1824

June 4, 1824 - Spectator (New York, New York)
WONDERFUL PRESERVATION.
​On Friday last, a lad, son of Mr. Frederick Hazen, of West Springfield, Mass. while on a passage from New-York to Albany, was accidentally knocked overboard by the jib while beating.  The wind blowing heavy and the waves running high, it was thought by all on board that all attempts to save him would be fruitless, as well as extremely hazardous.  The small boat being at the time hoisted under the stern of the sloop, a young man by the name of Richard Schuyler, son of Capt. Samuel Schuyler, of the sloop, sprang into the boat at the risk of his life, was lowered down, and alone and single handed, gallantly dashed through the waves, and to the astonishment of the amazed spectators rescued the lad from a watery tomb, just as he was about sinking to rise no more.  Such an act as this reflects the highest honor on the noble minded young man who periled his own life to save that of a fellow being, and a stranger. -- Alb. Dai. Advertiser.

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October 30, 1824 - Albany Argus (Albany, New York)
Distressing Accident.
In our last we gave an extract, stating that a Newburgh sloop was run under on Tuesday last; in the Highlands. The following additional particulars are from New York papers: - The sloop Neptune, on her passage from New York to Newburgh, was struck with a flaw of wind in the Highlands, upset, and sunk. The Neptune was commanded by capt. Halted, who it appears was not on board. She was loaded with 1000 bushels of wheat, 20 tons of plaster, and had on board about 50 souls. She was struck by the flaw on passing the Highlands, thrown on her beam ends, and the cargo shifting instantly, she went down. The mate and two hands escaped - two other hands perished. The passengers who were saved; were taken up by the yawl of the Neptune then in tow, which was reached and disengaged by the mate. Jacob Polhemus the steward, was holding to the top mast, which was above water, and being implored by a struggling woman to save her from death, left his hold and swam to her relief. Unfortunately in this generous attempt to rescue her, both were drowned. He has left an interesting family.

The following are the names of twenty three of the persons drowned, among whom were 121 women, 9 men and 3 children: John Leader, Mr. McCurdy, John Greenleaf, George Everson, Mr. Smiley, Mr. Loveland, Mr. Kelly, Samuel Mead, Mrs. Couch, niece and son, Mrs. Graham and two children, Mrs. McCloney, Mrs. Catharine, Mrs. Dean, Mrs. Rush, Mrs. Churchill, wife of Benjamin Churchill, Miss Mathilda Helms, Miss Heron, Samuel Carlisle, Jacob Polhemus. Operations for raising the sloop were to have commenced on Saturday.

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November 24, 1824 - New York Evening Post (New York, New York)
Distressing Accident. -- The sloop Neptune, capt. Halsey, which left here last Monday for Newburgh, was struck by a sudden flaw of wind on the day following, when opposite Cold Spring, two miles above West Point, and almost instantly capsized and sunk in 70 feet water.  There were on board about forty passengers, who had been to this city to dispose of their butter & other produce, and were on their return to their homes and families.  Out of this number ten women, four children, sixteen men, and two of the hands, in all 32, are said to have been drowned.  Captain Halsey, we understand, was not on board at the time of the accident.  The sloop was loaded with Plaister of Paris on deck, and had in her hold about $2000 worth of dry goods and other freight.  When the sloop capsized the plaister shifted its position and blocked up the cabin doors, so that the passengers could not get on deck.  Other accounts state that only 15 were drowned.  The steam boat to-morrow morning will probably bring us the particulars of this melancholy disaster.

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November 25, 1824 - National Advocate (New York, New York)
Distressing Calamity. We have to record a melancholy accident, which has created great anxiety and distress. The sloop Neptune, on her passage from New York to Newburgh, was struck with a flaw of wind in the Highlands, upset, sunk, and thirteen persons at least were drowned. The Neptune was commanded by Capt. Halsted, who, it appears, was not on board. She was loaded, we should say overloaded with 1000 bushels of wheat, 20 tons of plaster, and had onboard about 50 souls. She was struck by the flaw on passing the Highlands, thrown on her beam ends, and the cargo shifted instantly, she went down. The made and two hands escaped - two other hands perished. Only one female was saved. It is impossible to obtain the names of the persons lost, as they came on board without being known. The steam-boat this morning may bring additional intelligence.

November 26, 1824 - National Advocate (New York, New York)
​The Neptune - We have not been able to procure much additional intelligence respecting the distressing loss of the sloop Neptune. The Statesman of last evening, says that "Capt. Halsted being detained, the command of the sloop was given to John Decker, the made, who is an experienced and sober man, having been a boatman on the North River for many years. Previous to the catastrophe, Decker ordered the mainsail to be double reefed, and the bonnet to be taken from the jib. This was done as a precaution. A number of sloops in company were carrying full sail at the time the accident occurred. An oyster boat was within a few rods of the Neptune when she upset; but the former was not affected by the flaw, while the latter was capsized and sunk in a very few minutes.

