Fatal Shipwreck--one Hundred and ninety-seven lives lost.
The steamer
North American, from New Orleans, bound for
Philadelphia with two hundred and three sick soldiers, twelve cabin passengers, and a crew of forty-four men, was lost off the
Florida coast on the 21st ultimo in the heavy gale of that day. The following is the report of
Captain Marshman, who commanded her:
From the time of leaving the bar until the 20th, noon, had fine, pleasant weather.
At 4 P. M. of that day, commenced blowing heavy from south southwest, with a heavy sea running — vessel laboring and straining greatly.
21st, a continuance of the same weather.
22d--First part of the day, weather moderating: at noon, began blowing: heavy sea getting up. The engineer reported ship leaking badly.
At 1 P. M. he reported the water gaining; changed our course to the westward.
Took off the fore hatches, and discovered the water running in forward, cut away the ceiling to try to stop it, but could not; put blankets and a sail over the bow, but all to no purpose; water gaining very fast.--At 2 P. M. a vessel have in sight; bore away for her, and hoisted our colors, Union down — we being at the time in latitude 31 degrees 10 minutes north, longitude 78 degrees 40 minutes west.
At 2:15 P. M. spoke the bark
Mary E
Libby,
Captain Libby, from
Cardenas, Cuba, for
Portland.
Informed
Captain Libby of our situation.
He replied that he would remain by us, and take all on board if necessary.
At 2:30 P. M. the engineer reported that the water had put the fires out.--Hailed the bark, and told
Captain Libby of it; he then hove the ship to, and prepared to receive our people on board; at the time we had four feet of water in the hold; commenced clearing away the boats.
At 3:30 P. M. started the first boat, with the
chief engineer in charge and all the lady passengers; we got six boat loads on beard of the bark.
The seventh boat left at dark, containing our purser (
Mr. C. Pettit) and eight men, and is supposed to be lost, as they never reached the ship.
Night setting in dark and blowing hard, with a high sea running, so that the boats could not get back from the bark to the steamer.
7 P. M.--Ship setting fast, having twelve feet of water in her hold.
Prepared our last boat.
7:30 P. M.--Finding it impossible for any more boats to return to the steamer that night, I left the ship, taking with me my first and second officers and eight men.
9 P. M.--Arrived on board the bark; hoisted the boats on deck for the night; made sail, and proceeded toward the steamer; her lights all in sight, distance about six miles.
1 P. M.--Lights all disappeared suddenly; we suppose the ship to have gone down at that time.
At daylight, nothing in sight except a water cask.
Made all sail, and cruised all round, but did not see anything of her.
12 M.--Gave up all hopes; the bark made sail and proceeded on her course.
Number of passengers and crew saved, sixty-two; lost with the ship, one hundred and ninety-seven.
Total, two hundred and fifty-nine
How a "Subjugated" State is Ruled by "Law."
Honorable Henry II.
Goldsborough, on entering upon the discharge of his duties as
Judge of the Circuit Court of
Talbot county, Maryland, on Monday last, delivered a very able and elaborate charge to the grand jury, and, among other things, said:
‘
I am directed, gentlemen, at every term of the court, to give you in charge the act of 1862 chapter 235, being "an act relating to crimes and punishments by defining treason and providing for the punishment of treason and other kindred offences." In obedience to that instruction, I earnestly invite your attention to its provisions, embracing a large number of cases, in which it might be supposed that aid or comfort within this State or elsewhere might be given to the enemies of the
State, foreign and domestic.--This act went into effect on the 15th day of April, 1862, and it is your duty diligently to inquire whether there have been within the body of this county any violations thereof.
There are numerous classes of offences contemplated by it, the most important of which are those known as treasonable, consisting of the levying of war against this State or adhering to the enemies thereof, whether foreign or domestic — giving them aid or comfort within this State or elsewhere, which, upon conviction in the mode prescribed by the 202d section of article 3d of the Code of Public
General Laws, are punishable with death or confinement in the penitentiary within certain specified years, at the discretion of the court.--There are also numerous other offences set forth in the several sub-chapters of this act, against which different punishments are prescribed, with a view to check all evil minded persons who are disposed to promote rebellion or war against the
State, such as the destruction of ferry boats and various other kinds of property belonging to any highway or railroad — the holding of any secret or public meetings, or the uniting with any secret club or association known to be intended to effect, promote or encourage the separation or secession of this State from the
Government or Union of the United States; or to effect, promote or encourage the incorporation or union of this State with the so called Southern Confederacy--the willful attempt or conspiracy to betray to any person in rebellion against the
Government of this State or to their emissaries, aiders or abettors, any ship, vessel or steamboat within this State--the display of secession flags with a view and intent to excite seditious feelings — the offering of inducements to any minor or other persons to abandon his home or place of temporary residence for the purpose of going into any of the States in rebellion, or the furnishing of any money, clothing or conveyance of any kind for the accomplishment of any such intended object, although the same may not have been effected, and the persuasion of persons to commit any of these offences, whether the offence be actually committed or not, which, though punishable with less severity than those offences regarded as treasonable, are still entitled to your serious consideration.
