uss frolick

The only probable connection between the lower and upper roundhouse "facilities' was a lead pipe which ran through the bulwarks and down through the gun-deck quarter-gallery to drop "Admiral Brown" into the sea. The flushing facilities was certainly only a bucket of salt water kept filled by the Captain's servant (failure to maintain a ready supply at his peril!). Detail-oriented modelers might also want to add a small basket of tow, oakum or, the nineteenth century equivalent of Charmin Tissues, corn cobs. Ewww ... The half windows are at the gun-deck level. But perhaps you might only need one roundhouse for the quarterdeck watch officers. Perhaps one side was a storage or signal flag locker?

Awesome, that's it Charley! The curved partitions (labeled "Z") in the corners, where the quarterdeck meets the taffrail, are port and starboard water closets for the officers, the last cramped remnant of when the Frigate United States had a poop deck and a complete quarterdeck cabin. Even then, there was barely room to sit. The post-1809-rebuild era officers were surely reluctant to give up that amenity. This feature is shown on no other frigate's deck plan.

It's amazing how the body plans all look so similar! So I guess anyone who wants to reconstruct the Enterprize has only to take his pick.

A while back, some good fellow posted a picture or two of two 1812-era 24-pounder US naval cannon that are currently on display in Savannah. I believe they were standing upright. They are marked as weighing 45 hundred weight apiece and have American Eagles cast on top where the GR crest would normally be on the English versions. I can't find them. Can you link me or repost those photographs? Thanks!

Who knows how she looked after her 1811 rebuild, but since she carried sixteen broadside guns, I would give her eight ports per side again. I bet she looked like the Vixen by that point. Although she always carried her pivot machinery broken down in her hold, the 24-pounder medium gun was borrowed and returned to the yard in New Orleans in 1812 after the hurricane, and so was not aboard when she fought HMS Boxer in 1813. She was also damaged in the storm and had to be repaired in New Orleans in 1812 also.

Report of February 24, 1811: "... after being dismantled and relieved of armament, her masts were taken out, and the structure of the ship altered as to move them farther aft. She was careened, keel out on both sides, and her copper cleaned. Rigging and sails were refitted, upper works and bends repaired and caulked, and she was repainted thoughout. After receiving new armaments and ammunition, and sailed from the yard on April 25th." But by October, 1811, she was "stripped down to her floor timbers and entirely rebuilt". Her new Commander, Johnston Blakeley, re-rigged as a brig, and rearmed her with mostly 18-pounder carronades. So much for for the Arsenal's prediction of her lasting "forty years"!

Excerpt from a letter from Robinson to James Barron of the Frigate Essex, March 4, 1805: "I am preparing for a heavy gun, and in such a way that the arrangement will answer for any other deck and shall carry all in the hold to the place of action." Again to Barron, March 14, 1815: "I have completed the machinery for a 24-pounder on the schooners deck, having experienced the inactive situation of this description of vessel was in last summer, I calculated her hatches and beams amidships for this mode of armament, the machinery is all carried in the hold & if when you see the Enterprize, if you do not approve of her carrying a heavy piece, its easy to apply to another vessel that you may judge better calculated. I would not make it a fixture without your approbation, but I am certain that she may carry it in any sea, & if so, what a nice tickler she may be for nightwork on Tripoly, & and altho her senrenades [sic] may not be so agreeable from the Guitar to a Turk, they no doubt will have a respectful audience ..."

Robinson's next report, dated February 18th, 1805: "... I have this day got her bends on and ceiling completed. I was obliged to put on a new stem and stern post. In doing the latter, I have taken out the square tuck and have also altered to small degree the fashion of her topsides, by not giving her so much tumblehome aloft, which will aford a better deck and room to manage her guns, but in every instance, I have been particular in preserving her model below, that she may continue to possess her good qualities as a fast sailor and a good sea boat. It astonished me how her stern hung together, it was at first a miserable piece of work, and when we broke it down perfectly rotten. The schooner is as full as I think necessary of the best timber I ever saw, the master carpenter of the Arsenal says (and I think with great reason) that she will be a good vessel after this repair forty years. Oh how I wish I had got permission to give her a few more feet keel and opened her a little, what a sweet brig I would have made of her, and with no apparent expense,but sir it is dangerous for officers young in rank to take libertys [sic]."

