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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Naval History of the United States, by
+Willis J. Abbot
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Naval History of the United States
+ Volume 1 (of 2)
+
+Author: Willis J. Abbot
+
+Release Date: August 13, 2007 [EBook #22305]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NAVAL HISTORY ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Christine P. Travers and
+the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
+http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+[Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, all
+other inconsistencies are as in the original. Author's spelling has
+been maintained.
+
+Every chapter heading had an illustration; the corresponding tag has
+been removed.]
+
+
+[Illustration: Spilling Grog on the "Constitution" before Going into
+Action.]
+
+
+
+
+ THE NAVAL HISTORY
+
+ OF THE
+
+ UNITED STATES
+
+
+ BY
+
+ WILLIS J. ABBOT
+
+
+ With Many Illustrations
+
+
+
+
+ _VOLUME ONE_
+
+
+
+
+ NEW YORK:
+ PETER FENELON COLLIER, PUBLISHER.
+
+
+
+
+ Copyright, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1890
+ By
+ Dodd, Mead and Company
+
+ _All rights reserved_
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+THE NAVAL HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
+
+
+_PART I._
+
+BLUE JACKETS OF '76.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ Early Exploits upon the Water. -- Gallop's Battle with the
+ Indians. -- Buccaneers and Pirates. -- Morgan and
+ Blackbeard. -- Capt. Kidd turns Pirate. -- Downfall of the
+ Buccaneers' Power.
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ Expeditions against Neighboring Colonies. -- Romantic Career
+ of Sir William Phipps. -- Quelling a Mutiny. -- Expeditions
+ against Quebec.
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ Opening of the American Revolution. -- The Affair of the
+ Schooner "St. John." -- The Press-gang and its Work. -- The
+ Sloop "Liberty." -- Destruction of the "Gaspee." -- The
+ Boston Tea-party.
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+ The Beginning of the Navy. -- Lexington and Concord. -- A
+ Blow Struck in Maine. -- Capture of the "Margaretta." --
+ Gen. Washington and the Navy. -- Work of Capt. Manly.
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+ Events of 1776. -- The First Cruise of the Regular Navy. --
+ The "Lexington" and the "Edward." -- Mugford's Brave Fight.
+ -- Loss of the "Yankee Hero." -- Capt. Manly, and the
+ "Defence." -- American Vessels in European Waters. -- Good
+ Work of the "Lexington" and the "Reprisal." -- the British
+ defeated at Charleston.
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+ The Career of Paul Jones. -- In Command of the "Providence."
+ -- Capture of the "Mellish." -- Exploits with the "Alfred."
+ -- In Command of the "Ranger." -- Sweeping the English
+ Channel. -- The Descent upon Whitehaven.
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+ Career of Paul Jones Continued. -- His Descent upon the
+ Castle of Lord Selkirk. -- The Affair of the Plate. -- The
+ Descent upon Whitehaven. -- The Battle with the "Drake." --
+ Lieut. Simpson's Perfidy.
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+ Career of Paul Jones Continued. -- His Search for a Ship. --
+ Given Command of the "Bon Homme Richard." -- Landais and his
+ Character. -- The Frustrated Mutiny. -- Landais quarrels
+ with Jones. -- Edinburgh and Leith threatened. -- The
+ Dominie's Prayer.
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+ Career of Paul Jones Concluded. -- The Battle between the
+ "Bon Homme Richard" and the "Serapis." -- Treachery of
+ Landais. -- Jones's Great Victory. -- Landais steals the
+ "Alliance." -- Jones in Command of the "Ariel." -- The
+ "Ariel" in the Storm. -- Arrival in America.
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+ Career of Nicholas Biddle. -- His Exploit at Lewiston Jail.
+ -- Cruise in the "Randolph." -- Battle with the "Yarmouth."
+ -- The Fatal Explosion. -- Samuel Tucker. -- His Boyhood. --
+ Encounter with Corsairs. -- Cruising in the "Franklin." --
+ In Command of the "Boston." -- Anecdotes of Capt. Tucker.
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ Hostilities in 1777. -- American Reverses. -- The British in
+ Philadelphia. -- The Attack upon Fort Mifflin. -- Cruise of
+ the "Raleigh" and the "Alfred." -- Torpedo Warfare. -- The
+ Battle of the Kegs.
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ Naval Events of 1778. -- Recruiting for the Navy. -- The
+ Descent upon New Providence. -- Operations on the Delaware.
+ -- Capt. Barry's Exploits. -- Destruction of the American
+ Frigates. -- American Reverses. -- The Capture of the
+ "Pigot." -- French Naval Exploits.
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+ Last Years of the War. -- Disastrous Expedition to the
+ Penobscot. -- Wholesale Captures on the Newfoundland Banks.
+ -- French Ships in American Waters. -- Taking of Charleston.
+ -- The "Trumbull's" Victory and Defeat. -- Capt. Barry and
+ the "Alliance." -- Close of the War.
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+ Work of the Privateers. -- The "Gen. Hancock" and the
+ "Levant." -- Exploits of the "Pickering" -- the "Revenge."
+ -- the "Holkar." -- The "Congress" and the "Savage." -- The
+ "Hyder Ali" and the "Gen. Monk." -- The Whale-Boat
+ Hostilities. -- The "Old Jersey" Prison-Ship.
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+ The Navy Disbanded. -- Aggressions of Barbary Corsairs. -- A
+ Disgraceful Tribute. -- Bainbridge and the Dey. -- Gen.
+ Eaton at Tunis. -- A Squadron sent to the Mediterranean. --
+ Decatur and the Spaniards. -- The "Enterprise" and the
+ "Tripoli." -- American Slaves in Algiers.
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+ More Vigorous Policy. -- Commodore Morris sent to the
+ Mediterranean. -- Porter's Cutting-Out Expedition. --
+ Commodore Preble sent to the Mediterranean. -- His Encounter
+ with a British Man-of-War. -- The Loss of the
+ "Philadelphia." -- Decatur's Daring Adventure.
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+ A Stirring Year. -- The Bombardment of Tripoli. -- Decatur's
+ Hand-to-Hand Fight. -- Lieut. Trippe's Bravery. -- Lieut.
+ Spence's Bold Deed. -- Somers's Narrow Escape. -- The
+ Floating Mine. -- The Fatal Explosion. -- Close of the War.
+ -- The End.
+
+
+_PART II._
+
+BLUE JACKETS OF 1812.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ The Gathering of the War-Cloud. -- The Revolution ended, but
+ the War for Independence yet unfought. -- Outrages upon
+ American Sailors. -- The Right of Search. -- Impressment. --
+ Boyhood of Commodore Porter. -- Early Days of Commodores
+ Perry and Barney. -- Burning a Privateer. -- The Embargo. --
+ War Inevitable
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ War with France. -- The Building of a Navy. -- First Success
+ for the Americans. -- Cutting out the "Sandwich." -- The
+ "Constellation" and "L'Insurgente." -- The "Constellation"
+ and "La Vengeance"
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ Proposed Reduction of the Navy. -- Renewal of British
+ Outrages. -- The Affair of the "Baltimore." -- Attack on the
+ "Leander." -- Encounter between the "Chesapeake" and
+ "Leopard." -- The "President" and "Little Belt"
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+ The War on the Ocean. -- Commodore Rodgers's Cruise. -- The
+ Loss of the "Nautilus." -- First Success for the British. --
+ The Escape of the "Constitution." -- The "Essex" takes the
+ "Alert." -- The "Constitution" and the "Guerriere"
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+ An International Debate. -- The "Wasp" and the "Frolic." --
+ The "United States" and the "Macedonian." -- Ovations to the
+ Victors
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+ Bainbridge takes Command of the "Constitution." -- The
+ Defeat of the "Java." -- Close of the Year's Hostilities on
+ the Ocean.
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+ The War on the Lakes. -- The Attack on Sackett's Harbor. --
+ Oliver Hazard Perry ordered To Lake Erie. -- The Battle of
+ Put-in-Bay.
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+ On the Ocean. -- The "Hornet" sinks the "Peacock." -- The
+ Blockade. -- Adventures of the "Sally." -- Hostilities on
+ Chesapeake Bay. -- The Cruise of the "President".
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+ Decatur blockaded at New York. -- Attempts to escape through
+ Long Island Sound. -- The Flag-Ship struck by Lightning. --
+ Torpedoes. -- Fulton's Steam-Frigate. -- Action between the
+ "Chesapeake" and "Shannon".
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+ Cruise of the "Essex." -- A Rich Prize. -- The Mysterious
+ Letter. -- Cape Horn rounded. -- Capture of a Peruvian
+ Privateer. -- Among the British Whalers. -- Porter in
+ Command of a Squadron. -- A Boy Commander. -- The Squadron
+ lays up at Nookaheevah.
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ War with the Savages. -- The Campaign against the Typees. --
+ Departure from Nookaheevah. -- The "Essex" anchors at
+ Valparaiso. -- Arrival of the "Phoebe" and "Cherub." -- They
+ capture the "Essex." -- Porter's Encounter with the
+ "Saturn." -- The Mutiny at Nookaheevah.
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ Capture of the "Surveyor." -- Work of the Gunboat Flotilla.
+ -- Operations on Chesapeake Bay. -- Cockburn's Depredations.
+ -- Cruise of the "Argus." -- Her Capture by the "Pelican."
+ -- Battle Between the "Enterprise" and "Boxer." -- End of
+ the Year 1813 on the Ocean.
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+ On the Lakes. -- Close of Hostilities on Lakes Erie and
+ Huron. -- Desultory Warfare on Lake Ontario in 1813. --
+ Hostilities on Lake Ontario in 1814. -- The Battle of Lake
+ Champlain. -- End of the War upon the Lakes.
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+ On the Ocean. -- The Work of the Sloops-of-War. -- Loss of
+ the "Frolic." -- Fruitless Cruise of the "Adams." -- The
+ "Peacock" Takes the "Epervier." -- The Cruise of the "Wasp."
+ -- She Captures the "Reindeer." -- Sinks the "Avon." --
+ Mysterious End of the "Wasp".
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+ Operations on the New England Coast. -- The Bombardment of
+ Stonington. -- Destruction Of the United States Corvette
+ "Adams." -- Operations on Chesapeake Bay. -- Work of
+ Barney's Barge Flotilla. -- Advance of the British Upon
+ Washington. -- Destruction of the Capitol. -- Operations
+ Against Baltimore. -- Bombardment of Fort McHenry.
