Isaac Wright 1853, 1858

Wooden ship Isaac Wright, American, built 1847 William H. Webb, New York, 1161 tons (American); 1286 tons (British); 175 x 38.1 x 22.6 feet. 3 masts.
1853 disasterVoyage Liverpool to America with 10 cabin passengers, about 600 steerage passengers. She struck a rock on the south coast of Ireland on 27th September 1853, lost her rudder and was leaky. Cabin passengers were taken off and she was towed back to Liverpool, arriving on 4th October. Passengers reported that 47 had died - mainly from cholera.

[from Reynolds's Newspaper - Sunday 09 October 1853]: WRECK OF THE ISAAC WRIGHT EMIGRANT SHIP. The "Oncasta," Hadfield, arrived at Liverpool on Monday from St. John's, New Brunswick, bringing the intelligence of a melancholy disaster to the emigrant ship Isaac Wright, Captain Abel, which sailed from Liverpool on the 20th ult. The Isaac Wright had on board 600 steerage and ten cabin passengers, composed chiefly of German and Irish emigrants. For several days after her departure she experienced very rough weather and heavy hailstorms, with dense fogs. However, everything got on well until the evening of the 27th ult., when she was found to be close to land. The captain was on deck at the time, and called to the man at the wheel to put the ship about; but it was too late, for as she was veering round, her stern struck on a rock, unshipped her rudder, and caused her to make water rapidly. They got her into deep water, but it was impossible to control her movements; all sails were reefed, and all hands took to the pumps. She remained in this position with signals of distress flying, and although several vessels hove in sight, none of them answered the signals until the Oncasta bore down to her. On being asked where he had struck, Captain Abel said he believed it was Cape Clear; but Captain Hadfield told him that could not be, as he was only forty miles off Cork, and thirty-four off the Head of Kinsale. Upon consulting together, it was agreed that the Oncasta should make all sail to Liverpool, and send a steamer to her assistance, Captain Abel being of the opinion that he would be able to keep her afloat in the meantime. Captain Hadfield took off the cabin passengers, ten in number. When the Oncasta left the Isaac Wright, she was very deep, the water being up to her port holes. The passengers speak in the highest terms of the conduct of Captain Abel and his crew, stating their belief that the former had not slept from the period the steam tug left the Isaac Wright to the period of their leaving in the Oncasta. They, also spoke in the warmest manner of the kindness of Captain Hadfield and his wife. Four deaths from natural causes had occurred in the Isaac Wright. On Sunday night, Captain Dixon, of the "Fidelia " (belonging to the same line of packet ships, Baring Brothers), left Liverpool in the steam tug, Constitution, in search of the unfortunate ship, with a view of rendering assistance. The Isaac Wright has since put back, with loss of rudder and very leaky.

[from Liverpool Mail - Saturday 08 October 1853]: On the 4th instant, the ship Isaac Wright, which had sailed a fortnight previously with 520 emigrants, returned to port in a leaky state, after having lost, as stated by the passengers, 47 of their number, chiefly from cholera and diarrhoea, from which last disease several were found to be suffering when inspected on the ship's arrival. Nine deaths have occurred among the passengers since their landing. [Admiralty wreck return for 1853 quotes 20 lost aboard]

[from Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper - Sunday 09 October 1853]: Liverpool. - The Silas Greenman and the Isaac Wright, emigrant ships, from Liverpool to New York, have had cholera amongst the passengers. The former was lying in the Mersey, outward hound, when the epidemic appeared, and all were removed to the workhouse at Liverpool. Up to Thursday morning, twenty four fatal cases had occurred. The Isaac Wright met wth an accident off the coast of Ireland, and was compelled to put back to the Mersey - but it has been stated that nearly fifty victims were committed to the deep before she made the port. The passengers on board the Isaac Wright complain much of the treatment they received on board. They were unanimous in the assertion that the water was bad, and quite rotten, and that it induced sickness; that only one-third the quantity, both of water and meal, was meted out to them, and that they could not get the water boiled, except on payment of sixpence the quart to the cook. They also complained of the surgeon, who had not only been very inattentive, but had used the coarsest and most disgusting expressions to the female passengers who had been taken ill. Captain Schomberg's (the government emigration officer in Liverpool) attention has been called to the statements of the passengers, and it is stated that he will cause an investigation to be made.

Isaac Wright was repaired and resumed service. The next 1858 disaster occurred on 23 December 1858 when she caught fire while at anchor in the Mersey. She was towed to the Sloyne and sunk (by gunfire) to extinguish the fire. She was later raised and put back in service, named Guerilla.

