Neptune (Schooner), sunk, 5 Oct 1850

The Gale of Saturday, on lake Ontario, was the severest of the season, to the violence of which, a large number of vessels were exposed. We have heard of no serious disaster except the melancholy loss of the schooner NEPTUNE with seven persons on board. The steamer CATARACT. Capt. Chapman, came up against the gale and a tremendous sea with 70 tons of freight and a large number of passengers, with whom there was a good deal of consternation and sickness. The CATARACT reached here about 4 o'clock P.M. and entered the harbor in gallant style under the skillful direction of her brave and accomplished commander
      Oswego Commercial Times
      Wed., October 2, 1850

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      From the Sackets Harbor Observer.
      Loss of the Schooner Neptune.
The undersigned, master and seamen on board the schooner D.W. Church, make the following statement in regard to the loss of the schooner Neptune, Saturday, Oct. 5, 1850:
      The Neptune left Oswego about one hour before us, and was out of sight when we left on board of the schooner D. W. Church. Soon after our leaving Oswego there were three vessels in sight, but we were not sure that either of them was the Neptune. The first knowledge our suspicion we had of her loss was our seeing a yawl-boat with men in it.
      On discovering the boat, we were about half a mile to the windward, and being busy in reefing and preparing our vessel for the gale, is probably the reason we did not see the boat before. If we had seen it a few minutes before, there might have been a possibility of reaching it; as it was, on account of the severity of the weather we thought it impossible to save them.
      In the severe gale and the position of our canvas at the time, being in the act of reefing, it was impossible to bring our vessel about. The boat was on our lee quarter, about a half mile distant but was only seen two or three times, it disappearing entirely in about 10 minutes, so that we could not have got near to them before it was out of sight. We were crossing Mexico Bay, and in the intense storm raging at the time, any attempt at reaching them would only have endangered ourselves and our vessels, without a chance of rendering them any assistance.
      MORGAN WILLIAMS, Master
      H.M. Kinney, Dyer C. Read, John L. Sone, Seamen.
      Oswego Commercial Times
      October 19, 1850