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+ Desultory Hostilities on the Ocean. -- Attack Upon Fort
+ Bowyer. -- Lafitte the Pirate. -- British Expedition against
+ New Orleans. -- Battle of the Rigolets. -- Attack on New
+ Orleans, and Defeat of the British. -- Work of the
+ Blue-jackets. -- Capture of the Frigate "President." -- The
+ "Constitution" takes The "Cyane" and "Levant." -- The
+ "Hornet" takes the "Penguin." -- End of the War.
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+ Privateers and Prisons of the War. -- The "Rossie." -- Salem
+ Privateers. -- The "Gen. Armstrong" gives Battle to a
+ British Squadron, and saves New Orleans. -- Narrative of a
+ British Officer. -- The "Prince de Neufchatel." --
+ Experiences of American Prisoners of War. -- The End.
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+ The Long Peace broken by the War With Mexico. -- Activity of
+ the Navy. -- Captain Stockton's Stratagem. -- The Battle at
+ San Jose. -- The Blockade. -- Instances of Personal Bravery.
+ -- The Loss of the "Truxton." -- Yellow Fever in the
+ Squadron. -- The Navy at Vera Cruz. -- Capture of Alvarado.
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+ The Navy in Peace. -- Surveying the Dead Sea. -- Suppressing
+ the Slave Trade. -- The Franklin Relief Expedition. --
+ Commodore Perry in Japan. -- Signing of the Treaty. --
+ Trouble in Chinese Waters. -- The Koszta Case. -- The Second
+ Franklin Relief Expedition. -- Foote at Canton. -- "Blood is
+ Thicker Than Water".
+
+
+_PART III._
+
+BLUE JACKETS OF '61.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ The Opening of the Conflict. -- The Navies of the
+ Contestants. -- Dix's Famous Despatch. -- The
+ River-gunboats.
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ Fort Sumter Bombarded. -- Attempt of the "Star of the West"
+ to re-enforce Anderson. -- The Naval Expedition to Fort
+ Sumter. -- The Rescue of the Frigate "Constitution." --
+ Burning the Norfolk Navy-Yard.
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ Difficulties of the Confederates in Getting a Navy. --
+ Exploit of the "French Lady." -- Naval Skirmishing on the
+ Potomac. -- The Cruise of the "Sumter"
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+ The Potomac Flotilla. -- Capture of Alexandria. -- Actions
+ at Matthias Point. -- Bombardment of the Hatteras Forts.
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+ The "Trent" Affair. -- Operations in Albemarle and Pamlico
+ Sounds. -- Destruction of the Confederate Fleet.
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+ Reduction of Newbern. -- Exploits of Lieut. Cushing. --
+ Destruction of the Ram "Albemarle".
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+ The Blockade-runners. -- Nassau and Wilmington. -- Work of
+ the Cruisers.
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+ Du Pont's Expedition to Hilton Head and Port Royal. -- The
+ Fiery Circle.
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+ The First Ironclad Vessels in History. -- The "Merrimac"
+ sinks the "Cumberland," and destroys the "Congress." -- Duel
+ between the "Monitor" and "Merrimac".
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+ The Navy in the Inland Waters. -- The Mississippi Squadron.
+ -- Sweeping the Tennessee River.
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ Famous Confederate Privateers, -- The "Alabama," the
+ "Shenandoah," the "Nashville".
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ Work of the Gulf Squadron. -- The Fight at the Passes of the
+ Mississippi. -- Destruction of the Schooner "Judah." -- The
+ Blockade of Galveston, and Capture of the "Harriet Lane".
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+ The Capture of New Orleans. -- Farragut's Fleet passes Fort
+ St. Philip and Fort Jackson.
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+ Along the Mississippi. -- Forts Jackson and St. Philip
+ Surrender. -- The Battle at St. Charles. -- The Ram
+ "Arkansas." -- Bombardment and Capture of Port Hudson.
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+ On To Vicksburg. -- Bombardment of the Confederate
+ Stronghold. -- Porter's Cruise in the Forests.
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+ Vicksburg Surrenders, and the Mississippi is opened. --
+ Naval Events along the Gulf Coast.
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+ Operations about Charleston. -- The Bombardment, the Siege,
+ and the Capture.
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+ The Battle of Mobile Bay.
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+
+ The Fall of Fort Fisher. -- The Navy ends its Work.
+
+
+_PART IV._
+
+BLUE JACKETS IN TIME OF PEACE.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ Police Service on the High Seas. -- War Service in Asiatic
+ Ports. -- Losses by the Perils of the Deep. -- A Brush with
+ the Pirates. -- Admiral Rodgers at Corea. -- Services in
+ Arctic Waters. -- The Disaster at Samoa. -- The Attack on
+ the "Baltimore's" Men at Valparaiso. -- Loss of the
+ "Kearsarge." -- The Naval Review.
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ The Naval Militia. -- A Volunteer Service which in Time of
+ War will be Effective. -- How Boys are trained for the Life
+ of a Sailor. -- Conditions of Enlistment in the Volunteer
+ Branch of the Service. -- The Work of the Seagoing Militia
+ in Summer.
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ How the Navy has Grown. -- The Cost and Character of Our New
+ White Ships of War. -- Our Period of Naval Weakness and our
+ Advance to a Place among the Great Naval Powers. -- The New
+ Devices of Naval Warfare. -- The Torpedo, the Dynamite Gun,
+ and the Modern Rifle. -- Armor and its Possibilities.
+
+
+_PART V._
+
+THE NAVAL WAR WITH SPAIN.
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ The State of Cuba. -- Pertinacity of the Revolutionists. --
+ Spain's Sacrifices and Failure. -- Spanish Barbarities. --
+ The Policy of Reconcentration. -- American Sympathy aroused.
+ -- The Struggle in Congress. -- The Assassination of the
+ "Maine." -- Report of the Commission. -- The Onward March to
+ Battle.
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ The Opening Days of the War. -- The First Blow struck in the
+ Pacific. -- Dewey and his Fleet. -- The Battle at Manila. --
+ An Eye-witness' Story. -- Delay and Doubt in the East. --
+ Dull Times for the Blue-jackets. -- The Discovery of
+ Cervera. -- Hobson's Exploit. -- The Outlook.
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ The Spanish Fleet makes a Dash from the Harbor. -- Its total
+ Destruction. -- Admiral Cervera a Prisoner. -- Great Spanish
+ Losses. -- American Fleet Loses but one Man.
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+
+VOLUME ONE
+
+ Spilling Grog on the "Constitution" before going into
+ Action. _Frontispiece_.
+
+ Commodore Esek Hopkins.
+
+ Siege of Charleston, S.C., May, 1780.
+
+ Captain John Paul Jones quelling the Mob at Whitehaven,
+ Scotland, Nov., 1777.
+
+ The Action between the "Bon Homme Richard" and the
+ "Serapis," September 23, 1779.
+
+ Commodore Barry.
+
+ Shortening Sail on the "Lancaster"--The Oldest Cruiser in
+ Commission.
+
+ Commodore Decatur.
+
+ Derelict.
+
+ Cutting Away the Flag.
+
+ Commodore Perry.
+
+ Barney Regains his Ship.
+
+ Toasting the Wooden Walls of Columbia.
+
+ Commodore Macdonough.
+
+ Hull Makes a Reconnoissance.
+
+ The British Squadron.
+
+ Lieut. Allen Fires a Shot.
+
+ Commodore Rogers Hails.
+
+ Explosion on the "President".
+
+ "Hull Her, Boys!"
+
+ Loading.
+
+ Ready to Board.
+
+ Engagement of the Frigates "United States" and "Macedonian,"
+ Christmas Day, 1812.
+
+ Assuming to be British Men-of-War.
+
+ Marines Picking Off the Enemy.
+
+ In the Cross-Trees.
+
+ Perry's Recruits.
+
+ Drilling the Raw Recruits.
+
+ Commodore Perry at the Battle of Lake Erie.
+
+ Perry's Victory--The Battle of Lake Erie, September 10,
+ 1813.
+
+ Making Ready to Leave the "Lawrence".
+
+ Awaiting the Boarders.
+
+ "I am Commodore Rogers".
+
+ Beating to Quarters.
+
+ The Last Shot of the "Chesapeake".
+
+ On Board the "Chesapeake".
+
+ The Peruvian Privateer.
+
+ The Duel at the Galapagos Islands.
+
+ Firing the Howitzer.
+
+
+VOLUME TWO
+
+ Destruction of the "Maine," Havana Harbor, Feb. 15, 1898.
+ _Frontispiece_
+
+ The Fight with the "Boxer".
+
+ The Surrender of the "Boxer".
+
+ On the Way to Lake Erie.
+
+ Hiram Paulding Fires the Guns.
+
+ The Captain of the "Reindeer".
+
+ The End of the "Reindeer".
+
+ Lieut. Richmond Pearson Hobson, who Sank the "Merrimac" in
+ Santiago Harbor, June 3, 1898.
+
+ The Descent of Wareham.
+
+ Sharp-Shooters.
+
+ The March on Washington.
+
+ Planning the Attack.
+
+ Response to the Call for Volunteers to Accompany Hobson on
+ the "Merrimac".
+
+ The "President" Tries to Escape.
+
+ Battleship "Massachusetts".
+
+ Prison Chaplain and Jailer.
+
+ The Last Volley of the War.
+
+ New U. S. Torpedo-Boat "Talbot".
+
+ The "Hartford," Farragut's Flagship.
+
+ Departure of a Naval Expedition from Port Royal.
+
+ Fort Moultrie.
+
+ Anderson's Command Occupying Fort Sumter.
+
+ Major Robert Anderson.
+
+ The "Morris"--Torpedo-Boat of the Smallest Type--46-1/2 Tons
+ Displacement, 800 Horse-Power.
+
+ Blockading the Mouth of the Mississippi.
+
+ Flag of the Confederacy.
+
+ Naval Patrol on the Potomac.
+
+ Attack on the Hatteras Forts.
+
+ Spanish Merchant Steamer "Catalina" Captured by the Cruiser
+ "Detroit," April 24, 1898.
+
+ Flag of South Carolina.
+
+ Nassau: The Haunt of Blockade-Runners.
+
+ Cotton Ships at Nassau.
+
+ Marines Saluting on the "Lancaster"--Our Oldest Naval Vessel
+ in Active Service.
+
+ Fortress Monroe.
+
+ Du Pont's Expedition Off Cape Hatteras.
