Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-14
THE PEGASUS HAD A ROUGH TINE.
Impossible to Land the Soldiers and Naval
Reserve and They Returned.

Impossible to Land the Soldiers and Nava
Reserve and They Returned.
New YonK. Sept. 14.-The iron steamboa
Pegasus with the men of the sixty-ninth regi
ment and the naval reserve aboard arrived a
her dock this morning after hard nights bat
tie with heavy sea and southeaster storm. Mucl
anxiety was felt last night when no news wa,
received up to midnight Of the arrival Of th,
boat at Fire Island. 1t was very rough on tn,
ocean. and some fears were had that the boa
might have met with an accident. The nava
reserve and sixty-ninth regiment were marched
to their armories, where they were dismissed by
the governor orders.
A reporter who was aboard the Pegasus sent
report of the experiences of the soldiers and
reserve this morning. The boat arrived of
Fire Island light, two miles off shore al
o'clock last night. 1t was then SO dark that the
captain decided that the only safe thing h
do was to put back to New York. l,
was blowing e heavy gale from the
southeast and the were pounding
the Pegasus hard. The pilot was unable to find
the can buoy that marks the entrance 20 Fire
Island inlet. 1t would have been certain de-
struction for the Pegasus and her living freight
of 500 men to have attempted TO run through
the inlet in the darkness. and the steamboat was
headed back for Sandy Hook with scarcely
enough coal to make the run.
One big wave boarded the steamer at the
port after gangway. smashing the bulwarks and
nearly drove plank out of the deck. At las,
the lights of Sandy Hook came in view. Capt
Pierce pointed the boat straight for the light
which was passed at 10 O'Clock
1t was even worse than outside and the boat
was pounded all the way up the ship channel.
Just off lower quarantine the Pegasus nearly
| ran down the naval reserves old ship, the New
Hampshire. The old hulk showed only one
peak light. BY promptly stopping the Pegasus
a collision was avoided.
| The story of the journey is told by Lieut..
Commander Miller as follows:
1--WE had hard time Of it. There was a
head wind and head sea all the way down.
This kept us up until after dark, and il was
7:S0 O'Clock before we Seached Fire Island inlet.
I'VE then found that it would be impossible
for us to land; the wind was too high and there
was heavy sea: added to that it was pitch
dark. Yet, question if we could have landed
had we reached it in daylight.
"As there was not enough coal on board to last
another day We decided to 60 back and put In
at Communipau. 1t was a dreadful night
Waves dashed far over the ship $ guards. driven
by a heavy gale from the southeast. A section
of the pilot box and portions Of the fore and
aft guards were washed away.
"At 1880 O'Clock we reached Communipaw
While We were there Communipsw Coal Com
pany advices we're received from Gov. Flower
instructing the return of the troops So we
Immediately started back.
1--WE did all we possibly could; everybody
was anxious to land, and the BOYS are all willing
to 60 back to Fire Island whenever needed"
On landing at the pier the sixty ninth, led by
Col Cavansugh. were marched to their armory.
The naval reserves were dismissed at the pier
by Com nander Miller. after which the latter
held conference with members Of his stan in
the private Office of the Stonington line.