Transcribed by Bernard Yeatts

The New York Times - Friday, April 14, 1865

Vol. XIV No. 4229 Page 1

Below will be found as complete a list as the transportation records here furnish of the passengers on board the steamer Gen. Lyon, which burned off Hatteras last Thursday. She sailed from Smithville on Wednesday, and took a larger number of passengers than any other vessel that has left this port since our occupation of it. Her boats, properly manned, could save one hundred, and there were several sail in sight at the time of the accident, so that quite a number may have been saved:

Lieut. J. P. Alexander, Lieut. C. K. Johnson, Lieut. George Johnson, Sergt. Blake and 15 men Third Pennsylvania Artillery; E. C. Bray, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts.

Refugees -

M. A. Chauncey, Theo. Bletzen, A. Buchanan, Mrs. Brazil and family of seven, August Crummel, wife and two children, A. Paison, A. Scholz, Wm. Harrington, A. Leary, F. Schuan, Zill Amantz, John Snyder, wife and three children, James Gillmore, wife and five children, James Hayes, wife and two children, Wm. Shanahan, Michael McNelty, John Bradbury, Wm. Dawsey, wife, seven children and servant; Henry Hurt, wife and three children, Henry Bawes and wife; Mary Ferrell and colored boy; H. Hultz, Solomon Benjamin, Julia Brown, D. Windhom, wife and child, H. Windhom, J. C. Windhom, J. t. Hammond, lady and two children, C. B. Moss, Philip Burkhart, S. E. Russell, J. Burkhart, wife and child, Miss J. A. Banks, L. W. Shell, H. Shell and colored boy, H. A. Brooks, Thos. Carney, Clarence Dunn, T. S. Mansfield, Wm. Atkinson, D. McLardy, H. James, J. H. Brodshort, wife and three children, Mr. Shaffer, Adrian Durenead, Edward W. Scholober, Chas. A. Lietkie, Lewis Mognors, Alex Lee, W. Shaber, A. Cameron, Mrs. D. M. E. Williams, Jacob Doran, W. Duncan, wife and child, J. B. Bannister, George Stadtler and wife, John A. Smith, J. McGuire, P. O'Hara, J. Rogan, Charles E. Bradley, colored; R. H. Warner, Frank Cowen, David Denvan, wife and child; Frank Curran, rebel deserter; Capt. Bullock, 1 officer and 22 recruits.

Isaac C. Cobby, 5th O V C. Rufus P Wilson, 5th Tenn V.

Peter Wade, 5th O Vol Cal. Wm E Merrritt, Bat 11, 1st Ill.

Tho. W. Smith, 5th O V Cav. Peter Holt, Bat 11, 1st Ill.

Jas W. Zieur, 5th O V Cav. P Munson, Bat 11, 1st Ill.

Sergt Jno Wilfer, 1st O V C. C Beckman, Bat 11, 1st Ill.

Lenard Dyer, 1st O V Cav. Jno Johnson, Bat 11, 1st Ill.

Wm R Smith, 82nd Ohio Richard Clarke, 1st Sergt 2nd Ill.

James Martin, 82nd N Y.

Henry Happe, 61st N Y. George Hewer, 17th Wis.

E B King, 7th N Y. Over Beard, 123d Ohio.

Wm Cullen, 6th Va Cav. John Emmerson

Sephia Snell, 35th N Y Charles Mott, 91st N Y.

Geo Galleck, 58th Penn. W C Halleck, 5th Michigan.

Saml W Hilliard, 81st N Y. Robt Defede, 5th Virginia.

Jas Brown, 10th N Y. P Lemsey, 5th Virginia.

J Levy, 89th N Y. Phillip Smith, 90th Illinois.

Henry Martin, 42d N Y. John Mully, 90th Illinois.

Thos Sullivan, 2d N Y. Geo Baker, 4th Pennsylvania.

J Smith, 6th Michigan

Wm C Andrews, 14th N Y. Jacob Stuarts, 148th Penn.

B W King, 13th Tenn Cav. J Riley, 24th Ohio.

Wm B Cliff, 1st Penn. Corp J W Ratliff, 39th Ohio.

Jas Arnold, 15th Iowa. J Lewis, 89th New-York.

Geo H. Sanders, P V C. C Cortelle, 15th N Y Cav.

Corp J M Braddy, 5th Pa Cav. F. J Longly, 122d Ohio.

Total number 136

PAROLED UNION PRISONERS

M Robbins, 11th Penn. J Wenbress, 2d Penn Cav.

W Rugh, 11th Pennsylvania A Gregg, 8th N Y Cav

H Othen, 21st Illinois. B DePant, 85th New-York.

J R Williber, 21st Illinois C McDowell, 8th Iowa Cav.

J Pense, 21st Illinois J Weldon, 5th Mich Cav.

