have sworn upon the Alter of Cod, eternal ho(IIIty to every form of Tyranny ever the Mind of Man." Thomas JelToron
Iff. WEBB, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
IILOOMSHUIU2, COLIDIIUA OOtXTV, PA." SATURDAY, OCTOII12K .11, ISKi.
Vol mac X.
Vniiiixi as.
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THRILLING NARRATIVE.
LOSS OF THE U. S. BRIO WASHINGTON
U. S. Biua Washington.,
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 22 184G.
To Me Editor of the Baltimore Patri
ot; Sir: Should you deem the fncloscd
details of the wreck of the U. S, Brig
Washington, in the hurricane of the 8 h
inst.,cff Cape Hatter?, worthy a place
in the columns of your valuable paper,
they may prove not uninteresting It
some of your readers, as being connect
ed with a fate of a gallant officer, well
known in your city, and wherevm
known beloved. A Naval Officer.
After a pleasant cruise of about a
month, in the Gulf Stream, where sh.
had been employed surveying, the U
S. Brig Washington, L'. Comm'g Geo.
M. Bache, stood in, on the 7'h insi.,foi
the capes of Virginia. As tho wind ap
peared ihreaining, the wind fresh anil
blowing on shore, great anxiety was feh
to. reach an anchorag". The night
came on dark and lowering, and as we
reared the land all eyei were lurried to
the windward to catch the glimmer of
the light for which we were striving,
(that upon Smith's Island,) though the
haze aad squalls, now beginning to ob
score the horrizon,at the windward- A
bout eleven our hearts were gladdened
by the welcome cry of 'light ho' from
the look out; but the joy ws doomed to
be of short duration. The liht upon
Cape Henry, without making wheh
the harbor cannot be entered, must have
been obscured by a squill, for when we
brought by the wind, after beaiing tip
for it, expecting every mnmenlto make
the looked for beacon, always civ erin
to the manner, in our case we felt to be
our only hope the terrible cry ol
breakers ahead!' strurk a pang to heart
throbbing with hope, aud loM that we
were abandoned to the horrors of a Ite
ehnrp, and that our only prospect ol
safety lay in being eble to curry sail a
gainst the wind, Sea and current foic
ing ii"' upon Cape Hatters, the terror ol
genre n, this al' felt to be forlorue hope.
for the gale, now increased in violent,
howled ominously ihrough the ringing
Biid already our Ii' tie vesel swaggertc
under her canvass; the sky was obscured
by flying masses of daik cloud; thr
crest of the waves heaving their duk
volumes to the sky, fli-hed with the
ghastly phosphorescent light often ob
served in storms, once the tie a ahead
was lil up for a few seconds by a pair
blue light, known to seamen as thtCor
pus Santo, and whose appalling appeir
nnco ihey supersliliously regard as the
precursor of misfortune and wreck, the
barometor fell rapidly, and everything
foretold a terrible strife of tho elements
Upon discovering the bi taker, the
brig wrs iinmcdiittly worn wiih her
head cdf shore ; ihe courses ret fed, htr
top hAs double reefed and set. Nobly
.the gallant craft did her p.rt ; groaning
io every Hmuer; Her tail mars uowing
. . .. i
10 the blft. Da) light found her si
dragging on, and rising lothe seas whicl
appeared r f sing on to her destruction.
it hi ought an increase of wind and mo
gloomy prospect, the sea ran feailulh
nighj and appeared ono sheet of foam,
far as the eve could leach. We had
lost during the night the lie bonts,whicl
had filled lorn from Ihe davit?, jib and
(lying jib booms, lopma.it, staysail, J-c
The lead, every cast of which had tern
watched with deep anxiety, told tha'
we were rapidly drifting upon the shore.
