Hon John W. Parsons
Formby January 28th 1846

Dear Father

It is my duty, as well as my
misfortune, to inform you of the loss of the ship
Susanna Cumming near this place on the morning
of the 20th, by the Pilot mistaking the Lights in
approaching Liverpool -
We took a pilot on board the ship near Point Lynas[?]
60 miles from Liverpool about midway of the 18th inst. the
wind they being ahead (from the Southeast) and rainy -
We continued to work up along the shore until the morning
of the 20th when the wind suddenly changed into the North
West and commenced blowing a Gale; we having lost sight
of the Light & land near Orner(?) Head, only an hour and help
previously. At 3 o'clock A.M. (about an hour after the wind
had changed to the westward) we made what the Pilot
termed the North West Light ship, & also had an other light in
sight, for a short time - We ran for the Light & lay by, as
the Pilot directed, until 5 o'clock A.M. when the ship struck
very heavily, the first intimation we had the ship was
in danger, though the Pilot still continued to assert that it
was the N M Light ship that was in sight and ordered the main
Topsail to be filled & all sail we could to be set on the ship in
hopes she would head over the Banks into the channel,
the Ship not paying off, we cut way the misen mast,
but she continued striking heavily & not deeping the

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water, soon carried away the rudder - I then examined
the charts & found by the bearing of the Light (SWLys)
that it could not be the N.W. Light Ship we had in sight.
At a little past 7 o'clock A.M. the tide left the ship so
that she remained quiet & daylight soon appearing we
found ourselves 2 or 3 miles from the Land off
Formby Shore, in Lancashire & that the Pilot had
mistaken the Formby Light Ship for the N.W. Light
Ship - at 10 o'clock A.M. there came to our assistance
two Life Boats (it being near low water) & all the
crew, my 1st and 2nd officers together with the Pilot
abandoned the Ship, with the exception of the cook,
& one seaman, (who scarcely speaks a word of English) and
myself, the tide rising & the sea waking, so that the
Life Boats could remain no longer by the Ship ^{there being then 3 feet water in the ship}
As the tide rose the ship commenced thumping most
fearfully, the wind continuing to blow a Gale from N.W.
The two men that remained with me, were greatly alarmed
to find the Mates & Pilot had left us, but did not know
of it in time, to join them; for my own part I supposed
I was left on board alone until these 2 men appeared
on deck from below - At 3 o'clock P.M. the ship had
10 to 12 feet of water in her hold & the sea breaking over
her most frightfully - I cut away the main mast,
soon after which, the ship remained more head to sea &
driving in shore withal, having neared the shore
about one mile - On the ebb, the Gale abated, and
at low water the ship was quite dry, nearly a mile
from the top of the sand beach - The following tide the ship
did not move, but the water flowed in and out -

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From the time the wind changed (2:30 A.M.) my time and
attention was occupied in seeing the Pilot's orders executed
& reducing canvas on the ship, leaving the Pilot to look
out for the Lights to give directions as regards the ships
head - I had reduced the sail on the ship to a single reefed
Fore Topsail & double reefed main Topsail The only two sails
set, the last of which, was to the mast, when she struck -
I think it was not blowing so heavy, but that the ship could
have been worked off shore, it being two hours ebb, when she
struck, and as I before stated had not the slightest idea but what
the Pilot was right & sure of his position & that we were free
from danger - I must say so far as I am personally concerned
I feel as though there could not be the slightest blame attached
to myself as I early proposed to the pilot to reduce sail on
the ship & stand off, but he positively refused, and said we should
soon make the Rock Light when he would [---?] in through the new
channel, & also that the ebb tide would keep the ship in much the same
position until daylight - I have been thus particular for fear
those not acquainted with the circumstances might think I had not
used the care & vigilance I ought to have done in the discharge of
my duty & having meet with two such accidents in so short
a time - The ship is so badly injured she can never be got off, but
will be sold for the benefit of whom it may concern, as soon as the
cotton is obtained from her - The cotton in the between decks has
all been landed in safety but that in the lower hold is all badly
damaged (the water flowing in each tide up to the between decks) it will
probably be all saved, but the expense attending landing and carting it
to Liverpool 15 miles will be enormous, probably 1,000 pounds the roads being part
of the way being bad & leading over sand hills near the shore. I shall
write you further particulars by this steamer- Very truly yours,
Wm Parsons

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P.S.
I have not time to write the
particulars of the loss of Ship Susanna
Cumming by this steamer, so I have
forwarded you the sketch of a letter
that I have written to Mr Goodwin & [----?].
It seems singular that I should meet
with such accidents so similar in so
short a time - I have saved all
my effects & this accident will
turn out much the same as that
of the Glendover, only this ship
will not be got off & the sale of Hull
& materials will not amount to
much more than ½ as much as the
Glendover - She is expected daily
in Liverpool to be repaired a
merchant from Antwerp having
given 1,000 pounds for her It will be probably
a month or town before I can settle up
here and leave for home -
This ship (The Susanna Cumming I shall
probably be able to sell by the 15 or 20th
of February - If she does not break up
before, & of which she is not far from
at present - I think there is some
danger that some of the cotton in the
bottom of the ship - may be lost [---?] Yours dutifully,
Wm H Parsons