NORTH CAROLINA
JOURNAL
Halifax,
North CarolinA
5
December 1796
We have to lament the loss of some lives on
this melancholy occasion: amongst them two valuable, useful, worthy men, Capt.
Wm. Gillespie, of the brig Glory and Capt. James Burnside, of
the sloop Anna, -- four of the French prisoners are missing, and are supposed
to have been washed overboard when the prison ships went adrift. A Negro man
belonging to Capt. Artfill, one belonging to the estate of Mr. Tarrnal, and a Negro
boy belonging to Capt. Elliot were drowned.
The following is the best information we can
procure of the fate of the vessels that were in the harbor – His Majesty’s sloop
Swallow,
Capt. Fowke rode out the gale; sustained little or no injury. Ship Nancy,
Davidion, grounded, but got off little damaged. Ship Union, Borrowdale, rode
out the gale; lost her mizzen mast. Ship Lively, Moultrie, dismasted and
grounded, but got off. Schooner Alice, Stowell, driven ashore, but
got off without much injury, Brig George, Henderson, Ashore on Hog
Island, not materially injured. Brig Glory, Gillespie, ashore and bilged.
Brig Brothers,
Wallace, Ashore, loft her bow sprit, and otherwise much injured. Brig Africa
gone to pieces. Brig Sophia, Crothers, lost. American
brig Mary
Anne Johnston, ashore. Snow Charlotte, Tucker, ashore,
dismasted. Schooner True Blue, ashore. Schooner Lovely Lass, lost.
Schooner George and Ophelia, do. Schooner Sailor’s Delight, ashore.
Schooner Polly, dismasted. Sloop Maxwell, ashore, Sloop Henrietta,
drove against Forbes, Munto, and Roe’s Warf, injured in her upper works. Sloop William
and Mary, ashore, lost her bowsprit and keel. American sloops Planter,
Fancy,
Catherine,
and Harriet,
lost. Sloops Anna, Burnside, Conrade, Newton,
Rambler,
Elliot,
and St.
Andrew, lost. Schooner Little Flying Fish, lost. Sloops Sally
and Dolphin,
upset. Schooner Little Negro lost, Sloop Betsy, ashore, dismasted. Schooner Packet,
do. Thunder
and Rattlesnake
galleys, do. Two person vessels, do. One ditto ashore. Two pilot boats lost. A
Spanish Schooner and Sloop, do. Two schooners and two sloops whose names we
have not learnt, do. A great many boats were lost, and some driven ashore to
the westward.
The Narcissus and Porcupine frigates were
lying moored under Sandy Kay, about 7 miles E. of this town, when the gale came
on. The Narcissus, we are truly
concerned to state, is stranded on Long Key; happily not a life was lost, and
it is expected that great part of the stores will be saved. The Porcupine after the gale, was seen at
anchor under Sandy Key dismasted. We have only learned that they drove over a
reef, and that it is expected she will be got round later to this harbor.
The injury sustained ashore on this island
is trivial when compared to the devastation among the shipping. The belfry of
Christ Church, trees, fences, Negro huts, and some old buildings were blown
down; and two dwelling houses in the suburb of this town unroofed.
By the reports given by masters of several
vessels arrived from the Northward and westward since Tuesday, it would appear
that they had not the gale nearly too violent as it was here.
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