The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-01-09
The Sinking of the virginius.


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Full Details of the Accident.
Lieut.. David @. Woodrow, who was in
command of the Virginius at the time
of her sinking, says in his official report
that when he took command on the 18th
at Dry Tortugas the vessel had water in
all her compartments. Stores were re-
ceiyed on board and working party
from the Ossipee coaled the ship all
night. Next morning they stopped coal
ing and put the hands to work pumping
and bailing, the water having gained
feet during the. night. At A n. the
water was up to the gIate bars in both
fre-rooms. The forward compartment
had depth of four feet, and the after
compartment two feet, six inches. The
water at 3 o'clock, P. NJ was so
much reduced that fires were
started in the boilers. Capt. Whit
ing expressed himself satisfied
that the Virginius was in fit condition
to start north, and about 2 O'Clock she
went to sea in tow of the Ossipee. AS
long as the sea was smooth everything
progressed favorably, but the storm
arising the vessel leaked SO badly that
they had to plug up timber holds in for
ward bulkheads to keep the fire rooms
clear. On the 22d, they threw over
board part of the lower anchor and all
heavy weights in the hole, and shifted
the coal to Tighten her forward. On
the afternoon of the Odd there was
from eight to ten feet water in the for
ward compartments. The men were
worn out, hunks drenched and no place
to sleep. Under these circumstances
Woodrow advised the commander of
the Ossipee not to go further north
but to take the V1rginius into Charles
on, where there was a dock. On the
Oath the boilers were IN such wretched
condition that it was impossible to carry
more than five pounds of steam. At 5
A. n. on the Goth, the water gained so
fast as to put out the fires, and Wood
now signalled the Ossipee to take the
crew off the Virginius immediately. At
this time the forward compartment was
full of water, up to within foot and a
half of the spar deck, five feet of water
in the hold, water over the CRATE bars,
In the fire rooms and after compartment.
The sea was very rough, and it was
blowing gale.
When the boat from the Ossipee came
under the Virginius' bow, landsmen
were put In first. It took five trips to
take all of the officers and men off the
sinking vessel. At All P. NJ. the Vir-
ginius sank, bows first, in eight fathoms
water, the cross-trees above water. For
four days the men in the fre-room
worked in water up to their knees, and
at the time they left the ship were
nearly exhausted. fT- Hft E
Lieut.. Commander Haswell of the
Ossipee makes the following statement
concerning the Virginius The Ossi-
pee left Tortugas with the Virginius
in tow on the morning of the 9th inst.
They had fair weather until the after
noon of Saturday, the following day,
when a gale sprang up. They contin-
ned to have bad weather, and the Vir-
ginius signalled that she was leak:
ing badly. Capt. Walters therefore de-
termined to shape his course for
! Charleston, S. O., but as they got into
smoother water the Virginius behaved
better and the water was kept out OF
her fire room. On the morning OF
4 Christmas day, however, the severe
weather continued, the Virginius was
again leaking as badly as ever, and
the vessels put into Frying Pan shoals,
about ten miles south of the
Cape Fear light, where SIN ether water
could be obtained. Here the vessels
came to Nnchor, Capt. Walters hoping
that the Virginius would ride out the
gale. Before daylight next morning,
Friday, Commander Woodrow signalled
with lights that the Virginius was leak.
ing rapidly, with her fires cat, and the
pumps stopped, and that the crew
wished to be taken off. The boats were
lowered from the Ossipee at daylight
and, by z A. NJ, all on board the Vir
ginius were transferred to the former
vessel. As a heavy sea was running
the work of removing the crew was ont
of much danger and difficulty, anc
therefore no lives were risked in en-
deavoring to save their personal effects
or any other property on the Virginiu
The hawser of the Virginius was cut
and buoy attached to mark her posi-
ton in case she sank out of sight. Tn,
Ossipee remained at anchor during tn,
day, and at quarter-past P. NJ, tn,
Virginius, which had been gradual,
settling, went to the bottom. She sanl
in eight fathoms of water, and her top
masts remained above the surface. Tn
Ossipee then resumed her voyage.