The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-22
KEARSARGE'S MEN HERE.
THEY TBLL THE STORY or 1BE
OLD CoRVETTE's WREcK.

THRY TRLE IRE STORY or I'M
OLD CoRVETTBss WRECK.
Amer su-.st-An EGsr.. - Get Hsr %
Fsiiss, sus she west Arro--s Fore ass
AU-O-e Ne. Drowned wsns Ften,.E .
Passage Ashore Lisut. Br-issra was
.. Charge whe, she struek-An oneer
wac wouIss't Let . Bi..I.etst saws
the Corvette's Co-.e-ersuve Tsbist.
From the desolate island Of Roncsdor. in the
Caribbean Sea where the bones Of the gallant
old corvette kearsaree are lying. there arrived
here Yesterday her sun-scorched, shivering
company OF 2O3 officers and men. including
Admiral y. I. Stanton. who were wreck ed
on one Of the coral reefs surrounding the
Island on Friday Feb. . Several hundred
persons. including many Of the friends OF the
blueisckets. were on the pier OF the Column
bian line at the foot Of Canal street to welcome
the eastavaJs. A big American nag was
drsped over the passenger GanRway. and
under its iutterinR folds the Officers OF the
Rearsarge passed to the pier. ,
An aged, plainly dressed man ar.stsd Ad.
mirsl Stanton heartily at the head Of the gang
plank. He was Past Commander CROWN
shield Of the Kesrsarge
All the shipwrecked men were willing 10 spin
the yarn Of the famous old war ships last
cruise
The hest and most circu mstantial account
probably. came from Naval Cadet Allen. II
was his 1rst shipwrsck and. naturally, he re-
called It more wildly than some Of the gray
bearded shellbacks.
There was a lively nortbearter blowing and
the sea was very rough when the privsteer
conaueror struck. She was bound from Port
au-Rrince. Hayti. to Dluenelds. Nicarauga. to
protect American interests there. She was
making about ten knots, and. the
wind being fair. she had nearly all
sail set. Steam from two boilers con-
tributed somewhat to her speed. The oficer
OF tho deck was Lieut.. F. X Brainard- Adj
miral Stanton and Commander o. F. Hsyer-
man were on the quarter deck. The RESPONSE
billy for the accident will rest with Lieut..
Brainard. as he was practically in charge OF
theship.
The lookout shouted Breakers ahead r. at
$3.50 O'Clock. It was Just after sunset. and Q
tropical haze obscursd objects on all hori-
zona The order to put the helm hard-a-
port was given too late to save the
old cruiser. She struck head on. and
so gently that the impression aboard
was that sho would be able to back OF In few
minutes. But the immense pressure OF the
stiff northeaster on her sails counteracted the
power Of her reversed propeller. and she went
higher on the reef. All able seamen we're or
dsred aloft to take in royals and topgallants
Before the sails were furled the ship was in the
deadly clutch OF the reef She was aground
She went up lightly at first. but the breakers.
which were At least ten feet high. rolled her
further and further on the reef Then all steam
was made and the crew prepared to tighten
ship. The after eiRht-inch pivot gun, called
the Winslow. after the gallant Captain who
through the port. Puff and tug as che might
the old corvette could not get out OF the
ordinary stesmine WAS too much for her At
lO:3U o'clock the IN ain steam pipe broke from
It. y connections to the boilers and the en-;
the deck. Nolunteers, under the command OF
lieut.. Ingat Of the Marine Corps went into
Then preparations were made to cut away
The foremost. SIX brave bluelsckets with axes
hem severed Relieved OF It's "s sSpp soHn the
oremast toppled to leeward and crashed over
he side IL broke OF clean 10 the deck. carry
This resulted in putting the vessel
IN a more even keel. and ena ed the blue
over board BY tho seas. the crests OF when in
,eesantly fell across her.
pss night out s.Jss II sSIs % and
lieut.; Mailing oil was drDped through the
more comfortably thereafter. At daybreaE
Preparations were made for going over tho
A whaeboat was successfully launched amid
he cheers OF officers and tho crew in charge OF
y aster. alarms Deery and eight volunteers
hey succeeded In reaching shoal water. Two
lie RATS. each containing three men, were
,apsized In the heavy surf. but the men chung
The catamaran. which is practically a two
ylindered life RAFT. and which has been con-
% m t 10 The WAS the
nay be mentioned that the Kearsarge was
he only vessel OF the navy that was
'ieeaoility lin the Roneador wreck may
ause the Navy Department to reconsider its |
Eedgs or boat anchor was foated over the |
eef through the high surf on grating aud |
Ias made lSss sy the crew Of the
'elt on the kedge was a four-inch hawser. /
nd the on shore end was secured to the bow |
B BY means Of a trolley line the cs.amar.n
Tas run back and forth on this four Inch |
aT ms Tsa on men were ,aIsn to the snoai part
r until O'Clock in the Afternoon for all hands
P get away from the wreck: Commander
leave. They took with them only 10 gal.
ons Of water In boat breakers and casks. and
Some Of the sailorpen who had been sent
'ith ooathoSEs TO pick out channel through
obbins. was drowned, and another able sea-
ian. H. Baader, narrowly ESCAPED death.
hey got out OF their depth while making
oundings with boAthooks and were whirled
WAY in the eddyinR currents.
The colored man. who WAS an excellent
vim mer, seemed to be max ing good progress
,ward shoAl water. whom he threw up his
Ands and disappeared. stemming tho eur
,nt was too much for his strength. Baader
as rescued in an eIhsusted conditIop., The
oats crew that saved him saw Robbins's
ody drifting away. They made an unsuc-
.ssful effort to catch Il with a boathOoE.
After the landing o. the party a, court OF
AegTuder. DIR. Barnum. and Cadet Thorn son
as convened. and made formal report Of the
;cident The party tound two shacks or tho
,s1s; elare.. and bser bOr,issi relies
!; on the steamship AEuan. on March
:. 1891. Two old stone huts were
so found OF the island, and some of the men
stained shelter under their walls. Admiral
anton and Commander HeJsrmAn took pos
'ssIon Of one Of the shaeks and surgeon Bar
lm and IaymAster j. A. Hng occupied the
her, shelter for the rest OF the officers and
10 crew was constructed OF boat oars and
,At sails and inverted boats
Rooness huts were found on the northern
lrt OF the island. but they were unnhAbit-
Die. because Of the frequent rain squalls that |