New York Governor Charles Gunther

DECEMBER 19, 1863.]

HARPER'S WEEKLY.

813

CHARLES G. GUNTHER, THE MAYOR ELECT.—[PHOTOGRAPHED BY BRADY.]

(Previous Page) was done. How, would take more space than I can give.

"The color-sergeant of the Seventy-ninth Indiana, Henry C. Lawrence, carried his colors far in advance of his regiment, which was the first to commence the ascent. The whole army are admiring him.

"Such a quantity of prisoners came into the keeping of the provost marshal of the corps, Captain Kaldenbaugh, that it was thought at one time another corps would have to be ordered up to take them in hand."

On page 812 we give

THE CAPTURE OF ORCHARD KNOB.

Mr. Davis writes:

"HEAD-QUARTERS MAJOR-GENERAL GORDON GRANGER, Nov. 27, 1863.

"On Monday afternoon, the 23d inst., the division of General Wood was ordered to make a reconnoissance toward Orchard Knob—a commanding position held by the rebels within range of the guns of Fort Wood. The division formed outside of our fortifications, General Hazen on the right, Willich in the centre, and General Beatty on the left. The division advanced with the Fifth Kentucky, Ninety-third Ohio, Eighth Kansas, and Eighty-ninth Illinois as skirmishers. These carried this important position with splendid gallantry."

THE LOSS OF THE "ISAAC NEWTON."

WE illustrate on this page the burning of the Hudson River steamer Isaac Newton, which took place on the night of 5th inst., off Fort Washington. The following account of the catastrophe is condensed from the Herald report:

It appears that the Isaac Newton—one of the finest steamboats running on the Hudson River, between this city and Albany—left her wharf, at the foot of Cortlandt Street. about six o'clock on Saturday evening, under the command of Captain Peck. She had between 150 and 200 passengers on board at the time, besides the usual quantity of freight and her ordinary complement of firemen, deck hands, etc. She went along very smoothly and quietly for about an hour, when suddenly a tremendous explosion occurred on board, and in an instant all was confusion and alarm. The large boiler had exploded, scattering an unlimited amount of pent-up steam and boiling water into every exposed portion of the vessel. The furnaces, which were in close proximity to the boiler, were blown into pieces by the tremendous force of the explosion, and the red-hot coals and burning wood were in consequence cast about the steamboat, setting fire to it. and thereby adding tenfold to the horror of the situation. The luckless vessel was in a few minutes under the full control of the fiery element, and to attempt to describe the scene would be a fruitless task.

Fortunately very few of the passengers were on the open decks, where they would have been exposed to the horrible dangers of death by scalding or burning. It was just

about the time when most of the passengers were at their supper, or preparing for a comfortable nap in their berths, expecting to wake up all safe and sound in Albany. The lady passengers were cozily settled in the cabin, and the men were either in the after portion of the vessel smoking, or, as stated above, eating their suppers in the refectory.

In the mean time the signals of distress were answered from the shore at each side. A propeller, called the Daniel P. Miller, and the tow-boat Herald soon got near the burning steamer and took off most of the passengers half dead from fear and excitement. Several canal-boats also came

up in good time, and did good service in rescuing the passengers. A number of row-boats put out from the shore, and it is said a few of the passengers availed themselves of these light barks to reach the friendly land once more.

Four person are known to have been killed and fifteen others injured perhaps fatally.

THE MAYOR ELECT.

HON. CHARLES GODFREY GUNTHER was born in New York, on 7th April, 1822, and with his father and one of his brothers carries on a large fur business there. Before he was of age to vote he was an active working member of the Democratic party, and subsequently became a member. of the Young Men's Democratic General Committee, of which body he was several times chairman. In 1855 he was elected a Governor of the Alms-house, and became afterward President of the Board. In 1861 he ran unsuccessfully for Mayor, Mr. Opdyke winning the day. On the 1st of the month he ran a second time, and was elected over the Republican candidate, Mr. Blunt, on the one hand, and over the nominee of Mozart and Tammany, Mr. Boole, on the other.

Mr. Gunther is greatly respected as a high-toned, honorable merchant. In politics he has hitherto been a Hard-shell Democrat. We believe, however, that he has been unjustly classed with the peace party.

THE SOWING OF THE AGES.

STEADILY the Ages sow

Ever-living seeds—

Many-germed seeds;

And the flowers come and go,

Though the blinded generations

Scorn them as the weeds.

Seeds of truth and seeds of right—

Strong perennial seeds—

Ever-growing seeds;

And the harvests ripen bright

Though the generations count them

Not among their needs.

They are beaten down in wrath—

Madly beaten down—

Vainly beaten down;

And they spring up in the path,

Prickly, of the generations

That their growth disown.

Sharper leaves from tougher roots,

Growing bloomless fast—

Growing carless fast;

Till a crop of steel upshoots,

Spearing through the generations

Prone upon it cast.

And this last crop of the seeds

Surely must be good—

Must be wondrous good;

Precious crop for sorest needs,

For the prostrate generations

Water it with blood.

DESTRUCTION OF THE HUDSON RIVER STEAMBOAT "ISAAC NEWTON" BY FIRE, DECEMBER 5, 1863.