By seven the winds had increased u-
hurricane; sul after sail had eithei
been taken in, or splitli.ig wiih a noisi
like thunder, blew into ribbons to lee
ward, the yards shivering like pipe
s:ems; nothing remained but the foretop
sail, unconnected tinder which the brig
lay to' nnlil eleven, A. M., when tht
hurricane had reached ite height, and
raged with extraordinary violence, sur
jassing anything we had ever sten. Tlx
brig lay oil her side; the wa'er bjiling
over the lee rail; we were obhged to
cling to the rigging, to prevent beitik
b'own or washed overboasd, for the sen
ippeared uprooted from its bed and
borne in huge masses through i he air,
constantly awept our deck. Ttie lc
guns were thrown overboard, and sub
sequently ihe weather ones, and the
helm put up; she refused to answer ii
and the order was given to cut away ih.
mainmasts it wag promptly obtjed, a
was eveiy other, our noble crew behav
ing with ihe SteadintS and disiplint
characteristic of 'men ol wai's men.'
lit its fall Ihe mainmast cariied awa)
he head of the foremast, topmast am
loreiop sail yards, which hung in a mas-
o leeward; every txeiiion was mule u
null of the Washington' steeled wildly
in before tire bun icane to ihe shore, tin
had flri ven so well lo clear; tl.e anchou
Dad been )ifpaied for letting go, as tin
last hope, yet no one imagined ih.it tin
bles wuuld hold for a moment in llu
furious sea. The horrors ol ihd seen
i) 111 j decrip;ion. '1 ho fu rce huwlinj,
of the hurricane, the ro.ring ol in-
waves, breaking in irregular m,ssvN a
round u and press ng on madly in uui
wake, as eager io be in al Ihe death
were added lo ihe crashing of spars,
which, falling fiom a I o ('( or Uu.ichtd m
Ooaid by Ihe sea, now made sd luvn'
among us. Two olTioei s and evcii.lo
he crew had been boino wounded be
low: scatcily one among in tseapi d in
ju.'j ; and j et throughout this trying
jco.ie not a sign uf (Inching lore and
(', not a blanched cheek was to be seen
oidtrs vvcre given and executed with
he coolness of cveiyday niai io ivcriug.
A'cver did ihe wntrrfjt l sj proud ol
nis countryman's seamen as then. Ai1
we neared the breakers, each in hi awaii-
-;d the fnle which appeartd inevitable
with a calmness and s t-1 1 possession al
most incrediiabh.
At or iiar meridian, tht htlm wa.
put down, and the larhnard ar,choiag
lei go;h came lo ihe wind, ,i Iwhvj
nea broke on board, throwing ihe brig.
upon her beam ends, shilling tank-1, ba
last.&c. in ihe hold; carrying awny (ii'Uen in lovV hy t-r, ami upon ine even-
lerk. cabin, wheel, boat., bulwai k,itr.. i
and washing overboard nearly tvny
soul. b'H tin own aboard hy il.esra,
ho r phied half loll of wan r. or clinniriL
- r ...
io fragments ol ihe wn ck, towing, al
ucce-ded in rrgaiinng the deik.txcep'
'iur lamented commander, Lieut Bactnj
and ten ol the rre w. In a moon hi they
were swept fiom nui view, thai moment
ihowtd them calm and composed, the
determined sjiiri', which suppoiied iheni
in hoanl senned still to m nr e "htm.
0;,e noble fellow, as he passtd &eie r n
waved his hat in token cf tdiur, and tht
driving spray hid them forever from
rur sight. We supposed ourselves a
nongihe breakers, and that our unfor
unate shipmates had but anticipated our
loom alill it was a bitter ang lo see
them thus cut of from among us, and
many an eye which bed calmly confront
ed, death, mislrusied al their laie. They
weie among ihu flower of our crew, bel
ter seamen nsvef trod a deck, and long
will be cherished the memory of the"
eneious. kindly naiures. My pen is
unequal lo ihe task of pay ing a li. ling
iribuie to the memoiy ol our depariec
lommander, lo rare professional accom.
jlishmi'iits, he added eveiy vinut
which ennobles tho human character.
