Wooden ship Silas Wright, Captain Thomas Fortunatus Freeman, for New York, built William H Webb, New York, 1856, 1340 tons, owned Williams & Guion, with many emigrants aboard, and 42 crew. All saved.
Wooden ship Samuel M. Fox, Captain Arrowsmith, for New York, built William H Webb, New York, 1850, 1060 tons, owned Fox & Livingston, 39 crew plus emigrants. All saved.
Wooden ship Louisiana, Captain Sullivan, 748 tons, for New Orleans, crew of 22 rescued by Formby Lifeboat.
[from Liverpool Mail - Saturday 15 November 1856]:
THREE SHIPWRECKS AT THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER. [12 November 1856]
The Samuel M. Fox (1245
tons), for New York, in proceeding to sea on Wednesday, grounded on the
West Middle, but came off and anchored. On the following flood, she parted
her chains and went on shore on the higher part of Great Burbo Bank, and
remains. Crew and passengers landed. The first mate and two men remain
on board.
The Louisiana (748 tons), for New Orleans, grounded on Burbo Bunk,
fell on her starboard side on the flood, and was covered at high water.
Crew saved by the Formby life-boat.
The Silas Wright (1673 tons), for
New York, also grounded on the West Middle Bank, and was abandoned as the
tide rose, the water being three feet above the upper deck. These
vessels were all being towed out of the Mersey on Wednesday, but the
heavy sea and violent squalls rendered them unmanageable by the
steam-tugs. They were the deepest ships that attempted to proceed to
sea, drawing respectfully 21, 17, and 23 feet water.
At three p.m. the Silas Wright hoisted
signals of distress, and the steam tugs United States, Fury, Rattler,
and Sampson at once proceeded to her assistance, followed soon
after by the Liverpool and the Magazine life boats; the Formby life
boat and the Point of Air life boat also put to sea for tbe purpose of
assisting.
The accounts
yesterday are that the Louisiana has gone to pieces, and that the
Silas Wright is upright. Steam-tugs, with lumps attached, have gone
out to the vessels in the hope of saving part of the cargo.
Two
steamers made an ineffectual attempt to tow the S. M. Fox off Burbo,
and returned to this port Thursday afternoon, reporting that she had
lost rudder and forefoot, and had 5 feet 4 inches water in her hold,
with 19 feet around her. Yesterday her masts were cut away, and her
back being broken, the tide flows through.
Liverpool 28 November, The wreck of the Silas Wright floated off and was beached near the New Brighton Station [from Globe - Saturday 29 November 1856]
Newspaper advertisements for wrecks:
Sale by Auction
on Monday 17th November: hull, rigging, chains, anchors, hawsers,
ground tackle, stores and provisions of the America ship
Louisiana as she now lies on the Middle Burbo Bank
also residue of 80 tons of coals and 700 tons of salt
comprising the cargo of said ship.
[from Liverpool Mercury - Saturday 22 November 1856]:
SALE: The WRECK of the
Packet-ship SAMUEL M. FOX; About 1245 tons measurement; built
in 1850; heavily sheathed with yellow metal last voyage,
and copper-fastened. built by W. H. Webb, of New York, of
the best materials, and fitted up as a packet; as she now lies
stranded on Great Burbo Bank.