+
+ The Opening Gun.
+
+ Engagement of the "Monitor" and "Merrimac," March 9, 1862.
+
+ A River Gunboat.
+
+ Engagement of the "Kearsarge" and "Alabama," June 19, 1864.
+
+ Rescue of Capt. Semmes.
+
+ The "Nashville" Burning a Prize.
+
+ Fort Pensacola.
+
+ Levee at New Orleans Before the War.
+
+ Farragut's Fleet Engaging the Enemy near New Orleans, April
+ 26, 1862.
+
+ Breaking the Chain.
+
+ Farragut Engaging the Port Hudson (La.) Batteries, March,
+ 1863.
+
+ The "Arkansas" under Fire.
+
+ Farragut's Fleet Engaging Forts Jackson and St. Philip and
+ Confederate Fleet on the Mississippi River, below New
+ Orleans, April 25, 1862.
+
+ The Launching of the Battleship "Iowa".
+
+ Passing the Vicksburg Batteries.
+
+ Bailey's Dam on the Red River.
+
+ Engagement Between the U. S. Flagship "Hartford" and the
+ Confederate Ironclad "Tennessee," Mobile Bay, August 5,
+ 1864.
+
+ Warships off Charleston Harbor.
+
+ Battle of Mobile Bay--Union Fleet Engaging Fort Morgan and
+ Confederate Vessels, August 5, 1864.
+
+ Forward Turret of Monitor "Terror".
+
+ Torpedo-Boat "Cushing".
+
+ Dynamite Cruiser "Vesuvius".
+
+ Ensign Worth Bagley, of the Torpedo-Boat "Winslow," Killed
+ May 11, 1898.
+
+ Partial View of the Wreck of the "Maine".
+
+ Dewey's Victory--The Naval Fight in Manila Bay, May 1, 1898.
+
+ The Defeat of Cervera's Fleet--The "Colon" Running Ashore.
+
+ The Naval Board of Strategy, 1898.
+
+ Rear-Admiral William Thomas Sampson.
+
+ Bombardment of San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 13, 1898.
+
+ Rear-Admiral George Dewey.
+
+ Admiral Sampson's Fleet off Puerto Rico, in Search of
+ Cervera's Vessels, May 1, 1898.
+
+ Admiral Cervera's Fleet Approaching Santiago, May, 1898.
+
+ Commodore John Crittenden Watson.
+
+ General Miles's Expedition to Puerto Rico, as seen from the
+ Deck of the "St. Paul".
+
+ Hobson Sinking the "Merrimac" in the Entrance to Santiago
+ Harbor, June 3, 1898.
+
+ Rear-Admiral Winfield Scott Schley.
+
+ Monitors at League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia.
+
+ Training Ship "Alliance"--Type of the Last Wooden
+ Sloops-of-War.
+
+ Training Ships "Portsmouth" and "Lancaster" at Brooklyn Navy
+ Yard.
+
+ "Racing Home"--The Battleship "Oregon" on her way from San
+ Francisco to Key West.
+
+ Hammock-Inspection on a Battleship.
+
+ Armored Cruiser "New York" on her way to Puerto Rico.
+
+ New York's Welcome to the Battleship "Texas".
+
+ Spanish Merchant Steamer "Panama," Captured April 25, by
+ Lighthouse Tender "Mangrove".
+
+ Forward 13-inch Guns on Battleship "Indiana".
+
+ Forward Deck of Dynamite Gun-Vessel "Vesuvius".
+
+ Hospital Ship "Relief".
+
+ Religious Service on Battleship "Iowa," off Havana.
+
+ The Battleship "Maine" Leaving New York for Havana.
+
+ Bombardment of Matanzas, Cuba, by the "New York,"
+ "Cincinnati," and "Puritan," April 27, 1898.
+
+ Ironclads in Action.
+
+ Bombardment of Forts at Entrance of Santiago Harbor, Cuba,
+ May 6, 1898.
+
+ Torpedo-Boat "Ericsson".
+
+ Deck-Tube and Projectile of a Torpedo-Boat.
+
+ Crew of the "Indiana" Watching the "New York" Capture a
+ Prize.
+
+ Hurry-Work at Night on Monitor "Puritan" at League Island
+ Navy Yard, Philadelphia.
+
+
+
+
+PART I
+
+
+
+
+BLUE-JACKETS OF '76.
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ EARLY EXPLOITS UPON THE WATER. -- GALLOP'S BATTLE WITH THE
+ INDIANS. -- BUCCANEERS AND PIRATES. -- MORGAN AND
+ BLACKBEARD. -- CAPT. KIDD TURNS PIRATE. -- DOWNFALL OF THE
+ BUCCANEERS' POWER.
+
+
+In May, 1636, a stanch little sloop of some twenty tons was standing
+along Long Island Sound on a trading expedition. At her helm stood
+John Gallop, a sturdy colonist, and a skilful seaman, who earned his
+bread by trading with the Indians that at that time thronged the
+shores of the Sound, and eagerly seized any opportunity to traffic
+with the white men from the colonies of Plymouth or New Amsterdam. The
+colonists sent out beads, knives, bright clothes, and sometimes,
+unfortunately, rum and other strong drinks. The Indians in exchange
+offered skins and peltries of all kinds; and, as their simple natures
+had not been schooled to nice calculations of values, the traffic was
+one of great profit to the more shrewd whites. But the trade was not
+without its perils. Though the Indians were simple, and little likely
+to drive hard bargains, yet they were savages, and little accustomed
+to nice distinctions between their own property and that of others.
+Their desires once aroused for some gaudy bit of cloth or shining
+glass, they were ready enough to steal it, often making their booty
+secure by the murder of the luckless trader. It so happened, that,
+just before John Gallop set out with his sloop on the spring trading
+cruise, the people of the colony were excitedly discussing the
+probable fate of one Oldham, who some weeks before had set out on a
+like errand, in a pinnace, with a crew of two white boys and two
+Indians, and had never returned. So when, on this May morning, Gallop,
+being forced to hug the shore by stormy weather, saw a small vessel
+lying at anchor in a cove, he immediately ran down nearer, to
+investigate. The crew of the sloop numbered two men and two boys,
+beside the skipper, Gallop. Some heavy duck-guns on board were no mean
+ordnance; and the New Englander determined to probe the mystery of
+Oldham's disappearance, though it might require some fighting. As the
+sloop bore down upon the anchored pinnace, Gallop found no lack of
+signs to arouse his suspicion. The rigging of the strange craft was
+loose, and seemed to have been cut. No lookout was visible, and she
+seemed to have been deserted; but a nearer view showed, lying on the
+deck of the pinnace, fourteen stalwart Indians, one of whom, catching
+sight of the approaching sloop, cut the anchor cable, and called to
+his companions to awake.
+
+This action on the part of the Indians left Gallop no doubt as to
+their character. Evidently they had captured the pinnace, and had
+either murdered Oldham, or even then had him a prisoner in their
+midst. The daring sailor wasted no time in debate as to the proper
+course to pursue, but clapping all sail on his craft, soon brought her
+alongside the pinnace. As the sloop came up, the Indians opened the
+fight with fire-arms and spears; but Gallop's crew responded with
+their duck-guns with such vigor that the Indians deserted the decks,
+and fled below for shelter. Gallop was then in a quandary. The odds
+against him were too great for him to dare to board, and the pinnace
+was rapidly drifting ashore. After some deliberation he put up his
+helm, and beat to windward of the pinnace; then, coming about, came
+scudding down upon her before the wind. The two vessels met with a
+tremendous shock. The bow of the sloop struck the pinnace fairly
+amidships, forcing her over on her beam-ends, until the water poured
+into the open hatchway. The affrighted Indians, unused to warfare on
+the water, rushed upon deck. Six leaped into the sea, and were
+drowned; the rest retreated again into the cabin. Gallop then prepared
+to repeat his ramming manoeuvre. This time, to make the blow more
+effective, he lashed his anchor to the bow, so that the sharp flukes
+protruded; thus extemporizing an iron-clad ram more than two hundred
+years before naval men thought of using one. Thus provided, the second
+blow of the sloop was more terrible than the first. The sharp fluke of
+the anchor crashed through the side of the pinnace, and the two
+vessels hung tightly together. Gallop then began to double-load his
+duck-guns, and fire through the sides of the pinnace; but, finding
+that the enemy was not to be dislodged in this way, he broke his
+vessel loose, and again made for the windward, preparatory to a third
+blow. As the sloop drew off, four or five more Indians rushed from the
+cabin of the pinnace, and leaped overboard but shared the fate of
+their predecessors, being far from land. Gallop then came about, and
+for the third time bore down upon his adversary. As he drew near, an
+Indian appeared on the deck of the pinnace, and with humble gestures
+offered to submit. Gallop ran alongside, and taking the man on board,
+bound him hand and foot, and placed him in the hold. A second redskin
+then begged for quarter; but Gallop, fearing to allow the two wily
+savages to be together, cast the second into the sea, where he was
+drowned. Gallop then boarded the pinnace. Two Indians were left, who
+retreated into a small compartment of the hold, and were left
+unmolested. In the cabin was found the mangled body of Mr. Oldham. A
+tomahawk had been sunk deep into his skull, and his body was covered
+with wounds. The floor of the cabin was littered with portions of the
+cargo, which the murderous savages had plundered. Taking all that
+remained of value upon his own craft, Gallop cut loose the pinnace;
+and she drifted away, to go to pieces on a reef in Narragansett Bay.
+
+This combat is the earliest action upon American waters of which we
+have any trustworthy records. The only naval event antedating this was
+the expedition from Virginia, under Capt. Samuel Argal, against the
+little French settlement of San Sauveur. Indeed, had it not been for
+the pirates and the neighboring French settlements, there would be
+little in the early history of the American Colonies to attract the
+lover of naval history. But about 1645 the buccaneers began to commit
+depredations on the high seas, and it became necessary for the
+Colonies to take steps for the protection of their commerce. In this
+year an eighteen-gun ship from Cambridge, Mass., fell in with a
+Barbary pirate of twenty guns, and was hard put to it to escape. And,
+as the seventeenth century drew near its close, these pests of the sea
+so increased, that evil was sure to befall the peaceful merchantman
+that put to sea without due preparation for a fight or two with the
+sea robbers.
