Letter from my great great great grandfather on his passage to America…glad he wasn’t turned away

20 March 1838 Bridgeport, Connecticut

Dear Parents and Brother,

You may consider me careless and ungrateful in not writing unto this advanced period but from the series of occurrences that took place in America with I and my brothers I could not on any account think of writing unto now, although well remembering your last words to me which is always in my mind and so often _______ me that I could not perform; but of when I state to you the particulars, I expect you cant blame me. You received my letter from Liverpool which I told you I got 10 shillings from Mr Porbler to be charged to brother James; also that I was badly treated by the Robinsons. They kept me 2 weeks in Lifferfie then charged high for provisions. It is ______trouble and expense they put me to but on the 23rd we sailed on the Ann Hall (4) having on board 64 hundred tons weight, more than her compliment. That left her to have one thousand four hundred and 325 passengers of the very meanest the upper parts of Ireland could produce. One of my comrades was a Scotchman and the other was from Kilarny.

We lost sight of Ireland the 2nd day and that was the County Cork we sailed near, very pleasant weather and a breath from breezes until April. Nothing further happened with the exception of some of the countrymen and women (who were) fighting for their room at the fire which one could (not) obtain without fighting for, so as the weaker had no chance. On the 31st night the passengers were all assembled on deck listening to a flute. The Captain and Mate at intervals would take part in the mirth. I noticed the Mate getting drunk and the Captain (getting) a little (drunk). About midnight they all went to their hammocks. About 6 in the morning the vessel began to roll violently. We were under the necessity of clinging to our bed post to keep us from being pitched out where _____ barrels and other things were rolling backward and forward on the deck in our ____elapsed when a crash was heard and a gust of weather down the ________. In 5 minutes my comrades and I had on our clothes. When we sprung from our berths, there being no one at the hatch we gained the ladder first. The Scotchman and I got on deck but the Killarnyman was cast back with the next gust of water. The hatch was immediately nailed down to keep the ship from filling with waves that were rolling over her. My comrade was cast against the bulwarks while I made my hold good to the cabin door. The next roll she gave, the scotchman was tumbling to the other side when I caught him and hauled him into the cabin. I had then a full view of things. There were none on deck but the second mate and carpenter that were (on) their watch. The Captain, mate and crew were on deck in an instant. The scene they had to view was shocking. Our 8 masts broke off by the lower yards, the long boat and two jolly boats (broken) off (at) the stocks with two large anchors, broken spurs all rolling to and fro along the deck. The rigging all fell into the sea but was held by the ropes and tackles, the cloth filling with water and held right on her side, leaving her keel clean out of the water, and the sea rolling over so as no one could venture from their hold to secure anything in this location. We remained until twelve o’clock.

When the wind (was) altering and the sea beginning to get a little calm we hoisted out our flag of distress on the stump of the mizzen mast. In half an hour the watch of the quarterdeck called out a sail, and in half an hour all hands saw a ship coming full sail towards us with American colors flying; and in half an hour was alongside of us. Our Captain spoke to her. They were willing to give us any assistance they could but the sea grew too high to get any. I could read on her stern the “Globe of Providence.” She tacked about us all the day but in the morning she was not to be seen. I remained on deck all the time. No one below knew anything of what was going on on deck as the hatch was not lifted until the next morning. It was shocking to see the state they (passengers below deck) were in. The fact is they were half dead through fear and hunger.

(We) were 7 days in clearing the rigging and by the preservation of some yards, we were able to put an (extension) to our mainmast causing it to carry 3 yards. Our mizzen and foremasts only had one (yard) which formerly bore 3 each. We were getting along tolerably but suffering considerably through the inconvenience of (being cold) as our (clothing) was all (lost) overboard.
There was not a day passed without (passengers) hitting each other. I have seen two factions that were always master of the fires and no one would get near it until they would get done. There were about 5 men and some women on each side and such a fight I never saw, although the vessel was rolling and the sea (was) pretty heavy. They would roll along the deck in each other’s holds (with) no possibility of separating them. And the Captain turned the ship to the west causing the waves to lash over them. Neither did they quit until some of them was suffocated.

On the 8th there were 9 sailors making the second yard fast, when the main pulley gave way causing the yard to splash backwards and forwards throwing two men into the sea from a height of 70 feet; and the other 7, the most of them severely hurt by being jammed between the yard and the mast; one having his collarbone broke. Two fell to the lowest yard and __________his back on deck and was carried off senseless. With the exception of the two that struck the yard, all were severely hurt. The two that fell into the water were with great difficulty got out.

The next day a passenger died. He was another Scotchman. He remained in all night and the next morning (they) dropped him overboard. They rolled him up in canvas and tied a piece of iron to sink him. It was a very calm day and it was shocking to see him drop into the sea and by degrees disappear in the water. The day following, a little girl died and the next day one was born. Two days after, we had another child born and one died. It was with difficulty we could get the mother (to) give it up, although letting it remain with her two days after it died. It was shocking to see her parting (with) it.