Excerpt from Master Commandant Thomas Robinson Jr.'s initial letter to the Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith, January, 1805, describing the state of the Enterprize: " ... She was out of the water and shored up in one hour from the word heave (they have five or six hundred slaves attached to the arsenal for this type of heavy work) -- When we came to rip the schooner to pieces we found her in a most deplorable situation, it was to the astonishment of everyone, how she brot [sic] us here. her beams are all off at the ends, the floor and futtocks perfect powder, and in fact to sum up it's only necessary to inform you that in addition to building a new schooner, we have to pull to pieces an old one -- but there is this pleasing reflection, she will be more durable than her companions, for better timber I never saw than we are puting [sic] into her.. I have the pick from frames of frigates that have ben from twenty to five years dressed out, numbered and piled away under cover for use.. There never was a pendant treated with more respect, or officers with more attention than the Enterprize's has been both here and at Trieste, being the first of our vessels of war in either of those ports, and her construction so different from anything they have ever seen, she astonished and delighted. Count Lespine, with whom I stand very fare ... has often told me 'if you don't put good stuff into the schooner, its your own fault, take the pick of the Arsenal for every thing."

Things that need to be done (but not by me.) 1. Some brave soul needs to redraw the lines of the Venice Arsenal brig plans to a common size, and superimpose them over the Chapelle unidentified schooner plans, as well as with those of the US Navy plans of the USS Vixen, a brig that had been intended to have been built to the Enterprize's model. This may lead to a proper identification of the plans. But that darn head on the Venice plans is too large for any American Naval Vessel to have grown during a repair overseas. It would have added way to much weight! No commander would have allowed it. At best, those plans are a design of a proposed new Italian brig BASED PERHAPS on the lines of the Enterprize. 2. Take the lines off that half-model and similarly compare them with the above. Now, we may never know any more about the hull form of the Enterprize than what we do right now, but anyone interested in building a model of her has options. Were anyone here commissioned to build a model of her, they could start with Chapelle's unidentified draught and alter it to fit one of the two contemporary watercolors. Both paintings were created by artists renown for their technical accuracy. But the Roux drawing shows the Enterprize with eight broadside ports, while the Baugean drawing shows her with eleven - or at least ten with an armed bridle port. Author Geoffrey Footner dates both paintings from 1806, but only the Baugean print has a date "1806" clearly marked on her. Since neither maritime artist would screw up the number of ports, we must conclude that each represents the schooner at her two stages, before and after her 1804 arsenal rebuild. Since we know that the Enterprize gained an unspecified number of ports as a result of the rebuild during her Venice stay, we must conclude that the Baugean print marked 1806 represents her as "post-repair". The Roux drawing must show her as launched in 1799. This is the opposite conclusion from what Mr. Footner has put forth! Fun fact: The Enterprize also gained a 24-pounder (a medium-Columbiad) pivot gun carriage that was designed to mount over the main hatch in battle, but to be stored in the hold when not in use. In 1812, her then captain Johnston Blakeley mounted the pivot gun and carriage when he sailed down Balize River to attack the 26-gun British Ship sloop HMS Brazen below New Orleans. An untimely hurricane permanently cancelled the fight.

If she's pink, does that make her the Victoria?

The Venice Arsenal plan shows a vessel with an enormous head, one fitting the Frigate Confederacy, while the two contemporary paintings show no head at all. Oddly, those who discovered and discussed the plans in print don't even mention that Jimmy Durante schnoz!

Strange model by Captain Ashley. The gun-port spacing looks too close together, and the space between the aft-most port and the tafferail looks too long. The profile of the hull reminds me of the Model Shipways Kit of the Brigantine Newsboy of 1854. Great post Charlie.

Bob, now that you have created the finest Essex since William Hackett launched the real one back in 1799, may I dare ask what your future holds, model-ship-wise? Something a teeny bit bigger, maybe, like the USS Pennsylvania ... ?