+
+It was in the low-lying islands of the Gulf of Mexico, that these
+predatory gentry--buccaneers, marooners, or pirates--made their
+headquarters, and lay in wait for the richly freighted merchantmen in
+the West India trade. Men of all nationalities sailed under the "Jolly
+Roger,"--as the dread black flag with skull and cross-bones was
+called,--but chiefly were they French and Spaniards. The continual
+wars that in that turbulent time racked Europe gave to the marauders
+of the sea a specious excuse for their occupation. Thus, many a
+Spanish schooner, manned by a swarthy crew bent on plunder, commenced
+her career on the Spanish Main, with the intention of taking only
+ships belonging to France and England; but let a richly laden Spanish
+galleon appear, after a long season of ill-fortune, and all scruples
+were thrown aside, the "Jolly Roger" sent merrily to the fore, and
+another pirate was added to the list of those that made the highways
+of the sea as dangerous to travel as the footpad infested common of
+Hounslow Heath. English ships went out to hunt down the treacherous
+Spaniards, and stayed to rob and pillage indiscriminately; and not a
+few of the names now honored as those of eminent English discoverers,
+were once dreaded as being borne by merciless pirates.
+
+But the most powerful of the buccaneers on the Spanish Main were
+French, and between them and the Spaniards an unceasing warfare was
+waged. There were desperate men on either side, and mighty stories are
+told of their deeds of valor. There were Pierre Francois, who, with
+six and twenty desperadoes, dashed into the heart of a Spanish fleet,
+and captured the admiral's flag-ship; Bartholomew Portuguese, who,
+with thirty men, made repeated attacks upon a great Indiaman with a
+crew of seventy, and though beaten back time and again, persisted
+until the crew surrendered to the twenty buccaneers left alive;
+Francois l'Olonoise, who sacked the cities of Maracaibo and
+Gibraltar, and who, on hearing that a man-o'-war had been sent to
+drive him away, went boldly to meet her, captured her, and slaughtered
+all of the crew save one, whom he sent to bear the bloody tidings to
+the governor of Havana.
+
+Such were the buccaneers,--desperate, merciless, and insatiate in
+their lust for plunder. So numerous did they finally become, that no
+merchant dared to send a ship to the West Indies; and the pirates,
+finding that they had fairly exterminated their game, were fain to
+turn landwards for further booty. It was an Englishman that showed the
+sea rovers this new plan of pillage; one Louis Scott, who descended
+upon the town of Campeche, and, after stripping the place to the bare
+walls, demanded that a heavy tribute be paid him, in default of which
+he would burn the town. Loaded with booty, he sailed back to the
+buccaneers' haunts in the Tortugas. This expedition was the example
+that the buccaneers followed for the next few years. City after city
+fell a prey to the demoniac attacks of the lawless rovers. Houses and
+churches were sacked, towns given to the flames, rich and poor
+plundered alike; murder was rampant; and men and women were subjected
+to the most horrid tortures, to extort information as to buried
+treasures.
+
+Two great names stand out pre-eminent amid the host of outlaws that
+took part in this reign of rapine,--l'Olonoise and Sir Henry Morgan.
+The desperate exploits of these two worthies would, if recounted, fill
+volumes; and probably no more extraordinary narrative of cruelty,
+courage, suffering, and barbaric luxury could be fabricated. Morgan
+was a Welshman, an emigrant, who, having worked out as a slave the
+cost of his passage across the ocean, took immediate advantage of his
+freedom to take up the trade of piracy. For him was no pillaging of
+paltry merchant-ships. He demanded grander operations, and his bands
+of desperadoes assumed the proportions of armies. Many were the towns
+that suffered from the bloody visitations of Morgan and his men.
+Puerto del Principe yielded up to them three hundred thousand pieces
+of eight, five hundred head of cattle, and many prisoners. Porto Bello
+was bravely defended against the barbarians; and the stubbornness of
+the defence so enraged Morgan, that he swore that no quarter should be
+given the defenders. And so when some hours later the chief fortress
+surrendered, the merciless buccaneer locked its garrison in the
+guard-room, set a torch to the magazine, and sent castle and garrison
+flying into the air. Maracaibo and Gibraltar next fell into the
+clutches of the pirate. At the latter town, finding himself caught in
+a river with three men-of-war anchored at its mouth, he hastily built
+a fire-ship, put some desperate men at the helm, and sent her, a sheet
+of flame, into the midst of the squadron. The admiral's ship was
+destroyed; and the pirates sailed away, exulting over their
+adversaries' discomfiture. Rejoicing over their victories, the
+followers of Morgan then planned a venture that should eclipse all
+that had gone before. This was no less than a descent upon Panama, the
+most powerful of the West Indian cities. For this undertaking, Morgan
+gathered around him an army of over two thousand desperadoes of all
+nationalities. A little village on the island of Hispaniola was chosen
+as the recruiting station; and thither flocked pirates, thieves, and
+adventurers from all parts of the world. It was a motley crew thus
+gathered together,--Spaniards, swarthy skinned and black haired; wiry
+Frenchmen, quick to anger, and ever ready with cutlass or pistol;
+Malays and Lascars, half clad in gaudy colors, treacherous and sullen,
+with a hand ever on their glittering creeses; Englishmen, handy alike
+with fist, bludgeon, or cutlass, and mightily given to fearful oaths;
+negroes, Moors, and a few West Indians mixed with the lawless throng.
+
+Having gathered his band, procured provisions (chiefly by plundering),
+and built a fleet of boats, Morgan put his forces in motion. The first
+obstacle in his path was the Castle of Chagres, which guarded the
+mouth of the Chagres River, up which the buccaneers must pass to reach
+the city of Panama. To capture this fortress, Morgan sent his
+vice-admiral Bradley, with four hundred men. The Spaniards were
+evidently warned of their approach; for hardly had the first ship
+flying the piratical ensign appeared at the mouth of the river, when
+the royal standard of Spain was hoisted above the castle, and the dull
+report of a shotted gun told the pirates that there was a stubborn
+resistance in store for them.
+
+Landing some miles below the castle, and cutting their way with
+hatchet and sabre through the densely interwoven vegetation of a
+tropical jungle, the pirates at last reached a spot from which a clear
+view of the castle could be obtained. As they emerged from the forest
+to the open, the sight greatly disheartened them. They saw a powerful
+fort, with bastions, moat, drawbridge, and precipitous natural
+defences. Many of the pirates advised a retreat; but Bradley,
+dreading the anger of Morgan, ordered an assault. Time after time did
+the desperate buccaneers, with horrid yells, rush upon the fort, only
+to be beaten back by the well-directed volleys of the garrison. They
+charged up to the very walls, threw over fireballs, and hacked the
+timbers with axes, but to no avail. From behind their impregnable
+ramparts, the Spaniards fired murderous volleys, crying out.--
+
+"Come on, you English devils, you heretics, the enemies of God and of
+the king! Let your comrades who are behind come also. We will serve
+them as we have served you. You shall not get to Panama this time."
+
+As night fell, the pirates withdrew into the thickets to escape the
+fire of their enemies, and to discuss their discomfiture. As one group
+of buccaneers lay in the jungle, a chance arrow, shot by an Indian in
+the fort, struck one of them in the arm. Springing to his feet with a
+cry of rage and pain, the wounded man cried out as he tore the arrow
+from the bleeding wound,--
+
+"Look here, my comrades. I will make this accursed arrow the means of
+the destruction of all the Spaniards."
+
+So saying, he wrapped a quantity of cotton about the head of the
+arrow, charged his gun with powder, and, thrusting the arrow into the
+muzzle, fired. His comrades eagerly watched the flight of the missile,
+which was easily traced by the flaming cotton. Hurtling through the
+air, the fiery missile fell upon a thatched roof within the castle,
+and the dry straw and leaves were instantly in a blaze. With cries of
+savage joy, the buccaneers ran about picking up the arrows that lay
+scattered over the battle-field. Soon the air was full of the
+fire-brands, and the woodwork within the castle enclosure was a mass
+of flame. One arrow fell within the magazine; and a burst of smoke and
+flame, and the dull roar of an explosion, followed. The Spaniards
+worked valiantly to extinguish the flames, and to beat back their
+assailants; but the fire raged beyond their control, and the bright
+light made them easy targets for their foes. There could be but one
+issue to such a conflict. By morning the fort was in the hands of the
+buccaneers, and of the garrison of three hundred and fourteen only
+fourteen were unhurt. Over the ruins of the fort the English flag was
+hoisted, the shattered walls were repaired, and the place made a
+rendezvous for Morgan's forces.
+
+On the scene of the battle Morgan drilled his forces, and prepared for
+the march and battles that were to come. After some days' preparation,
+the expedition set out. The road lay through tangled tropical forests,
+under a burning sun. Little food was taken, as the invaders expected
+to live on the country; but the inhabitants fled before the advancing
+column, destroying every thing eatable. Soon starvation stared the
+desperadoes in the face. They fed upon berries, roots, and leaves. As
+the days passed, and no food was to be found, they sliced up and
+devoured coarse leather bags. For a time, it seemed that they would
+never escape alive from the jungle; but at last, weak, weary, and
+emaciated, they came out upon a grassy plain before the city of
+Panama. Here, a few days later, a great battle was fought. The
+Spaniards outnumbered the invaders, and were better provided with
+munitions of war; yet the pirates, fighting with the bravery of
+desperate men, were victorious, and the city fell into their hands.
+Then followed days of murder, plunder, and debauchery. Morgan saw his
+followers, maddened by liquor, scoff at the idea of discipline and
+obedience. Fearing that while his men were helplessly drunk the
+Spaniards would rally and cut them to pieces, he set fire to the city,
+that the stores of rum might be destroyed. After sacking the town, the
+vandals packed their plunder on the backs of mules, and retraced their
+steps to the seaboard. Their booty amounted to over two millions of
+dollars. Over the division of this enormous sum great dissensions
+arose, and Morgan saw the mutinous spirit spreading rapidly among his
+men. With a few accomplices, therefore, he loaded a ship with the
+plunder, and secretly set sail; leaving over half of his band, without
+food or shelter, in a hostile country. Many of the abandoned
+buccaneers starved, some were shot or hanged by the enraged Spaniards;
+but the leader of the rapacious gang reached Jamaica with a huge
+fortune, and was appointed governor of the island, and made a baronet
+by the reigning king of England, Charles the Second.