W Williams, 142d Penn. H Eby, 7th Penn Reserves

A D Pearson, 14th Ill. Cav. A Deveraux, 8th N Y Art.

J Thompson, 4th Kentucky Flynn, 72d Ohio

D Bayley, 137 New-York W Milton, 4th Penn Cav.

A B Cook, 5th Indiana Cav. A Sacket, 8th Iowa Cav.

C Cox, 191st Pennsylvania A Spencer, 85th New-York

C Harmer, 131st New-York S Horton, 103d Ohio

C Cowdrey, 12th Mass. J F Burbridge, 57th Ohio

D Reynolds, 15th Illinois Cavalry J C Downing, 24th Iowa

J Smith, 1st Virginia Cav.

B Gunway, 39th Iowa G Galusky, 106th N Y

J W. Kirk, 13th Penn. J C Thompson, 12th O. Cav.

H Knight, 122d New-York A Northam, 2d Penn.

John Lawrence, 35th Mass. Thomas G Edwards, 6th Mass.

John Aveckson, 18th Wis

J McKrown, 3d N Y Cav. Corp B F Fulkerson, 55th Ohio

A Lennee, 35th N J Res.

Joseph McDouall, 3d Ohio P M Crabtree, 73d Ohio

J H Phillipp, 94th Ohio M D Donaldson, 39th Ohio

Charles Henry, 32d Wis. Peter Garrison, 47th Ohio

J Johnson, 18th Penn. Cav. J McCarthy, 19th Mass.

J Purt, 24th Michigan M Dietrick, 43d New York

T G Johnson, 20th Illinois H Warner, 9th Mich Cav.

H S Smith, 144th Ohio. A J Lookingbill, 6th Ind.

J Ward, 4th Kentucky J M Kendall, 4th New-York Cavalry.

J O Rouke, 92d Illinois

J Yates, 101st Penn. S Smith, 1st N Y Cavalry.

R Davis, 11th Iowa K Martin, 8th Michigan.

J Davidson, 27th Michigan W Finney, 4th Mass Cav.

L Beanshaw, 8th Ill Cav. J Dyer, 1st Minnesota.

D H. Hatfelt, 11th Ohio A Cockran, 190th Penn.

A Miles, 69th New York W J Conn, 10th Ohio Cav.

W Drake, 8th New York Heavy Artillery G Simpson, 54th Ohio Cav.

P Simpson, 54th Ohio Cav.

F Christian, 101st Penn. E Goohert, 8th Ill Cav.

H Isham, 5th Vermont W Burgen, 2d Bat. 16th U S.

D McDowell, 10th Penn. J Smith, 63d Indiana.

J Calvory, 3d Iowa Cav. J Base, 101st Ohio.

W Hennen, 1st Va Cav. J Kilpatrick, 73d Illinois.

J Rhodes, 3d Iowa Cav. C A Russell, 1st Virginia Cavalry.

T Heimick, 5th Ind Cav.

E Carter, 8th Tenn. B Berry, 25th Indiana.

T Belknap, 17th Iowa W Smith, 1st Mich. Engin.

E P Morris, 17th Iowa Corp J. McDonald, 31st Ohio

T O'Neil, 4th Ky Cav. R M Myers, 1st Ohio Cav.

E Sutliff, 16th Conn. E Bowman, 53d Ind.

C Denton, 20th Mass. J Wilson, 1st N H Cav.

M Desmond, 20th Mass. J Cambell, 48th N Y.

J Harris, 66th N Y N Shanahan, 101st Ind.

H Wetty, 4th Ky Sgt E Mettetal, 24th Mich C.

J Young, 11th Vt. H Kisor, 7th Ohio

J Rikey, 51st N Y G White, 60th Ill

G Armstrong, 95th N Y C Draper, 82 Ind.

The names of the officers and crew I could not obtain. There was also about two hundred men of the Fifty-sixth Illinois who had been mustered out of service and were on their way home, whose names I failed to get. Eleven discharged officers of the same organization are given as follows:

Maj Jas Files. Capt Urber.

Capt Dunguory. Lieut H. S. Dunlop.

Lieut Gowdie. Lieut Rankins.

Lieut Haulbeck. Lieut Joiner.

Lieut McKenzie. Lieut Jas. Griver.

The first officer of the Gen. Lyon, Jno. Haydon, and several of the crew are in hospital here sick.

Transcribed by John Cawley

The Times of London
April 27, 1865 p. 6, columns 4 and 5

TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION AT SEA

Accounts are published of the destruction of the General Lyon, United
States' transport steamer, by fire, with great loss of life:--

"The steamer General Sedgwick, arrived at New York, brought as passengers
29 persons saved from the wreck of the transport steamer General Lyon,
which took fire off Cape Hatteras on the morning of Friday, the 31st of
March, and was totally destroyed.  The General Lyon had on board from 550
to 600 souls.  The 29 who have arrived here are believed to be all that
were saved.

