The Burning of the General Lyon

        DREADFUL FIRE AT SEA.
        FIVE HUNDRED LIVES LOST
   The U.S. Transport Steamer General
     Lyon Burned Off Cape Hatteras.
    Invalid Troops, Refugees, and Women
        and Children on Board.

  The steamer Gen. Sedgwick, which arrived at
this port at noon yesterday, brought as passengers
twenty-nine persons saved from the wreck of the
transport steamer Gen. Lyon, which took fire off
Cape Hatteras on the morning of Friday last, and
was totally destroyed. The Gen. Lyon had on board
from five hundred and fifty to six hundred souls.
The twenty-nine who arrived here yesterday are be-
lieved to be all that was saved.
  It appears from the statements of these men that
the Gen. Lyon, a  screw steamer which had formerly
been used as a blockade-runner, sailed from Wil-
mington for Fortress Monroe, on the morning of
Wednesday last, with nearly six hundred persons
on board, including the crew.
  Her passengers consisted of discharged and paroled
soldiers, escaped prisoners and refugees, among
whom were about thirty women and twenty-five
small children.  Two negroes were also among the
refugees.  The weather was fair on leaving Wil-
mington, but the steamer put into the port of Smith-
field for the night and resumed her voyage on the
following morning.  Soon after leaving Smithfield
the wind, which was blowing from the southwest,
increased in violence, and the vessel, which was a
very slow one, made but little progress.  At ten
o'clock on Friday morning she was off Cape Hat-
teras, the wind having increased to a hurricane and
the sea running very high.  It is believed that the
vessel was about sixty miles from land when an
alarm of fire was given, and in a few minutes after-
ward the flames broke out at the rear of the pilot-
house and nearly in the centre of the vessel.  Sev-
eral of the crew were in the rigging, and there were
very few persons on deck at the time, many of the
passengers being confined to their berths by sickness.
The first mate, JAMES GIBBS, and the other offi-
cers of the vessel immediately got the fire pumps
to work,, with which, and the requisite quantity of
hose, the vessel was well provided.  But the flames
steadily gained headway, and although the pumps
were working with unflinching perseverence, the fire
soon spread over the centre portion of the deck, driv-
ing the crew and those who were assisting them to the
stern and bow of the vessel.  The hatches had been
closed in consequence of the decks being so con-
stantly under water, but those below, alarmed by the
smoke which was spreading through the cabins,
rushed on deck only to be driven back by the flames.
The frightful shrieks of the women and children, and
their piteous supplications for help were drowned by
the roaring of the storm.  Several of the paroled sol-
diers were sick and confined to their berths.  SOme
of them managed to crawl on deck, and clung there
until washed overboard by the waves.  In about half
an hour after the fire broke out, the engines partially
stopped, and the vessel immediately swung round
with her broadside to the wind, the flames then
spreading across her decks.
  It had now become quite evident that the ship
could not be saved.  The first officer acted with great
courage, and only abandoned the vessel when all
hopes of saving her were gone.  The fire pumps
were still kept at work, and the flames were fought
back with great determination.  many of those below
were doubtless already suffocated.  The shrieks and
moans of the dying came up to those on deck, but
they could do nothing to help them.  Just at this time
a steamer, which proved to be the United States
transport Gen. Sedgwick, Capt. STARKEY, and a small
schooner hove in sight.  But neither of them could
render any assistance, owing to the violence of
the storm, and the fact that the burning steamer
had drifted in toward the breakers.  The flames were
now spreading with fearful rapidity.  The boats
were launched, although there appeared to be little
hope of their living in such a sea.  Into the first boat
ten men lowered themselves, including the Captain
of the General Lyon.  It is affirmed by several of
those who escaped that the Captain had lost all con-
trol of himself, and was evidently crazed with fear.
