1823

April 1, 1823 Evening Post (New York, New York)
​Melancholy accident. It becomes our painful duty to record the sudden death of Mr. David Dunham, merchant, of this city. He was a passenger in the steam boat Richmond, from Albany, until she broke the shaft to her wheel, when he, with a number of other gentlemen, went on board of the sloop Criterion, Capt. Mellon, of Hudson. They had proceeded as far as Verplanck's Point, when they were met by a heavy squall about two o'clock yesterday afternoon, which obliged them to take in sail. Mr. Dunham was on the quarter deck lending a hand in securing the mainsail, when a sudden flaw filled the leech of the sail which he had hold of, and swept him overboard. A sloop in company at the time and near by, threw two lines to him, one of which he grasped at, but missed it.  The long boat belonging to the Criterion immediately put off to his assistance, and had nearly reached him, notwithstanding the violence of the wind and the heavy swell of the sea, but when within five yards of him his exertions became exhausted, and he sunk to rise no more. A reward of two hundred and fifty dollars is offered by his friends, for the recovery of his body.

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April 1, 1823 Spectator (New York, New York)
Monday Evening, March 31.
Foul and fierce All Winter drives along the darken'd air
​We never recollect to have witnessed so severe a month of March as the present. It is now the last day - the time at which in ordinary seasons the green fields appear, and the feathered songsters of nature "make vocal every spray." The weather during the whole month has been extremely variable, and the greater part of the time very chilly and cold, if not severely so. We had a few days of pleasant weather last week, and Saturday was soo clear and mild, as to afford promise that the earth would soon rise again as from the grave, into fresh life and beauty. The He who rides upon the whirlwind and directs the storm, has ordered it otherwise. Instead of the "vegetable world bursting into life, and waving its hues, adn spreading its fragrance around," the earth is again thickly clad in the dreary vestments of winter. Yesterday morning, about 9 o'clock, commenced by far the severest storm that we have experienced since January, 1821. The snow fell gently at first, but it increased as a driving wind arose from the E.N.E., which by 12 o'clock blew almost a hurricane, and the atmosphere was literally darkened by the snow. Such was the quantity, that had it not be moist, by the aid of the wind it would have completely blocked up the streets. The storm continued furiously through the day, and without much abatement during the night also. Towards morning the wind shifted to the N.N.W., and the snow continued to fall until this morning. What added greatly to the inconvenience of a large body of our citizens, was an alarm of fire at two o'clock, and another at about four. The first was a false alarm, and the authors of it ought to be made to travel at least a twelvemonth upon the Stepping-Mill. Such mischievous tricks are wicked at all times; but to compel twelve hundred men to turn out and drag their heavy engines through the snow, they know not whither, in such a driving storm, is abominable. We fear from the direction of the wind, that great damage has been sustained by these mariners who were unfortunately on the coast, when the storm commenced; and such is the advanced sea of the year, and the quantity of snow that has fallen, that we may anticipate great destruction among mills and bridges, from the freshet that must almost inevitably ensue.

