The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-01-08
THE LAST OF THE "VIRGINIUS.'
Sunk South Of Cape Fear Light.

CLYDE UNTIL THE MELANCHOLY TER
MINATIoN OF HER CRUISE IN COMPANY
WITH TIE ossIPEE-THE VOYAGE
FROM TIE ToRTUGAs TO FRYING PAN
SHOALS, AND TIE CLOSING SCENE ON
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26TH.
The Virgins question is finally settled,
at least so far as the vessel herself is cor
cerned, for she now lies in eight fathoms
OF water at Frying pan Sh0al, ten miles
south OF Cape Fear light, on the southern
coast. Brought up a blockade runner,
her career has been an eventfu one Built
on the Clyde some time about 1862 or
1868, for speed mainly, she began by
running into cur Southern ports during
the war. When Mobile was captured in
1861 she was lying in that harbor loaded
with cotton aud was cen6scatcd. She
was then called the Virgin. After the
close of the war she passed into the hands
of the parties who used her to run into
Cuba with supplies for the insurrec
tionists there, aud her trips, up to the
ever me mOrable event that resulted in her
capture, The end of October last, were
both numerous and successful. About
eighteen months ago the Spanish navy
about Cuba received orders to dcstory the
Nirginius wherever aud whenever she
could be cIught. As TO the fate Of the
crew, nothing vas said, though it was
pretty well understood that Spanish
regret would not be very loud if they
went to the bottom. Six months after
that order was issued the Firginius was
cornercd up in the port of Aspinwall by
the Spanish war steamer Pizarro, and held
there three months. She might have
been .here yet had not General Hurlbut,
who, during several years of late, has
represented our Government in various
South American Republics, visited As
pinwal in the way of his duty. Upon
his arrival there the Colombian Governor
officially communicated with him, remind
ing him that the United States was bound
by treaty to protect the neutrality of the
| Colombian waters, and informing him OF
the state of affairs. The Pizarru had
threatened to fire into the port upon the
boat, and iE so doing must inevitably
damage the town and jeopardize the lives
/ OF parties not concerned. General Hurl
/ Virginius (thc since murdered Captain
Fry was not in charge Of her theu), who
answered in person, bringing with him
! the ships papers. These were all right
/ and legally clear. They represented that
/ the ship was owned in New Ork, whence
/ she had sailed with a cargo of merchan-
/ disc that she had put in at several ports
/ by the way, where she had been regularly
! cleared her register was perfect (;
furthermore, she had aboard nothing
whatever of contraband nature. The
United States steamer Kansas coming
into ASpinwan at this juncture, Gpeueral
uuribut Instructed her commander to
escort the Virginus out to sea and to sink
the Pizarro if interference was attempted.
The Virginius was accordingly taken out
! Little OF her was heard afterwards uptil
! the Tornado ran her down and towed her
| into the harbor Of Santiago de Cuba
! With the events that Immediately follow
/ ed the whole world is familiar. General
Ryan and three of the Cuban passengers
were shot on the morning Of November 4, q,
their execution being followed, on the 9Th,
by The shooting of Captain Fry and tlIiry
six Of the crew, and another batch Of
twelve on the 10Th This made fifty
! three in all who were executed. 1t is
unnecessary to detail the international
imbroglio which eDsued The Vrginius
was despatched to Havana, where she
arrived on the afternoon or November Is,
with the Spanish colors at her masthead
| The survivors Of her crew and passengers,
! l02 in number, were delivered over to
/ Captain Braine, Of the .uniata, at San
| tiaso. Oh the 18th Of December, and ar
! rived at New York on the 2Sth. The
! Virginius herself was towed out of the
| harbor ef Havana on the 18th Of Deeem-
ber, and taken to Bahia Honda, where
she was formally delivered over on the
morning of the 10Th to the United States
steamer Despatch, Captain Whiting com
manding She was then taken to the
Tortugas, from which point she started
for New York on the 18th in tow OF the
! Ossipee and with prize crew on board
Here the melancholy termination OF her
career began Fair weather was ex
perienced until Saturday, the following
day when a gale spraDg up. Rough
weather continued, and the Vlrglnlus
signaled that size was leaking badly
Captain Waters, commander of the
! Ossipee, therefore determined to shape
his course for Charleston, S. c., 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
Christmas day, however, severe weather
having coptinumed, the Virginius was
leaking as badly ever, and the vessel
put into Frying Pan shoals, about ten
miles south Of Cape Fear light, where
smoother water could be obtained. Here
the vessel came to anchor, Captain
Walters hoping that the Virgiuius would
ride out the gale Before daylight next
morning (Friday). Commander Woodrow
sigualled with lights that the Virginius
Das loo kino ranidlv with fires ont and