Hardly had this boat been loosed from the vessel's
side than she drifted under her stern, was struck by
the screw, and almost instantly went down.  IRAH
LEWIS,a private in the Eighty-ninth New-York Regi-
ment, who was in the boat at the time, states that
he saw the Captain sink.  LEWIS and two others
alone escaped.  A second boat was launched, and in
this twenty-seven persons, including the First Mate,
JOHN HAYDON, lowered themselves and succeeded in
reaching the General Sedgwick, which was about a
mile and a half distant.  As the boat touched the
steamer's side a wave dashed her violently against
it, and she filled and went down.  Of the twenty-seven
persons in the boat, seven only  were saved.  Among
these were the Mate, JAMES GIBBS, BARNEY LOSEY, of
the Fifth Virginia Regiment, and JOHN FITZGERALD,
of the Fifty-sixth Illinois.  In the meantime a number
of the men had thrown themselves overboard, trust-
ing to a spar for support.  One man, ISIAH C. COLBY,
of the Fifth Ohio Cavalry, after working at the fire
pumps until he was almost exhausted, seized one of
the doors of the galley and sprang overboard.  He
was in the water three hours before he was picked
up.  Others were also in the water for several hours,
and many, doubtless, sank before assistance could be
rendered.  It is supposed that the schooner did not
succeed in rescuing any of them.  So far as known,
the following are the only persons saved out of a
total from 550 to 600:
  Barney Losey, Co. G, Fifth Virginia ; M. H. Ar-
ment, Co. E, Fifty-sixth Illinois ; John Kreusen,
Co. F, Third Pennsylvania H.A.; Irah Lewis, Co.
A, Eighty-nine New-York; Michael S. Brocket,
Co. F, Fifty-sixth Illinois; Robt. Simpson, corporal,
Co. 8, Fifty-fourth Ohio; Thos. Farrar, refugee,
Wilmington, N.C.; Jas. Edwards, sergeant, Ninety-
ninth New-York; Silas Galloway, Fifty-sixth New-
York; Clarence Dunn, refugee; Geo. Murphy, Co.
A, Sixth New-York H.A.; Geo. Goole, Co. F, One
Hundred and Forty-fourth New-York; C.M. Dod-
son, Third Pennsylvania H.A.; Jos. Fitzgerald, Co.
K, Fifty-second Illinois; Jas. Dempsey, fireman,
steamer General Lyon; Stephen Russell, refugee;
Thomas Cooney, sailor, General Lyon; Nicholas
Brown, sailor, steamer General Lyon; Geo. W. Wil-
liams, Co. G, Fifty-sixth Illinois; Pat. Bryan, coal-
passer, steamer General Lyon; Richard Clarke, Co.
F, Second Illinois L.A.; John Peoples, oiler,
steamer General Lyon; Isaiah Cleolly, Co. K, Fifth
Ohio Cav.; Cyrus P. Williams, Co. F, Third Penn-
sylvania Art.; James Gibbs, first officer, steamer
General Lyon; Wm. Cranston, chief engineer, Saml.
Pressey, first cook (colored,) steamer General Lyon;
Chas. A. Brady, refugee.
  When the General Sedgwick left, being unable to
render further assistance, the ill-fated steamer was
drifting in toward the frightful breakers off Cape
Hatteras.  She was then burned down to the water's
edge, and every soul on board had doubtless per-
ished.
  In regard to the origin of the fire, it was stated by
the First Mate, while on board the General Sedgwick,
that there were several barrels of Kerosene oil in the
engine-room, and these being shaken down by the
rolling of the vessel fell on the boiler, and of course
were quickly ignited.  A barrel of oil was also kept
in the same room, and this served to feed the flames.
  A list of the passengers has not yet come to hand,
but the following ofifcers of the Fifty-sixth Illinois
Regiment were known to be on board:
  Major Files, Lieut. Rankin, Co. A; Capt. Tan-
query, Co. B; Lieut. McKenzie, Co. B; Lieut. Lewis,
Co. C; Capt. Weber, Co. E; Lieut. Jofrer, Co. F;
Lieut. Dunlap, Co. F; Lieut. Goudy, Co. G; Lieut.
Holbeck, Co. H.
  There were also 200 men of this regiment on board,
only five of whom are recorded as among the saved.
  Of the soldiers saved eight or ten are at the New-
York State Soldier's Depot, Nos. 50 and 52 Howard-
street, of which Col. VINCENT COLYER is Superintend-
ent.  They had of course lost their all, and were
supplied with the necessary colothing by the Superin-
tendent.  Several of them are sick and confined to
their beds.  They will remain at the depot, where
every comfort is afforded them free of all cost until
forwarded to their respective destinations.
  The following among the officers and crew of the
General Lyon did not sail with her, being left sick in
hospital at Wilmington:
  John Haydon, First Officer; Philip Smith, First
Assistant Engineer; Geo. Gilespie, Second do.;
Owen Dagard, oiler; Richard Dazie, coal passer;
Wm. Brown, second cook; Alino Dee, waiter.