It was indeed as dreadful storm, as will be seen by the following chapter of accidents and disasters, which probably includes but a small number of the whole. We tremble For the lone traveller on the hill of storm. For the toss'd shipman on the perilous deep.
Vessels damaged in the East River.
New brig belonging to Mr. Morgan, both masts, rigging &c. gone by the board.
Brig Friendship, of Bristol R.I. capsized; masts in the water, keel on the deck.
Brig Remittance, of Bristol, R.I. on her beam ends.
Sloop Mechanic sunk at Corlear's Hook. Three other sloops damaged at the same place.
Schooner ____, loaded with live oak, sunk at Manhattan Island.
The ship Vermont was driven ashore from Corlear's Hook to Watson's Mill; one end of the mill was driven in by the force of the ship.
A ship drove from Manhattan Island, on the mud flag.
Sloop Cornelia, of Albany, arrived from Albany during the gale, and had all her sails blown away, before they could be taken in.
Brig Mentor, of Portland, stern chafed.
Brig Huron, quarter stoved.
An outward sloop ashore at the White Mills.
The Docks on the Brooklyn side are considerably injured.
The three topgallant mast of the new ship Canada were carried away by a wind close to the caps, the mate was badly wounded in endeavoring to cut away one of them.
Brig Reindeer, drifted afoul of the schooner Farmer's Fancy, of Warren, and both were damaged.
The brig Leopard, which arrived yesterday morning from Mobile, parted her cables, when at anchor near the Battery, and is ashore half a mile up the Kills, on the Mud Flats.
The ship Neutrality dragged her anchors from above Corlaer's Hook to near Governor's Island, where she remained at sunset.
Brig Midas, which arrived on Saturday from Savannah parted her cables, and was driven into the slip at Jones' wharf, stove in her bulwarks and some of her top timbers. The brig Spanish Soldier carried away her larboard chain plates and received other damage; also, the schooner Quito, bound to the West Indies, lying alongside the brig.
Sloop Ardent, at pier No. 10, bowsprit carried away, and part of her starboard bow stove in.
Brig Rapid had her stern boat stove, and some damage done to her stern.
The ship Indian Chief, Humphrey, bound to Liverpool, was driven from her anchorage, and is ashore at Staten Island.
The packet ship Amellia Crane, bound to Charleston is on her beam ends at Ellis' Island. Vessel ___ and the cargo of dry goods, &c. drifting about in _______
A sloop ashore at Bedlow's Island.
Brig Hannah is blown over and her masts lie across the wharf.
The line ship Com. Perry was thrown on her beam ends, but righted with the loss of her foretop gallant mast.
The packet ship Robert Fulton lost her fore top gallant mast.
Packet ship Stephania is blown over, and her masts lay cross the wharf.
Ship Oscar, for LIverpool, parted her fasts, but was afterwards secured.
A schooner lying along side the ship Ohio, at Brookly, has her foremast gone and sunk.
The steam boat Patent, received some damaged in her wheel guards, &c.
The new steam boat, building at Brown's Yard, had her keel broken.
At the Navy-Yard Ferry
The steam ferry boat was stove to pieces.
On the Brooklyn shore.
Sloop Mercantile, of Brookhaven, sunk.
Sloop Gamecock, of Brooklyn, sunk.
Sloop Enterprise, of Elizabethtown, sunk.
Sloop Philander, injured by the mast of a sloop falling on her..
Schooner Brown, of New York, gunwale stove.
Sloop Clinton, Dennett, with lumber, ashore on Bedlow's Island.
In the North River
Brig Columbia, of Newport, capsized at Howland's wharf, North River carried away her main yard, and is otherwise injured. Her topmasts lay across the schooner Swan, which, it is supposed, received injury.
The brig Ohio, lying at Rector street wharf, North River, was capsized and lies on her beam ends. A pettyauger schooner belonging to Powles' Hook, had her foremast carried away, and sunk. The schooner Speedy, in the North River, received some injury.
A brig partly loaded, at the wharf above Rector Street, parted all her fasts, and was driven on the leeward pier, with considerable damage.
Damage on the Jersey shore. The Steam Boat ferry house, and wharves, are considerable injured: damage estimated at $1000.
The schooners Industry, and Patriot, loaded with pine wood are wrecked near Jersey City. The sloop Jane, with wood much injured.
Sloop Hamilton, bound to Albany, ashore near Comunipaw.
The Steam Boat Bellona, arrived this morning from New Brunswick. A passenger informs us, that he counted, between new Brunswick and this port, fifty-three vessels, sunk., or ashore. One of those was a sloop, from Rahway, with bricks. A female passenger drowned.
Many trees in the Park, and various parts of the city were blown down. Mr. Purdy's carpenter shop, and Mr. Clark's livery stable in the Bowery, were blown down; two or three horses killed in the latter.

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April 2, 1823 - National Advocate (New York, New York)
Melancholy Intelligence. -- It is with much regret that we are compelled to announce to our readers the unfortunate and premature death of David Dunham, Esq. of this city, one of our most active and enterprising merchants, who was thrown overboard from the sloop Criterion, on Monday about 2 o'clock, during the gale, near Verplanck's Point, distance from the city 40 miles, and drowned.  Mr. Dunham took passage in the Richmond steam boat, which broke the beam of her machinery near Cold Springs, and was among a number who left the steam boat and went on board the sloop.  The sail having been town to pieces by the violence of the wind it became necessary to take it in, and, as is supposed, while he was making some rope fast the vessel jibed, by which he was thrown over to a distance of 10 feet rom her.  Mr. D. was on the surface nearly five minutes swimming; several sloops came too with all speed, but without avail.  Mr. D. was only heard to say, "O Lord!"  Ropes and other articles were thrown out, and Mr. D. attempted to reach them, but in vain.  The boat was within 20 yards of him when he sunk to rise no more.  It will be seen by an advertisement in this paper, that his family offer a reward of $250 for the recovery of the body.

