Burning of the Mobile steamer.
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Further Particulars.--We have the particulars of the burning of the passenger steamer
Mary Wilson, on the 11th inst., on her way from
Mobile to
Montgomery.
She had about 140 passengers aboard.--A letter says:
‘
The engineer, with great presence of mind, rushed into the flames and turned the valve, and set the steamboat engine to work, by which means the pilot was enabled to turn the boat to the right bank of the river.
As soon as she struck the passengers rushed over the bows pell mell, but luckily nobody was hurt in the rush.
A number of negroes were on the rear of the boat, and being cut off by the flames, they tumbled over cotton bales into the river.
Some ten or twelve were afterward picked up. Sixteen are known to be lost.
The whole body of the boat was in flames in about five minutes after the first discovery of fire, and there were seven persons left in the cabin who were cut off from exit.
’
A young lady about 16 or 17 years old, from
Mississippi, was not afterwards found.
A lady and her child could not be taken out of the cabin, and are supposed to be burnt.
A lady by the name of
Mrs. Gunter, from
Fort Morgan, was drowned or burned.
A young soldier, by the name of
Harrison, from
Memphis, about 16 years old, on his way to the army, was drowned.
Several others are yet unheard from.
The whole loss is supposed to be 25.
The pilot, a colored boy, named
Daniel, acted very coolly, and no doubt saved many a life.
He staid at his post until the flames rolled over the top of the boat, and then came forward over the cabin and let himself down on the steps.
In his fall he hurt his left arm. The passengers made up a handsome purse for him on the spot.
Two little boys were going on a visit to
Mrs. Carpenter's, near Tensas.
They were brothers; the elder was about seven years old, and his little brother not over four.
The elder led his little brother down the steps, and as the crowd rushed over the bows the elder boy stooped down with his back to the younger, "Get up here, Buddy, get up here," and the little one mounted his brother's back, who walked to the bow and leaped over safely with his charge.
Their name is
Hawes, from
Mobile.
