Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-15
A TRAGIC sHfrwRECN.
How Commodore Slcard Lost His ship
Fifteen Years Ago.

From he Phjl1dei9lta Mans.
WAsHlNGruN, July II. - Com. Mont
gomery Sicard, the present Ch'et Of
/ the Bureau Of Ordnance, Navy Depart
ment, who is to be reappointed, is native
! of New York, and was appointed naval
cadet from that state In 1851 He IS about
/ 81 years OF age, OF French extraction, and
/ has mad "a singular career az naval ON
/ Ger.
/ In the latter part Of 1870 he commanded
the United states steamer saginaw, ana
was sent 10 the Midway islands lu the
Pacific ocean, ten days run south OF
Honolulu 10 deepen the bar there and re-
move distinctions in tue channel.
Seventy miles to the westward OF the
/ Midway islands is ocean island, and
! upon this bleak aud barren stretch Of land
/ his vessel was wrecked on the morning OF
| oct. 20, and all hands sent whirllng
/ through the breakers 10 shore without any
loss Of lite. The first information OF the
/ total wreck of the saginaw came TO tins
country from Minister Pierce, OF the
/ Sandwich islands, and he received his ia
| formation from tragedy that was en-
acted on one OF the Sandwich Islands
Early in the morning Of Dec. 10, 1870, a
whale boat belonging to an American
man-Ot-War was thrown up on the beach
among the breakers that wash the shore
of the island OF KanaI, one Of the Hawai-
ian group, about four days sail from
Honolulu. soon a sailor, almost eX-
hausted, was seen struggling with the
waves and was thrown up on the beach.
Then the wreckage from the boat and the
bodies of several men lloated ashore.
The wrecked whaleb0at had lett Ocean
island, upon which the crew Of the sagi-
nav we're anXiOusly waiting for help, on
Nov. Is 10 try to reach the Sandwich
islands and send relief to the shipwTecked
mariners. In the boat were Lieut.. J. g..
Talbot, Peter Francis, john Andrews,
James Muir and William Halford. The
latter who was coXswain, WAS the man
who was thrown up by the breakers
alive, and but for the fact that his life
was proyidently saved the ships crew on
Ocean island might have starved before
succOr could have reached them.
The men in the Whaleb0at had been Sc
lected to undertake the trip by Com. ST.
card because of their excellent strength.
Tossed on the ocean in an open boat for
thirty-One days, with terribly bad
weather, losing "a sea anchor, oars and
square sail, with Lieut.. Talbot sick for
several days nieh unto death, they at last
sighted the southwestern epd Of the Sand
wich isl inds and when almost ready to
spring upon shore, with hope for the fu-
ture buOyant In their hearts, their boat
was caught in the breakers and all per-
ished miserably but HaltOrd, the cox
swain.
-Four days after Half0rds rescue he
reached Honolulu, and told his tragic
story 10 the American Minister. The lat
ter dispatched fast-sailing schooner and
a steamer with 30 days ratiOns for 100
men and with clothing, medical
OF of no Wy nd MAJ
Sicard and 80 persons were anXiOusly
waiting on that desOlate island for a sail.
The Saginaw mad left Midway island
late in the afternoon on Oct. 2S, with a
contractors party which had been work
ing in the channel. Before shaping his
course for the Sandwich islands Com,
Sicard ran over to Ocean island
to zee if there were any shipwTecked per-
sons on it, as the place was quite out OF
the usual track of vessels. The vessel
struck "A reef early the next morning. The
ships company and contractors barely
saved their lives, and it Immediately be
came a question of starving to death in
/ the place unless euccOr would shortly
/ come. 1t was asceTtained that on quarter
TatiOns the food saved would last about
/ four months, and the turtle-seal fish eOuld
bscaught, which would help along amaz
/ ingly.
] Ou NOV 10 Lieut.. IatUOb anu MS DOB
/ started from Ocean Island to seek relief
AS soon as Talbot had started Com
I Sicard set about building 2 flat-bOttOmed
/ schooner, 40 feet in length and II fee
| beam. She was ready for planking wheI
I the Hawaiian steamer sent out by Minis
ter Pierce hove in sight to relieve them Oh
the morning of Jan. 3, 1871. ont
/ old buck saw and rip saw were all the
saws on hand 10 do this work, but it KEEP
/ the crew stout-hearted and gave then
something to employ their minds. Ther'
was only one sixteenth rations Of bread
stufs daily distributed among the met
/ from the start, and the men lived of al
almost exclusive animal diet. A we'll wal
/ dug and pure spring water found on TIA,
/ island.
/ The Hawaiian steamer Kileaua, which
/ reached the men SO opportunity, wa
manned, cOaled and equipped at the eX
( pense OF the Hawaiian government, witt
an American commander, Tom Long
/ The schooner kona arrived next day. Al
/ hands Immediately went on board, an,
reached Honolulu Jan. IA, On Jan. }
they were given a grand reception at tn
I palace and congratulated BY the King
Shortly atterwaTd they started for tn
I United States and reached home safely
A court Of inquiry found Sicard blame