Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-28
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Captain sampsons Report Of the nowipgur
Of the Patapsoo.
An Explosion During the Late War
Similar to That Of the
Maine.

dent Of the naval board Of inquiry on the
Maine disaster, was himself q victim of q
torpedo explosion at one time. The result
Of that explosion was similar In many re-
spects to the effect OF the Maine explosion.
In the archives Of Congress is a report
setting forth the details Of Capt. -Sampson.s
thrilling experience 1t occurred white he
was a lieutenant in the navy, aboard the
old monitor Patapsco, which was blown up
and sunk by a torpedo in Charleston har-
Dor, January Is, 1865, drowning sixty-two
officers and men in their hunks.
Lieut.. SIMPSONS report Of the affair
through his superior officer gives the de-
tails of the disaster. The report is as fol-
lows:
Lieut.. SIMPSONS Report.
Upon me, as one Of the fortunate, de-
Nolved the sad duty of reporting to you the
destruction by a large torpedo of the mon
itor Patapsco while on picket duty Gn
Charleston Roads, South Carolina). The
Patapsco, on the night of the 18th instant,
was rounded to at the usual station of the
advance monitor, hut not anchored. Two
or three picket boats, with what grapnels
could be obtained from the Patapsco and
Lehigh, were sent up the channel to drag
for torpedoes, and, il possible learn the
nature and position of any obstruction
placed in the channel by the rebels. To pro-
tect the boats while thus engaged the Pa
tapsco was allowed to drift up the chan
mel, taking the precaution to keep her head
to the strong flood tide, that she might be
under better command in case our move
ments drew the rebel fire.
ITO avoid unnecessary risk Of life, the
picket and scout boats not engaged in
dragging were ordered by you to pull OF
on either beam and quarter, but remain In
sight of the vessel. The two tugboats, for
the same reason, were ordered to keep
ha nf 11S Inc
PatapSco drifted up the west side OF the
channel, going ahead slowly at times 10
keep her stream to the tide and IN the
channel. When We had reached point
between Sumter and Moultrie, and about
500 yards from the former. we steamed
down channel under one bell until we had
passed the Lehigh buoy placed on the ex-
IRENE end of the point making on from
Morris Island.
How the Vessel Was Struck.
I'VE again steamed down channel, and
were going four bells when the vessel
struck the torpedo and sank In about hf-
teen seconds The last cast Of the lead.
given a moment before she struck. was five
fathoms. We were then about 800 yards to
the north of the Lehigh buoy.
THE torpedo struck the vessel ON the
port side, just abreast the butts, and APP
peared to raise the deck. through which
the smoke issued. Ny first impression on
hea ring the report was that shot had
struck the overhang just below the water,
but tire column of smoke and wafer which
INN ediately shot upward convinced me of
the real nature of the explosion.
THE order to start the pumps was i'm
media tely given by you down through the
turret. So imDracticable did the execution
Of the order appear the next Instant that
l did not repeat it. You Immediately after
ward gave the order to man the boats. AL
though these orders were given in rapid
succession. only the officer of the deck,
who stepped from the turret into the boat
and one man, had time to obey the last
order before the boat was atioat at the
davits.
Owing to the wise precaution of having
the picket boats near at nan', all those
who were on deck at the tinla Were saved
None escaped from below except the en-
gineer and fireman on watch and one man
who passed from the berth deck through
into the fire room and up the hatch. From
my position on top of the turret l was
able to form a correct opinion Of the move
ment and position Of the vessel the whole
time"
Admiral DahlEren's Comment.
Rear Admiral Dahlgren, commanding the
squadron Of which he Patapsco was a
member, In making report to the Secre-
tary Of the Navy upon the disaster, said:
From such accounts as l can gather in
so short time as has elapsed, ii would
seem that the explosion occurred on the
port side, under the ward room, blowing
1t up, SO as to drive up the table and three
officers who were sitting about it. The
spar deck was not bio WI through but the
lookout. on the port side and some ten feet
from the edge of the deck was thrown up
suddenly and fell back with such force as
to be nearly senseless.
1T appears also that there vas no dis
rupture of the vessel at the berth deck
nor further aft; that no water came in
there, save at the matches, as the Patapsco
settled in the sea. and that her bow went
down irst throwing the stern high Up for
an instant. 80 that man standing there
had to grasp something to keep upright.
1t is believed that the berth deck ladder
was dislodged by the shock, and in the
panic could not be replaced. Hence no men
there were saved except those who rushed
aft into the fire room"
Lieut. Commander Quackenbush, who
mad charge of the Patapsco, in q report to
the admiral, said: THE cool intrepidi,y
displayed by Lieut.. Sampson, my executive
officer, and Acting Ensign Dashfori, the
only two officers belonging to the ship who
came under my notice, deserved the high
est praise. l have since been Informed that
Third Assistant Engineer D. C. Davis re-
manned nobly at his post when the shin