Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-10-10
Srltttc0 Storp.
THE RESCUE.
a story OF the ni..I.,ippI.

During the las, yesrs Of the war | was
serving in be capacity OF petty officer on
the United States ship OF war Essex.
Some tine during the month OF March,
lS6j. and while We were lyiag AT our
station at Memphis. Tennessee. it was my
fortune 10 be Al eyewitness TO one OF
the most terrible calami,ies pen ever al
tempted 20 describe. refer 10 the burn
ing OF The steamer Slllaua. caused by
The bursting Of her boiler from being
overloaded. she hsying on board at the
lime twenty three hundred aud sixty so,-
dlers. al OF whom had inst been released
from Confederate prisons.
These poor fellows. ss It were. almost
q sight a their lorc-.oSt homes. were
hurled wjlhol, M nent's w4rainS 10 4
terrible death There were slsj on board
forty passen gers. men. women and chi.-
dren; and. bel les this immense load OF
human beings her boiler deck ~as crowd
ed wiki horses and mules.
iirs. saw the Suitaua as she rounded
the poiu: below FJrt Pickering, IL pain
view from our deck. aud she presented
the appearance Of ~ immense moving
mass ui human beings; it seemed as
though every lot Oi space, iron her
hurricane deck down. was crowded She
was loIily cAeered by crowds Ot people.
who linrd ,h, whuves and levees. She
steamed up 5y Is. slowly, and tied up
alongside ui c1sl barge. just above
where We were mo,red. /. being ia the
early evening. and l having business
ashore. | thought no more OF her Tor
some hours. remained on shore until
nearly ,i.At bells (miduisLD. aud as
came on board my own ship noticed
,ha, she VA. sill there; could distinctly
hesr toe merry song OF the rOus,aoou.s.
a. they truuded the coal on board,
mingled WIKI the merry making oil the
soldiers. Ah. little thought they OF the
terrible doom that was soon to beiali
them.
I s.ung my hammock 10 the port gang
way, il beiug the river side OF the ship
and was soon fast ssleeP. /; seemed to
me. however. tha, had scarcely closed
nv eyes when was awakened by con-
fusion OF sounds and discoIdant cries,
thai seemed TO come from the river
Starting up, distinctly heard the words /;
My God. help" and l supposed OF
course that some unlucky sailor had fallen
overboard. About this time the shriil
nine of the boatswain's whistle sounded
through The ship. accompanied by the
bosrse call: Turn on. al hands ! "Man
the boats :" snd before l could get on
deck al! The boats sd been manned. and
shot ont in the mu-ky darkness. II beng
impossible 10 see sny Thing cables iensth
ahead Jut more appalling scene can
b,rdly ie conceived. The river seemed
IN he alive with drowning men. some
PRAYING Tor assistance. some cursing Ihe
fate which. alter day or two OF liberty
had condemned them TO horrible death.
others shrieking aloud in agony while
ever ami anon you could hear the last
a,lD of some miserable wretch IS he.
Screaming Tor assistance. sunk &c rise no
more 4 few words from the onlcer oi
the deck told The whole story. lhe oa :
,sns left tie coal barge about two O'Clock
in the morning. Prceee ding on her way
up the river; aad Just after rounding inc
min, some i've miles above the city her
boiler exploded, aud she had taken n'e
and was burning up. just al 'hi' .ine
he captain who had been awakened Os