Reminds me of a group of old retired railroad workers I met in the 1960s as a little kid. They had each lost a finger or two over the course of their careers from coupling the cars together. No matter how careful you were, they would say, you'd eventually get a finger caught between the cars. They wore their stumps like metals, proud reminders of their hard earned careers. "Go to college, kid", they would all say.

A common source of saw blade accidents is the build-up of slippery sawdust on the floor. You slip getting up - you loose your footing - and automatically you put your arms out to regain your balance. All too often, an arm or hand goes into the blade. One of the top causes, I am told. Keep that shop floor clean. Just pretend you are the ships carpenter, and that Captain William Bligh, RN (or worse, Captain William Bainbridge, USN) is coming to inspect!

Back in 1981, I was working my way through college as a frame carpenter. Whoops! Nail gun fired a U-shaped furring-stable through a bone in my left hand. Lost my left fore-knuckle. Didn't hurt a whit when it happened, but when they pulled it out at the hospital - Yikes! But it healed up okay, and aside from a wicked scar, it functions just fine. I stopped drumming, though. When people ask about the scar, I say "the wife bit me." Get better, brother!

I am mainly interested in studying the USS Chesapeake model to learn of American Naval deck, rigging, carving an fitting details not documented on the few surviving plans.

Sounds like you're ready to go! According to British Historian William James, in Vol. 4 of his Naval History of Great Britain, p.295, a 40-gun French Frigate of that name (and others) was captured by the Spanish at Cadiz in June, 1808. For fiddly bits in the French taste, I would use also Ancre's "Musee National de la Marine: Modeles Historiques", both volumes and study their large-scale contemporary frigate models. Quote: "... something happened at Breast (in the region of the buttocks) ..."

Member "DaveBrt " posted this newspaper article over on the Civil War Talk Discussion board: "Charleston Mercury, December 2, 1862 The new monitor Passaic made another trial of the 15 inch gun, of which the Cincinnati Gazette says: A skillful gunner might throw a shell into a porthole large enough for these guns; therefore the porthole was fixed for firing through without protruding the gun, being little large than the ball. The first fire was as much as the crew cared to risk in that experiment. The smoke and flame filled the turret. Then a flange was fitted to the muzzle of the gun and the curve of the turret to increase the space. The last trial was this contrivance. Thirty five pounds of powder and a hollow shot were fired. The concussion lifted the perforated shield plates on top of the turret, one of which fell on Captain Worden's foot. The volume of flame from the muzzle set the tackle for hoisting the shot on fire, burned the eyebrows and hair of one of the gun's crew, and the force of the gas tore off the flange. It was found also that although the extra flange might fit the inside curve of the turret, the gun must recoil before the charge left it. It was rather queer that ordnance officers should have to experiment to find that out. The result proved that the porthole must be enlarged so as to let the muzzle of the gun protrude, or some sliding arrangement like the joints of a telescope must be contrived to keep up the connection with the porthole while the gun recoils."

1861: Mohican chasing blockade runners: "Report of Commander Gordon, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Mohican. U. S. S. MOHICAN, Off Charleston, January, 1862. Sir: I have to report that yesterday, about half past 6 in the morn- ing watch, a heavy fog at the time, heard the report of a gun in the direction of the Roebuck. Slipped my cable and stood in for Moffitts Channel, but could see nothing. Another gun was heard, and a moment after saw a steamer inside and near the bar heading to eastward. Gave chase, when she stood inshore and moved at full speed. I yawed the ship to fire a long gun. For a momeiit she stopped, but, the fog lifting. she saw the buoys and made for them. I followed, but found she was gaining on me fast. I therefore again yawed to fire my XI-inch shells at her in hopes of disabling her machinery-my only chance. I burst my shells near her and about her, but she reached the channel and entered. I regret to say that the Mohican has quite lost her speed in the last six months, and now I can only obtain 6 or 7 knots under the same steam and same revolutions which formerly gave inc 9 and 10. The engines and boilers have been in use without an overhauling for more than two years. This and a very foul bottom may account for her sluggishness, but does not relieve mae from the serious annoyance of having a very slow vessel to do duty requiring the greatest speed. I have now placed time ship to within half a mile range of a long gun on Sullivans Island, below Fort Moultrie, but at least three steamers should he here, and one, at least, very fist, and they must rule out all gales except south-westers. Then they will he obliged to go to sea. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, s. w: Gordon, Commander. Flag-Officer S. F. du Pont, Commanding South Atlantic Rlockading Squadron." Commodore du Pont's letter [edited by me] to the Secretary of the Navy states that the USS Mohican actually hit her! "Report of Flag- Officer Du Pont, U. S. Navy, regarding the escape into Charleston, S. C., of the blockade runner Isabel. Private. FLAGSHiP WABASH, Port Royal Harbor, S. C., January Ii, 1862. ... The Isabel, I am sorry to say, has got into Charleston, in a fog. The Mohican slipped her chain instantly on the lookout vessel of that chan- nel firing a gun, but the Isabel was too swift. The Mohican blew her stern off by a shell; this we have from deserters from Stono to-day, brought down by the Pocahontas. She had coffee on board; no arms. The Mohican chased her until she drew the fire of the forts. I am, dear sir, faithfully, yours, S. F. Du PONT, Flag- Officer. to:Hon. GIDEON WELLES, Secretary of the Navy, Washington." *** Correction: Her Commander was Sylvanus William Godon, not Gordon. ***

