Wreck of the City of Columbus (III), The

DESCRIPTION: "Many were clinging to the rigging, Many perished there and died, Some were saved to tell the story, Not a womn or a child." The singer talks of the sights as the steamer was wrecked, and wonders if the captain should be blamed
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 2014 (Huntington-TheGam-MoreSongsWhalemenSang)
KEYWORDS: wreck ship disaster death
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
Jan 18, 1884 - The steamer City of Columbus, which is off course, strikes the Devil's Bridge rocks near Gay Head (the westernmost point on Martha's Vineyard). After the ship hit the rocks, Captain Shuler E. Wright gave orders which caused the ship to hit again. Captain Wright tried to tell the people aboard what to do; while he was doing so, many were swept into the sea. Of 45 crew and 87 passengers, only 29 survived (17 crew; 12 passengers. Summary based on Wikipedia and Huntington's notes)
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Huntington-TheGam-MoreSongsWhalemenSang, pp. 98-100, "The Wreck of the City of Columbus III (The City of Columbus)" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #27540
NOTES [15 words]: For background on this wreck, see the notes to "The Wreck of the City of Columbus (I).' - RBW
Last updated in version 4.2
File: HGam098

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