Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-12-05
The Huron Disaster.
From the Portsmouth ENTERPRISE

Later pews only added to the horrors
of the first reports of the disaster to the
United States steamer Huron. The tue
Bonita arrived here yesterday morning
with four officers and thirty men, the
survivors Of the Huron, and eight dead
bodies recovered from the wreck. Oh
the dead seven were whites and ope
colored. From conversations with the
survivors we gather the following con,
nected
ACCOUNT OF THE DISASTER.
The steamer left Hampton Roads
Friday morning notwithstanding the
threatening weather. She was new
ship and everything was in good order,
hence no danger was apprehended.
When she passed Cape Henry a stiff
breeze was blowing from a southeaste
ly direction, but the, Huron ploughed
bravelr t.: aagh it. Her engines were
working admirably, and the officer OF
the deck, Lieut.. French, on the morn
ing ofthe accident was running along
the coast so as
TO AVOID THE GULF STREAM,
but the wind blowing on shore togeth.
er with the current setting the same
way, carried the vessel nearer to the
beach than the officer of the deck I'M.
agined. The weather was very foggy
and Currituck light had been lost be-
hind, while the light at Body Islant
could not be seen owing to the fog.
While the vessel was thus running
along smoothly. her engines and sails
working well,
SHE STRUCK THE BEACH.
about l;20 A. NJ. on Saturday, and al
efforts to get her off proved fruitless
| The storm all the time was rising, anc
by daylight the waves were sweeping
over the devoted ship, each wave carry
watery grave. Her boats were al
carried away with one exception, ant
on attempting to launch this one it wa,
swamped. Shortly afterwards Capt
Ryan and Lieut.. Palmer We're washed
overheard together and drowned.
ANOTHER DISASTER.
We have already noticed the fact thai
the tug B. & j. Baker had left this por
Saturday afternoon to render what as
sistance might be in her power. The
Baker arrived at the scene of the dis
aster early Sunday morning, but the
wreck had been destroyed. The Baker
had as passengers Capt. J. J. Guthrie
of Portsmouth, superintendent of the
lifc-saving stations on the coast of Viz
ginia and North Carolina, and Mr.
Henry L. Brooke, local editor of the
Norfolk Virginian.
She came to about GOO yards from the
shore and although the sea was running
very high, surf boat containing Capt
Z. NJ. Stoddard, ofthe Baker Wreckino
Company; Captain J. J. Guthrie, Mr.
Henry L. Brooke Joseph L. King, and
four colored men-James SaXton
Stephen Ball, Dennis Mccoy, and
Willis Walker
STARTED FOR THE SHORE.
She was running in very nicely unit
the oar which SaXton was steering broke
when the boat veered around, and was
upset about hundred yards from the
shore. Capt. Guthrie, Saxton, Walker
Bell and Mccoy were drowned, the
others were saved.
BURIAL OF THE DEAD.
Yesterday from to 8 2. NJ, in &C
cordance with the request of the Council
the bells Of the city were tolled while
the solemn services were performed ovel
the dead in the naval cemetery.
4 AT 2 P. M. detachment of marines
and sailors from the different ships a
yard, under command of Lieut.. Forne,
also landed at the hospital in tug For
tune, and proceeded to the naval GENE
terry to pay the last sad tribune to theil
deceased comrades. The Rev. DR.. Bar
ten, of Norfolk, read the service, an(
after the naval alutes were fired they
returned to the yard.