The Mohican was earlier at the Battle of Port Royal in 1861: "The Report of Commander Gordon, U. S. Navy, commanding U. 5. S. Mohican, regarding casualties to that vessel. U. S. S. MOHICAN, Port Royal Harbor, November 9, 1861. SIR: I have to report that in the engagement off Hilton Head this ship suffered the following damage: Shot in starboard main yardarm, five shot in hull. One screw to main rigging carried away by a shot. Serious injuries to after hatch; nothing, however, that may not readily be repaired with some carpenters aid. One of my boats is so much injured that it must be replaced or repaired at once, and I have not the means. The officers and crew did what I expected of them in the engagement, their entire duty, with spirit and heart. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant. S. W. Gordon, Commander. Flag-Officer S. F. Du PONT, Commanding South Atlantic Blockading Squadron" "

At the Second battle of Fort Fisher, January 1865: Report of Commander Ammen, U. S. Navy, commanding U. S. S. Mohican, transmitting report of casualties. U. S. S. MOHICAN, Off New Inlet, North Carolina, January 17, 1865. SIR: I have the honor to report that at daylight on the morning of the 13th the ~1Iahiean was got underway, following the Brooklyn, and followed by the Tacony and the vessels composing the line, and stood in and along the coast until the Half Moon battery was reached, some 3 miles to the northward of Fort Fisher, when the line anchored on sig- nal and the shore line was shelled Page 470 470 NORTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON. On signal all of our boats were sent to aid in debarking the troops, which was accomplished at about 3p. m. On signal at 3:35 the Mohican was again underway in line, as before, in close order, and anchored on signal in line with kedge astern and anchor ahead, in position assigned, opening on Fort Fisher at 4:25 and firing deliberately until 5:30, when we withdrew on signal. Ninety-two IX-inch shells were expended dur- ing the day. At 9:15 a. m. of the 15th the Mohican was got underway. On signal and by verbal order wen t in to deliver fire on Fort Fisher, making fast a stern line to the New Ironsides for a spring, and anchoring. At 10:30 we opened a deliberate fire on Fort Fisher, directed by signals from time to time, and maintained it until 3:47, when signal was made to cease firing. During the day 327 IX-inch shells were fired and 17 30-pounder rifle shells, the latter directed at steamers in the river with rebel troops and on the Federal Point batteries. The firing on both days was care- fully delivered and was effective. In the meantime, obeying signals, the first, second, and fourth cutters were dispatched, under charge of Acting Master William Burditt, Acting Masters Mate James Paine, and Acting Boatswain Josiah B. Aiken, with boats crews, containing a total of fifty-two officers, sail- ors, and marines, to the rendezvous on the beach. The list of killed, wounded, and missing has been given in a separate report. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, DANIEL AMMEN, Commander. Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Commanding North Atlantic A3quadron. [Enclosure.] U. S. S. MOITICAN, Off New Inlet, North Carolina, January 16, 1865. SIR: The following casualties occurred to the crew of the Mohican in our operations against Fort Fisher yesterday: No. Name. Rate. Remarks. 1 Oscar Smith sergeant, marines - - wound of neck; slight. 2 John Le Mott Russell.. Marine Bullet wound through left wrist. 3 5tepben Moore do Bullet wound below left knee. 4 Albert E. Harlowe Coxswain wound of left hand. 5 John Sweeney do Killed; shot through heart. 6 John 5ullivan Seaman Bullet wound of left thigh. 7 Michael Mccauley do Flesh wound right leg. 8 Samuel W. Woodward.. Ordinary seaman ... Bullet wound below right knee. 9 John Graham Corporal, marines . Bullet wound left shoulder; also by explosion of magazine in Fort Fisher to-day. 10 William F. Ryan Marine - .. - Severe contusions of breast and hack. 11 Richard Broderick (10 Sprain of right foot. Hiram J. ilenkey (landsman) is missing; was known to have been wounded and supposed to have been taken on board of some vessel belonging to the fleet. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, DANIEL AMMEN, Commander. Rear-Admiral DAVID D. PORTER, Commanding North Atlantic Squadron

