Terrebonne County Louisiana Archives News.....Coverage of the Last Island Hurricane on 16 Aug 1856 August 16, 1856 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Savanna King savanna18king@gmail.com August 12, 2023, 8:32 pm The Times Picayune August 16, 1856 Relief for the Wrecked The reports brought hourly to use of the effects of the late storm along the Gulf Coast, create great anxiety for the fate of vessels, and fears that many have been driven ashore, on the islands and sand keys. We see that passing vessels have already rescued some sufferers, in the track of coast-going vessels, who could be seen from the decks; but there are many chances that survivors of wrecks may be found on the various islets, or in positions beyond the reach of aid not sent directly to hunt them up, and relieve them. The probability is so strong as to call for the immediate interposition of the humane. A vessel should be immediately dispatched on this errand of mercy, and we are sure that the expenses would be cheerfully subscribed at once, by citizens. What can be done should be done, without delay; and it seems to us that in a few hours arrangements could be made for that object, with all ease, if undertaken under the proper auspices, and with the energy which the emergency requires. It should be the function of the Government officers to do this, as it is done at the North, on similar occasions of inquiry, in sending out Government vessels to search for shipping and sailors, supposed to be in danger. We believe there is no Government vessel on this station; but in looking round for the proper agency to take the lead in this matter, the Collector or his chief officers--in his absence--appear to be the natural leaders in a measure, even if it be only to summon citizens together, to take counsel, and make voluntary arrangements for these objects. We throw out the suggestion as one which deserves to be considered and acted upon, at once. There is no time to be lost, if good is to be done, where so much may be possible. ----------------------------- Ship Western Chief -- We learn that the ship Western Chief, Capt. Dyer, which was blown into Barataria Bay in the gale of Sunday last, has returned to the Southwest Pass. ----------------------------- Ship Manilla. -- This ship, reported lost off Timbalier Island, was commanded by Capt. D. C. Rogers, and belonged to Bath, Me. She had a very large and valuable cargo of wines, brandies, & c., from Bordeaux for this port, to a number of consignees, a list of whom will be found in the marine news column. The Manilla was consigned to W. H. Vredenburgh & Co. We have no information as to the insurance on vessel and cargo. We are informed by Capt. Dyer, of ship Western Chief, that Capt. Rogers, of the Manilla, had his leg broken in getting ashore from the wreck. ----------------------------- Marine Disasters We have received from Capt. W. H. Talbot, of steamship Louisiana, arrived this morning from Galveston, the annexed interesting report: Eds. Pic. -- In making the return passage from Galveston to this port with the steamship Louisiana, I discovered the light ship on Ship Island Shoal gone. At Last Island, out of twenty houses, I found only five remaining. These are on the east end of the Island. Saw a vessel ashore with foremast standing; should judge her to be about 300 tons. She was painted black, with white quarter rails. Made signals to the vessel, which were promptly answered, but not being one of distress, I proceeded on. On the east end of Timbalier Island, I discovered a signal of distress, and immediately proceeded to ascertain its nature. I landed on shore with my quarter boat and found the second mate and one man of the ship Manilla. They reported her from Bordeaux for New Orleans, and stated that the ship had been in tow of two towboats at the mouth of the Mississippi, but could not succeed in crossing the bar, and was backed into deep water again, and there anchored, but in the gale of Sunday last, parted chains, and was driven to the place of disaster, where she sunk and went to pieces. They reported ten men lost, but other bodies had drifted ashore about a mile east of them, which bodies did not belong to their ship. The captain, they said, was on his way to New Orleans by the Island route. I was also shown a pannel door, grained, with blind in the upper part, and white enameled doorknob, marked 21 in black figures. From appearances I should judge it belonged to some steamer. On the beach I saw a booby hatch similar to the one on the steamship Nautilus. About two miles east of Timbalier I boarded the schooner John Roaless, from New Orleans, bound to Tampa Bay, with corn, hay &c. The vessel was high and dry-- desired to be reported. The captain had gone to make arrangements for saving the cargo, &c. Very respectfully yours, Wm. H. Talbot, Commanding Steamship Louisiana New Orleans, August 16, 1856 Capt. Talbot further reports that between seventy five