Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-11-29
Wreck of the Huron.
ENSIGN YoUNG's STATEMENT.

| IN the Landmark of Norfolk.
We left Hampton Roads about IL A. NJ. on
| Friday, and steamed out in charge of a pilot.
| The pilot left at o'clock. had the afternoon
watch. There was stiff breeze, and heavy
| sea was running from the southeast. Took our
| departure from Cape Henry at :25-light bearing
west by south, distant abb ut five miles, and south
| by east three quarters east; unbent chains and
| secured anchors for sea about two O'Clock made
| all plain sail wind hauled more TO south and took
| IN topsalls at o'clock, wind increasing, also sea
increasing and ship rolling to leeward about 10y
| | was relieved by Ensign Danner about O'Clock ;
| about o'clock Mr.. Banner told me that the jib
| and lying Jlb stays were carried away and the
| wind was blowing a gale went to bed about 80 |;
| was aroused about midnight by the Quartermsster
| calling MIR. French heard MIR. French ask him
| the state of the weather. the Quartermsster re-
Piled bad; dozed off again, and was again aroused
| about 10 by the humping of the ship when she
| struck bottom: heard the Captain sing out as he
| came from the cabin, "IIard down." | put on a
| coat and pair of pants and ran on deck, found
| that it was blowing fresh gale, lizard the order.
| "Bfail up the man staysai and assisted but
could not take it in then asked the Captain if we
| should throw the guns overheard; he said, eyes
| do il as quickly as pOssble;" got permanent
| tackles hooked to a gun, but could not remove
| it, because she had bged and could not get it
over for the sea- The Captain then ordered me
| to burn all the signals | could. In the meantime
all the port boats and the cutter had been carried
| away; the ship lying on her port bilged
bloadsde, inclined about 400, and seas breaking
clear over herr went into tne cabin and saved two
boxes of Coston lights sent up five rockets and
burned over 100 signals the then STAY
| ing in the cabin very rapidly; when l heard the
| order gwen for all hands to go forward as quick
possible hurried the Quarter masters who were
with me aud some other men TO 20 forward; as |
passed the cabin door Mr.. French asked If
that all; slipped and told him Yes" then
| he said, ave must 20 quick" We all started to-
20 together had hold on the gatng gun, when
| a very heavy sea came over and washed myself
| and about five others down the leeward all but
| myself went under the sail and they were drowned
| was caught in the bag OF the sail and hurt both
| legs against the gah; reganed the gear of the
| nine-inch gun and worked myself forward !;
| thought saw Mr.. French 20 in the main rigging,
| saw number of men standing in the starboard
gangwsy and on the first launch, and number OF
men underneath the top-gallant forecastle; sue
| ceeded in getting on the top-gallant forecastle
| with the assistance of the men there a number OF
| the men had OR liie-preservers and one rubber
halsa was rugged on the forecastle; the top-gal-
| liant forecastle was full of men and officers; two
| or three men dashed themselves to the bowsprit
every one was perfectly cool and showed no signs
of fear; the majority of us got close together on
| the upper side of the forecastle, suffering much
| from cold and exposure: the seas would break
over us and nearly suocste us; Mr.. Conway, the
watch officer, had on blanket, and shared 1t with
| Mr. Banner, Mr.. Loomis and myself; we sound
ed the side and found about six feet of water,
| a little while after we sounded again, and got
| seven and halt and eight feet; saw lights about
one point on the starboard bow, and we gave
| three cheers, and repeated them several times; we
| then saw that the flood tide was making IN last,
| and the sea was breaking over us more heavily ;
| we here saw the first launch, the only boat left
| stove in, knocking Capt Ryan and the navigator
| overheard; saw two men killed in the forecaslle !;
| Mr.. Conway suggested that we make some effort
| to get line on shore. | said would attempt it,
| and called for one to put the basa over. when q
three-nch line made fast to the balsa and the
| same lowered overheard, but it fouled with the
| jibboom, foreguard and other spars, and got
| down on the torpedo spar and worked about ten
minutes to clear the bslsa, and called for some
one to help me. Mr. Banner came down
| part of the way, and said he was too weak, and
| could not get on. then told him that it was
| only chance, and he had better try. He said he
could not and that he would in little while.
Williams a seaman, them came down and said he
would go. In about ten minutes we succeeded in
getting the balsa clear of the spars l could get
| no main line and the First Lieutenant, Mr.. ST.
mons, Mr.. White and others in the forecastle sung
out to me, "the line is out; cut 1t and get on
| shore II possible for assistance.
| had a small pen knife, but could not open it,
| because my fingers were benumbed. Williams
| opened it and succeeded in cutting the rope. /
was then struck several times by the spars, once
| in the small of the back and once in the hips.
| We thought the beach ran parallel to the ship. 1t
| was foggy and we could not see the shore. When
| of the ship and we thought we were going to sea,
one thing that deceived the majority of the ships
company. We padded the balsa with pieces oil
panelng. Near the stern OF the ship heavy
snrf struck us and capsized the basa end for end.
My leg being jammed, it held me underneath the
water for awhile. Both Williams and myself re-
gained the balsa, when told Williams to get on
the end and we would then steer the balsa in fear
of another capsize. We were thrown over again
and the catastrophe threw Williams about ten
fact. tny hpi w n m
back. When we came up again 1t was rather still
water. / swan and pushed the balsa toward Will
iams. He got on top and stood up, aud looked
around, and said that he saw the masts of fishing
vessels ahead, which proved to be telegraph poles
on shore. | told him l would steer for them.
We capsized twice more, and before knew 1t
we were on the beach. | told him to haul the
balsa up, might want to use it to send off to
| the ship. We landed about three-quarters of
mile up the beach from the wreck.
Found two men inside the surf, but they were
too weak to get up; went down and pulled them
up; then ran to the first house | saw, but found
| no one in it; started down the beach fast rs
could legs hurting me very badly found 10 or Is
people from shore standing opposite the wreck,
looking at it, | told them to 20 further up the
beach and do all they could to the men, as
they appeared to be landing up there, with the
very strong current running up the coast We
pulled out several men. | asked them where the
liie-saving station was They said one was seven
miles up the beach and the other five miles down
the beach. Saw man on horseback sent him to
the upper station for aid and to telegraph to
Washington for assistance TO the wreck. This
was about seven o'clock in the morning. Then
Mr.. Conway who had landed, asked these men
| on shore why the liie-car was not there. They
told me the lite crew were at Roanoke Island.
| asked them why they did not bring the up;
they said it was locked up in the station and they
were afraid to break open the door. told them
| that if they would come with me | would break
open the door and get it out. Five Of them volun-
teered to go. asked them if they saw my sig
mails and they said they dld-even the first signal.
| then walked and ran down the beach with these
men, but saw team coming down the beach,
which proved to be that of Sheriff Buckley, of
Dare City. broke open the door, got the mortar
| and lines, broke open the locker and found pow
der and balls which Sheriff Buckley brought up
with his team but when | got back to the scene
of the wreck all the nass OF the Huron were gone,
nj h...,