Collision of the De Soto and Buckeye
This article describes the collision of two steamboats on the Mississippi and is
referred to in Johns letter of the 25th 1844. Johns eldest daughter, Anne Elizabeth,
and her husband Mr Reilly, were on board the Buckeye. John described his son-in-law
as the clerk and part owner of the Steam Boat lost. In the article there is an account
of a passenger making application to the clerks office for money which he had
deposited there for safe-keeping. It is possible that Johns son-in-law was the clerk
or purser involved.
The following text is a quotation from a website that is not affiliated with the
Irish Emigration Database or the Centre for Migration Studies:
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Steamboat Desasters [Disasters?]
Collision of the De Soto and Buckeye.
Between three and four oclock on Friday morning, March 1st, 1844; the steamboats
De Soto and Buckeye came in contact on the Mississippi, near Atchafalaya. The De
Soto was bound down, from Nachitoches, and the Buckeye was on her way to Ouachata,
with about three hundred passengers on board, and a cargo of plantation supplies.
The concussion was so violent that within five minutes after the accident, the
Buckeye sunk to her hurricane deck, in twenty feet water. The passengers were
asleep until awakened by time [the?] shock. They rushed on deck in the greatest
consternation. a terrible commotion and confusion was produced by hundreds of
people, in the wildest excitement, seeking their relatives; as many husbands and
wives, parents and children, were separated by time [the?] universal disorder
which prevailed in the fated vessel. All, or nearly all, were in their night
clothes, and few were sufficiently self possessed to take proper means for their
own safety, or for the safety of those who depended on them for assistance and
protection.
A few brave spirits, forgetful of themselves, turned all their attention to the
preservation of time [the?] women and children; but the boat went down so suddenly
that few of those helpless beings could be saved. Mr Haynes, of Alexandria, La,
whose family was with him, lost his daughter, a beautiful little girl, about ten
years old. His wifes sister, Miss Elizabeth Smith, an accomplished young lady, was
likewise drowned. Mr [Haynes?] also lost sixteen slaves who were on time [the?]
lower deck. Mr Alexander McKinzie [McKenzie?], formerly of Florida, lost his wife,
seven children, and four slaves. Mr John Blunt, who was also from Florida, lost his
wife, child, and seven negroes. Col. King, of Louisiana, (afterwards Vice President
of the United States,) lost two children. A young man named Pollard, supposed to be
from Natchez, had a considerable sum of money deposited for safe-keeping in the
clerks office. When the boat was sinking he applied for his money, it was delivered
to him, and he was not seen afterwards. A child of Mr White, of New Orleans, was
lost. Two sisters of a young man named Francis Larkin were drowned. Mr Larkin and
these young ladies had been taken on board at Red river landing. Mr Beard, one of
the unfortunate passengers of the Buck-eye, attempted to swim ashore with his young
nephew on his back; but in the attempt both were drowned. The whole number who
perished could not have been less than eighty. The night was clear, and the moon
shed a brilliant light on the water, and to this happy circumstance the preservation
of many lives may be ascribed. The De Soto remained by the wreck to the last, and
the officers of that boat exerted themselves to the utmost in saving the lives and
property of the Buck-eyes passengers. The mate of the De Soto rescued about forty
persons from the water by taking them up into the yawl, conveying as many as the
little boat could carry on the steamer, and then returning for more.
The surviving passengers of the Buckeye published a certificate exculpating the
Captain and other officers of that boat, and ascribing the mischance to a
combination of unfortunate circumstances which no precaution or foresight could
have averted.