We were by this time crossing the lengths of Newfoundland. We saw a great number of fish and great flocks of birds and many pieces of ice, but one in particular. It was as large as ______Galbreths house and office houses together. There were flocks of fowl on it. Our ship sailed right alongside it. We saw several vessels at a distance. We hoisted our flag but when they saw the number of passengers and the state the ship was in they turned and sailed off. I also remember this last visit (as) by this time, passengers were dispensing their provisions, running out, and we were 6 days in a dead calm without a sail in one mile. We were put on an allowance of 3 half pints of water a day. The sailors were put on an allowance of provisions. The Captain resolved to throw the cargo overboard the next day. At midnight the breeze sprang up and blew the yard of the mizzenmast, the only good one we had. The place we were in was called the ________, a place remarkable for its roughness. The wind continued to blow tremendous. The mountains of water rolling over us surpassed any thing I ever thought of . Our sails were blown to ribbons and the shattered mast stood like trees without branches. Our sailors were struck with horror and had to be tied on deck. They would be for a considerable time between two waves without a stir when the swells would come rolling along carrying every thing on board along with them.

At 4 o’clock, the main mast was blown off whilst a sailor was onto it. He was carried a considerable distance off. He was seen no more. The ____ of the yard fell right through the deck. The passengers below narrowly escaping death by it. Then our mizzen mast also broke off by the boat and fell off by the stern alongside the rudder, severely damaging it.

By this time all was a complete wreck. Our long boat swept off the deck and the other two looked to freeze against the bulwarks. We were then left (with) no second means of escape and the night coming on. The sailors, all but the Captain’s first and second mates, the carpenter and one sailor, were all that was to be found of them. The rest hid among the balance and could not be found. The rigging was all held fast by the cables that bound it and the broken mast was flying in the sea and at every roll would strike the side of the ship causing bolts and beams to spring considerably. The main hatch was broken and the sea came pouring down it. Our carpenter behaved courageously by tying himself and going among the wreck, cutting the cables and letting everything go with the sea. By this time there was nothing on deck (but) the broken spare anchor and the half of her bulwark was swept off. There was no refuge for any on deck but tying themselves in the calm. She was ____considerable with ____ and no one dared venture to the pumps risking their lives in this situation. We remained until after dark expecting every moment to go down.

There were only ten passengers, the Captain and four hands on deck. I was one of the number, always keeping the deck, expecting to save my life by some means. Eight of us resolved to go the pumps and stay one hour at them. By being tied fast to our broken mast we remained our hour, although (it was) one of the coldest nights I ever felt. It was freezing so that the ropes of the pumps were as stiff as iron and the clothes on us were stiff. The man at the rudder was frostbitten. We pumped in our turn all night. A good many of the passengers crawled up during the night to our assistance in the morning. We had her cleared of water. The storm did not cease for 6 days successively. She was driven considerably toward the north and the 2 last days it was impossible to stand the cold. The frost was 3 inches deep on the quarter deck so as there could be nothing _____. We rolled ourselves up in our hammock and remained there, not tasting victuals ____________(an entire line in the fold of the paper is unreadable
__________ starting the difficulties we endured in regulating things, especially our provisions, which were partly destroyed by the saltwater. All hands went busily to work in throwing the cargo overboard, which we performed in three days, leaving her to sail with the light breeze. We succeeded in procuring our sail which we put on the stump of the mainmast and on the foremast. And (on) the place where the mizzen mast was, we started a little sail like that of a little boat so we began to assume new hopes of once more seeing land.

A great number of the passengers were falling sick in consequence of the hardships. We had no physician. We considered it to be a bad fever for as the sickness increased they were getting out of their senses, straying up and down, not understanding the situation they were in, calling over often, the names of their father, mother and relations as if in conversation with (the) dead. It was shocking to listen to them. My comrade, the Kerryman also took sick.
Some of the passengers’ provisions were running out, and us four weeks within landing. It was very shocking to see women and children crying with hunger and supplicating the Captain for victuals. Others would be reflecting on his not knowing his business as well _____ (and) would tell him he did not know where the devil he was. He was so much perplexed that he resolved (on) landing them at ____ as the wind was favorable. He sailed within 50 miles of it when the wind changed right ahead of him. He steered again for (New) York. My provisions were reduced to a few biscuits. The Captain had on board a few bags of potatoes which he sold at very high rates and I purchased 2 stones.(3) The Captain went among the passengers counting their sea stores. We found one (passenger) with several considerable ____ of mule which they intended to sell in (New) York. They would have allowed their comrades to starve had they not been compelled to distribute it. I got 10 pounds of it, together with my 2 stone of potatoes and my few biscuits. I secured them beyond me in the berth and sat sentry constantly over them. Would I leave them they would be stolen.

