The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-05-07
THE LATE LIEUTENANT
HERND0N.
How the Brave Sailor Net and
Saluted Death.

40I 4OOtg SN'SA~oS AaNuOH "a
Maury, of Virginia, who was subse-
quently a commodore in the United
States navy, wrote tho letter subjoined
to the then secretary Of the navy. 1t
will be seen that it fully explains the
meaning Of the name "Herndon, "
which may now be seen upon a tall
granite shaft in the naval grounds at
Annapolis:
"Rir-On the 18th day OF Septem-
Der lest, at sea. near toe outer edge
of the gulf stream, 81 degrees 45
minutes north, the United StAtes
mail steamship Central AnsericG. with
the California msils, most of the
passengers and crew, and a large
amount of treasure on board, found
cred in @ gale of wind.
1.-The Law requires the vessels Of
this line to be commanded by officers
OF the navy, and Commander VIII
liam Lewis Herndon OF Virginia had
charge OF this one. he went down
With his chip, leaving a glorious ex-
ample OF devotion to duty, Christian
conduct aud true heroisn.
"The Central America, at the time
of her loss, was hound from Aspin-
wall, via Havana, for New York
She had on board, as nearly as has
been sscertaine1, about two millions
in gold and four hundred and seven
ty-iour passengers, besides q crew,
all told. of one hundred and one
souls; total, FIVE hundred ans
seventy-fve.
''She touched at Havana on tn.
9TH of September. and put out to sea
again at 9 O'Clock on the morning of
the 9Th. The ship was apparently in
good order; the time seemed propi
tious; and all hands were in fine
health and good spirits, for the pros
poets of safe and speedy passage
home were cheering. The breeze
was from the trade.wind quarter at
northeast; but at midnight of the 9th
it freshened to a gale, which contin-
usd to increase till the forenoon of
Friday, September IL, when it blew
with great violence from the north
northeast.
Sup to this time the ship behaved
admirably. Nothing had occurr, d
worthy Of note, or in any way calcu-
lated to excite suspicious OF her Prov
ess, until the forenoon of that day,
when it vas discovered that she had
sprung leak.
1.-The sea was running high; hs
ship was very mucn keeled over on
the starboard side and lsboring
heavily. The leak was so large that
By p. m. the water had risen high
enough to extinguish the fires on one
side and stopped the engine.
"Bailing gangs were Sc. to work,
the passengers cheerfully assisting.
and all hands we're sent over on the
windwsr1 side to trim the ship. Be-
ing relieved in q measure, she righ tei,
and the fires were relighted. But
there was heavy sea on and in spite
of pumds and bsiling gang, With
their buckets. whips and barrels, the
water gained upon them until it
reached the furnaces and extin
guished the fires again, never to be
rekindled. This was Friday.
"Tne chip was now at the mercy OF
the waves, and was Wallowing in the
trough Of the sea like log.
Screw and passengers worked man
fully, pumping and bailing sllFrid--
day afternoon and night; and
when day dawned upon them the
violence OF the storm was still in
creasing.
"All that energy, and professional
skill and sesmanship could do to
weather the storm and save the chip,
bad been done. The tempest was
still raging; resources we're exhaus-
ted, the working parties we're tagged
out, aud the csptsin foressw that his
ship must 60 down.
''Still there was some chance for
hope; be might save life even il be
Lost the ship, mails and treasure. He
was in frequented part of the ocean,
and passing vessel might come TO
the rescue OF crew and passengers If
they could but manage to keep the
ship .afost until the gale absted.
He encouraged them with this hope.
The flag was hoisted Union
down. that every vessel as she hove
in sight might know they we're in dis
tress and wanted help.
FINALLY, about noon OF Saturday.
the 18th, the gale began to sbate and
the sky to brighten. A vessel hove
in sight, saw the signal of distress,
ran down to the steamer, was hailed,
answered and was asked for help.
she could give none and kept on her
course.
At about 2 p. No., the brig Marine
Captain Burt of Boston, bound from
the West Indies to New York, heard
minute guns and saw the steamers
signals OF distress. She ran down 70
the sinking ship and though very
much crippled herself by the gale,
promised to lay by. She passed IN
der the steamers stern, spoke,
rounded to and kept her word.
1.-The steamers boats were ordered
to be lowered; the Marine had none
that could live in such . sea.
"NoE came apother trying time.
Who OF this crew should be selected
to man the boats? Would they desert
I;,, xubor 49, =. Liz