The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1956-08-17
Gallant Deeds of By-Gone
Years in The Walter
Raleigh Coasfland.
Steamship Central America
Went Down 81 Years Ago in
September Seas OFF Ha+teras
By EARL DEAN

100 years ago the Central
America" was lost in Septem-
Der hurricane. But of all the
stories told of man and his heroic
struggles with the sea few can
compare with the last hours Of
Gait. w. L. Herndon who went
down with his ship with gesture
of sheer majesty in the face of
certain disaster.
Five hundred and seventy-five
terrified men, women and children
who crowded the decks of the Pa
cific Mail Steamship Central
America" that fearful September
night in 1857, had been at the
mercy of a bowling gale off
stormy Cape Hatteras for two and
a half days.
Capt. William Louis Herndon,
the brave little 44-year-old mas
ter of the stricken vessel, had
often passed treacherous Diamond
Shoals, the Graveyard of Ships"
during two years of voyages be-
tween ports in Panama and New
York City carrying passengers,
freight and the United States
mail. But never before had he seen
/ the ocean off the North Carolina
coast whipped to such fury by the
wind.
Gold Miners Coming Home
Rugged miners, fresh from the
gold fields of California, with
more than eight million dollars
worth of precious metal packed in
their luggage; wives and children
of wealthy South American planta-
ton owners, and 100 seasoned sea-
men, many of them veterans of
many a stormy night of wind and
wave all watched the mounting
seas anXiously.
1t was on September 9, 1857, as
the big steamer rode into hurri-
cane off Hatteras. With her baro-
meter dropping rapidly, the wind
suddenly shifted to a gale from
north-northeast ripping her aux
iliary sails to tatters. Driven by
the high winds angry seas hurled
huge waves against the Central
Americas sides, bursting her
seams and starting leaks in half
dozen different places. Frantic
passengers and exhausted men,
bers of the crew worked side by
side all night long as the water
steadily gained in the vessels
hold. Bailing with buckets, scoops,
pots and pans they tried to rid
the vessel of tons of sea water
taken on after the pumps had fail
ed. Outside, giant waves boarded
the Central America" with ter
rifle blows smashing the deck fit
tings. All night long the storm
shrieked through the rigging as
the ship wallowed helplessly in
the mountainous seas.
At his place of command on the
bridge Capt. Herndon braced him
self against the raging elements
and directed the sending up of
dozens of fiery red signals of dis
tress. By daylight the Inflated
Central America" had begun to
settle heavily and although the
wind had begun to abate some
what the storm had already done
it's deadly work and the ship was
doomed. Just when it looked as
though the vessel would go under
for the last time with every huge
wave that swept her listing decks,
help came. The New England brig
Marine, out of Boston with Capt.
Hart at the wheel, had seen the
distress signals sent up during
the night by the crew on board
the sinking Central America" and
had come to the rescue. But, with
only two life boats, there was
little hope that all of the Alta pas
sengers and 100 crew members
could reach safety over the ire
mendous seas
| Capt. Herndon personally direct
ed the attempt to rescue as many
of his passengers as possible. Two
trips were made to the Marine"
loaded with women and children
from the Central America" Sec
tions of the hurricane deck were
cut away to be used as life RATS
On the third trip life boats made
from the brig Marine, Capt
Herndon, sensing that his vessel
could remain afloat only few
minutes longer, ordered them to
stay clear fearing they would be
sucked under the surface when hi,
great ship made her final plunge
to the bottom of the ocean
| Dressed for The Occasion
Calling his first officer, mar
by the name of Van Rensselaer,, tc
his side, he left him in charge Of
the stricken vessel. Then Capt
Herndon went below to his flood.
ed cabin, put on his full-dress uni,
form as commissioned officer il
the United States Navy, bucklet
on the sword he had once proudly