I understood from the Captain the distance we were from (New) York and how (far) south we would be going if the wind would continue. (The ship) sailed sometimes 8 miles an hour so as she would be in, in 3 weeks. I ate potatoes in the morning and half a pint of gruel at night to make me sleep sound. Our passengers were all sick but 10, and they each day had to carry the sick on deck and scour out the hold with pitch and brimstone. We were dropping off, one by one until we were reduced to 20. The hands were all sick but 9 and we had to act the part of sailor.

One of the passengers was coming from cooking his last meal when, with a roll of the ship he was thrown against the bulwarks and his legs ran under a broken spar, breaking his shinbones, one of them in 2 places, and the bones springing clean through the flesh. He died in 4 days. Afterwards some children also died.

The Captain took sick and the mate took charge of the ship. At day 5 after, he also took sick and the charge of the (ship) depended on the first mate who was a very poor seaman. We were within one week of landing (when) we got 12 stone of potatoes and a gallon of rum from a schooner that was sailing from the West Indies and they informed us that they saw land 2 days since. In 2 days after, we were in sight of ships. The tides brought us at the rate of 7 miles an hour. The wind blew favorable all the time and 6 days after, we all saw land at a considerable distance. They call it Long Island. The pilot came on board and in the evening we were safely landed in quarantine.

After a passage of 9 weeks, from the moment I left you, I was not one moment sick, thanks be to God.

Quarantine is a place where the surgeon came on board to examine the passengers. It is 10 miles from (New) York and one mile off shore. There were two boats employed two days bringing the sick to the hospital. The passengers that were not sick had to carry those out of the ship into the boats, which was very disagreeable. Five men died, and one woman, and a child belonging to a Strabane woman. Some of their friends waited on shore to receive them (but) the only thing they got were their corpses
I was cooking the last of my potatoes and beef stake that I got from the steward, when I got word of James (6) being on shore waiting on me to go out. He bribed the boatmen to convey me out as no person was allowed to go ashore but the sick. (He) succeeded in doing (it) so I got landed and delivered to James. I was on the lookout for him among a crowd of men that was waiting for their relations. I was standing on the dock when he came scudding around the corner. The moment I saw him, was it not that I expected to meet him I would (have) said he was Tobias. He looks like him. I walked to him. He did not know me. I asked him: was he not James Mullen? He said: no. If you are not, said I, you look like him. He asked me if I were to see him (James), would I know him? I said: if HE was not James, I would not (know him). I drew back and was walking away when he said he WAS James Mullen and enquired who I was and if I knew Patrick Mullen. I told him I was his brother, Patrick, that he was talking to. (It is difficult) to describe the pleasure I felt (after) facing so many dangers and (now) being in conversation with my brother.

Patrick stayed with James, his wife, Ann and their son, gaining work through James’ employer. When James and his family left for New Orleans intending to set up a boarding establishment, Patrick was tempted to follow immediately.

The day he went away I had neither employment or a boarding house and without friends I felt bad. I was intent on going to (New) Orleans, but fortunately the morning I was going to agree (to) my passage, I saw in the newspapers employment for 4 first rate bootmen. I accordingly went and agreed at the rate of 20 shillings for making bottoms. (The tops) are already closed.

Dear Parents, I am now 6 weeks in employment and have earned 42 dollars clear. My employer will let me have but 20, which I send on to you. You should receive the ticket in another letter which I send along with this one.

Things are on the turn for the better. The man that employs me has one hundred and fifty men employed. There are only 6 first rate men among them. We are paid according, as we work. The work that is done here surpasses any in Europe. There is none of it worn here. It is exported to the south, then east and west. It is made light to suit the warm climate. The work that I _____ is light morocco and not thicker in the sole than a half penny. My arms are not sore pulling a thick one. My work is liked. I shall have a constant amount of work through the summer.

I do not drink any ardent amount, or shall nt, until I see my dear Mother, which with the assistance of God, shall be in 2 years from this time, or perhaps sooner. I can save as much in that time as would be considered a handsome fortune in Ireland.

NOTES:
1. Patrick and Prudence (Barton) Mullen had 3 sons, Tobias Patrick Mullen, born about 1849; James Henry Mullen, born in July, 1850 and George Mullen, born about 1861.
2. The author descends from Robert & Ann (Neeson) Mullen.
3. This letter must have been a draft as it does not appeared to have been mailed. However since Patrick’s father acknowledged having received it we know that some form of it had been mailed. The first paragraph is as Patrick wrote it. The rest of the letter has been punctuated and edited for easier reading.
4. The Ann Hall was a 115 ton vessel with 24 man crew, captained by Captain William Hewans. It arrived in New York on May 26, 1837. It lists among the passengers, Pat Mullen, 22 years old, a laborer.
5. A “stone” is a British measure of solid weight. It equals 14 pounds.