The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-02-27


two combats off the English coast she sunk
vessels of equal force, the sloops-of- war
Reindeer and Avon, and captured a number
of valuable prizes. In September, 1914, she
sent home British brig, the prize master
being the late Commodore Gersinger, which
arrived at Savannah early in November, and
brought the last direct intelligence ever re-
ceived from the Wasp A Swedish vessel
subsequently reported speaking the Wasp a
few days after the prize above mentioned
had sailed for home. Two of the ex-Offcers
OF the Essex passengers on board the Swede
went into the corvette and were lost with
her For years It was believed that the
Wasp perished by explosion, and story was
current that two British frigates reported at
Gibralter that they had fought an American
corvette, which in the heat of action blew
up, but contemporary records make no men
ton of such an event. The public long
cherished the belief that the Wasp would yet
be heard from that some bearded wanderer
would return to tell the story of wreck and
captivity on a savage coast but no such
messenger ever came, and her fate is one of
the secrets of the sea. Her loss was recalled
painfully sixteen years later when her sister
ship, ''in glory and in DOOM the Hornet
suddenly disappeared in the Gulf of Mexico,
having, it is believed, capsized in north
err
Among the vessels which the United States
sent to the Mediterranean at the close of the
last war with England to chastise the Bar
barry Powers was the sloop-of-war Epervier,
which had been captured from the British
Dey of Algiers into peace, sent the Epervier
home with the draft of the treaty he had ne
gOtiated. This Iuckless vessel, commanded
by Lieut.. John Tembler Shubrick, a brother
of the late Rear Admiral Sbubrick, was last
spoken off Gibralter. She never reached
home. Tradition SAYS that about the time
when she might have been expected on the
coast the fishermen at Nantucket one night,
during a great storm, were startled by the
sound of guns from a vessel in distress, fred
with a rapidity indicating a ship-of-war.
The morning light revealed nothing how
ever, although it has been conjectured that
the unfortunate vessel was the Epervier.
Among her passengers are said to have been
many who had just escaped from the horrors
of Algerine slavery and were joyously look
ing forward to home and friends. This cir
cumstance has lent an added patho5 to the
EpeTvieT'S fate.
The Somers, Oh board which occurred the
alleged mutiny for which Spencer was exc
cuted, subsequently proved coffin to heI
officers and crew, making good her character
as an unlucky ship.
The month Of September, 1854, proved dis
astrous to two United States ships cruising
in widely separated seas. The United States
brig PoTpoise, engaged in surveying cruise
In the China seas, under the command OF
Acting Lieut.. William Bridge King sudden
ly disappeared, having been last spoken Sep
tembeT 81. Since that time not a word has
been heard Of her, and her fate is a mystery
a week later the Albany, corvette, % guns
sailed from Aspinwall for New York. 1t Is
now twenty-three years since she trimmed
her sails for home, aud no tidings of her have
. ever come TO hand. She was crack ship
and is understood TO have been the origina
of the Poughkeepsie in Cooper's novel oi
''Jack Tier" Her sudden disappearance
/ gave rise to much speculation, and it is tn,
opinion of scientists, who have given the cast
much attention, that she was seized by
''norther' and literally pressed down undel
water by its gigantic strength. She wa
commanded by Commander J. T. Gerry, anC
her officers and crew must have numbered
over two hundred souls. Six years later ap
prehensionS began to be entertained for th,
safety of the corvette Leyant, Capt Hunt, o
the Pacific squadron. She was last seen en-
tering a great fog-bank, from which she ha
never emerged Her name was kept on th
Navy list until 1862. when all hope Of hear
ing from her had been abandoned, and sh
was sorrowfuily given up as lost. Her arm
ament consisted of twenty guns, and wa
manned by q crew not much smaller thai
that of the Albany. 1t has been general
believed that the Levant ran upon som
shoals not down on the charts, but this /
conjecture only. A few years ago public in
terest in the loss Of the Levant was reawak
ened by report that seaman claiming {
be a survivor of the disaster had repOrte
himself at the Norfolk navy yard, but eithe
the statement was without foundation, or To
claimant was proven an impostor, for tb
mystery which has for seventeen years an
more shTouded her fate never has been lifted
and probably never will be. During the wa
a number of vessels were lost, but not unde
circumstances particularly novel or note
worthy. The brig Brainbridge founderet
southwark bound, and of her officers an
crew but one or two escaped. Since the clos
of the rebellion eight United States ship
have been lost. The Sacramento was wreck
ed in the Bay of Bengal year or TWO aftc
the war, the disaster, we believe, being VI
attended by loss of life. During the grca
earthquake on the Peruvian cOasl, in 1856
the storeship FredOnia was carried under b
the tidal wave, and but few of her ere
esca ped. The same wave carried the Wa
teree several miles inland where she remain
yet, or did quite recently, high and dry. II
, value of the vessel not equaling the cost
her removal she was allowed to remain han
and fast, singular monument OF the powt
Of the sea. July o 1865, the Sawanee IA
upon a sunken rcck OF the coast of Britis
. Columbia and proved a total loss. II
, weather being fine and the shore near at han
The crew escaped dry shod, and carryin
, abundant supplies with them established
camp, 'wreeking'' the vessel as opportuI
ties offered. After a short period passed
camp relief came and the shipwrecked ma
liners were transported to the United State
, The sinking of the Oneida and the loss
the greater part of her devoted crew, Jan
ary 9, 1870, are vet too fresh in the publ
! mind 10 need any further aHusion here.
| day or two after the wreck Of the Huron
) naval officer az New York made the has
= and ul-considercd statement that she W!
the only American man of-waT lost since G
T Oneida The statement is incorrect. {