Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi Hurricane, Sept 1860 - Eyewitness Account

The Daily Picayune
Tuesday afternoon edition, September 18, 1860

Disasters of the Late Gale
Statement of Capt. Baker, of the Oregon

Capt. Baker, the well known and experienced master of the U. S. mail steamer Oregon, which arrived this morning from Mobile, furnishes to us the following interesting statement of the terrible effects of the late disastrous gale at Mobile, and all along the Gulf and Lake shore.

The gale was very severe in Mobile, and a number of river steamers were driven high on shore and so far up that it would cost more than they are worth to get them off. Among them was the little Arrow, which however, was left in a good position to be launched. The Florida rode the gale out at anchor and reports a providential escape from a whirlwind precisely like a water spout.

The ship Dixie, Capt. Dixie, from New York, ran inside the bar, and was forced to anchor, but had not distance enough to run much cable, and struck on the west side, and soon went to pieces. All hands except the mate, pilot, and three men, were lost. Capt. Dixie’s body was found lashed to a piece of the wreck, and taken to Mobile for interment.

The ship American Union lay outside Mobile Point during the hurricane, and rode it out, with 150 fathoms of chain.

The ship Sandusky got inside, but finding she could not fetch the anchorage, tacked about and stood off to sea again, and no doubt is all right.

The Oregon had the worst of the gale at the Pier, but received but little damage, which was all repaired in four hours in Mobile. After she left the pier, she behaved finely in the lake, although the sea was very high. In the Rigolets she came to anchor, and laid fine until 11:30 P.M., when we proceeded on our course, arriving at Mobile the 16th, at 11 A M.

The wharf at Pascagoula has nothing whatever left but the timbers. The house and plank are all gone. The houses west of the hotel were also undermined; Grant’s Island is pretty well washed away; Beacon’s also, and from the lighthouse on Choctaw Point to Mobile is but a scene of ruins.

I heard from a passenger that the keeper of the lighthouse on Round Island lost everything he had, and only saved his life and those of his wife and six children by taking refuge in the lighthouse. His own house was washed away, and everything he had in the world went with it – cattle and all.

There is no light on Cat Island, and the presumption is that the lighthouse is wholly gone.

The lighthouse at Pass Christian is all right, being built on iron piles screwed into the ground. Teagarden’s Hotel, I heard, was gone – blown down.

The Oregon did not stop on this coast, as we knew nothing of the state of the wharves, and the steamer might have received injury without being able to get the passengers on board.

It was also reported that Ship Island Fort had washed away, but that is not so. The light is still there.

From Mr. Secon, of Mobile, I learned that the schooner Independence, of Mobile, was lost on Ship Island. The crew were all saved. She was employed getting the lumber out of the English ship lost in the former hurricane. The ship was driven into seven feet water, and is in a better position to save the cargo than before.

He also informed me that two water casks and a blanket, marked “Cuba” had come ashore, but it was not known to what vessel they belonged.

Biloxi suffered very severely during the gale. The lighthouse was completely undermined and is ready to fall. Teagarden’s hotel was blown down and the wharf destroyed. Barnes also suffered severely and finally had to get a lugger to take him to Pascagoula.