National Republican., 1884-06-11
GEN. BABCOOK'S FATE.
Particulars of the Melancholy Disaster al
Mosquito Inlet
The Struggle for Life Amidst the Roar
ing Breakers-A sailors Narrative.

account of the melancholy disaster in which
Gen. o. f. Babcock, Levi p. Luckoy, B. p.
Suffer- and Charles A. Mccormick lost their
lives. As has heretofore been stated, new
lighthouse is being built at Mosquito inlet,
on the Florida coast, and Gen. BabcocS, engi-
neer of the fifth aud sixth lighthouse dis
tricts, had The work in charge. Ho left Bal
timoro on May 10 in tho government
schooner Pharos, and was accompanied by
Mr. Luckoy aud Mr.. Smith, clerks In the
lighthouse service and by Mr.. B. p. Suttor,
druggist OF this city. There were also
eight masons on board, whom Gen. Babcock
was taking down to Mosquito inlet to lay
the foun dation of the lighthouse. The cargo
consisted Of stone and iron to be used in tho
structure.
A gale was blowing when the vessel arrived
at the inlet, and the sea was so heavy that
the captain would not attempt to cross the
bar. lie anchored outside, and waited for
better weather. Meantime, those loft in
charge of the lighthouse work wero very
anxious 10 communicate with the Pharos and,
If possible, have the masOns landed, 80 that
the work might 60 on, and also secure tho
supervision of Con, Babcock Efforts were
made to induce boat to 10 out to the pharos.
but Intellectually until Capt. Newins, of the
Bonita and the fish fertilizer factory, secured
volunteer crew Of seven, including himself
and his two sons George and Charles, Robert
J.. Bumstead, John Wood, Isaac Burnett, and
Charles A. Mccormick, oil man at the factory.
One of the whale boats or purse net boats of
tho fishery was manned by these seven men,
no one doubling their skill and ability as
sailors to make the trip to tho schooner in
safety in spite of the hazardous condition of
the bar.
The inlot proper is an opening four or flvo
hundred feet wide by which the tidal waters
known as the Halifax, stretching northwest,
aud the Hillsboro' in the reverse direction,
are connected with tho ocean. The ship
channel by which II Is entered trends to the
southeast, and is separated from the sea by o
narrow bar with usually nine feet of water
uDon ii, across which all vessels coming in
must cross. Tho sea was breaking with great
violence the full longth of the bar, and tho
shore breakers extended almost across the
channel, making the passage difficult and
dangerous one, but the daring crew were
skillful sailors, and at about eleven o'clock
made the schooner in safety.
The party on board were extremely anxious
to land. The captain of the Pharos however,
having investigated the bar that morning in
boat was decidedly of the opinion that it
was in dangerous condition for crossing
especially with u loaded vessel, and opposed
their making any attempt until tho sea went
down, but Gen. BabCock argued that If Capt
Newins and his crew could come out in safety
they could return on the flood tide with
equal safety and 30 decided To make the at
tempt. The rest of the party decided to 20
with him. After dinner, between and 2 p.
m, the people already named embarked in tho
fishery boat and started upon the fatal return
voyage.
The first heavy swells were passed over in
safety, but near the bar buoy heavy roller
mapped the sterring oar held by Capt. New
lns and threw him clear out fthe boat, which
Immediately broached to and the next
breaker filled her. Then in the midst of tho
ranging, merciless pillows of the bar lashed
into fury by the long continued gale, COM
menced terrible struggle for life with these
eleven men. Capt Newins regained the boat,
had every ono secured hold upon IL by short
life lines attached to it, among other acts
catching hold of Gen. Babcock and drawing
him to the boat as did also Mr. Smith in ono
of the capszings of the boat, which, helpless
in the breakers, was turned over many times.
In one of these Mr.. Luckey was dragged to
the capsized boat by the captain, but the next
breaker tore him loose and, still having all
his clothing on, to hamper his movements,
he sank and drowned being tho first Co go;
Mr.. Sutter next, while Mr.. Mccormick disap-
peared somewhere nearer the shore. probably
struck aud disabled by tho tossing boat or
one of the large oars-men, boat, oars, all be-
ing churned together in u seething cauldron
offoam and breakers US they approached tho
shore.
The old sailors, one of whom, Capt. Newins,
had his two sons with MIN, were thrown
upon the last remnants Of their strength and
skill to keep alive moment. But moment
at time could head be kept up and then it
was beaten down by the fast following break
ers. Drifting to the southwest before wind
and tide, they neared the beach in
the vicinity of Capt. Cooks trail across the
south peninsula n mile from the inlet. Here
they were all torn from tho boat and Gen.
Babcock drowned. A few moments later the
survivors crawled upon the beach or were
left half insensble upon its edge. Capt.
Newins and one of his sons being tho first to
recover themselves saw Gen. Babcock's
body in the surf and dragging it above high
water tried in vain to Tesusitate it. George
ID. Benjamin, superintendent Of the light
house work, arrived soon after and promptly
made the arrangements necessitated by the
catatrophe. He requested Mr.. WiedenDach
to have the body conveyed to the fertilizing
factory from whelce it was taken to the
lighthouse at Ponce's park, aud to send for
the coroner
The editor of tho Journal, who was present
at the inquest over Gen. BabcOck's body says:
so little time had eapsed-not moro than
ten or twenty minutes between drowning and
coming ashore-his appearance was yet
perfectly natural. He seemed to be only
asleep. few hours before full of the vigor,
fire, and energy which characterized him and
was doing such u noble work in improving
the locality he had chosen both for the
government and himself so that it would be
beautiful ms well as useful, here he lay upon
rude pallet Strengthened for
the grave, having ended amongst
the tumultuous pillows of Mosquito inlet q
life as tumultuOus with stirring events and
Vcssitudos us the waves which overwhelmed
him, still in face and form the image Of a
brave soldier resting for the morrow's battle.
Not sparing him for friends or enemies
sake, the national record his name has gained,
or because his years were yet in their prime,
and little family in the far-oT capital had
but lately bid him loving and not appre-
hensiyo farewell as we looked upon him the
utter ptifulness of human lilo was here
exempliied by remorseless death.
Among tho witnesses examined by the
coroner was George Newins (son OF Capt
Newins who had charge Of the boat, and his
testimony is reported as follows:
Reside at New Smyrna, ana am employed by tho
New Smyrna Fish Fertilizer company, LEFT
from sea buoy our steering Oar broke, AMI captain
was steering when The our broke and no was
thrown oyeTbOard ! was rowing forward oar
My car was washed away at the same time. Oul
boat unset and we drlited through the breakers Il
the southward, When about ten rods from shore
we were nll washed away from tho boat and were
not able to get TO her again Swan mashOre, aud on
rehching II VIC found The body, We were told II
was Gen. o. t. BabCOCk. | identify tho
body ms that of the general Father and
! took the body Just above high water
mark. was ON the bow Of the boat
ana Gen. BabeoCk was there with me, lie was