THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Passengers rescued from sinking emigrant ship

From the News Letter, February 3, 1866
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Details of the loss of the emigrant ship the Gratitude were published in the News Letter on this day in 1866.

The three-decked ship which had been built in New York in 1855 had sailed from Liverpool on November 18, 1865 under the command of Captain McStother, a crew of 33 men and 275 passengers of “mostly English, Irish and Scotch emigrants”.

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The despatches told how the ship had been at sea for several days when the weather had become tempestuous “and several violent gales succeeded one after another in quick succession” of damaging the Gratitude.

The loss of the Pennsylvania New York packet ship, the Lockwoods emigrant ship, the Saint Andrew packet ship, and the Victoria from Charleston, near Liverpool, during the infamous hurricane of January 7 and 8, 1839The loss of the Pennsylvania New York packet ship, the Lockwoods emigrant ship, the Saint Andrew packet ship, and the Victoria from Charleston, near Liverpool, during the infamous hurricane of January 7 and 8, 1839
The loss of the Pennsylvania New York packet ship, the Lockwoods emigrant ship, the Saint Andrew packet ship, and the Victoria from Charleston, near Liverpool, during the infamous hurricane of January 7 and 8, 1839

On Christmas Day the ship sprung a bad leak which further undermined its sea worthiness but it continued to sail.

On New Year’s Day at about noon, “in latitude 41.36, longitude 53” and when all hope had nearly deserted those on board the beleaguered vessel the barque Fredonia which was commanded by a Captain Burke began to help to rescue the crew and passengers from the sinking vessel.

The News Letter reported: “The women and children were first taken from the wreck, Captain McStother standing with a loaded pistol to secure to them the first chance of being rescued.”

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The dispatch added: “The shipwrecked people had but little opportunity to save their property and most of them escaped with no clothing but what they wore.”

The Fredonia had arrived in Boston the previous Sunday and the rescued passengers were immediately landed.

“It was a pitiable sight to behold them as they emerged from their crowded quarters, weak, emaciated, thinly clad, many of them - men, women and children – barefooted,” said the despatches from America.

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