+
+Such were some of the exploits of some of the more notorious of the
+buccaneers. It may be readily imagined, that, with hordes of
+desperadoes such as these infesting the waters of the West Indies,
+there was little opportunity for the American Colonies to build up any
+maritime interests in that direction. And as the merchantmen became
+scarce on the Spanish Main, such of the buccaneers as did not turn
+landward in search of booty put out to sea, and ravaged the ocean
+pathways between the Colonies and England. It was against these
+pirates, that the earliest naval operations of the Colonies were
+directed. Several cruisers were fitted out to rid the seas of these
+pests, but we hear little of their success. But the name of one
+officer sent against the pirates has become notorious as that of the
+worst villain of them all.
+
+It was in January, 1665, that William III., King of England, issued
+"to our true and well-beloved Capt. William Kidd, commander of the
+ship 'Adventure,'" a commission to proceed against "divers wicked
+persons who commit many and great piracies, robberies, and
+depredations on the seas." Kidd was a merchant of New York, and had
+commanded a privateer during the last war with France. He was a man of
+great courage, and, being provided with a stanch ship and brave crew,
+set out with high hopes of winning great reputation and much prize
+money. But fortune was against him. For months the "Adventure"
+ploughed the blue waves of the ocean, yet not a sail appeared on the
+horizon. Once, indeed, three ships were seen in the distance. The men
+of the "Adventure" were overjoyed at the prospect of a rich prize. The
+ship was prepared for action. The men, stripped to the waist, stood at
+their quarters, talking of the coming battle. Kidd stood in the
+rigging with a spy-glass, eagerly examining the distant vessels. But
+only disappointment was in store; for, as the ships drew nearer, Kidd
+shut his spy-glass with an oath, saying,--
+
+"They are only three English men-o'-war."
+
+Continued disappointment bred discontent and mutiny among the crew.
+They had been enlisted with lavish promises of prize money, but saw
+before them nothing but a profitless cruise. The spirit of discontent
+spread rapidly. Three or four ships that were sighted proved to be
+neither pirates nor French, and were therefore beyond the powers of
+capture granted Kidd by the king. Kidd fought against the growing
+piratical sentiment for a long time; but temptation at last overcame
+him, and he yielded. Near the Straits of Babelmandeb, at the entrance
+to the Red Sea, he landed a party, plundered the adjoining country for
+provisions, and, turning his ship's prow toward the straits, mustered
+his crew on deck, and thus addressed them:--
+
+"We have been unsuccessful hitherto, my boys," he said, "but take
+courage. Fortune is now about to smile upon us. The fleet of the
+'Great Mogul,' freighted with the richest treasures, is soon to come
+out of the Red Sea. From the capture of those heavily laden ships, we
+will all grow rich."
+
+The crew, ready enough to become pirates, cheered lustily: and,
+turning his back upon all hopes of an honorable career, Kidd set out
+in search of the treasure fleet. After cruising for four days, the
+"Adventure" fell in with the squadron, which proved to be under convoy
+of an English and a Dutch man-of-war. The squadron was a large one,
+and the ships greatly scattered. By skilful seamanship, Kidd dashed
+down upon an outlying vessel, hoping to capture and plunder it before
+the convoying men-of-war could come to its rescue. But his first shot
+attracted the attention of the watchful guardians; and, though several
+miles away, they packed on all sail, and bore down to the rescue with
+such spirit that the disappointed pirate was forced to sheer off. Kidd
+was now desperate. He had failed as a reputable privateer, and his
+first attempt at piracy had failed. Thenceforward, he cast aside all
+scruples, and captured large ships and small, tortured their crews,
+and for a time seemed resolved to lead a piratical life. But there are
+evidences that at times this strange man relented, and strove to
+return to the path of duty and right. On one occasion, a Dutch ship
+crossed the path of the "Adventure," and the crew clamorously demanded
+her capture. Kidd firmly refused. A tumult arose. The captain drew his
+sabre and pistols, and gathering about him those still faithful,
+addressed the mutineers, saying,--
+
+"You may take the boats and go. But those who thus leave this ship
+will never ascend its sides again."
+
+The mutineers murmured loudly. One man, a gunner, named William Moore,
+stepped forward, saying,--
+
+"You are ruining us all. You are keeping us in beggary and starvation.
+But for your whims, we might all be prosperous and rich."
+
+At this outspoken mutiny, Kidd flew into a passion. Seizing a heavy
+bucket that stood near, he dealt Moore a terrible blow on the head.
+The unhappy man fell to the deck with a fractured skull, and the other
+mutineers sullenly yielded to the captain's will. Moore died the next
+day; and months after, when Kidd, after roving the seas, and robbing
+ships of every nationality, was brought to trial at London, it was
+for the murder of William Moore that he was condemned to die. For
+Kidd's career subsequent to the incident of the Dutch ship was that of
+a hardened pirate. He captured and robbed ships, and tortured their
+passengers. He went to Madagascar, the rendezvous of the pirates, and
+joined in their revelry and debauchery. On the island were five or six
+hundred pirates, and ships flying the black flag were continually
+arriving or departing. The streets resounded with shouts of revelry,
+with curses, and with the cries of rage. Strong drinks were freely
+used. Drunkenness was everywhere. It was no uncommon thing for a
+hogshead of wine to be opened, and left standing in the streets, that
+any might drink who chose. The pirates, flush with their ill-gotten
+gains, spent money on gambling and kindred vices lavishly. The women
+who accompanied them to this lawless place were decked out with
+barbaric splendor in silks and jewels. On the arrival of a ship, the
+debauchery was unbounded. Such noted pirates as Blackbeard, Steed
+Bonnet, and Avary made the place their rendezvous, and brought thither
+their rich prizes and wretched prisoners. Blackbeard was one of the
+most desperate pirates of the age. He, with part of his crew, once
+terrorized the officials of Charleston, S.C., exacting tribute of
+medicines and provisions. Finally he was killed in action, and sixteen
+of his desperate gang expiated their crimes on the gallows.
+
+To Madagascar, too, often came the two female pirates, Mary Read and
+Anne Bonny. These women, masquerading in men's clothing, were as
+desperate and bloody as the men by whose side they fought. By a
+strange coincidence, these two women enlisted on the same ship. Each
+knowing her own sex, and being ignorant of that of the other, they
+fell in love; and the final discovery of their mutual deception
+increased their intimacy. After serving with the pirates, working at
+the guns, swinging a cutlass in the boarding parties, and fighting a
+duel in which she killed her opponent, Mary Read determined to escape.
+There is every evidence that she wearied of the evil life she was
+leading, and was determined to quit it; but, before she could carry
+her intentions into effect, the ship on which she served was captured,
+and taken to England, where the pirates expiated their crimes on the
+gallows, Mary Read dying in prison before the day set for her
+execution.
+
+After some months spent in licentious revelry at Madagascar, Kidd set
+out on a further cruise. During this voyage he learned that he had
+been proscribed as a pirate, and a price set on his head. Strange as
+it may appear, this news was a surprise to him. He seems to have
+deceived himself into thinking that his acts of piracy were simply the
+legitimate work of a privateersman. For a time he knew not what to do;
+but as by this time the coarse pleasures of an outlaw's life were
+distasteful to him, he determined to proceed to New York, and endeavor
+to prove himself an honest man. This determination proved to be an
+unfortunate one for him; for hardly had he arrived, when he was taken
+into custody, and sent to England for trial. He made an able defence,
+but was found guilty, and sentenced to be hanged; a sentence which was
+executed some months later, in the presence of a vast multitude of
+people, who applauded in the death of Kidd the end of the reign of
+outlaws upon the ocean.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ EXPEDITIONS AGAINST NEIGHBORING COLONIES. -- ROMANTIC CAREER
+ OF SIR WILLIAM PHIPPS. -- QUELLING A MUTINY. -- EXPEDITIONS
+ AGAINST QUEBEC.
+
+
+While it was chiefly in expeditions against the buccaneers, or in the
+defence of merchantmen against these predatory gentry, that the
+American colonists gained their experience in naval warfare, there
+were, nevertheless, some few naval expeditions fitted out by the
+colonists against the forces of a hostile government. Both to the
+north and south lay the territory of France and Spain,--England's
+traditional enemies; and so soon as the colonies began to give
+evidence of their value to the mother country, so soon were they
+dragged into the quarrels in which the haughty mistress of the seas
+was ever plunged. Of the southern colonies, South Carolina was
+continually embroiled with Spain, owing to the conviction of the
+Spanish that the boundaries of Florida--at that time a Spanish
+colony--included the greater part of the Carolinas. For the purpose of
+enforcing this idea, the Spaniards, in 1706, fitted out an expedition
+of four ships-of-war and a galley, which, under the command of a
+celebrated French admiral, was despatched to take Charleston. The
+people of Charleston were in no whit daunted, and on the receipt of
+the news of the expedition began preparations for resistance. They had
+no naval vessels; but several large merchantmen, being in port, were
+hastily provided with batteries, and a large galley was converted into
+a flag-ship. Having no trained naval officers, the command of the
+improvised squadron was tendered to a certain Lieut.-Col. Rhett, who
+possessed the confidence of the colonists. Rhett accepted the command;
+and when the attacking party cast anchor some miles below the city,
+and landed their shore forces, he weighed anchor, and set out to
+attack them. But the Spaniards avoided the conflict, and fled out to
+sea, leaving their land forces to bear the brunt of battle. In this
+action, more than half of the invaders were killed or taken prisoners.
+Some days later, one of the Spanish vessels, having been separated
+from her consorts, was discovered by Rhett, who attacked her, and
+after a sharp fight captured her, bringing her with ninety prisoners
+to Charleston.
+
+But it was chiefly in expeditions against the French colonies to the
+northward that the naval strength of the English colonies was exerted.
+Particularly were the colonies of Port Royal, in Acadia, and the
+French stronghold of Quebec coveted by the British, and they proved
+fertile sources of contention in the opening years of the eighteenth
+century. Although the movement for the capture of these colonies was
+incited by the ruling authorities of Great Britain, its execution was
+left largely to the colonists. One of the earliest of these
+expeditions was that which sailed from Nantasket, near Boston, in
+April, 1690, bound for the conquest of Port Royal.