"It appears from the statements of these men that the General Lyon, a screw
steamer, which had formerly been used as a blockade runner, sailed from
Wilmington for Fortress Monroe on the morning of the 29th ult., with nearly
600 persons on board, including the crew.

"Her passengers consisted of discharged and paroled soldiers, escaped
prisoners, and refugees, among whom were about 30 women and 25 small
children.  Two negroes were also among the refugees.  The weather was fair
on leaving Wilmington, but the steamer put into the port of Smithfield for
the night and resumed her voyage on the following morning. Soon after
leaving Smithfield the wind, which was blowing from the south-west,
increased in violence, and the vessel, which was a very slow one, made but
little progress.  At 10 o'clock Friday morning she was off Cape Hatteras,
the wind having increased to a hurricane, and the sea running very high. It
is believed that the vessel was about 60 miles from land when an alarm of
fire was given, and in a few minutes afterwards the flames broke out at the
rear of the pilot-house and nearly in the centre of the vessel.  Several of
the crew were in the rigging, and there were very few persons on deck at
the time, many of the passengers being confined to their berths by
sickness.  The first mate, James Gibbs, and the other officers of the
vessel, immediately got the fire pumps to work, with which and the
requisite quantity of hose the vessel was well provided.  But the flames
steadily gained headway, and although the pumps were worked with
unflinching perseverance the fire soon spread over the centre portion of
the deck, driving the crew and those who were assisting them to the stern
and bow of the vessel.  The hatches had been closed in consequence of the
decks being so constantly under water, but those below, alarmed by the
smoke which was spreading through the cabins, rushed on deck only to be
driven back by the flames.  The frightul shrieks of the women and children,
and their piteous supplications for help, were drowned by the roaring of
the storm.  Several of the paroled soldiers were sick and confined to their
berths.  Some of them managed to crawl on deck, and clung there until
washed overboard by the waves.  In about half an hour after the fire broke
out, the engines partially stopped, and the vessel immediately swung round
with her broadside to the wind, the flames then spreading across the deck.

"It had now become quite evident that the ship could not be saved.  The
first officer acted with great courage, and only abandoned the vessel when
all hopes of saving her were gone.  The fire pumps were still kept at work,
and the flames were fought back with great determination.  Many of those
below were doubtlessly already suffocated.  The shrieks and moans of the
dying came up to those on deck, but they could do nothing to help them.
Just at this time a steamer, which proved to be the United States'
transport General Sedgwick, Captain Starkey, and a small schooner, hove in
sight.   But neither of them could render any assistance, owing to the
violence of the storm and the fact that the burning steamer had drifted in
towards the breakers.  The flames were now spreading with fearful rapidity.
 The boats were launched, although there appeared to be little hope of
their living in such a sea.  Into the first boat 10 men lowered themselves,
including the captain of the General Lyon.  It is affirmed by several of
those who escaped that the captain had lost all control of himself, and was
evidently crazed with fear.  Hardly had this boat been loosed from the
vessel's side than she drifted under her stern, and was struck by the
screw, and almost instantly went down.  Irah Lewis, a private in the 89th
New York Regiment, who was in the boat at the time, states that he saw the
captain sink.  Lewis and two others alone escaped.  A second boat was
launched, and in this 27 persons, including the first mate, John Haydon,
lowered themselves, and succeeded in reaching the General Sedgwick, which
was about a mile and a half distant.  As the boat touched the steamer's
side a wave dashed her violently against it, and she filled and went down.
Of the 27 persons in the boat seven only were saved.  Among these were the
mate, James Gibbs, Barney Losey, of the 5th Virginia Regiment, and John
Fitzgerald, of the 56th Illinois.  In the meantime a number of the men had
thrown themselves overboard, trusting to a spar for support.  One man,
Isaiah C. Colby, of the 5th Ohio Cavalry, after working at the fire pumps
until he was almost exhausted, seized one of the doors of the galley and
sprang overboard.  He was in the water three hours before he was picked up.
 Others were also in the water for several hours, and many, doubtless, sank
before assistance could be rendered.  It is supposed that the schooner did
not succeed in rescuing any of them.  When the General Sedgwick left, being
unable to render further assistance, the ill-fated steamer was drifting in
towards the frightful breakers off Cape Hatteras. She was burnt down to the
water's edge, and every soul on board had doubtless perished.  In regard to
the origin of the fire, it was stated by the first mate, while on board the
General Sedgwick, that there were several barrels of Kerosene oil in the
engine room, and these being shaken down by the rolling of the vessel fell
on the boiler, and of course were quickly ignited.  A barrel of oil was
also kept in the same room, and this served to feed the flames.