Anyone getting the new Bluejacket Kit of the USS Kearsarge might want to consider building her lesser known older sister ship instead. More heavily armed than the Kearsarge, in October 1864, she mounted one 100-pounder rifle, six 9-inch Dahlgren smooth-bores and two 30-pounder Rifles. The First Battle of Fort Fisher: "Detailed report of Commander Ammen, U. 5. Navy, commanding U. S. 5. Mohican. U. S. S. MOHICAN, Off Beaufort, N. C., December 31, 1864. ADMIRAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your General Order No. 75, directing comman ding officers to make their report in relation to our attacks on Fort Fisher and the adjacent earth- works, and also a copy of a communication to you from Major-General Benj. F. Butler, and in regard to some points touched upon you request an opinion. At about 11:30 a. in. of the 24th, the fleet got underway and stood in, in line of battle, toward Fort Fisher, bearing about W. S. W. and some 6 or 7 miles distant. The Mohican was kept closely in position assigned, following the leading vessel, the frigate Minnesota, and fol- lowed by the frigate Colorado, and she successively by the other ves- sels forming the main line. At about 1 p. in. the Minnesota sheered in out of line and took up her position at anchor, opening at once on Fort Fisher, some 2,100 yards distant. As per plan of battle, the Mohican was sheered in ahead Page 310 310 NORTH ATLANTIC BLOCKADING SQUADRON. of her, fired slowly on the fort, to get a range, and aiichored, then opened briskly with the whole battery. The fort had opened on the Minnesota and on the Mohican previous to our anchoring. The Colorado sheered in ahead of us, letting go kedge astern, and then anchored and opened fiercely on the fort. The vessels forming the line then successively, with more or less success, took np their positions and opened. The ironclads, led by the New Ironsides, had anchored, a few minutes preceding the Minnesota, some 500 or 600 yards to the northward and westward, and were slowly getting their range when we anchored, and the outer line of ves~els moved into position after the maui line had anchored, and opened on the Mound and several detached ease- mated guns. The fire from the fort became weak as the vessels anchored and opened fire. It was soon apparent that they could not work their bar- bette guns without great loss of life, and the guns crews no doubt retreated under shelter with a few exceptions where high travel ses and favorable angles gave them great protection. Different casemated guns, particularly those mounted in detached mounds and toward the Mound, continued to fire slowly and evidently with not much effect, nor would the position of the guns served favor an effective fire. The whole body of Fort Fisher was filled with bursting shells, and only at long intervals, if at all, was a gun fired from the main work. In the meantime, owing to the wind and the set of the tide, I found that the use of the propeller and the helm would no longer enable me to bring the broadside to bear, and was obliged to weigh anchor and maneuver under steam, holding our position as nearly as possible, and avoiding interfering with the firing of the other vessels. After exhaust- ing all the filled IX-inch shells on board ready for use, the Mohican was withdrawn from the line at about 4:10 p. in., making signal to you of the cause, and we commenced filling shells without delay. After sunset the fleet withdrew and the Mohi can ran into line and anchored. At about 9 a. m. of the 25th the signal was made to get underway and form line of battle. The Mohican took her position and the fleet stood in to the attack. When nearly under fire I was directed verbally from you not to take position until further orders. The Minnesota, the leading vessel of the main line, proceeded in and anchored, got underway, and, after various attempts, obtained a well- chosen position, the main line awaiting her movements. The ironclads having preceded [us], during this time were in position, firing slowly and receiving a part of the fire of Fort Fisher. After the position of the Minnesota was satisfactory I received orders from you, about noon, to take position close astern of the New Iron- sides, which I did without delay, firing slowly until a good range was obtained, then opened briskly on the fort. Iwas enabled to see, through the absence of smoke, that our fire was very effective, delivered