Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-11-02
THE OLD AND THE NEW
"yERMONT."

que Journal the official organ or the
Navy League of the United States, We
are permitted to copy from its septem-
her number tho interesting article chiefly
devoted to the history of the old Ship
of the Line, which bore the name YER
mont" The article is headed by Il hnc
cut Of the old Vermont, when moored in
1900, as the receiving ship at the New
York navy yard.
After the War Of 1872. the government
projected several large vessels for the
navy, known as ships OF the line. Among
them was the Vermont. She was laid
down at Boston in the year ISIS; rated
as a "a, OF 2O3s tons register. and de-
signed for a complement of $40 officers
and men. Hardly had she been begun,
when work was suspended. and It was
not until September IS. 1ss. that she was
finally launched. From the date of her
completion, until 1861, she was never
called upon for service. The great changc
| that resulted in naval construction. her
size, and the growing use of steam rem
dered her obsolete. but she still had her
place on the navy list. and when the
demand for ships became so great at
the outbreak Of the War of the Rebel
lion. the Vermont was duly commits
stoned and made her first and only cruise.
a cruise 90 evcntful and %pertlous That
it more than redeemed her previous in
action.
ON February Il, 1Sfo. the Vermont. undcr
tho command of Commander A. s. Bald
win. left the harbor of Boston for Port
ROYAL. 5. C., where she was To he station
ship for the squadron. The day was IA
fine winters day with Light airs and
smooth water. and the ship under tow
Of two powerful tugs. with everything
favorable for a speedy and pleasant voy-
age. stood out to sea. During the after
noon the weather suddenly changed. At
half-past seven in IT," r"nine, when near
Cape Cod light. "A heavy s1uall. with
snow. struck tho ship. The tugs were
Obliged to let go their lines, and the wind
Increasing to n violent gale. the shin.
refusing to obey her helm. preached to.
and in n moment had all her sails torn
from her yards. Fearing that the Yer
mont would drive ashore. the commander.
or advice of the pilot. decided to anchor
in twonty-four fathoms of water. In
doing this. the starhoard anchor was lost.
The gale continually Increasing with al
most unprocfden violence for fifty
hours. tho shin drifted n hundred miles
to tho eastward. toward the Georges
Shoals. At 3 n. m. on tho 18th OF Fob
ruarv, during The height Of the storm.
tho ruddcr was torn from the stcrn-post
and broke entirely adrift. The old ship
then was in n dire predicamcnt. without
sails or ruddcr. her boats blown away,
and drifting fast on the Shoals. a drag
was quickly constructed. the cable slip
ped. and through a good Providence she
passed clear of the mcnacing shoals.
Owing to the defective model of the ship
she was u~nmanascablc in a sea way and
rolled so heavily that it was dangerous
to go below on account Of the furniture,
m~ess-chests. etc. that had gone adrift,
and were plunging from side to side with
each lurch Of the ship. The great seas
had broker in several ports, and the
waves that came on board soon caused a
large quantity Of water to accumulate
on the berth deck. which the pumps
were unable to remove, and for more
than forty hours the men were employed
in hailing with buckets The greater dis
comfort prevailed and the crew soon be-
gan to succumb to the severe strain.
There was al unusual preponderance OF
landsmen and boys in the ships company,
many Of whom were making their first
voyage. unacquainted with life afioat and
untitled for its hardships. At one time
fifty were in tho hospital through FROST
bites and sickness. and II It had not been
for the few able seamen and the untiring
exertions OF the officers. the ship would
certainly have foundered.
So matters progressed until the morn
Ing OF February 3sth. when the schooner
FLYING Mist, was sighted. and Mr.. Birnie,
the storekeeper. was put on board her
with orders to report the condition OF
the ship to the nearest authorities. at
whatever point he might be able to reach.
When his telegram was received by the
department. II aroused great excitement
throughout the country, and every avail
able naval vessel was at once ordered
to search the seas for the disabled Yer
mont. Merchant steamers were also
chartered and loaded with supplies and
sent out on the same mission. On the
18th of March. the gun-boat Aroostook
sent from the Boston navy yard, found
her drifting aimlcssly before the gale
but as tho AroOstook had lost her funne
and was otherwise damaged by the storm
she could render little assistance. Thf
! bad weather still continuing. the ARGOS
took was obliged to leave them 10 de
! pend upon their own resources. On March
18th, all hands We're cheered by the ar
rival Of the steamer Saxon bringing some
old sails and n new rudder. but the!
} were again doomed to disappointment
for in shipping the rudder at night it go
adrift and was lost. The Saxon the,
: took the Vermont In tow. but owing I,
the storm the lines soon parted. and Nh
9 Saxon steamed away. and the old shil
again was lost to sight. Vessel afte1
vessel returned without news Of he
whereabouts but with appalling account,
OF the storm. the heavy sea. and thu
%wreckagc that they had encountered
There was one ray OF hone. however
both the Aroostook and the Saxon ha'
reported that the ship was sound tina
there were no leaks, and that the Off
less, throughout the land the anxiet,
j, was great, for ii was hardly to he sup
, poscd that a ship of her years in al
, unprecedented winter storm, without rud
der or sails, could long survive.
1t is n remarkable circumstance that
Of all the vessels sent in search Of tn
Vermont. relief should have come from
one Of the old f%riSates. the Sabine wher
Iali tho etcom vcsSclS failed she succeed