and one hundred casks of liquor were blown ashore on Timbalier, which is all that is left of the Manilla's large and valuable cargo. The bodies that floated ashore on Timbalier, he says, were well dressed--supposed to be passengers on some vessel. Capt. Talbot reports nothing of the Nautilus beyond what is given above. While we cling to the hope of her safety, we fear she is lost. ----------------------------- The Weather. -- Our columns during the past two or three days have borne melancholy testimony to the heavy weather which has been prevailing during the week. Its effects have been most felt at some distance from the city, and in that respect have been minutely laid before our readers as far as they have reached us. We regret to have to state, in this connection, that the fears that the Nautilus has been roughly used in the storm, which we yesterday noticed as beginning to prevail, are increasing, although the confidence in Capt. Thompson's experience, vigilance, ability and energy are so high, that they do not yet extend to more than the conjecture that he has been driven out of his course to sea, has been compelled to put in for safety, or has been retarded by some accident to machinery or apparatus. In the city itself rain fell with unusual constancy and abundance, from the date of our last notice of this subject till yesterday, when it held up, and we had, with the advent of the full moon, a dry and warm day, though somewhat cloudy and menacing. The weather-wise say that, under the circumstances in which the rain thus stopped, we may expect a dry spell of at least a couple of weeks. We have had but very little lightning and thunder, and this, it is said, betokens coming heat. All we can say to these prophetic inferences is, that seeing that mutability is preeminently a characteristic of the weather, they are by no means improbable. Happily, we have no damange caused by the rain to record for the city. ---------------------------- The Storm on the Lake. -- We learn by the arrivals in the New Basin yesterday that the schooner Sea Bird, Capt. Shulare, hence for Covington, was driven ashore on Monday last at the mouth of the Tchefuncte River. She was driven about forty yards from the bank of the river. The sloop Stephany, Capt. Ray, bound from Bayou Lacombe to this port with a cargo of sand, was sunk in the Lake near the mouth of the Bayou Lacombe. We learn also that the schooner North Star, Capt. Titus, which was laid up at Pass Manchac, was driven ashore and received slight damages. The break-water at Pass Manchac, we are informed, was carried away, and the lighthouse injured. ----------------------------- The Calamity at Last Island Our weekly paper this morning contains, in full, all the particulars we have been enabled to gather, of the terrible disaster at Last Island, in the storm of Sunday last. No such calamity, in widespread and sudden destruction of life, has ever been known in this region before. An island, twenty-five miles in length, and from a half to three-fourths of a mile in width, peopled by several hundreds of the best class of Louisiana society, has been literally washed away by the raging waters, and more than half the inhabitants engulfed by the pitiless waves, or bruised and crushed to death amidst the fragments of ruined habitations, tossing in the furious whirlpool which has destroyed the island. Our distant readers may not know where Last Island is, which has been the scene of these horrors. It is the most westerly, and therefore termed the "Last," of a chain of islands, extending from the mouth of the Mississippi, westward, a few miles from the main land. Its direction from New Orleans is a few degrees west of south, and the air-line would not be over seventy-five miles, as we estimate, on the map. It may be reached by the way of the river, byt since the building of the Opelousas Railroad, access has been very much facilitated by that route. Travelers took the railroad to Bayou Boeuf, thence by steamboat down the Atchafalaya river into the Gulf, by the Bay, or through one of the bayous. From the city to Bayou Boeuf is seventy-three miles, and it is about thirty miles to the mouth of the Bay. Last Island lies some eighteen or twenty miles, in the Gulf, east of the Capes of Atchafalaya Bay, and five or six miles from the nearest shore. It was a wild place--a sand bank, in fact--covered with very scanty vegetation, but so open to the cooling breezes of the Gulf, and with such a fine beach, and abounding with fish and oysters, that it became at first an occasional resort for fishing and picnic parties, and of late years grew to be a pleasant summering place for planters and their families from the Attakapas and Lafourche parishes. Several of them had built cottages, and some buildings had been erected of quite a durable description. The railroad offered such facilities of communication that the island was frequently visisted from this city, and grew so much in favort