at a short 10-second range. One of the rebels guns was seen to be dis- mounted by our fire. Half an hour after we had anchored the Colorado passed ahead of the Minnesota and into position, anchoring and delivering a very effective fire. The whole line soon took position and opened very heavily and evidently with great effect, driving the rebels from their guns, with a few exceptions, as those in casemates amid other places sheltered and distant. The position of the Mohican enabled me to see well, as I was first at anchor within half a ships length of the New Ironsides, ans Page 311 finding that anchoring impeded an effective use of the battery, I weighed, and in delivering fire drifted 100 or 200 yards nearer the fort. At 2:05 p. m. the suppiy of the 10 second fuzes and the rifle ammu- nition was exhausted, and the Mohican was withdrawn from action for the purpose of obtaining more, speaking the Malvern for the purpose and obtaining none. Not being directed to go under fire again, we remained spectators near the Minnesota~ until about 4 p. in., when I received orders to aid in debarking troops, and proceeded to execute, but instead of debarking aided in bringing off the soldiers that had already reached the shore. It has not been my lot to witness any operation comparable in force or in effect to the bombardment of Fort Fisher by the fleet, and I feel satisfied that any attempt to keep out of their bombproofs or to work their guns would have been attended with great loss of life to the rebels, and would have proven a fruitless attempt. On the first day we delivered 217 IX-inch shells, 59 100-pounder rifle, and 89 30-pounder rifle shells. On the second day we delivered 103 IX-inch shells, 20 100-pounder rifle, and 25 30-pounder rifle shells, making a total of 513. Our firing was effective as well as rapid, and I have to express my high appreciation of the ability and zeal of Lieutenant J. D. Marvin, the executive officer of this vessel, and of Acting Master William Bur- ditt, whose long and varied professional experience proved useful. Acting Boatswain Josiah B. Aiken, owing to a deficiency of officers, had charge of the 100-pounder rifle and served it admirably. I have to express my satisfaction at the excellent behavior of the officers and crew, and do not doubt that when the occasion arrives when they should do so they will stand to their guns as long as enough men remain to serve them. In relation to the effect of the fire of the fleet on the fort, I beg leave to express my congratulations, as I did verbally on meeting you after the actions. It did not require a visit to the fort to see that enormous traverses were nearly leveled, as at the S. E. angle. The stockade or abattis must have been much shattered, and the debris from the par- apets must have filled in the ditch greatly. I feel satisfied that every- thing was effected that can be by powerful batteries against a sand- work, and that we could and can keep the enemy in their bombproofs pending an advance of troops to the foot of the parapet. The official letter of General Butler referred to, [which] states that General Weitzel advanced his skirmish line within 50 yards of the fort, while the garrison was kept in their bombproofs by the fire of the navy, and so closely that three or four mcii of the picket line ventured upon the parapet and through the sally-port of the work, is, I think, entirely confirmatory as to the effectiveness of our fire. He adds: This was done while the shells of the navy were falling about the heads of the (laring men who entered the work, but appears to forget that at any given signal from an assaulting column, that this fire would cease and the enemy be found not defending the parapet but safely stowed away in bombproofs. I do not know what more could be asked of naval guns than to afford a safe approach to the foot of the parapet with no lines of the enemy drawn up to receive our forces. Beyond that, I suppose everything would depend upon the relative forces of the combatants and the vigor of the assault, and although the work might not, in a military sense, be much injured, I would think the likelihood of carrying the work would Page 312 be greatly increased by such disposition without loss of life of the respective forces. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, DANIEL AMMEN, Commander. Rear-Admiral D. P. PORTER, Commanding North Atlantic Squadron.