Never waa commander mors uneerJy
jeloved ind rebjiected by those who
erved under hirPj his duly was always
up)ermosl in his mind, and the las
words we heaid him utler were address-
ng hisoflicors when Ihey stood logeth
r on Ihe brink of eternity: 'Gentlemen
I hope you think I have dune my duty
have used eveiy exertion lo save llu
vessel.' He had indeed done his duty,
with ihe skill and coinage which distin
guished him no mortal could havi
done more. Yet, when there appeartc
no earthly hope, Gjd was mercifull)
pleased lo succor us; l he hunicane abau
ed. our cables veered lo tr.e 'better end'
(contrary lo all expectation) held, hik!
die anchors dragging checked hti dril1
.-.oon after ihe wind suddenly shifted u
ihe north waid and westward, ihe fea
weni down considerably, ami still drag
4mg, ihe brig tailed olJ shore. She was
lightened of kenlkdge, &e., the fore
naii cut away, and rode easily, at sunse'
C).e Hiilleis was seen cloe aLoal'J -Un
hi ihe 12 h, we rode to a heavy g-il
:'iom the nonhward, with two anchnis
head the stream cable hid pirted.On
jables bearing a heavy strain, wo tX
jit'c'ed every moment to pait, anil tht
ii eakeis o)on the Cape i oaring astern .
We were employed ringing jury inas'r
nit having saved only a lew lilii sp.ns
managed badly. Upon Ihe evening i I
he 12 h, the wind dying away, hove
tin ihe lai board chain, ami fuuiiil the ai -
clior gone. In heaving up ihe .Mai boain
ine, when near the bows, i's shackle
lilt drew and il was also lost; made sail
ipon the j'iry masis and sloud lo sea
'lie next day spoke the biiJ. Pi:ter
t n of New York, and by her was kind
j s ii plied wiih an anchor and a few
s-pare cj ar., and the next day ihe steam
er 'Palmetto,' obtained from her a small
iioai. Upon the 15 h, wafted light airs
:rom the southward, got within thirty
rnih'8 of Cape Henry ; when ihe wind
again coming out fresh from the N. E.
were again in great peril barely suc
ceeded in Weathering; 'Halters Shoals,'
un! again were blown into the 'gull
stream,' where she 'lay to in a gih
from ihe northward and eastward, until
he 17th, when it abaljd, and in the b f
'crnniin lo Ihe great joy of all hands,
man of war, showing .mer ican colors,
wis dt soi i bed standing: towards un. Jl-
ho nriarf.d u, we recognized with emo
linns of pride aid pleasure, the well
known f'mire he id of Ihe 'Consfnution.'
We wire immediately boarded and la-
u. of ihe 21i.xelnnging wiih her gal-
I ni rrtw ihr'-e hearty cheers, we cast on
.i,d s'ood in iho Caprs of the Delawaie,
vt'ere we anchored en ihe 22; I, accom
panird by pilot boa1. We wre near
ly desuiiiie of water, and of every com
orl; when wn fll io with 'Old Icon
..nipt ' arwt utilt hlllir I uMiplittiff IV I'll!
.v
, , , . , . , ,
jraii'Uile I lie kind sympathy t-xiKided;
J .
towards us by he r effic. r., and the al.e-l
"7 s'M,"s"r W,U1 wh,cri '"inrimiiivereirion.. and we in wardlv wished
suppliid our wailf.
Liar n to I. re, and live to Icai n.
UU' BELL THE 'STRIKER.'
A SOUTH-WESTERN SKETCH.
BY WILL WHIPPLE,
Two years ago we were al the little town
of Columbia, on the banks of ihe Missisiip
pi, at that time a place of some local inter'
est, from the fict of a ruffian being impris
oned there previous lo his trial for murder
ng a man. Tho victim of this ferocious
murder bad called at Stewart'a house afier
sunset Bnd beeced a lodnitifl for the ninh',
which was granted; but after the ninn had
sought the resting place pointed out lo him
Stewart, in a spirit of brutal spnri, set his
doga upon him and uiged them on until the.
poor fellow, afiet vainly attempting to de
:end himself from iheir attacks, wag literal
ly torn lo pieces, and then flung out of doors
io die.
