YOU ARE BUYING an 1854 piece of sheet music entitled "Three Bells Polka" that commemorates the rescue of 150 passengers, many of whom were soldiers from the US 3rd Artillery, by the British THREE BELLS naval vessel from the shipwreck of the SAN FRANCISCO in December of 1853. This contemporaneous piece of sheet music has a very neat front cover lithograph that celebrates the rescue and dedicates and commends the "gallant Capt. Creighton" of the THREE BELLS.
Travelling from Glasgow, the THREE BELLS arrived in New York on 13 January 1854 carrying 150 passengers it had rescued in December 1853. The SAN FRANCICSO at the time of the disaster was carrying some 600 passengers and crew, the majority of whom belonged to the 3rd US Artillery.
The SAN FRANCISO was on its maiden voyage bound for California via Cape Horn. On the 24th mountainous seas disabled the machinery and blew away the sails. About 175 died when a huge wave stripped everything away from the upper deck. Army and naval personnel pulled together in trying to save the ship from a leak in the hold. By December 26th 1853, passengers were dying from exhaustion, dehydration and exposure. On the 28th the Boston bark KILBY came across the wrecked and battered ship and the following day as the weather moderated was able to rescue 108 passengers. However the bad weather returned and the SAN FRANCICSO drifted out of sight. On the Dec. 31 the THREE BELLS stood by but bad weather prevented any action until January 4 and 5 when it rescued 150 survivors and took them to New York while the Antarctic (which had joined in the rescue on 3 January) carried 42 survivors to Liverpool. The SAN FRANCICSO was never seen again-succumbing at last to the elements.
Three Bells was a British ship built in 1850 at Dumbarton for John Bell by William Denny and used for transporting merchandise and passengers. It was named after three members of the Bell family. The THREE BELLS transported immigrants to Port Adelaide, Melbourne and Newcastle from Glasgow in 1851. Three more voyages to Victoria were made in 1852, 1856 and 1857. It also delivered passengers to Dunedin, New Zealand in 1853.
This sheet music is about is about 10" x 12.5" and is overall in very good condition. PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW THE DETAILED HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOS TO ASSESS THE QUALITY AND CONDITION OF THIS SHEET MUSIC FOR YOURSELF. PLEASE SEND ME QUESTIONS IF THE CONDITION OF THE ITEM IS DOUBT.