+
+This expedition was under the command of Sir William Phipps, a sturdy
+colonist, whose life was not devoid of romantic episodes. Though his
+ambitions were of the lowliest,--his dearest wish being "to command a
+king's ship, and own a fair brick house in the Green Lane of North
+Boston,"--he managed to win for himself no small amount of fame and
+respect in the colonies. His first achievement was characteristic of
+that time, when Spanish galleons, freighted with golden ingots, still
+sailed the seas, when pirates buried their booty, and when the
+treasures carried down in sunken ships were not brought up the next
+day by divers clad in patented submarine armor. From a weather-beaten
+old seaman, with whom he became acquainted while pursuing his trade
+of ship-carpentering Phipps learned of a sunken wreck lying on the
+sandy bottom many fathoms beneath the blue surface of the Gulf of
+Mexico. The vessel had gone down fifty years before, and had carried
+with her great store of gold and silver, which she was carrying from
+the rich mines of Central and South America to the Court of Spain.
+Phipps, laboriously toiling with adze and saw in his ship-yard,
+listened to the story of the sailor, his blood coursing quicker in his
+veins, and his ambition for wealth and position aroused to its fullest
+extent. Here, then, thought he, was the opportunity of a lifetime.
+Could he but recover the treasures carried down with the sunken ship,
+he would have wealth and position in the colony. With these two allies
+at his command, the task of securing a command in the king's navy
+would be an easy one. But to seek out the sunken treasure required a
+ship and seamen. Clearly his own slender means could never meet the
+demands of so great an undertaking. Therefore, gathering together all
+his small savings, William Phipps set sail for England, in the hopes
+of interesting capitalists there in his scheme. By dint of indomitable
+persistence, the unknown American ship-carpenter managed to secure the
+influence of certain officials of high station in England, and finally
+managed to get the assistance of the British admiralty. A frigate,
+fully manned, was given him, and he set sail for the West Indies.
+
+Once arrived in the waters of the Spanish Main, he began his search.
+Cruising about the spot indicated by his seafaring informant as the
+location of the sunken vessel, sounding and dredging occupied the time
+of the treasure-seekers for months. The crew, wearying of the
+fruitless search, began to murmur, and signs of mutiny were rife.
+Phipps, filled with thoughts of the treasure for which he sought, saw
+not at all the lowering looks, nor heard the half-uttered threats, of
+the crew as he passed them. But finally the mutiny so developed that
+he could no longer ignore its existence.
+
+It was then the era of the buccaneers. Doubtless some of the crew had
+visited the outlaws' rendezvous at New Providence, and had told their
+comrades of the revelry and ease in which the sea robbers spent their
+days. And so it happened that one day, as Phipps stood on the
+quarter-deck vainly trying to choke down the nameless fear that had
+begun to oppress him,--the fear that his life's venture had proved a
+failure,--his crew came crowding aft, armed to the teeth, and loudly
+demanded that the captain should abandon his foolish search, and lead
+them on a fearless buccaneering cruise along the Spanish Main. The
+mutiny was one which might well have dismayed the boldest sea captain.
+The men were desperate, and well armed. Phipps was almost without
+support; for his officers, by their irresolute and timid demeanor,
+gave him little assurance of aid.
+
+Standing on the quarter-deck, Phipps listened impatiently to the
+complaints of the mutineers; but, when their spokesman called upon him
+to lead them upon a piratical cruise, he lost all control of himself,
+and, throwing all prudence to the winds, sprung into the midst of the
+malcontents, and laid about him right manfully with his bare fists.
+The mutineers were all well armed, but seemed loath to use their
+weapons; and the captain, a tall, powerful man, soon awed them all
+into submission.
+
+Though he showed indomitable energy in overcoming obstacles, Phipps
+was not destined to discover the object of his search at this time;
+and, after several months' cruising, he was forced, by the leaky
+condition of his vessel, to abandon the search. But, before leaving
+the waters of the Spanish Main, he obtained enough information to
+convince him that his plan was a practicable one, and no mere
+visionary scheme. On reaching England, he went at once to some wealthy
+noblemen, and, laying before them all the facts in his possession, so
+interested them in the project that they readily agreed to supply him
+with a fresh outfit. After a few weeks spent in organizing his
+expedition, the treasure-seeker was again on the ocean, making his way
+toward the Mexican Gulf. This time his search was successful, and a
+few days' work with divers and dredges about the sunken ship brought
+to light bullion and specie to the amount of more than a million and a
+half dollars. As his ill success in the first expedition had embroiled
+him with his crew, so his good fortune this time aroused the cupidity
+of the sailors. Vague rumors of plotting against his life reached the
+ears of Phipps. Examining further into the matter, he learned that the
+crew was plotting to seize the vessel, divide the treasure, and set
+out upon a buccaneering cruise. Alarmed at this intelligence, Phipps
+strove to conciliate the seamen by offering them a share of the
+treasure. Each man should receive a portion, he promised, even if he
+himself had to pay it. The men agreed to this proposition; and so
+well did Phipps keep his word with them on returning to England, that,
+of the whole treasure, only about eighty thousand dollars remained to
+him as his share. This, however, was an ample fortune for those times;
+and with it Phipps returned to Boston, and began to devote himself to
+the task of securing a command in the royal navy.
+
+His first opportunity to distinguish himself came in the expedition of
+1690 against Port Royal. Throughout the wars between France and
+England, the French settlement of Port Royal had been a thorn in the
+flesh of Massachusetts. From Port Royal, the trim-built speedy French
+privateers put to sea, and seldom returned without bringing in their
+wake some captured coaster or luckless fisherman hailing from the
+colony of the Puritans. When the depredations of the privateers became
+unbearable, Massachusetts bestirred herself, and the doughty Phipps
+was sent with an expedition to reduce their unneighborly neighbor to
+subjection. Seven vessels and two hundred and eighty-eight men were
+put under the command of the lucky treasure-hunter. The expedition was
+devoid of exciting or novel features. Port Royal was reached without
+disaster, and the governor surrendered with a promptitude which should
+have won immunity for the people of the village. But the Massachusetts
+sailors had not undertaken the enterprise for glory alone, and they
+plundered the town before taking to their ships again.
+
+This expedition, however, was but an unimportant incident in the naval
+annals of the colonies. It was followed quickly by an expedition of
+much graver importance.
+
+When Phipps returned after capturing and plundering Port Royal, he
+found Boston vastly excited over the preparations for an expedition
+against Quebec. The colony was in no condition to undertake the work
+of conquest. Prolonged Indian wars had greatly depleted its treasury.
+Vainly it appealed to England for aid, but, receiving no
+encouragement, sturdily determined to undertake the expedition
+unaided. Sailors were pressed from the merchant-shipping. Trained
+bands, as the militia of that day was called, drilled in the streets,
+and on the common. Subscription papers were being circulated; and
+vessel owners were blandly given the choice between voluntarily
+loaning their vessels to the colony, or having them peremptorily
+seized. In this way a fleet of thirty-two vessels had been collected;
+the largest of which was a ship called the "Six Friends," built for
+the West India trade, and carrying forty-four guns. This armada was
+manned by seamen picked up by a press so vigorous, that Gloucester,
+the chief seafaring town of the colony, was robbed of two-thirds of
+its men. Hardly had Capt. Phipps, flushed with victory, returned from
+his Port Royal expedition, when he was given command of the armada
+destined for the capture of Quebec.
+
+Early in August the flotilla set sail from Boston Harbor. The day was
+clear and warm, with a light breeze blowing. From his flag-ship Phipps
+gave the signal for weighing anchor, and soon the decks of the vessels
+thickly strewn about the harbor resounded to the tread of men about
+the capstan. Thirty-two vessels of the squadron floated lightly on the
+calm waters of the bay; and darting in and out among them were light
+craft carrying pleasure-seekers who had come down to witness the
+sailing of the fleet, friends and relatives of the sailors who were
+there to say farewell, and the civic dignitaries who came to wish the
+expedition success. One by one the vessels beat their way down the
+bay, and, rounding the dangerous reef at the mouth of the harbor, laid
+their course to the northward. It was a motley fleet of vessels. The
+"Six Brothers" led the way, followed by brigs, schooners, and many
+sloop-rigged fishing-smacks. With so ill-assorted a flotilla, it was
+impossible to keep any definite sailing order. The first night
+scattered the vessels far and wide, and thenceforward the squadron was
+not united until it again came to anchor just above the mouth of the
+St. Lawrence. It seemed as though the very elements had combined
+against the voyagers. Though looking for summer weather, they
+encountered the bitter gales of November. Only after they had all
+safely entered the St. Lawrence, and were beyond injury from the
+storms, did the gales cease. They had suffered all the injury that
+tempestuous weather could do them, and they then had to chafe under
+the enforced restraints of a calm.
+
+Phipps had rallied his scattered fleet, and had proceeded up the great
+river of the North to within three days' sail of Quebec, when the calm
+overtook him. On the way up the river he had captured two French
+luggers, and learned from his prisoners that Quebec was poorly
+fortified, that the cannon on the redoubts were dismounted, and that
+hardly two hundred men could be rallied to its defence. Highly elated
+at this, the Massachusetts admiral pressed forward. He anticipated
+that Quebec, like Port Royal, would surrender without striking a
+blow. Visions of high honors, and perhaps even a commission in the
+royal navy, floated across his brain. And while thus hurrying forward
+his fleet, drilling his men, and building his air-castles, his further
+progress was stopped by a dead calm which lasted three weeks.
+
+How fatal to his hopes that calm was, Phipps, perhaps, never knew. The
+information he had wrung from his French prisoners was absolutely
+correct. Quebec at that time was helpless, and virtually at his mercy.
+But, while the Massachusetts armada lay idly floating on the unruffled
+bosom of the river, a man was hastening towards Quebec whose timely
+arrival meant the salvation of the French citadel.
+
+This man was Frontenac, then governor of the French colony, and one of
+the most picturesque figures in American history. A soldier of France;
+a polished courtier at the royal court; a hero on the battle-field,
+and a favorite in the ball-room; a man poor in pocket, but rich in
+influential connections,--Frontenac had come to the New World to seek
+that fortune and position which he had in vain sought in the Old. When
+the vague rumors of the hostile expedition of the Massachusetts colony
+reached his ears, Frontenac was far from Quebec, toiling in the
+western part of the colony. Wasting no time, he turned his steps
+toward the threatened city. His road lay through an almost trackless
+wilderness; his progress was impeded by the pelting rains of the
+autumnal storms. But through forest and through rain he rode fiercely;
+and at last as he burst from the forest, and saw towering before him
+the rocks of Cape Diamond, a cry of joy burst from his lips. On the
+broad, still bosom of the St Lawrence Bay floated not a single hostile
+sail. The soldier had come in time.
