Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

Extract of a letter from capt. John C. Blackler, master of the brig Washington, to his friend at Marblehead, dated
"New-York, Sept. 30, 1815

"I left the Road of Grand Key, Turk's Island, the 12th inst. in company with the schr. Ocean, of and bound to Damariscotta: continued our course together until next day. On the 13th, at 7 A. M. lat. 24, 40, long. 72 the mate aloft discovered a wreck, with two stumps of masts standing, (being then on our lee beam) bore away for it immediately, and on approaching, found it to have some signal of distress flying from her fore stump, found the hull was nearly all under water, and the sea making a breach over her. At 8 discovered it to be the brig William and Nancy, of Norfolk, had been upset in the hurricane of the 31st Aug, and had been in that deplorable situation 14 days, without a drop of water or any kind of provisions for that time, except a few apples and about a dozen bottles of wine and porter, which they obtained from the cabin by diving after. They had at length became too much worn out to make any further exertions of this kind, thinking 24 hours more must consign them to eternity, unless something should appear for their relief. As soon as I found their situation, I sent my boat with orders to receive only 3 men at a time thinking their anxiety for relief would be so great, that they might all hurry into the boat and thus lose their own lives and my men's also. They, however, poor unfortunates, had not strength to get into the boat, without assistance. I received on board all the surviving crew, 9 in number, and made sail, My consort, the schr. Ocean, having passed near the wreck early in the morning, went by without discovering it. He was now in sight, 7 miles distant; hove out my colours to speak him, she soon lay by till I came up, communicated to him the unpleasant scene of the morning, and he benevolently accepted of 4, leaving 5 on board the Washington. On taking the men from the wreck, my feelings can be better imagined than described; they crawled on their hands and knees, and almost kissed my feet, some calling me their saviour, while all in the same breath were begging for God's sake for something to eat. To preserve their lives, it was necessary to be particularly careful not to give them more than a cup full of water at once. & with that I put a small quantity of spirit and at intervals would give them a cup of water-porridge, debarring them for 24 hours of animal food, and giving but very little bread. The porridge we continued 8 days, increasing the quantity, and occasionally giving them a cup of tea or coffee and some bread, by which means they soon recovered, and are now as well as any of our own men, excepting that their feet are yet very sore, though in a fair way of healing.

Company of the Brig William & Nancy
John J. Stout, Master
Thos. Johnson, 1st Mate—Henry Harding, 2d do.
Chs. Campbell, Jas. Greenleaf, Joseph Ward, Abner W. Lockwood, Seamen—
Wm. Brown, Cook—Septimus Douglas, Cabin boy.
Messrs. J. W. Simonton, Richard Fitzpatrick, Passengers.

Of this number, Abner Lockwood died on the wreck, Septimus Douglas was drowned; the boy was almost a corpse when he came on board, no one expected he could survive 4 hours, but by very delicate management he was gradually recovered, & can now eat as much salt beef as any man on board, tho' covered with boils from the crown of his head to his feet.

I experienced very good weather until I entered the gulf near Hatteras, where I had three days of the most gloomy and tempestuous weather I never experienced. On the night of the 23 inst. being nearly in soundings, off the Delaware, a gale came on, and in 2 hours brought to, under nothing but our bare masts, as it was impossible for canvass to stand the blast. Without a rag set, we lay 4 hours with our lee leading blocks in the water, and every thing indicated our going down, as we could not get the pump free for two hours; at length, by mustering all hands, and setting both pumps to work we had the good fortune to free her: but the gale has done us very considerable injury."