that a plan was suggested, and had met with very liberal countenance, for making a summering place there on an extended scale, by the erection of a very large hotel, under the charge of Hall & Hildreth, of the St. Charles Hotel. The designs and elevations were shown to us some months ago, and it was thought the enterprise might be complete and in operation for the next season. This summer a hotel was kept there by Mr. John Muggah, which has had a very considerable support, and the island has had a large number of visitors. The list of the lost and the saved will show anybody acquainted with this State, that there was gathered upon this little spot in the Gulf, at the time of the storm, a large representation of the wealth and intelligence of the best classes of the population of Louisiana. They made the barren sand bank the seat of refinement and hospitality, where, in a single day, almost within a single hour, Death came in his most hideous form and swept one-half of them into a nameless grave, and made the whole place desolate forever. The memory of this storm, which has carried mourning into every parish in South Louisiana, for the untimely fate of kindred or dear friends, will, for many a year to come, repel with a shudder all thought of Last Island for a dwelling place. Every murmur of the cooling surf in its quietest mood, and every sigh of the summer breeze in its balmiest breathings will be a saddening memento of the time when a happy crowd were gathered there for innocent enjoyment, and the storm came suddenly and heaped the waters upon them. The sea and the winds will seem to chant an eternal dirge for the dead. ---------------------- Caillou Island. -- The latest reports from this island are more favorable than previous ones. A gentleman who got on the Opelousas railroad cars at Terrebonne, and who had just arrived from Caillou Island, stated that all the people who were there are safe. The storm commenced there at 12 o'clock on Sunday, and continued with unabated fury until 4 P.M. on Monday. All the people, however, clustered together on an elevated portion of the island, close to the house of Mr. B. G. Thibodaux, where they remained in perfect security until the storm abated. Two boats were washed away. The ladies exhibited a great amount of courage, especially those of Mr. H. G. Thibodaux's family. Four houses were blown down, and others suffered considerable damage. Some stock were also carried away. A portion of the wrecks of an American and a French vessel were washed ashore, and our informant supposed that they were both wrecked during the night. Although no bodies were yet seen, he thought the crews of both vessels must have perished. ---------------------- The Nautilus. -- Since referring to the delay in the appearance of this vessel in another paragraph, we learn additional reasons for believing that she is safe. It is considered very probably that she has put into Vermilion Bay, short of fuel; and if so, no surprise need be excited even if she should not appear for several days. --------------------- The Last Island Calamity We republish on our first page this morning the very full account of the Last Island calamity, which was issued in an extra edition yesterday. We have taken every care to have it as complete and correct as it is possible, and we believe that it will be found as close to exactness as possible under the melancholy circumstances. We have but little of importance to add to the accounts of the catastrophe, beyond what has already appeared; but there are innumerable details of more or less interest current concerning it, and we subjoin some of them derived from good authority. The steamboat Star, it appears, started on her regular semi-weekly trip from Bayou Boeuf to Last Island, with a fair complement of passengers on board. She arrived outside the bar at an early hour on Sunday morning. Finding the water low she was compelled to remain outside to wait for the tide. The weather at this time was moderate, though showing some signs of an approaching storm. The storm soon came on in all its fury, as already stated, and water enough came to carry her first over the bar and then close up to the hotel, which was still standing. Capt. Smith, with equal presence of mind and energy, set to work to combat the danger which he saw threatened all, had both anchors thrown overboard, and seeing that as she dragged somewhat that the cabin began to yield, he ordered all the passengers down to the main deck and set the crew to work to cut away all the upper woodwork of the boat. Had not this been done she would soon have been torn to pieces or driven out to sea in such a condition that all on board must have perished. The residences on the island immediately after this commenced giving way, and the first was borne completely away by wind and wave, with all its inhabitants. The hotel, it is said, stood the force of the elements remarkably well, being among the last to be