I found this on the Civil War Talk discussion board, by a Mike d. " FROM MEMPHIS. Particulars of the Disaster to tbe Acacia. [Correspondence of the Missouri Democrat.] , Memphis. August 2'Jd. — From persona who came up this, morning on the steamboat Con- ' way, we have some particulars of the disaster ; to the steamboat Acacia. The Acacia left this place about eight o'clock on Wednesday evening, bound for Helena, having on board between seventy and eighty passengers, being convalescent soldiers and officers returning to army at Helena, sutlers, cotton buyers, and rive or six ladies, the wives of officers, going to meet their husbands at Helena. The night, though not cloudy, was what the pilots call a "gray night," or "hazy about the horizon" so that all landmarks were blurred and indistinct, and from this cause the Acacia may have got out of the channel. About half past one o'clock in the morning, when she had reached the foot of "Grand Cut Off," a little over sixty miles below this place, and was running over a bur, she struck a log which lay on the bottom, tearing a hole in the bottom of the boat of the width of one or two planks, and almost the entire length of the boat. She immediately began to fill rapidly, and the pilot, seeiugthat sb'e was about to sink, stopped the engines and signaled the engineer to back her, so as to keep her from goiug over the reef and sinking in deep water. Every one who is at all acquainted with the formation of sand bars in rivers, knows that the reef, or the high ridge of the bar, always runs at a right angle to the current, the lower, or down stream side, of the reef, is almost perpendicular and stands like a wall along the upper side of the channel, which zigzags from one shore to the other, and a few yards below this reef is always the deepest water in the river, while above the reef the water is shallow but very gradually deepens for miles as you go up stream. The Acacia struck so near the edge of the reef that the reversing of the engines would not check her headway before|she was carried over the reef, where in about five minutes her hull tilled and she capsized, and lay for a few minutes with the cabin nearly submerged. While this was taking place the dim scene was rendered more horrible, by the indistinct cries of the wretched souls who bad been unable to escape from the cabin, and who were being drowned as the cabin slowly settled deeper and deeper. The heated boilers too, broke loose, and went settling down, sending up a cloud of steam through the floating masses of wreck. In a few minutes the cabin with the " texas" and pilot house began to break loose from the hull and soon separated from it entirely. The hull turned bottom side up and floated down a few miles where it lodged in a shallow place, in the channel. The cabin, which still floated on its side, rose a little higher out of the water as soon us it separated from the hull, and all the passengers who could reach it, seventeen or eighteen in all, clambered on top. With these it drifted off rapidly down stream. Dozens of others were drifting near it on smaller pieces of the wreck. After drifting several miles, the wreck of the cabin came so near the shore that it passed under a tree which leaned out and hung very lowover the water. About half a dozen of those who were on the wreck managed to catch the branches as they drifted under, and so clambered along the tree to the batik. The rest, however, drifted on down twenty miles below where the accident occurred, to opposite the mouth of St. Francis river. Here the floating wreck was burled by the rapid current against a huge snag, which completely demolished it, literally breaking cabin, texas and pilot house into kindling wood. It was now daylight. As the wreck of the cabin went to pieces, those who had been drifting on it saw many of the bodies of the unfortunates who had been drowned in the cabin thrown temporarily to the surface, among the debris of the wreck. About this time the steamboat Conway, from | Helena, came in sight, and began picking up those who were .still afloat. She also rescued half a dozen who had succeeded in getting to the bank. And soon after the dispatch lx>at W. H. 8., on her way to' Helena from this port, came in sight, she having also picked up a number from pieces of the wreck, which were scattered for many miles along the river. Thirty or forty of the passengers and crew of the Acacia came back to this place on the Conway, and quite a number, including all the officers and soldiers who had been on board, went down to Helena on the W. H. B. Out of the one hundred and fifteen or one hundred and twenty who were on board the Acacia, it is supposed that fully forty were drowned. Among the lost were four ladies and three children; they were in their staterooms asleep when the accident occurred, and were unable to get out of the cabin ; only two ladies are