The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-01-08
The Sinking Of the Virginius.
Fun Details Of the Accident.

tDat Wllcn nc tOOR commute Oh Juc iti
at Dry Tortugas the vessel had water If
all her compartments. Stores were re
ceiyed on board and a 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. NJ. the
water was up to the gate bars in both
fire-rooms. The forward compartment
had a depth Of four feet, and the after
compartment two feet, six inches. The
water at 3 o'clock, T. NJ. was 50
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 fayorably, but the storm
arising the vessel leaked 50 badly that
they had to plug uptimber holds in for,
ward bulkhcads TO keep the fire rooms
clear. On the ODD, they threw over
board part Of the lower anchor and all
heavy weights in tho hole, and shifted
the coal to Tighten her forward. On
the afternoon Of the 23d there was
from eight to ten feet water in the for
ward compartments. The men were
worn out, hunks drenchcd and no place
to sleep. Under these circumstances
Woodrow advised the commander of
the OssiEec not to 90 further north
but TO take the Vlrginius into Charles
on, where there was n dock. On the
9th the boilers were in sucha wretchcd
condition that it was impossible to carry
more than five pounds Of steam. At )
A.. NJ. on the Doth, the water gained so
fast as to put out the fires, and Wood
now signallcd the Ossipee to take the
crew Off the Virginius Immediately. At
this time the forward compartment was
full Of water, mp to within II 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 a gale.
When the boat from the Ossipco came
under tho Virginius' bow, landsmen
were put in first. 1t took five trips to
take all of the officers and men off the
sinking vessel. At AT p. VI. tho Vir-
ginius sank, bows first, in cightfathoms
water, the cross-trccs above water. For
four days the men in the fire-room
worked in water up to their knees, and
at the time they left the ship were
nearly exhausted.
Lieut.. Commander Hnswcll of the
Ossipce makes tho following statement
concerning the Virginius The Ossi-
pee left Tortugas with tho Virginius
in tow on the morning of the 9th inst.
They had fair weather until the after
noon of Saturday, the following day,
when IL gale sprang mp. They contin-
ned to have bad weather, and the Vir-
giniuB ~signallcd that she was leak
ing badly. Capt. Walters therefore de-
tcrmined to shape his course for
Charleston, s. G., but as they got into
smoother water the Nirginius behaved
better and the water was kept out of
her fire room. On the morning of
Christmas day, however, tho severe
weather continued, the Virginius was
again leaking as badly rs ever, and
the vessels put into Frying Pan shoals,
about ten miles south Of the
Cape Fear light, where smoother water
could be obtained. Here tho vessels
to anchor, Capt. Walters hoping
that the Virginius would ride out the
gale. Before daylight next morning,
Friday, Commander Woodrow signallcd
with lights that the Virginius was leak
ing rapidly, with her fires out, and the
pumps stopped, and that the crew
wished to be taken of. The boats were
lowered from the Ossipoe at daylight,
and, by A.. NJ, all on board the Vir-
we're transferred to the former
vessel. AS n heavy sea was running,
the work of removing tho crew was one
Of much danger and difficulty, and
therefore no lives were riskcd in en-
deavoring to save their personal effects
or any other property on the Virginius
The hawscr of the Virginius was cut
and n buoy attached to mark her posi-.
ton in case she sank out of sight. The
Ossipeo remained Mt anchor during the
day, and at II quarter-past 1 T. NJ, the
Virginius, which had been gradually
settling, went to the bottom. She sank
in eight fathoms Of water, and her top
masts remained above the surface. The
Ossipee then resumed her voyage.
Newspaper Points.
M, No., yo.L u,.oll q, ,,I,ol a.