swept off, and going only piecemeal. On the storm's approaching its height, the inmates betook themselves to a large room up stairs, considered very secure; but the violence of the elements increasing, the bar room was recommended as preferable for safety, and thither they therefore all went. The upper part of the hotel was soon blown away, and the water making its way into the lower part, they wree driven from that place of retreat. The steamboat Star, now a wreck, as already described, lay close to the door, and all endeavored to get on board of her. The distance was short but the traverse perilous, and it was in making it that the infant child of the Hon. W. W. Pugh was wrested from its mother's arms and borne to the realms of eternity by the ruthless waters. There was of course a desperate effort to reach the boat by the majority of the apparently doomed ones, and were it not for the strenuous exertions and noble courage of a few, the result even on this account alone must have caused a sad addition to the features of the disaster. Mr. C. A. Barrilleau particularly distinguished himself at this time, and finally fell a victim to his bravery and resolution. He had rescued nearly all of Mr. Pugh's family, and went back to render assistance to that of Mr. Batey, when the exertion proved too much for him, and he sank with a lady whom he had in his arms endeavoring to save, and they rose no more, all attmepts to reach them proving utterly fruitless. Mr. Aristide LeBlanc, in like manner, most notably distinguished himself, but fortunately escaped with his life, though in a state of great exhaustion--complete prostration, indeed. The panic-stricken people on the island, of course, all rushed towards the hull of the Star, in the hope of reaching it and being saved. We have already stated how cruelly many of them were disappointed, and in what a sad condition some reached the boat. Our readers will readily understand that many of those not wounded were in rags, without hats or shoes, and some with scarcely rags to cover them. We shall, therefore, not dwell upon the painful scene. Fortunately there was sufficient food on the Star for immediate necessities, and the people on her lived through the terrifying storm till Monday morning, with only such suffering from affliction on account of others, and anxiety for their own immediate future, as our readers will understand without our dwelling on them. During the interim all that could be done in the way of rendering assistance was done; but the elements had already effected their worst. Nearly, if not quite all, who were not on the Star, were long since beyond the reach of human aid. One young gentleman, named Maskell, who was carried away by the current when the storm was at its height, on Sunday, was fortunate enough to get within reach of some shrubs, to which he clung all night, and he was found and rescued on Monday morning. He was the only one of his family saved. His mother, her three other children, and her servant, will be found recorded in our list of victims. T. Dautrive, an Attakapas pilot, who had been staying on the island for the benefit of his health, was carried away to the distance of a mile, when he fortunately caught hold of a stake. He was soon afterwards struck by a log, which dislocated his hip, but he clung on to the stake all night, and was rescued in his crippled condition on Monday morning. Immediately on the news reaching Mr. Comeaux, of Bayou Teche, whose family were on the island, he chartered the steamboat Major F. X. Aubrey for $1,000 to proceed to the assistance of those on the desolated island. Expresses were at once forwarded in all directions announcing the occurrence of the calamity, and abundant assistance, as we have already stated, was forwarded from various points, on steamboats, and in sailing boats, skiffs, &c. During Monday a cown, some sheep and one horse were found alive on the island. The cow was killed, and furnished sufficent meat for all the survivors. On Tuesday, after suffering intense anxiety, they were rescued. At our latest accounts from the island the steamboats Blue Hammock and Archer were cruising about, endeavoring to recover the floating bodies of victims. The only recognizable body yet brough up from the island was that of the infant of the Hon. W. W. Pugh. Great numbers of those who had relatives and friends on the island were at Berwick's Bay, to receive the survivors on their return; but as the Major F. X. Aubrey came to Bayou Boeuf through the Bayou Chene, not going to Berwick's Bay, many of them were missed in the transit. Mr. Henry Muggah, one of the survivors, has a severe fracture of the head, his recovery from which is considered doubtful. Many others have severe injuries, and the appearance of all was truly pitiful. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/terrebonne/newspapers/coverage799gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/lafiles/ File size: 20.3 Kb