[from Birmingham Daily Post - Friday 24 December 1858]: BURNING OF THE ISAAC WRIGHT PASSENGER SHIP IN THE MERSEY RIVER. [from the Liverpool Daily Post of yesterday]. Between two and three o'clock this morning, a report was raised on the Landing-stage that a large ship at anchor in the river was on fire, and the officers on duty on the South Landing-stage at once manned a boat, and put off to some steam-tugs, for the purpose of giving the information and sending assistance. At this tine the Woodside Ferry passenger boat Prince, Captain Lee, passed the boat, was informed of the calamity, and, after landing his passengers, at once proceeded to the ship, which was lying at anchor in the river between Egremont and New Brighton. That something was amiss on board the ship became now apparent, for there ascended from her a succession of blue lights, rockets, &c., all in rapid succession. On reaching the vessel, it was ascertained to be the Isaac Wright, of 1,500 tons, Captain Marshall, belonging to Baring Brothers, Old Black Ball line, and that she was on fire, the smoke issuing in dense volumes from various portions of the deck, hatchways, &c. She was outward bound for New York.
There were between 200 and 300 passengers on board, and the consternation of these may be more readily imagined than described, a considerable portion of them being females, many with infants in their arms.
One or two other steamers quickly arrived, including the Conqueror, and every assistance was afforded. The passengers were got on board the tugs, a large proportion of them scarcely half-dressed, with nearly naked children in their arms, and conveyed to the North Landing-stage, where they found shelter for the time beneath the ample shed. Some of them managed to save a portion of their clothing; but, as we were informed, by far the largest number preferred to run no risk of their lives and quit the burning ship as they stood, leaving their property to chance.
From one of the passengers, an intelligent Irishman, we learned that the ship went into the river on Saturday and was intended to sail on Monday, but was detained. The passengers retired to their berths at the usual time last night when everything appeared to be all right. Shortly before midnight the carpenter of the vessel visited the passengers for the purpose of examining, or making an exchange of tickets, when he said he smelled a strong indication of fire. The alarm took, the passengers became aroused, got out of their beds, and the greatest consternation prevailed. Not long after, smoke poured into their berths, several were nearly suffocated, and one or two had to be carried on to the deck. Fortunately, so far as can at present be ascertained, no life has been lost.
Our correspondent informs us that the Isaac Wright was ultimately towed up to the Sloyne, and scuttled by the gun-boat Dapper, the shot being fired at her below the water-line. [a later report states that she was sunk by a launch of frigate HMS Hastings which used a 12 pounder to fire]

She was raised by pumping out the water and beached nearby. She was then taken to Sandon graving dock for repairs. She was offered for sale in April 1859 but the reserve price was not met [£320 was bid but £1000 was the reserve]. By August 1859, she was reported as owned by Caleb Smith & Co., and renamed as Guerilla,

Image of salvage [from Illustrated Times - Saturday 02 April 1859]:

RAISING THE ISAAC WRIGHT The raising of the American ship Isaac Wright, in the river Mersey at Liverpool, by means of Palmer's patent pump, was recently witnessed by large number of scientific and mercantile gentlemen; who appeared highly satisfied with the success of the operation. The Isaac Wright, a fine vessel belonging to Baring Brothers, when about to sail for New York, on the morning of the 23rd of December, was found to be on fire. The flames spread so rapidly that it was found impossible to extinguish them; she was tugged up the river, to a place called the Sloyne where H.M.S. Hastings fired into her between wind and water, and sunk her. Thus the hull and cargo were saved: the latter being very valuable, and not of perishable nature. But the efforts subsequently proved of no avail, to the recovery of any portion of the cargo. At this time Palmer's patent pump was being employed in raising the Genova, a London steamer, sunk in the river; and it was brought into requisition for the Isaac Wright. Our sketch represents the sunken ship, with the pump on a platform amidships. The dimensions of the Isaac Wright are 186 feet long, 38 beam, and 23 deep, and her tonnage about 1,300. There were 30 feet of water in her stern and 18 amidships. The pump was placed on the platform, the engine which drives it being worked at only half-speed, in consequence of the position of the ship; yet in fifty-six minutes, the water was pumped out - over 3,000 tons of water having been ejected from the vessel in that period. At full speed, it has been known to discharge 17,500 gallons a minute; and with a ten-horse power engine it throws out from seventy to seventyfive tons in the same time. As soon as the ship was pumped out, she was floated and run high up on the beach, when all her cargo was safely removed; thanks to this useful invention. The working of the pump was witnessed with great nterest.

[from Northern Daily Times - Tuesday 12 April 1859] FOR SALE by AUCTION, on Thursday next, the 14th inst., at Three o'clock, at the Brokers' saleroom, Exchange, Liverpool, the WRECK of the American ship ISAAC WRIGHT, lately partially destroyed by fire, and now in No. 5, Sandon Graving Dock. The Isaac Wright was 1,161 tons American register, and 1,286 tons British measurement. Length, 175 feet; breadth, 38 feet 1 inch; depth, 22 feet 6.5inches. Built in New York in 1847, principally of oak and pitch pine. Is very heavily copper fastened, and was well known in the Liverpool and New York trades. The duty having been paid, the vessel will be sold free of all charges up to day of sale. For further particulars apply to CUNARD, WILSON, & Co., Brokers, Liverpool.

[from Liverpool Daily Post - Friday 15 July 1859]: A communication had been read from Messrs. Caleb Smith and Co., stating that they had purchased the American packet-ship Isaac Wright, now called the Guerilla, which was some time ago burnt in the Mersey, and they wished to submit that the tonnage of her new measurement should be the rate by which she should be charged for the graving dock, instead of the old American rate, which included the measurement of the houses on deck, not now in the vessel. The committee decided that they could not grant the application.