heard from
since the disaster; their brother-in-law, MIR.
George W. Pratt, in one Of the government de-
partments; Mr. W. Il. Reed, brother of Police.
man Joseph W. Reed; Mr.. Thomas Norfeet, in
search of friends; Mr.. Paul T. Lantreup, artist
for the New York Ora phic, and THE STAR re-
porter. Being strangers to the locality, Boyd's
Hole was mistakened for Chatterton, and no
shelter in sight, we started out prospecting
about the country for some habitation, and
after travelling for miles came to the conelusi
to return to the shore and camp out until morn
ing. supply of roasting ears from corndeld
was first secured, and on arriving on the beach
LARe FIRE WAS MADE ON THE SAND,
and after a meal Of roast corn and river water
all hands threw themselves on to the sand by
the fire and got few hours rest before day.
break. Early in the morning stragglers began
to make their appearance about the shore, both
white and colored, and from them we learned
that breakfast could be obtained about two
miles above, at eagles Nest" a large farm
with an old Virginia mansion, owned by Mrs.
Edmonia Grymes. The walk was at once I'M
dertakeD, and sorry looking party OF seven
soon presented themselves before the aston!shed
household, where a good breakfast was soon
spread out, and to which ample justice was
done. Here we found Miss Kate NJ. McPher-
soE, Of Pamunkey, Charles county, Maryland,
who was the companion of Miss Virginia Mar
bury, of whom no tidings has as yet been heard.
STATEMENT OF MISS KATE MCPHERSON.
Miss Mcpherson states that she went aboard
the Wawaset with Miss Marbury at Glymont,
and kept with her during the first part of the
excitement, until the smoke drove them down
the gangwsy; that she missed her on the main
deck, and the rush of colored people was so
great towards the life-boat that she could not
turn to find her; that she was hustled overheard
after the life-boa was stove in, with MANY
others, by the rush Of the colored people toward
the eaneway; that she Immediately sunk and
rose twice, and knew nothing more until she
found herself in a boat and being carried ashore.
She was taken to the residence of Mrs Grymes,
when it was found that she was uninjured, with
the exception of a slight burn on one shoulder.
She described the scene on the burning boat as
most terrible to witness. The flames burst out
all around and swept at, driving women and
children over into the water. She saw four little
children hanging by their hands on the W aist of
the steamer, ard one after the other drop into
the water, the flames driving them of. The
colored people were perfectly wild, q nd no re-
monstrance on the part OF the officers was
needed, they jumped into the boat, piling it
full, and declared that 1t was the co,ored peo-
pies boat; refusing all whites admission; when
1t went down all were dumped into the water
together and many others followed, being
pushed overheard. The flames burst into the
main deck, setting fire to the clothing of wo-
men and children, who were hoping for some
relief; that no one could pass the gangway for
the flames, and the screams Of the women and
children were deafening.
During the recital Of her experience, Miss
Mcpherson could not refrain from bursting out