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April 4, 1823 - Spectator (New York, New York)
From the Morning Papers.
The ship India, lies on her beam ends at Corlaer's Hook.
Sloop Maria Ann, carried away her main boom on the north side of the town.
Fifty-five fathoms of Tucker and Carter's rope walk, near the Navy Yard, are blown down.
Many trees are prostrated at Brooklyn, and some houses injured.
A gentleman from Flushing L.I. states that 7 or 8 sloops and schooners are seen ashore between Hell Gate and Throgg's Point.
A sloop from R. Island, for this port, is ashore at the entrance of Flushing Bay.
At Governor's Island, the wharf is mostly washed away - the boathouse blown down, and 3 boats under it crushed to pieces. Several other boats dashed to pieces among the rocks, including an elegant pleasure boat belonging to Col. Anderson, which drifted from Whitehall.
A good deal of drift lumber and timber is lodged on the Island.
The Revenue Cutter Active, Capt. Cahoone, parted her fasts at the public store wharf, Staten Island, and stove in her larboard quarter. Much damage is done to the wharf, and the bridge at the Planter's Hotel, is all carried away.
A sloop is sunk near Red Hook - her stern only can be seen.
The steam boat Atalanta, went ashore at the Kilns.
The schooner Hannah Maria, Leming, from Barnegat, with wood, is high and dry.
Schooners Greyhound and Superior, sunk at Elizabethtown Point wharf. Sloop Morning Star, Wainwright, from Rahway, with bricks, sunk on the Flats near the Point, and a Mrs. Silcocks, of Rahway was drowned.
Schooners John, Jones and Comet, are high and dry on Staten Island - the latter much injured.
Sloop _____, Randolph, from Rahway, with brick, is ashore and supposed to have bilged. Schooner Spitfire, of New York, is on the meadows near Elizabethtown Point, high and dry. Schooner Thomas, Gibbons, hence for Bridgetown, ashore at the same place.
Several oof the temporary establishments erected during the fever, at Greenwich are blown down.
The sloop Julia, with a load of hay, drifted from South Amboy, and has not since been seen.
The schooner Rising Sun, went ashore near the old Blazing Star, and remains high and dry.
The sloop Constitution, Doughty of Egg Harbour, which sailed hence on Friday, for Fredericksburg, with a cargo of sugar, dry goods &c. went ashore about 3 p.m. yesterday, on Staten Island, against the white mills, stove in her waist and otherwise damaged.
Schooner Bold Commander, Somers, bound to Old Point Comfort; and Telegraph, Somers, bound to Richmond, rode out the gale in the bay without any material injury.
The sloop Amazon, Dennett, arrived yesterday afternoon from Troy. She weathered the storm at Verplanck's Point. At that place, the sloop Dutchess, of Poughkeepsie, lost her anchor and run ashore, but it was expected would be got off. The sloop Thrasher, from Hudson, lost her main boom above West Point. The Amazon, passed yesterday morning, sloop Justina from Albany, ashore at Cauldwell's near Peekskill, had carried away her main boom. Saw on the way, 7 sloops ashore - 3 sunk about 20 miles above this city - and one about 3 miles above..
The sloop Sutton, has also arrived from Hudson. She rode out the gale under the Highlands ________. The sloop Merchant from Poughkeepsie, dragged against the rocks, and was obliged to throw overboard part of her deck load of beer.
The brig Hippomenes was thrown on her beam ends at the wharf.
The brig Spanish Soldier, and the schooner Quito, bound to the West Indies, and lying alongside the former, both received considerable damage.
The mail driver who came in with the mail at 11 o'clock yesterday forenoon, reports that a stage belonging to the Union Line was crushed down by the falling of a tree across the road this side of New Brunswick, and that one of the passengers was killed.
The Eastern mail arrived a little after 9 o'clock last evening. It started from New Haven at the usual hour on Sunday morning and was brought as far as Bridgeport in a coach, and from that place in a sleigh. We learn from a passenger, that a New Haven packet, from this port, with about 30 passengers, had put into Black Rock harbor, with loss of cables and anchors.
A pilot boat which went down yesterday morning, came up last evening - reports below the schooner Palladium, from St. Michael's - and a herm. brig ashore on the Jersey shore to the westward of the Highlands.
Three pilot boats were below during the gale. 
The Grand Canal and Trimmer rode out the gale in the Horse Shoe. The Thos. H. Smith anchored near them, but was not seen yesterday. A fore and aft schooner was seen ashore near Middletown Bluff, resembling a pilot boat.
Sloop Dispatch, from Woodbridge, N.J. is ashore the North side of Staten Island.
The Grand canal pilot boat, cruized a considerable distance off the Hook yesterday, and saw nothing ashore.
(Further intelligence this morning)
The Pilot Boat Thomas H. Smith, is ashore at Old Point Comfort; not damaged.
The schooner Margaret Ann, Capt. Daniels, which sailed from this port, for Norfolk, on Wednesday last, was wrecked on Sunday night, at Point Comfort, Jersey shore. Vessel and cargo much damaged. Three men were found dead on board of the schooner, and one on the shore. It is presumed that all who were on board perished. 

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April 10, 1823 - City Gazette and Commercial (Charleston, South Carolina)
 DREADFUL  GALE AT NEW YORK. The sloop Amazon, Dennett, arrived here yesterday afternoon from Troy.  She weathered the storm at Verplanck's Point.  At that place the sloop Dutchess, of Poughkeepsie, lost her anchor and run ashore, but was expected would be got off.  The sloop Thrasher, from Hudson, lost her boom above West Point.  The Amazon, passed yesterday morning, sloop Justina from Albany, ashore at Cauldwell's near Peekskill, had carried away her boom.  Saw on the way, 7 sloops ashore -- 3 sunk about 20 miles above this city --and one about 3 miles above.

The sloop Sutton, as also arrived from Hudson.  She rode out the gale under the Highlands -- lost her chain cable, and one anchor.  The sloop Merchant from Poughkeepsie, dragged against the rocks, and was obliged to throw overboard part of her deck load of beer.

November 11, 1823 - Rhode-Island American (Providence, Rhode Island)
Corn at Auction. William P. Greene will sell at auction, To-Morrow, November 12, at 11 o'clock, A.M. From on board the sloop Clipper, at Mowry's wharf, One Thousand bushels North River Corn.

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