1864-07-19-Hudson

Autobiography and Diaries of John Lyman Smith

Smith, John Lyman. Diaries (Ms 8719), vol. 2, pp. 60-102, 118. (CHL)

... Sunday 17. - Wind favorable. Still foggy. I assisted in blessing the infant daughter of Sister Baxter in company with President Kay, Halliday, and Ross. Named Ellen Kay Baxter. P.M. meeting on the main deck at which instructions were given concerning the traps & snares set to ensnare the Saints at New York upon their arrival. 7:30 council as usual. I met the German wards & preached in the lower deck 3/4 of an hour on the course they should pursue on arriving at New York & en route to Wyoming. At 11:30 p.m., the wind freshened & we were moving through the water about 11 knots.

Monday 18. - Weather fine & clear. Wind favorable. At 4:30 a.m. the pilot came on board. He brought papers from New York of the 11th. Gold high. The Confederate steamer, "Alabama," reported sunk in a battle with the Federal steamer, "Courage." During the day several of Mother Carey's chickens were caught by way of amusement & released again.[p.92] They are very much like the swallows in size & appearance. Lines of thread were thrown out the stern in which they tangled themselves while flying about by thousands & in fluttering to get free tangled themselves so they were hauled on board. The sailors fable says they are the spirits of departed seamen. They never kill one. I packed trunk. Council at 7:30 as usual. Health improving. I went below & spoke an hour to the German ward number 9.

Tuesday 19. - At 7 a.m. a tugboat took the ship Hudson in tow & we are nearing the port. I finished letters for a I. Bullock, H. Debenham [at] London, & for my wife, A.B. Smith, and to Mary A. S. [at] Salt Lake City. Packing & cleaning. Making arrangements for arrival at New York. The wind dying away. The hands are stripping the ship and we expect to be in dock by 4 in the evening. The Captain gives $1.50 to the tug to take us into dock. We passed Sandy Hook Lighthouse and up the Narrows and anchored off Castle Garden at 3:30 p.m. W. [Williams] C. Staines came on board at 5:30, addressed the council meeting in the evening, & spent the night on board. [p.93]

Wednesday, 20th - Brother Scheffler came on board early this morning. The lighter came alongside at 8 p.m. and the luggage was transferred from the ship by the brethren in a few hours. At 12 noon the people got off the ship & were landed at Castle Garden. The lighter with the luggage was then taken alongside the steamer, "St. John," & put on board. The Saints came on board at 5 p.m. and the steamer started for Albany at 6 p.m., 150 miles. ...

Autobiography and Journals of John Lyman Smith

Smith, John Lyman, Autobiography and Journals of John Lyman Smith. MS 1122, pp.160-188.

... Sun. 17. Wind favorable still foggy. I assisted in blessing the infant daughter of Sister Baxter in company with President K. [Kay], Halladay [Halliday], & Ross named it Ellen Kay Bokler. P.M. meeting on main deck at which instructions were given concerning the traps & snares set to lead the unwavy [-] at New York upon their arrival. 7:30 council as usual. Previous to which I met the German & Dutch wards below & spoke to them for some time as to the counsel to be pursued by them upon their arrival at New York to avoid trouble [-] & danger.

Mon. 18. Weather fine, wind favorable. 4:30 a.m. Pilot came on board. He brought papers from New York of the 11th instant giving news of the war with the Rebels. Report of the sinking of the Confederate vessel "Alabama" by the Federal steamer "Courage." I know I spoke hour to German ward No. 9. Mother Caren's chickens caught. [p.181]

Tues. 19. At 7 a.m. a tug boat took Packer ship Hudson in tow and we are nearing port. I finished letters for Bullock H. Debenhasn London also one for my wife at B. Smith & Mary A. Smith Salt Lake City. Packing & cleaning, making arrangements for landing in New York. The wind is dying away & the sailors are busy stripping the ship.

The captain tells me he has to pay the tug 150$ to tow the ship into dock. We passed Sandy Hook Lighthouse & up through the narrows & cast anchor at 3:30 p.m., opposite Castle Garden. When Elder W. [William] C. Staines came on board, and at 5:30 p.m. & addressed the council meeting in the evening & spent the night on board.

Wed. 20. Elder P. A. Schettler came on board early this morning & the lighter came alongside at 8 a.m. & the luggage was transferred from ship Hudson by the brethren in a few hours. 12 noon the people left the ship & were landed at Castle Gardens. The Lighter was taken along side the steamer St. John & put on board & the Saints came on board at 5 p.m. & steamer "St. John" started up the river for Albany, 150 miles distant at 6 p.m. ...

Autobiography of Charles William Symons - Symons source

Symons, Charles William [Autobiography], IN Meredith, Carley Budd and Anderson, Dean Symons, The Family of Charles William Symons and Arzella Whitaker Symons (privately printed, 1986) pp. 4-6 (CHL)

... The next point of interest to us was when we were nearing the shores of the U. S., when early in the morning the Confederate gunboat "Georgia" hailed us and brought us to a standstill, for be it remembered the War of the Rebellion was now in full sway. After inquiries from our captain we were permitted to move on for they ascertained that 1100 British subjects were on board. Consequently they had no means of handling that many persons and the would-be prize was given up, the gunboat's band playing a farewell.

On our journey much sickness in our company was among us, such as measles, and many of the children died and were buried at sea. It was a custom that will always be remembered by us, and very sad to contemplate. The corpse was wrapped in a blanket and then placed upon a plank, and at a certain part of the ceremony the plank was raised and the body fell into the watery grave.