known to have been saved. The reason assigned for 60 few escaping from the cabin is, that the boat instantly careened over so much that it was impossible for any one to walk the floor. When the wreck of the cabin, after drifting so far, struck the snag that tore it to pieces, a negro who was on the wreck, was somehow left clinging to the snag, which projected above the water several feet, and to which the swift current gave a sawing motion, and one instant he was plunged down into the water, and the next raised again several feet above the surface. In this uncomfortable fix he clung several hours, until rescued by the Conway. The Acacia "had about seventy-five tons of freight on board, mostly sutlers' stores, all of which was lost. A large amount of money was ulso lost, by cotton buyers and others ; one man lost eight thousand dollars is gold, and another two thousand. A number of the survivors got off to shore near the residence cf Sirs. Dr. Kent, who showed them every assistance in her power. At one place when the Conway landed to rescue some of the survivors, the officers of the boat were told that a band of guerrillas were then looking at them with glasses from the opposite shore. All the survivors mention the name of Thomas Baldwin, the engineer of the Acacia, with commendation, for having stood at his post endeavoring to back the engines until the water rendered it impossible. The Evening Bulletin says of the unfortunate boat : " The Acacia wag the old W. IT. Langlev, which used to run to White river and other side streams, and for some time run with the Kate Frisbee in Ciiptuin Shirley's Memphis aud Vicksburg packet line. The boat was old and unfit for service. She was owned by Captain Price. " The only names we have been able to obtain are the following, which were signed to a series of resolutions which they passed, eulogizing the humanity of the officers of the Conwa\, and expressing gratitude for their generous efforts to save their lives, and kindness after they were taken on board. The names ore: "John Brown, Jbo. Carson, Charles Ross. Jno. Siven, John G. Uuer, Berom Leore, N. Lewe, E. Ringler, W. S Wood, T. Heidelberger, .1. R. Smith, Eighth Indiana; Robert A. Brown, Eighth Indiana; Isaac A. Sharp, Eighth Indiana; Letman A. White, Eighth Indiana; William Streaemeicr, John Burgess, W. U. Ashwell. I certify that the above is correct. E. Ringlek, Assistant Surgeon, Fifty-eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteers.'' The only nanio I have been able to learn of any one certainly lost is that of Mrs. Scliuman, the wife ofj^Uiiptain in the army at Helena. The wife^Tso, of a Colonel at Helena, whose name Ijould not learn, was lost. Wit for Cabbages. — A contributor to the Farmer and Gardener remarks upon this subject" Another version: "Charleston Mercury, September 3, 1862 Terrible Steamboat Disaster on the Mississippi Memphis papers contain the particulars of a serious disaster on the Mississippi, which occurred at Grand Cut Off, sixty miles below the city, on Thursday last. The stern wheel steamer Accasia, on her way down to Helena, with a passenger and crew list of over one hundred and fifty, struck a snag, about 2 o'clock, a. m., and was so badly damaged as to sink almost immediately. The water rushed into the hold with extreme rapidity, and in five minutes of the time of striking, the boat keeled over and completely capsized. The "skylight" parted from the rest, and with the "texas" or pilot house and the staterooms, connected with it, floated. The hull completely capsized, and in doing so, glided from the shoal where the accident took place, and sunk in the deep water. So rapid did all this take place, the shock -- the rush of the waters into the hull below -- the rolling of the rolling overboard of the chimneys above -- the riving of parting timbers, as the hurricane deck separated from the cabin, and this at a time when nearly every tenant of the ill-fated boat was in deep sleep, that there was no opportunity for one to help another. Those who were on the hurricane deck heard agonizing cries, heart-rending exclamations, and vain calls for help from those below. Then they and the rest were all struggling in the waves that surged wildly round the spot where the capsized boat was swallowed up. Of the passengers, it is estimated that at least one-half, seventy-five persons, perished. One white woman and a colored chamber maid were saved, five ladies were carried down when the boiler deck broke from the hull and the hurricane from that. None of the survivors saw anything of the ladies. They probably, in their wild fright, made some attempt at dress, and those few moments were fatal. The captain, clerk, and crew, with the exception of some of the deck hands and the negro cook, got safely to land. There was on board eight thousand dollars in gold, besides the freight, valued at two thousand dollars."