Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-28
BRAVERY REWARDED.
Rseesniiion ofs Gallant Feat or the onieer'
and Men Of the Stenwshfp Roanoke.

Rseezniiion or Gallant Feat OF the 0hicefs
and Men OF the Steamship Roanoke.
The tesmship Roanoke Of the Old
Dominion line arrived here yesterday
morning. Just before she left her dock
In New York her commander, Captain
Couch, her first officer, Mr.. Dole, and
i've OF her crew were the recipients of
distinguished honors in recognition of
their services in the saving Of human
life at sea.
On the 5th Of the present month
Captain Couch, on his voyage from New
York to Norfolk sighted about Q o'clock
in the morning off Cobb's island the
schooner Emma Aery ashore on the
shoals near the island with her colors fly
ing union down. He hauled up on his
course to relieve her il possible, running
the steamer into three fathoms Of water
for this purpose, it being as near shore
as he dared to go. The wind and sea
were very high and the cold intense.
lie thought it would be impossible to
save the crew Of the schooner, seven in
all, who could be discerned clinging to
the rigging. However. he determined
to make the effort, and was aided by
Mr.. |. f. Dole, his first officer, and
Seamen Joseph Norwood, Peter Hamil-
ton, andre LARSON, Peter Jacobsen,
and Albert Petersen, who volunteered
20 60 to the assistance Of the sufferers
in one of the ships boats. 1t was
nearly 10 in the morning when the boat
left the steamer to 60 to the schooner,
which was nearly three miles distant.
The rescuers had great difficulty in
getting to the schooner, owing to the
terrific gale and the high seas, which,
combined with the cold, caused them
selves and the boat to be covered with
ice, and made boat and crew look like
miniature iceberg. After three and a
half hours pulling they finally reached
the schooner, which by this time was
all under water except the bowsprit
and the top Of her deck-house. The
captain of the schooner was a very
heavy man, and in his efforts to get
into the boat fell overheard after
much labor he was pulled out, and
eventually the whole Of the crew Of the
schooner, seven in all, were saved. The
boat was absent from the ship about
five hours.
After her return it was found that
the crew of the schooner and some of
the boats crew were severely frost
bitten. They were placed in the hos
pital for treatment, and fortunately
have escaped permanent injury.
In recognition Of the bravery dis
played by the crew from the Roanoke,
the Life-SayiDg Benevolent Association
awarded gold medal each to Captain
Couch and to Mr.. Dole, his first officer,
and to the seamen who formed the
boats crew each a silver medal ard
s2j. The Old Dominion Steamship
Company supplemented this by giving
Captain Couch acknowledgement
complimentary letter from the preSi-
dent of TIE company. To Mr.. Dole
they gave an elegant gold watch, and
to each of the boats crew sij suit
Of clothes.
The presentation Of these articles
took place Thursday on board the Roa-
noke-Mcssrs. Hand and Lyon on be-
half Of the Association, and Captain
Bourne and Mr.. Stanford on behalf of
the Old Dominion Steamship Com
panv.
Captain Couch is a great fayorite in
Richmond and with the travelling pub
lie. lie is as gentle as he is brave.
lie is as skilled in entertaining and
pleasing his passengers as he is learned
in the mysteries Of the sea. At eighteen
years Of age he was master of one of
the Currie packets. Ills father before
him commanded a vessel running to
this port. At the breaking out OF the
war he was the master of the old steam
ship Roanoke. which was the last YES
sci to leave Richmond before the be-
ginning OF hostilities, and was under his
command. During the war he was run
ming between New York and Havana,
and after it was over returned to his old
route. lie has been a successful voy-
ager, and is highly appreciated by his
company as well as by the public.