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Death of the Lady Elgin
The following is a detailed report of the Death of the Lady Elgin ship wreck on Lake Michigan, September 8, 1860. It was an event described in a song by the well known American songwriter, Henry Clay Work, who also wrote My Grandfather’s Clock by Henry Clay Work. and is an event that is of considerable interest to anyone interested in politics and the Civil War in the United States. The accident played a role in Wisconsin’s Civil War politics. In 1860, Wisconsin was deeply involved in the debate over states’ rights and the slavery question. The nation was nervously anticipating the results of the 1860 presidential election. Anti-slavery sentiment in Wisconsin was so strong that one legislator even introduced a motion that Wisconsin declare war against the United States unless slavery were abolished. Wisconsin’s Republican governor had previously suggested that Wisconsin would secede from the Union if the Federal Government did not end slavery. When secession began to look like a possibility, the State Adjutant General polled the State’s militias to determine which would support the State and which would support the Federal Government if secession were to occur. In Milwaukee were four main militias, one of which was the Irish Union Guard of Milwaukee’s Third Ward. Captain Garrett Barry, the commander of the Union Guard declared that, although he opposed slavery, he believed that any stand against the Federal Government would be treason. The Adjutant General immediately revoked Barry’s militia commission and disarmed the Union Guard. The unit was incensed and refused to disband. It decided to raise money for rearming by commissioning an excursion on the Lady Elgin to Chicago where a Democratic Party rally was to be held. While there, they planned to
call attention to their cause by holding a parade and
attending a speech by Illinois congressman and presidential candidate, Stephen A. Douglas. After a day of marching and politics, the travelers made their way to the wharf to board the Lady Elgin for departure. They were ready to leave at 11:00 PM, but Captain Jack Wilson was concerned about the threatening weather. Eager passengers and pressure to maintain a mail schedule convinced him to get underway. At approximately 11:30 the Lady Elgin departed the Chicago Harbor and headed into the open lake. At that point, it was not known exactly how many passengers were on board. It seems that a significant number of non-ticketed revelers
had come aboard in Chicago to party and dance in the ship’s
spacious facilities, and may not have had a chance to
disembark before departure. The lake was running high, but the ship was making good time as it headed north through surging waves. Seven miles off Winnetka at about 2:30 A.M.,passengers looking through portholes saw the lights of a ship rapidly approaching from the west and braced for a collision. The shock caused the ship to lurch onto her port side, waking Captain Wilson and First Mate George Davis. Captain Wilson quickly determined that a massive amount of water had entered the engine room and ordered the Elgin turned toward shore. A few minutes later, in the pilothouse, he privately told the mate that the Elgin would never reach shore. The vessel that rammed the Lady Elgin was the 129-ft. schooner Augusta, bound for Chicago with a load of lumber. Despite gale force winds, she still had most of her sails up and was sailing out of control. Her deck load had shifted so that she was nearly on her side. Captain Darius Malott and his crew, fighting to regain control of the schooner, did not spot the Lady Elgin until it was too late. The Augusta charged into the side of the Lady Elgin just behind the port
paddlewheel, burying her bowsprit in the side of the larger ship. Frances S. Vandervoort
Hyde Park Historical Newsletter, December 2006. |
http://www.julierichman.com
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