The eircumslanccs of this hortible mur
der may still be fresh in the memory ol
many but i lie details of the capture of the
iDurdcrir have never, we believe, been
made public. And as the personages coin
ocrncd in the arrest, together with the mode
m which it was performed, afford a Cue op
portunity for exemplifying some of ihe pe
culiarilies of South- Wesiein chancier, we
shall give the rclaiion as we heard it fiom
tho mouth of one of the actors, indeed the
or eiliu I 111 i ic un air. uui iu ucbmi ai iun,
1 1 6 m
i :. i - (T!. I) I. .-: l.
beginning.
About two weeks after leaving Columbia
wo were glancing al Ihe door of a small
house in the hide lown of Jonesboro,' on
die Washiia, and consisting of five or six
Mg duellings and a cottonshed of ihe same
Urinative archiiectuie. Near where we
il'iod were two Arkansawyers, as they cali
themselves, in earnest conversation, in the
nurse cf which one of ihcm used a phrase
which, though common at iIip S.mih, vvas
ii leris' new to es, It was Alt! he's o
striker.
Now, although curiosity is said lo be tl e
;!nnliar preiog-ilive ot worine, we musi
: nifcss thai man likewise has no small
diaro of ihe same ticklish propensity; in
east wn felt it on that occasion, and biep-
(iing forward said;
My friend, what do you mean by a
trikei?'
The man eyed us for a moment, and then
(plied !
'Why you see sirangcr but stop a bit,
ill I take a firginny feast.'
A Virginia feast,' thought we; 'what is
thai?'
e soon knew, for aficr diving into ihe
recesses of his capacious pockets, ho dre
forth a large piece of chewing tobacco, and
fier offering it 10 us will) 'Have a chaw?'
tie bit off sufficient to poison a hoise, and
rolling il to ihe side of his cheek, commec
d bis explanation afresh
Why, yon see, stranger Mose and
Aaron wur strikers, George Washington
war a striker, Gineral Jackson war a strik
er, and that man tbar,' pointing 10 an indi
vidual ot a short distance off, 'he's a strikei
and no mistake He aint fell his oats for
nothin, I tell ye.'
Tho definition puzzled us a little, hut
wo made out enough of it to uudersliml
that all persons wlji perforin djeds of
prowess are 'strikers. '
'I he 'man thur,' indicated as a striker.
W9o a short, lean, mcscular man, dressed in
the white blanket coal. With black stripes
round the skit and over the shoulders, so
foinuion lo the South. Ho bore in tl
bend of his arm a long nils, and at his side
a suined and greasy ,'eaiher pouch lor bul
lets, from which also depended a long hunt
ing-knife in its sheath.
After taking ibis survey, ne turned 10
our new acquaintance aud said
'What has he doue, lo have thai tide giv
en liimt'
'Done what, BV Bell? Didn't he cap
tivate Dick Steweart?'
'This then wig the man who performed
. ;, , .. ... I- . ,-
1,131 VALIIUIU IIIOUVMI wo muRing ill llllll
.... , , , , .
wiih still more interest, for the fame of the
faf an( lhoM
we could hear him relate the manner in
wtii'-h 11 was achieved. A few days afier.
I'-arus u wtre gratified.
I 'You aee,' said he, to a knot of audilora,
uouru a a.eamoo.t, going to Ecore Fa-
ucr. i ou see, riar was a reward offered
io any body who would take Dick Siewart
and ao I though 1 1 mouglu at wall iiave ii
as not,'
But were you not anxiout ibout the re
sult? This Stewart was, by a'l accounta s
lesperate character, and I heard a man aay
'If Dick Siewart told liiin to awiia the
.Vlissijiippj he would have lo do ii?