+
+With the governor in the city, all took courage, and the work of
+preparation for the coming struggle went forward with a rush. Far and
+wide throughout the parishes was spread the news of war, and daily
+volunteers came flocking in to the defence. The ramparts were
+strengthened, and cannon mounted. Volunteers and regulars drilled side
+by side, until the four thousand men in the city were converted into a
+well-disciplined body of troops. And all the time the sentinels on the
+Saut au Matelot were eagerly watching the river for the first sign of
+the English invaders.
+
+It was before dawn, on the morning of Oct. 16, that the people of the
+little city, and the soldiery in the tents, were awakened by the alarm
+raised by the sentries. All rushed to the brink of the heights, and
+peered eagerly out into the darkness. Far down the river could be seen
+the twinkling lights of vessels. As the eager watchers strove to count
+them, other lights appeared upon the scene, moving to and fro, but
+with a steady advance upon Quebec. The gray dawn, breaking in the
+east, showed the advancing fleet. Frontenac and his lieutenants
+watched the ships of the enemy round the jutting headland of the Point
+of Orleans; and, by the time the sun had risen, thirty-four hostile
+craft were at anchor in the basin of Quebec.
+
+The progress of the fleet up the river, from the point at which it had
+been so long delayed, had been slow, and greatly impeded by the
+determined hostility of the settlers along the banks. The sailors at
+their work were apt to be startled by the whiz of a bullet; and an
+inquiry as to the cause would have probably discovered some crouching
+sharp-shooter, his long rifle in his hand, hidden in a clump of bushes
+along the shore. Bands of armed men followed the fleet up the stream,
+keeping pace with the vessels, and occasionally affording gentle
+reminders of their presence in the shape of volleys of rifle-balls
+that sung through the crowded decks of the transports, and gave the
+sailor lads a hearty disgust for this river fighting. Phipps tried
+repeatedly to land shore parties to clear the banks of skirmishers,
+and to move on the city by land. As often, however, as he made the
+effort, his troops were beaten back by the ambushed sharp-shooters,
+and his boats returned to the ships, bringing several dead and
+wounded.
+
+While the soldiery on the highlands of Quebec were eagerly examining
+the hostile fleet, the invaders were looking with wonder and
+admiration at the scene of surpassing beauty spread out before them.
+Parkman, the historian and lover of the annals of the French in
+America, thus describes it:--
+
+"When, after his protracted voyage, Phipps sailed into the basin of
+Quebec, one of the grandest scenes on the western continent opened
+upon his sight. The wide expanse of waters, the lofty promontory
+beyond, and the opposing Heights of Levi, the cataract of Montmorenci,
+the distant range of the Laurentian Mountains, the warlike rock with
+its diadem of walls and towers, the roofs of the Lower Town
+clustering on the strand beneath, the Chateau St. Louis perched at the
+brink of the cliff, and over it the white banner, spangled with
+_fleurs de lis_, flaunting defiance in the clear autumnal air."
+
+Little time was spent, however, in admiration of the scene. When the
+click of the last chain-cable had ceased, and, with their anchors
+reposing at the bottom of the stream, the ships swung around with
+their bows to the current, a boat put off from the flag-ship bearing
+an officer intrusted with a note from Phipps to the commandant of the
+fort. The reception of this officer was highly theatrical. Half way to
+the shore he was taken into a French canoe, blindfolded, and taken
+ashore. The populace crowded about him as he landed, hooting and
+jeering him as he was led through winding, narrow ways, up stairways,
+and over obstructions, until at last the bandage was torn from his
+eyes, and he found himself in the presence of Frontenac. The French
+commander was clad in a brilliant uniform, and surrounded by his
+staff, gay in warlike finery. With courtly courtesy he asked the envoy
+for his letter, which, proving to be a curt summons to surrender, he
+answered forthwith in a stinging speech. The envoy, abashed, asked for
+a written answer.
+
+"No," thundered Frontenac, "I will answer your master only by the
+mouths of my cannon, that he may learn that a man like me is not to be
+summoned after this fashion. Let him do his best, and I will do mine."
+
+The envoy returned to his craft, and made his report. The next day
+hostilities opened. Wheeling his ships into line before the
+fortifications, Phipps opened a heavy fire upon the city. From the
+frowning ramparts on the heights, Frontenac's cannon answered in kind.
+Fiercely the contest raged until nightfall, and vast was the
+consumption of gunpowder; but damage done on either side was but
+little. All night the belligerents rested on their arms; but, at
+daybreak, the roar of the cannonade recommenced.
+
+The gunners of the opposing forces were now upon their mettle, and the
+gunnery was much better than the day before. A shot from the shore cut
+the flagstaff of the admiral's ship, and the cross of St. George fell
+into the river. Straightway a canoe put out from the shore, and with
+swift, strong paddle-strokes was guided in chase of the floating
+trophy. The fire of the fleet was quickly concentrated upon the
+adventurous canoeists. Cannon-balls and rifle-bullets cut the water
+about them; but their frail craft survived the leaden tempest, and
+they captured the trophy, and bore it off in triumph.
+
+Phipps felt that the incident was an unfavorable omen, and would
+discourage his men. He cast about in his mind for a means of
+retaliation. Far over the roofs of the city rose a tapering spire,
+that of the cathedral in the Upper Town. On this spire, the devout
+Catholics of the French city had hung a picture of the Holy Family as
+an invocation of Divine aid. Through his spy-glass, Phipps could see
+that some strange object hung from the steeple, and, suspecting its
+character, commanded the gunners to try to knock it down. For hours
+the Puritans wasted their ammunition in this vain target-practice, but
+to no avail. The picture still hung on high; and the devout Frenchmen
+ascribed its escape to a miracle, although its destruction would have
+been more miraculous still.
+
+It did not take long to convince Phipps that in this contest his fleet
+was getting badly worsted, and he soon withdrew his vessels to a place
+of safety. The flag-ship had been fairly riddled with shot; and her
+rigging was so badly cut, that she could only get out of range of the
+enemy's guns by cutting her cables, and drifting away with the
+current. Her example was soon followed by the remaining vessels.
+
+Sorely crestfallen, Phipps abandoned the fight, and prepared to return
+to Boston. His voyage thither was stormy; and three or four of his
+vessels never were heard of, having been dashed to pieces by the
+waves, or cast away upon the iron-bound coast of Nova Scotia or Maine.
+His expedition was the most costly in lives and in treasure ever
+undertaken by a single colony, and, despite its failure, forms the
+most notable incident in the naval annals of the colonies prior to the
+Revolution.
+
+The French colonies continued to be a fruitful source of war and
+turmoil. Many were the joint military and naval expeditions fitted out
+against them by the British colonies. Quebec, Louisbourg, and Port
+Royal were all threatened; and the two latter were captured by
+colonial expeditions. From a naval point of view, these expeditions
+were but trifling. They are of some importance, however, in that they
+gave the colonists an opportunity to try their prowess on the ocean;
+and in this irregular service were bred some sailors who fought right
+valiantly for the rebellious colonies against the king, and others who
+did no less valiant service under the royal banner.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ OPENING OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. -- THE AFFAIR OF THE
+ SCHOONER "ST. JOHN." -- THE PRESS-GANG AND ITS WORK. -- THE
+ SLOOP "LIBERTY." -- DESTRUCTION OF THE "GASPEE." -- THE
+ BOSTON TEA-PARTY.
+
+
+It is unnecessary to enter into an account of the causes that led up
+to the revolt of the American Colonies against the oppression of King
+George and his subservient Parliament. The story of the Stamp Act, the
+indignation of the Colonies, their futile attempts to convince
+Parliament of the injustice of the measure, the stern measures adopted
+by the British to put down the rising insubordination, the Boston
+Massacre, and the battles at Concord and Lexington are familiar to
+every American boy. But not every young American knows that almost the
+first act of open resistance to the authority of the king took place
+on the water, and was to some extent a naval action.
+
+The revenue laws, enacted by the English Parliament as a means of
+extorting money from the Colonies, were very obnoxious to the people
+of America. Particularly did the colonists of Rhode Island protest
+against them, and seldom lost an opportunity to evade the payment of
+the taxes.
+
+Between Providence and Newport, illicit trade flourished; and the
+waters of Narragansett Bay were dotted with the sail of small craft
+carrying cargoes on which no duties had ever been paid. In order to
+stop this nefarious traffic, armed vessels were stationed in the Bay,
+with orders to chase and search all craft suspected of smuggling. The
+presence of these vessels gave great offence to the colonists, and the
+inflexible manner in which the naval officers discharged their duty
+caused more than one open defiance of the authority of King George.
+
+The first serious trouble to grow out of the presence of the British
+cruisers in the bay was the affair of the schooner "St. John." This
+vessel was engaged in patrolling the waters of the bay in search of
+smugglers. While so engaged, her commander, Lieut. Hill, learned that
+a brig had discharged a suspicious cargo at night near Howland's
+Ferry. Running down to that point to investigate, the king's officers
+found the cargo to consist of smuggled goods; and, leaving a few men
+in charge, the cruiser hastily put out to sea in pursuit of the
+smuggler. The swift sailing schooner soon overtook the brig, and the
+latter was taken in to Newport as a prize. Although this affair
+occurred early in 1764, the sturdy colonists even then had little
+liking for the officers of the king. The sailors of the "St. John,"
+careless of the evident dislike of the citizens of the town, swaggered
+about the streets, boasting of their capture, and making merry at the
+expense of the Yankees. Two or three fights between sailors and
+townspeople so stirred up the landsmen, that they determined to
+destroy the "St. John," and had actually fitted up an armed sloop for
+that purpose, when a second man-of-war appeared in the harbor and put
+a final stopper to the project. Though thus balked of their revenge,
+the townspeople showed their hatred for the king's navy by seizing a
+battery, and firing several shots at the two armed vessels, but
+without effect.
+
+During the same year, the little town of Newport again gave evidence
+of the growth of the revolutionary spirit. This time the good old
+British custom of procuring sailors for the king's ships by a system
+of kidnapping, commonly known as impressment, was the cause of the
+outbreak. For some months the British man-of-war "Maidstone" lay in
+the harbor of Newport, idly tugging at her anchors. It was a period of
+peace, and her officers had nothing to occupy their attention.
+Therefore they devoted themselves to increasing the crew of the vessel
+by means of raids upon the taverns along the water-front of the city.
+
+The seafaring men of Newport knew little peace while the "Maidstone"
+was in port. The king's service was the dread of every sailor; and,
+with the press-gang nightly walking the streets, no sailor could feel
+secure. All knew the life led by the sailors on the king's ships.
