Year: 1877




to put the ba,a over. when a three-Inch line was
made fast TO the balsa, and the same was lowered
overheard but it fouled with the jib-boom fore
guard and other spars. | got down on the torpedo
spar and worked about ten minutes TO clear the
basa, and called for some 70 help me. Mr..
Danner came down part of the way ana
said he was too weak, and could not
get on. told him that it was only chance, and
he had better try. He said he could not and he
said he would hold on awhile. Williams, seaman
then got down and said he would go In about III
teen minutes succeeded IN getting the balsa clear
of the spars. could get no more line. and the First
Lieutenant, Mr. Simons, Mr.. White, and many others
in the fOrecastle sang out to me: "The line IL
out; cut it and go on shore If posi-
bic for assistance" 1 had small PEN
knife, but could not open it because my
hands were so numbed. Williams opened IT, and
succeeded in cutting the rope | was then struck
several times by spars. in the small of my back
and once across the hips. We thought the beach
ran perpendicular to the ship 1t was fOggy ana we
could not see the shore. When the line was cut the
balsa went toward the stern of the ship, ana
we thought we were going To sea. We paduled
the balsa with pieces of pannelling. Near the
stern of the ship heavy surf struck Us
and capsized the basa end for end. Ny leg being
jammed, it held me underneath the water Tor
while. Both regaiued the balsa, when | told VII
liams to get on the end and we would SWIM ana
steer the basa in for fear OF another capsze' we
were thrown over again and the catastrophe threw
Williams about ten feet. Ny arm being Jammed'
| was thrown on NY back. When we came up
again it was rather still water. | swan and
pushed the balsa toward Williams and he
got on top and stood up and looked around. lie
said he saw the masts of a fishing vessel ahead,
which was mooTed To telegraph poles on shore. l
told him we would steer for il. We capsized twice
more. and before We knew il we were on the beach.
told him 10 haul the bal.a mp, as we might want
to use il to send off to the ship.


EFFORTS ON SHORE.


We landed about three-quarters Of a mile mp the
beach from the wreck, aud found two men inside
the surf who were too weak 10 get up. We went
down and pulled them up. then ran to the hrst
house | saw but found no one in H. started down
the beach rs fast as / could. my legs hurting me
very badly found ten or fifteen people from the
shore standing opposite the wreck looking at H.
told them 10 20 further up the beach and DO all
they could to save the men, as there appeared
10 be landing up there with n very strong current
running up the coast. We pulled ont several more
men. asked them where the saving steamers were.
They said one was seven miles mp the beach, and an
other four miles down the beach. l saw a man on
horseback and sent him 10 the upper station FOR as
si.tance and 10 telegraph TO Washington for assist
ance 10 the wreck THIS was about o'clock a. M,
then saw Sir. Conway. who had landed. asked
those men on the shore why the llie-car
was not there. They told me that Life
Crew l3 were at Roanoke Island. l asked
them why they did not bring it up. They said il
was locked up i'm the station, and they were afraid
To break open the door l told them them if they
would come with me, would break open the door
and get it out. Five of them volunteered 20 60. |
asked them if they saw our signals. and they
said they did-even the very first signal. | then
walked and ran down the beach with these men TO
the station; found one there, but saw team
coming down the beach. which proved to be that
of sheriff Brinklev. of Dare County. | broke open
the door and got the mortar and lines. We broke
omen a locker and found powder and balls,
which sheriff Brukley brought up IN his wagon
but when got back to the scene OF the wreck, ali
the masts Of the Huron were gone and no one was
on board This was about II o'clock a. IL. Sheriff
Brinkley then kindly invited us all TO his house.
The officers accepted the invitation and the men
were provided for at the station with provisions,
beds. blankets and clothing. The Sheriff then with
his team, went up the beach and was all night with
his men looking for bodies.


Itelegraphed to Admiral Trenchard at Hampton
Road, for assistance and clothes and provisions my
dislatch being gued by Master W. p. Conway. l
SIGNED same telegram to the Chief Signal Officer in
Washington, stating that four officers and thirty
men were saved and that the ship total wreck.
The next morning one of the men reported two men,
of-war and wrccking steamer in the oiiing.
We went Immediately TO the station and
I tried 10 call the attention of the ship
with a large blue FLAG. but could not. Then


went ND to the point opposite the wreck and found
fine teegraph operator 'wig-wagging TO the wreck
ina, steamer / took ms flag and signaed % them
the names of the officers saved and the number OF
men and asked them what we should do with the
eight dead men we had. They answered, w AT mo-
ment and we Will communicate with the admiral
shortly aftervaId the hagship Powhatan ami the
Fortune started mp the beach and dlsap-
peared The Swatarl tried to signal TO
Us. but without glasses conld not
read At l o'clock a relief party under command
of Lieutenant T.. W. Watson arrived from Gosport
Navy Yard with surgeon George Arthur, stores, etc.
All the saved and the bodies of tire dead were then
placed on board the steamer B0utO and were COLI
veyed 10 Norfolk.


BURYING THE DEAD.


The bodies of the men lost IN the Huron disaster
were conveyed, at p. u, to the Hospital Grounds
for burial under escort of the United States Marines
Colonel james Forney in command At the grounds
the cortcge was formed by Medical Doctor
Martin and staff attached to the station,
the commanding and other officers of the
Fortune also accompanied the escort. The
pall-bearers were shipmatcs of tine deceased
who came TO the yard on the steamer Bonito, this
morning The Rev. O. :. Barton conducted thc ser
vices. and the marine bat alion closed the ceremony
by firing a salute of three yoeys. The steamer Sva-
tara is left at the scene Of the wreck to any
I Ir,I tlat -ytt.f lft,,ra