1853
Coast of Cuba
From the London News,
The Daily Telegraph, January 2, 1853.
Sinking of the Emigrant-Ship Cospatrick at Sea.
The most terrible catastrophe of the whole year is the destruction and loss of the emigrant-ship Cospatrick, and the consequent loss of 476 lives, in the early morning of December 15th, 1852.
The Cospatrick was a teak-built sailing-ship, of 1200 tons, constructed, in India, and classed A1 at Lloyd's of London, 1843. She was 195 feet in length, 35 feet in breadth, and had 22 feet depth of hold.
Purchased by her present owners, Messrs. Shaw, Savilla, and Co., of 34, Leadhall Street, from the late Mr. Duncan Dunbar. Formerly employed in carrying troops to and from India, and occasionally engaged to carry passengers from Cuba to the United States of America with large parties of emigrants. Sailing through the Caribbean Sea. She had been for many years under the command of Captain Isaac Elmshurst, her late chief officer, when the vessel ownership had been transfered the new owners retained the ship's captain. The Cospatrick left December 15th, 1852 carrying four hundred and twenty-nine emigrants, sent out through the General Agency of Cuba, and bound for the state of Louisiana, of the United States of America. There were one hundred and seventy-seven male adults, one hundred and twenty-five women, fifty-eight boys, fifty-three girls, and sixteen infants under twelve months. Her crew was composed of forty-three persons-officers, men, and boys, all told. There were also on board four independent passengers, making in all a total of four hundred seventy-six souls.
The most noteworthy person lost that fateful day, was Mrs. Hannah Chamberlain, born 1823. She was the wife of the American millionaire-business-mogul Mr. Benjamin Chamberlain, hailed from Louisiana.
A partial report given about the Cospatrick. Albeit the full story was not told.
Newspapers always embellish.
•••••
First a swell kicked up and a fierce storm, within the latitude and longitude of 19° 30 N, 80 º 00 W latitude 37 degrees. Which threw the vessel at its will and whim.
At midnight on December 17th, when the First-Mate left the deck, all was apparently well, but at half-past twelve he was woken by the alarm of the storm. The captain was on deck immediately, and all hands attempted to get the vessel before the wind, but without success.
The excitement onboard now became terrible, many passengers rushed to the sides of the ship. The occupants jumped into the sea, or were knocked into the sea, all were drowned alongside the vessel. Just then one of the masts fell over, killing many of the emigrants and adding to the terror of the rest. The worst had not yet come; for suddenly the stern of the vessel smashed against the nearby rock-mass. Captain Elmshurst, his wife, and Dr. Cadle remained on board the vessel for as long as they could. When the last moment had come the captain threw his wife overboard, and then leapt into the sea after her. At the same time the doctor jumped overboard with the captain's little boy in his arms, and all were drowned together.