The passengers who were saved were taken up by the yawl of the Neptune, then in town which was reached and disengaged by  Decker: Jacob Polhemus, the steward, was holding to the top mast, which was above water, and being implored by a struggling woman to save her from death, left his hold and swam to her relief. Unfortunately, in this generous attempt to rescue her, both were drowned. He has left an interesting family. The names of the other passengers have not yet been obtained.

P.S. - A gentleman from Newburgh reports, that about 50 persons were on board the sloop at the time she was upset, only 17 of whom are supposed to have been saved, including one woman. The names of 21 who were drowned, are said to have been ascertained, among whom were Mr. McCurdie and Mr. Smilie, or Wallkill, and Mr. Lockhard, merchant, of Rockland, Sullivan county. Mr. Lockhard's partner was among those who were saved."

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November 26, 1824 - Spectator (New York, New York)
The Sloop Neptune. Letters have been received from Newburgh, which announce the melancholy intelligence that out of fifty persons who were on board the sloop Neptune, when she capsized, only sixteen men and one woman were saved. We have not been able to obtain the passengers names, but are informed that Mr. McCurdy, and Mr. Smilie, of Wallkill, and Mr. Loveland, a merchant of Rockland county, were among those who perished. Mr. Sprague, the partner of Mr. Loveland, was saved.

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November 26, 1824 - Spectator (New York, New York)
Wednesday, (Evening), November 24.
Melancholy Occurrence. The city has this morning been filled with reports relative to a most melancholy and afflicting dispensation of Providence, which occurred yesterday upon the Hudson River, between this city and Newburgh. The following is a brief account of the mournful catastrophe, as first received at this office.:

Yesterday, between the hours of 11 and 12 o'clock, the sloop Neptune, Capt. Halstead, on her passage from New York to Newburgh, and when within about five miles of the latter place was suddenly struck by a flaw of wind, upset, and immediately sunk, having on board fifty-one persons, thirty-four of whom were drowned, including eleven women. The remainder saved themselves by the use of planks and sticks of wood, upon which they floated until they were discovered from the shore, and boats dispatched to their assistance. Capt. Halstead, we are told, was not on board, but remained in this city when the vessel sailed.

A gentleman who came down in the steamboat this morning, informs us that it was impossible for them to obtain the particulars of this painful event, so as to state them with perfect accuracy. The sloop was capsized near Polypus Island, and the account which was received on board of the steamboat, does not vary from the above, only it is said that those persons saved were taken off by a fishing boat which happened to be near by at the time of the squall.

Another account has been received by one of the owners, which is much more favorable. The substance of this statement is, that more of the passengers succeeded in getting ashore than was first supposed, and that but thirteen persons were missing; and it was hoped that some of these would yet be found.

Thus we have no additional evidence of the divine truth, that, whether propelled by the winds and waves or by steam, in the counsels of the Almighty it has been decreed, that "in the midst of life we are in death."

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November 27, 1824 - New York Evening Post (New York, New York)
The following are the names of 23 of the passengers who were drowned by the upsetting of the sloop Neptune, on Tuesday last, in the Highlands: -- John Leader, Samuel Carlile, Jacob Polhemus, Mr. M'Curdy, John Greenleaf, George Everson, Mr. Smiley, Mr. Loveland, Mr. Kelley, Samuel Mead, Mrs. Couch, niece and son, Mrs. Graham and two children, Mrs. Catharine, Mrs. Dean, Mrs. Rush, Mrs. Churchill, wife of Benjamin Churchill, Miss Matilda Helms, Miss Heron.

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November 30, 1824 - Spectator (New York, New York)
Newburgh, Nov. 27. Below is a list of the names of the persons drowned from the sloop Newptune, as far as Miller and Smith, the owners have ascertained with certainty. They have the names of three of four others, * but are not certain they are correct.
James Smiley, of Bloominburgh
Mrs. Graham, of Walkill,
Mrs. Churchill of Coldenham
Samuel Carlisle and Jacob Polhemus - hands
Hezekiah Lovemand, of Liberty, Sullivan county
Joseph Weed, of Coldenham
John Greenleaf, of Minisink
William Kelly of Minisink
George Evertson of Wallkill
Matilda Helme, of Wallkill
Mrs. Couch, of Sullivan county
Theron McCurdy, of Crawford
Mrs. Rush, of Walkill,
Mrs. Cochrane, of Coldenham
Mrs. McClaughry, of Newburgh
John Watson, boy, of Wallkill and Sarah Trupnell, of N. York, who were in charge of Mrs. Graham.
*The list we published on Saturday mentioned the names of John Leader, Mrs. Dean, Miss Heron, and a niece and son of Mrs. Couch.

