Here is a link to poem written by James Greenleaf Whittier about the "Three Bells" and its part in the rescue of the steamer "San Francisco" in January 1854.
http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/W/WhittierJo....

There were some Polkas written about this event and several journals are available.

My ancestors, Sauer and Tubach/Duback and families, were survivors of the steamer "San Francisco". Soldiers of the US Army Third Artillery being shipped to California. How were yours connected?