This act has been drawn to meet the various kinds of cases which experience has shown might arise in a rebellion of the character and magnitude of the one now being waged against the
Government of the
United States.
It has never, to my knowledge, received any judicial interpretation, the most of the cases being tried under a military commission, now organized in such parts of the country as have been placed under martial law. This, however, does not supersede the necessity of your action; and without intimating that there will be any occasion for your interposition, I charge you to diligently inquire into all cases under this act that may be brought to your knowledge.
While this act remains on the statute book, it must be enforced through you as the tribunal selected for the presentment of the offences.
Having no knowledge of its violation on the part of our citizens, I shall be truly gratified to learn that your investigations have removed all surmises that may have been engendered by the heated conflicts of excited partisans, and that, chastened by the afflictions of the past, we may all be better prepared to cultivate hereafter more charitable feelings towards each other.
’
Land station over the disaster at Wilmington.
The New York
Times has about a column of lamentation over the affair.
We copy a few paragraphs:
The great and glittering victories which have illumed the horizon of the nation for the last two months have been suddenly succeeded by an unexpected reverse, whose magnitude must be at once acknowledged.
The naval and military expedition against
Wilmington, under command of
Admiral Porter and
General Butler, has failed to accomplish its work.
It has returned to Fortress Monroe after an absence of two weeks.
The immense number and power of the vessels and guns employed — the long period spent in preparation — the novel expedients that were to be tried — all gave ground for the highest expectation; while the popular estimate of the commander of the fleet and the leader of the army was such as to give the public assumed warranty of success.
The further fact that the active operations of
Sherman on the line of the
Savannah, and the ceaseless watchfulness of
Grant on the line of the
James, would leave the rebels but a limited land force for the defence of
Wilmington, induced the supposition that
Butler's co-operating army would have light work.
As for a rebel naval force, there were none that could give us a moment's fear.
The work to be done; thought really most difficult seemed simple.
Fort Fisher, an earth work, stood upon the neck of land which has
Cape Fear river on one side and the sea on the other; and the capture of this defence was the principal aim of the navy and the army.
It was not intended, at this time, to
take the city of
Wilmington, but merely to seize its defensive outworks, precisely as
Farragut recently seized those of
Mobile.
We are enabled to give to-day both the official report of
Admind Porter and a statement of
General Butler, as well as a special report of our own correspondent with the fleet.
Every one will read these documents to find out to who to whom the melancholy failure must be ated They are in many respects, the most painful reading we have had for many a day.
Hardly anything seems to have worked well, from the initiation of the movement to its unfortunate close.
Admiral Porter's order to the fleet opens with the words: "It is first proposed to endeavor to paralyze the garrison by an explosion." The explosion, which consisted in blowing up two hundred and fifteen tons of powder under the walls of the rebel fort, was effected.
It was great as a spectacle, but perfectly useless in fact, and the rebel garrison was not at all paralyzed.
The bombardment of the fort by the fleet was of the most imposing, skillful, and courageous character: but the estimate of
Porter and that of
Butler differ greatly as to its effects.
Then came the extraordinary bursting of no less than six one hundred-pounders Parrot guns, on six different companies by painful ties and by the loss of confidence.
But, more important than all, there seems to have been no proper co-operation between the land force and the navy.--There is great discord of statement about this whole matter between the
Admiral and the
General; but we must wait for more facts and more light before a definite conclusion can be reached.
We made many efforts against
Savannah from the front, which failed; but at last it fell into our hands by an unexpected and skillful movement in the rear.
Though we have now failed at
Wilmington, we shall yet certainly, indue time, and perhaps in like manner, take it also.
Miscellaneous.
Governor Brough has applied to the War Department for permission to raise new regiments in
Ohio.
Secretary Stanton replies by promising to grant the request if it is approved by the generals in the field.
The latter favor the recruiting of old regiments, but the
Secretary acknowledges that it is easier to raise new ones, and asks the
Governor what are the prospects of being able to fill up the old ones.
On Tuesday night, a party of Confederates, who had been for some time in
Maryland, but were prevented from returning to
Virginia by reason of the high water, constructed a raft, upon which they attempted to cross the
Potomac a short distance above
Muddy branch.
The Yankee pickets captured one and fired upon five others, who fell from the raft and were drowned.
The
National Intelligencer has been sold, and
Colonel Seaton continues with it.
John F. Coyle,
A. G. Allen and
William R. Snow are the purchasers.
Its present politics are to be maintained and a Sunday edition issued.
Colonel Henry G. Thomas, Nineteenth United States colored troops, has been appointed a brigadier-general for "conspicuous gallantry before
Petersburg."
General Thomas is a captain of the Eleventh (regulars).
Lincoln has remitted the sentence of the court martial upon
Acting Rear-Admiral Wilkes to a period of one year from its date, the sentence having suspended him three years from the service.
General McCallum, superintendent of military railroads, has sent officers and a working party to take charge of the rolling stock and railroads out of
Savannah and run them.
Rev. J. Packard, formerly pastor of Christ Church,
Washington, and
R. W. Wheat, also of that city, have been sent South by order of
Secretary Stanton for disloyalty.
The quota for the District of Columbia, under the new call for 300,000 men to till deficiencies under the last call, has been fixed at 3,019 men.