'I know, glraiiger, bin that waa the heal
of ii. 1 said io myself; u' Bell, you aim
had a learm' down fight for a mighty longlroiVi,' but it wan't no use he tonldt.'t
lime, and here's a smari chance to wake
you up. But I'll e,it somebody to go along
jest to see fair play like. So 1 called on
tlineral Plummer, and sen he, 'js ain
got noihin' to do jest now, I d.m't care if I
j i tie you' and then I knnuked up liafi
Morgan, and he said ad how though he had
die agur raylher tall, he reckoned he could
see the (on 'twixt the sliakins ' So we goi
our plunder and put it in a dug out and
started for the Bio Bcnholemence.as 1 hearn
tell Siewart was in the swamp up that way.
When we got to the swamp, we bruck
through tho cane, makin a bee-line for the
nigger hul whar I more'n 'specled Dick
Sienart larihed, I know'dall Ihemdiggins'
well, and tltar warn'l a trail I hadn't fuller
ed from the Mississinni in tho Waslitxu-: fm
1 '
. . i i i .it i .1
inv a liiie I d a hunted bar and Bicli like
vannin from Rio Mason right across to the
Bio Bcriholcinee carnpin' oul o' nights and
stariin' fresh next mornin.'
'Uul were you nol afraid of the wolves?'
'Well I warn't. boss! Wolves can't
skear me nor painters neither. The bars
ia wuss nor all the oilier varmin put tj
geiher they've got a mighty nasty bug 1
it II ye.'
Then you have been scared by the
bears?'
'Well, stranger, i do confess that corn
once'i a few. Bui as 1 was sayin', we
struck a bee-line through the cane, and
bimcby we come in sight of the little log-
house, then ses 1 to the Gineral, 'Gineral,'
st-s 1, 'you go one side and Kale the other,
ind don't you two do noihin' on less Dick
tries to make tracks lor ihe awaaip.'
'.Veil, we won't, Uu',' scs ihe Gineial.
'When I see'd 'em gland well oil, I edges
nyself lo a big cotton-wood tree, at good
thooiin' distance and hollers oul;
'Hello house,' and bimcby I seed tin
door open a leeile jest h leetle, and ihii:
Dick Siewart put his hel round the coinei
of the door pool. As soon is he seed nit
he ses:
'What do you want here, RuT
'I want you, Dick,' ses I.
You aim come to inke me.'' sea he look
in' as black as thunder.
Well, I aro, boss,' ses I, a sort o' q lint
like; 'and here's Gineral Blummei and Kafe
Morgan eome to 3 e lair play.'
'You'd a bloody sight belter clear out
while you can,' ees Ire, 'for I'm not gwim
to be taken alive, I tell ye.'
'1 dar sayi' ses I, 'I spected as much anil
I told the Gineral so; but I'm ihe mac
what's gwine to lake you, Du k the Gin
eral and A'-fe won't do nothin', jest to ob
!e '0 me, unless you try lo streak it.'
'Go way, Ku I don't want lo hurl you,'
ses he; 'look here you ses I'm not onpre
pared.
' 7'iiat's a fad,' ses I; 'you've gol ltd
rifles, a double barrelled shol gun, two pi-
fols and a bowieknii ; hul il a.nt no use
'loss you must come.'
'.Must mm!' sss he. gripping his riflr
and giuin' oudaciiuly satsge. '..IAi
-mine! look here, Ru' 'laint five men ear
take me, nor ten nuiher, and you know j
so you'd belter make tracks for the Bi
mighty quick, or I'll blow my nfla througl
you.'
'That's ail c'rect enough, Dick,' see )
lookin' right into hia eye all the tine, for I
seen be was a gettin' caiawampous, 'That's
all e'reel enough, Dick, but I didn't piddle
all Ihe way up the Bio for nothin', and i
would'ilook well for me lo go home with
out you. Besides, ses I 'what would the
Gineral and Rafe say I ptoraised 'em s
fight, and it would be onfair lo disappoin
'cm, il would,'
-Well, ees he lookin' as savage as a ih
bar what has cub.. 'If you toil have it,
Maze away then.'