It was early in the morning of the 16th of July when the words, "Land Ahoy!" were heard and it was a lively rush on deck to witness the new land, and it was certainly a picture never to be forgotten. After our six weeks and over of an ocean life, to again witness land, it looked to us beautiful. In a few short hours a pilot had us in a tow and we were safely taken into the harbor of New York. Here we were interviewed by the customs officers and were placed in the Castle Garden, where all were examined as to health and inquiries made to comply with the U. S. laws as to our right to land. After passing a critical examination, we were passed and permitted to go ashore.

We were directed to railroad cars to convey us to the frontiers. It was no small job to locate a company with freight, but finally two sections were formed and we were on our way. ...

Autobiography of James T. Sutton

Sutton, James T., [Autobiography], Our Pioneer Heritage, comp. By Kate B. Carter, vol. 17 (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1974) pp. 296-99. (CHL)

... At that time the Civil War was going on and as we neared our destination, the warship, Alabama, pulled alongside our ship to determine what kind of freight was aboard. The sailors cried out to us to "say your prayers, you Mormons, you are all going down!" But we were spared. We were all immigrants from other countries and they dared not sink us. It took us seven and one-half weeks to make the trip across and at the end our ship was piloted into the harbor. All our luggage was taken to the custom house and examined. We were all passed on by doctors. As the doctor finished with us boys he turned to mother and said heartily, "your three boys are all alright!" If there had been any suspicion by the doctor that we were not as we should be in regard to health, we would have been kept in quarantine.

After we were through there, we were all loaded on a steamboat and taken up the river for the distance. ...

Autobiography of Lydia Littlefield McNiven

McNiven, Lydia Littlefield. Autobiography 1927, MS 10710, Frames 587-589.

... Finally, we came into New York Harbor. This was 1864, war times, and there were many boats coming in that wanted to land men for the money they could make by conscription to take them where they would sell them to the army. They came on board our ship and there was a scuffle until they were put off. They were looking for men for conscription.

We were kept on board for two or three days and then to what was called Castle Gardens, where we had to register before entering the country. We were then put on a flatboat and taken up the Hudson River to Albany and put on the trains for two weeks. ...

Diary of Matthew McCune

McCune, Matthew. (CHL) Diary (MS 10952) pp. 276-89.

... Monday 18th July 1864, Ship Hudson - Received the pilot this morning at 4 o'clock a.m. from pilot boat No. 14 170 miles from "Sandy Hook."

Tuesday 19th July 1864, Ship Hudson, New York - The tug steamer "Blanche Paige," a Screw (as most of the tugs now in New York are) took us in tow, and we reached our anchorage ground off Castle Garden at 4 o'clock p.m. the health officers came on board at 2 o'clock and passed the people. The custom house officer came on board at 3 p.m. Forty Six days on our passage out from London.

Wednesday 20th July 1864, New York - Landed today at Castle Garden. About 11 o'clock a.m., a young of Brother Williams died of repercussion of measles after landing. Brother & sister Goodman drew away from us & stayed at New York. Brother Bateman also stayed, to come on next season. Saw the Saints off for Albany en route for Wyoming on the boat "St. John." I think the first boat I have seen.[p. 286] Put up at the Stevens House, No. 21 to 29 Broadway, N.Y., with Brother Stickles & family and Brother Humphries & family, both from Africa. Went to post office with Brother Stains & the above Brethren.

Thursday 21st July 1864, New York - Took our meals in the hotel the brethren paying. Visited the ship Hudson at the foot of Wall St. Visited the British Consul relative to recovering my back pension, to call again tomorrow, accompanied the brethren to make purchases in New York. Bought in their chests 10 tea.[UNCLEAR] Brother [William C.] Stains took tea with us.

Friday 22nd July 1864, New York - Wrote to Lieutenant. Roberts, Staff Officer of Pensioners Hamilton, Canada. Visited Barnums Museum in company with Brother Stickles & Humphries, their wives and families.[p. 287]

Saturday 23rd July 1864, In the cars between New York and Niagara Falls ...

Journal of John L. Smith

Smith, John L., Journal (Ms 8620) (typescript) pp. 68-76.

... Monday, July 18th- At 4:30 a.m. the pilot came on board, bringing newspapers.[p.72] In the afternoon I went to the German wards below deck and gave them instructions how to proceed, when the officers came on board and made all arrangements about money to be changed. Tuesday, 19th, A steam tug took the ship Hudson in tow at 7 a.m. and we anchored off Castle Gardens at 3:30 p.m. W. C. Stainers came on board at 5:30 p.m. He addressed our council meeting and stayed on board for the night. Wednesday, 20th, - P. A. Schettler came o boar early- A lighter came alongside and Saints with luggage went on board the steamer. "St. John" at five p.m. and started for Albany, 150 miles up to the Hudson River at 6 p.m. ...

Journal of Peder Christian Nielsen

Nielsen, Peder Christian. Journal (Ms 1799), pp. 27-30. (CHL)

... On the morning of the 18th at four o'clock an official from New York came on board. On the same day, we saw the land of America.

On the 19th, at 6:30 a steamship came and tugged us into New York Harbor. There were 863 on board the Hudson.

On the 20th, another steamship came and took both us and our baggage to New York and in the afternoon, we boarded another steamship which left the same evening for Albany. ...