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December 3, 1824 - Spectator (New York, New York)
Sloop Neptune - The Newburg paper gives the following list of persons saved, who were on board the Neptune, at the time she upset.

Joseph Mullock, Minisink; A. Person, Coldenham; Alfred Crawford, Crawford; Alexander McCurdy, Crawford; Mrs. Sprague, Sullivan county; A. Carey, Minisink; Mrs. Bowers, Sullivan county; Mr. Thorne, Newburgh; Mr. Smiley, Bloomingburg; Lewis Brown, Walkill; _____ Hunter, a boy, Blooming Grove; Patrick Kelly, Walkill; Jesse Green, Minisink; Mr. Anderson, Bloomingburg; Levi D. Wollsey, Newburgh; John Decker, Newburgh

[It is stated that there were 19 saved; the names of the others we have not heard.]

When the sloop was thrown on her beam ends, the plaster on deck immediately shifted to leeward, crushing in its course a number of men and women who stood on deck, and sweeping them overboard, and almost instantly her bow went down, and in four minutes she hiled and totally disappeared. A considerable number of passengers were on deck. Some clung to the vessel, others seized the articles that floated from her, upon which they buoyed themselves until rescued by the boats which came to their assistance.

All who were in the cabin went down on her. Mr. Decker, the mate, swam to the yawl, which was in tow, and Mr. Woolsey, who had charge of the freight, succeeded in casting off the two line of the yawl and getting on board just as the stern of the sloop disappeared. Oars were brought them from a sloop near, and they rowed to a woman clinging to a tierce. Just as they approached her she fell off. A person went to the bow of the boat and seized her by the hair as she was sinking. It came out. He reached down and caught her clothes. They tore. And as she was again sinking, she raised her hand; it was seized and she was taken on board the yawl. Five others were picked up by the sloop, and several by boats which came off from the shore.

[ In addition to the list of deaths before stated, the Peekskill Chronicle mentions William Hausler, Mr. Lockhard, of Rockland, and Frederick William Decandras, of New York.]
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December 7, 1824 - Spectator (New York, New York)
Sloop Neptune - The Newburgh Index of Tuesday, contains some further particulars of the melancholy event which befell the Neptune. It is now ascertained that she had on board fifty-five passengers; seventeen were saved, whose names were published in the Commercial of Wednesday, except that of John Rose, of Crawford. In addition to the persons ascertained to have been on board, and not found, is Mrs. Trout, of this city. Mr. Polhemus, one of the boatmen, might have saved himself; but in his attempt to rescue a lady in the water struggling for life, they both perished together. Mr. Mullock was on the quarter deck when the sloop was going down - he saw through the window the awful mental suffering in the cabin, and heard the screams of women and children for help, and lost for a moment all thought of his situation, and undertook to break away the grating which protects the window, to let them out. He had partially succeeded, when the vessel went down - some of the grating got fast in his clothes, and he went down with her - she struck the bottom with a dreadful crash - he imagined his time had come - he made a powerful effort, and succeeded in extricating himself by tearing off a part of his vest which was fast - came to the top of the water and was finally saved. The sloop sunk in 50 or 60 feet water. The owners, Messrs. Miller & Smith, have raised the sloop.

[A letter received from Newburgh this morning, states that the sloop Neptune had been raised, and brought up to the dock. Her cabin was found to contain ten of the unfortunate victims who perished on board, viz. seven women and three children.]

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December 11, 1824 - New York Evening Post (New York, New York)

    In publishing an account of the shocking accident that lately befel one of the north river market boats, on her return from New York to Newburgh, the Neptune, we were not then in possession of the following highly interesting harrowing facts shewing the hair breadth escapes that one of the passengers experienced, or we should have re-published them. They appeared in the New York Gazette.
"The vessel sunk in very deep water, and it is supposed some fifty persons perished with her.  A considerable number of passengers were on deck.  Some clung to the vessel, others seized the articles that floated from her, upon which they buoyed themselves until they were rescued by boats which came to their assistance.  All who were in the cabin went down with her.  Mr. Decker, the mate of the sloop, swam to the yawl which was in tow, and Mr. Woolsey, who had charge of the freight in the absence of Capt. Halsted, who remained in the city on business, succeeded in casting off the tow-line of the yawl and getting on board just as the stern of the sloop disappeared.  Oars were brought them from a sloop near, and they rowed to a woman who was clinging to a tierce.  Just as they approached her she fell off.  A person went to the bow of the boat and seized her by the hair as she was sinking.  It came out.  He reached down and caught her clothes.  They tore, and as she was again sinking she raised her hand; it was seized, and she was taken on board.  She was the only female saved.["]

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