'No, Dick' sea I, 'I'm made up my mind
to captivate you; but it's agin the lawi for
no to (ire afore you've made any legisianca
io shoot on al once'i or else g'remler it
tint no use talk in io much about it for you
must come.'
Stranger ycu should have hmrn him
'ip and cuss, when I said that; he eiomp'd
and he swore, and called tne all manner .
names, ontil he churned himself vp itdo a
skear me nor yii put tne in a passion and
nake forgit what I war doin' I've fit (he
logins Do much for that. So all at once'i
he guv a skreek, and bazed right away. I
seed what war comin' and so I dodged be
hind tii e cotton wood tree. I war jent in
ime, for the bullet ploughed along the bark
and look oil a splinter right agin my mouth
md the wind of it lurk away my breath, a
ts to make me slaggcr o' one side a leetU
when crack! comes another bullet and rips
my hat right off my I ead.
'Hooray!' ses Stewart; 'lhai's twlca't
I've hit you, AV go home now like a good
boy you can'l lake me.'
'1 didn't say noibiu', but J drop3 quietly
lown behind the tree, and curlin' my rifle
round il, blazes away at him and bit turn in
the side and when 1 seed him fall back I
'crawls lo the other end of a big gum what
laid on the ground a roiienin' and turns on
my back and loads my rifl e agin in double
quick time and then 1 peeps the leetlesl mil
through a crook of ihe limb to see for Stew.
art. J bar he was in the door-way wi.u
his lips tight clenched and Ins eyes a flash
ing, and lookin' all about arier me with a
kinder snort. Ilisfacewasa leede pale,
md the blood was oozin' oul from his side.
Well we wailed jcsl so lor a good while
he a watchin' for me and a peepin' for
banco at him; for he keep himself covered
pretty much by the door post, and it warn't
io use in me lo fling away a shot. At last
I got tired and thought I'd a better draw him
ml. So I lifted my hail on my head till it
dond straight up like and ihen showed il a
ove the log. Cruck! went his rifle agin,
md I fell the bullet si ulp met but I did'nt
nare for that but up I jumps aud fires right
nlo him. I know'd I'd hit him for hn suv
i queer sort o' screw to his mouth aud ft!(
hack behind the door posl ajin.
'Well, arter this, we wasted a good deal
i' time a watchin' for one another,- but at
I ,M I coieh'd hia eye a shinin' belwecn ihe
logs and ihen 1 thought I would try a trick
on him that I had practysed on ihe ngins
once't afore. So wobbled along on my
helly like a sarpent lill reached the cot
ton wood tree and clmgiu' wiih my kft
hand io the tree swung myself suddenly
round it and a3 he tired jumped away up
with a slireek and f. Ii kerthump right fl
on the arid. Ihe moment J did so tin
'prungnul all a blcedin' and struck for ihe
ane brake; but R ife Morgan dashed fm'
wd and keichm him in his arms flonj him
lown and lhar ihey wrasilcd fust one up
and then t'other till Siewart got R,fe un
let most; and tl'en aenl him fomb'e at bin
iue fui aonelhin' a'-d presently Gineial
Plummer calls to me quick
Look oul Ho'! look ou7 Shoot Stew
irt li e scoondei' ees he- 'Sec! sec he's
i gwine to knife Rafe.'
And sure enough the biwie was about
o make a plunge when tired. Well
liters said Dick w is a ra'sl rosrsr what
I'ye think he did Why he dropped bin
knife and flung Rafe uppermost j-sl in lime
or my bullet to perforate him ihrough.
What Morgan your friend!'
'True as Gospel stranger, t was a
dean hole io il Ihe shoulder and out at toih-
.x side. Well it made me mad lo see Ii
urn over on his back, so cpning fo'ard.
and afore Stewart could use hn knife agint
pinned him to the ground.
S'rendei!' ses
Ml seefyou d d fust,' sea he and then
he turned all sons o' colors and fainted.
Well ihe General and staunched lh
dood ofhoih ofRife and Dick, and then we
carried 'em m the ring cu', and peddled
loi the iho, makin' Uie neatest Hacks for
I