+Those were the days when the cat-o'-nine-tails flourished, and the
+command of a beardless bit of a midshipmen was enough to send a poor
+fellow to the gratings, to have his back cut to pieces by the
+merciless lash. The Yankee sailors had little liking for this phase of
+sea-life, and they gave the men-of-war a wide berth.
+
+Often it happened, however, that a party of jolly mariners sitting
+over their pipes and grog in the snug parlor of some seashore tavern,
+spinning yarns of the service they had seen on the gun-decks of his
+Majesty's ships, or of shipwreck and adventure in the merchant
+service, would start up and listen in affright, as the measured tramp
+of a body of men came up the street. Then came the heavy blow on the
+door.
+
+"Open in the king's name," shouts a gruff voice outside; and the
+entrapped sailors, overturning the lights, spring for doors and
+windows, in vain attempts to escape the fate in store for them. The
+press-gang seldom returned to the ship empty handed, and the luckless
+tar who once fell into their clutches was wise to accept his capture
+good-naturedly; for the bos'n's cat was the remedy commonly prescribed
+for sulkiness.
+
+As long as the "Maidstone" lay in the harbor of Newport, raids such as
+this were of common occurrence. The people of the city grumbled a
+little; but it was the king's will, and none dared oppose it. The
+wives and sweethearts of the kidnapped sailors shed many a bitter tear
+over the disappearance of their husbands and lovers; but what were the
+tears of women to King George? And so the press-gang of the
+"Maidstone" might have continued to enjoy unopposed the stirring sport
+of hunting men like beasts, had the leaders not committed one
+atrocious act of inhumanity that roused the long-suffering people to
+resistance.
+
+One breezy afternoon, a stanch brig, under full sail, came up the bay,
+and entered the harbor of Newport. Her sides were weather-beaten, and
+her dingy sails and patched cordage showed that she had just completed
+her long voyage. Her crew, a fine set of bronzed and hardy sailors,
+were gathered on her forecastle, eagerly regarding the cluster of
+cottages that made up the little town of Newport. In those cottages
+were many loved ones, wives, mothers, and sweethearts, whom the brave
+fellows had not seen for long and weary months; for the brig was just
+returning from a voyage to the western coast of Africa.
+
+It is hard to describe the feelings aroused by the arrival of a ship
+in port after a long voyage. From the outmost end of the longest
+wharf the relatives and friends of the sailors eagerly watch the
+approaching vessel, striving to find in her appearance some token of
+the safety of the loved ones on board. If a flag hangs at half-mast in
+the rigging, bitter is the suspense, and fearful the dread, of each
+anxious waiter, lest her husband or lover or son be the unfortunate
+one whose death is mourned. And on the deck of the ship the excitement
+is no less great. Even the hardened breast of the sailor swells with
+emotion when he first catches sight of his native town, after long
+months of absence. With eyes sharpened by constant searching for
+objects upon the broad bosom of the ocean, he scans the waiting crowd,
+striving to distinguish in the distance some well-beloved face. His
+spirits are light with the happy anticipation of a season in port with
+his loved ones, and he discharges his last duties before leaving the
+ship with a blithe heart.
+
+So it was with the crew of the home-coming brig. Right merrily they
+sung out their choruses as they pulled at the ropes, and brought the
+vessel to anchor. The rumble of the hawser through the hawseholes was
+sweet music to their ears; and so intent were they upon the crowd on
+the dock, that they did not notice two long-boats which had put off
+from the man-of-war, and were pulling for the brig. The captain of the
+merchantman, however, noticed the approach of the boats, and wondered
+what it meant. "Those fellows think I've smuggled goods aboard," said
+he. "However, they can spend their time searching if they want. I've
+nothing in the hold I'm afraid to have seen."
+
+The boats were soon alongside; and two or three officers, with a
+handful of jackies, clambered aboard the brig.
+
+"Muster your men aft, captain," said the leader, scorning any response
+to the captain's salutation. "The king has need of a few fine fellows
+for his service."
+
+"Surely, sir, you are not about to press any of these men," protested
+the captain. "They are just returning after a long voyage, and have
+not yet seen their families."
+
+"What's that to me, sir?" was the response. "Muster your crew without
+more words."
+
+Sullenly the men came aft, and ranged themselves in line before the
+boarding-officers. Each feared lest he might be one of those chosen to
+fill the ship's roll of the "Maidstone;" yet each cherished the hope
+that he might be spared to go ashore, and see the loved ones whose
+greeting he had so fondly anticipated.
+
+The boarding-officers looked the crew over, and, after consulting
+together, gruffly ordered the men to go below, and pack up their
+traps.
+
+"Surely you don't propose to take my entire crew?" said the captain of
+the brig in wondering indignation.
+
+"I know my business, sir," was the gruff reply, "and I do not propose
+to suffer any more interference."
+
+The crew of the brig soon came on deck, carrying their bags of
+clothes, and were ordered into the man-o'-war's boats, which speedily
+conveyed them to their floating prison. Their fond visions of home had
+been rudely dispelled. They were now enrolled in his Majesty's
+service, and subject to the will of a blue-coated tyrant. This was all
+their welcome home.
+
+When the news of this cruel outrage reached the shore, the indignation
+of the people knew no bounds. The thought of their fellow-townsmen
+thus cruelly deprived of their liberty, at the conclusion of a long
+and perilous voyage, set the whole village in a turmoil. Wild plots
+were concocted for the destruction of the man-of-war, that, sullen and
+unyielding, lay at her anchorage in the harbor. But the wrong done was
+beyond redress. The captured men were not to be liberated. There was
+no ordnance in the little town to compete with the guns of the
+"Maidstone," and the enraged citizens could only vent their anger by
+impotent threats and curses. Bands of angry men and boys paraded the
+streets, crying, "Down with the press-gang," and invoking the
+vengeance of Heaven upon the officers of the man-of-war. Finally, they
+found a boat belonging to the "Maidstone" lying at a wharf. Dragging
+this ashore, the crowd procured ropes, and, after pulling the captured
+trophy up and down the streets, took it to the common in front of the
+Court-House, where it was burned in the presence of a great crowd,
+which heaped execrations upon the heads of the officers of the
+"Maidstone," and King George's press-gang.
+
+After this occurrence, there was a long truce between the people of
+Newport and the officers of the British navy. But the little town was
+intolerant of oppression, and the revolutionary spirit broke out again
+in 1769. Historians have eulogized Boston as the cradle of liberty,
+and by the British pamphleteers of that era the Massachusetts city
+was often called a hot-bed of rebellion. It would appear, however,
+that, while the people of Boston were resting contentedly under the
+king's rule, the citizens of Newport were chafing under the yoke, and
+were quick to resist any attempts at tyranny.
+
+It is noticeable, that, in each outbreak of the people of Newport
+against the authority of the king's vessels, the vigor of the
+resistance increased, and their acts of retaliation became bolder.
+Thus in the affair of the "St. John" the king's vessel was fired on,
+while in the affair of the "Maidstone" the royal property was actually
+destroyed. In the later affairs with the sloop "Liberty" and the
+schooner "Gaspee," the revolt of the colonists was still more open,
+and the consequences more serious.
+
+In 1769 the armed sloop "Liberty," Capt. Reid, was stationed in
+Narragansett Bay for the purpose of enforcing the revenue laws. Her
+errand made her obnoxious to the people on the coast, and the
+extraordinary zeal of her captain in discharging his duty made her
+doubly detested by seafaring people afloat or shore.
+
+On the 17th of July the "Liberty," while cruising near the mouth of
+the bay, sighted a sloop and a brig under full sail, bound out.
+Promptly giving chase, the armed vessel soon overtook the merchantmen
+sufficiently to send a shot skipping along the crests of the waves, as
+a polite Invitation to stop. The two vessels hove to, and a boat was
+sent from the man-of-war to examine their papers, and see if all was
+right. Though no flaw was found in the papers of either vessel, Capt.
+Reid determined to take them back to Newport, which was done. In the
+harbor the two vessels were brought to anchor under the guns of the
+armed sloop, and without any reason or explanation were kept there
+several days. After submitting to this wanton detention for two days,
+Capt. Packwood of the brig went on board the "Liberty" to make a
+protest to Capt. Reid, and at the same time to get some wearing
+apparel taken from his cabin at the time his vessel had been captured.
+On reaching the deck of the armed vessel, he found Capt. Reid absent,
+and his request for his property was received with ridicule. Hot words
+soon led to violence; and as Capt. Packwood stepped in to his boat to
+return to his ship, he was fired at several times, none of the shots
+taking effect.
+
+[Illustration: Siege of Charleston, S.C., May, 1780.
+Copyright, 1874, by Johnson, Wilson & Co.]
+
+The news of this assault spread like wildfire in the little town. The
+people congregated on the streets, demanding reparation. The
+authorities sent a message to Capt. Reid, demanding that the man who
+fired the shots be given up. Soon a boat came from the "Liberty,"
+bringing a man who was handed over to the authorities as the culprit.
+A brief examination into the case showed that the man was not the
+guilty party, and that his surrender was a mere subterfuge. The people
+then determined to be trifled with no longer, and made preparations to
+take vengeance upon the insolent oppressors.
+
+The work of preparation went on quietly; and by nightfall a large
+number of men had agreed to assemble at a given signal, and march upon
+the enemy. Neither the authorities of the town nor the officers on the
+threatened vessel were given any intimation of the impending outbreak.
+Yet the knots of men who stood talking earnestly on the street
+corners, or looked significantly at the trim navy vessel lying in the
+harbor, might have well given cause for suspicion.
+
+That night, just as the dusk was deepening into dark, a crowd of men
+marched down the street to a spot where a number of boats lay hidden
+in the shadow of a wharf. Embarking in these silently, they bent to
+the oars at the whispered word of command; and the boats were soon
+gliding swiftly over the smooth, dark surface of the harbor, toward
+the sloop-of-war. As they drew near, the cry of the lookout rang
+out,--
+
+"Boat ahoy!"
+
+No answer. The boats, crowded with armed men, still advanced.
+
+"Boat ahoy! Answer, or I'll fire."
+
+And, receiving no response, the lookout gave the alarm, and the watch
+came tumbling up, just in time to be driven below or disarmed by the
+crowd of armed men that swarmed over the gunwale of the vessel. There
+was no bloodshed. The crew of the "Liberty" was fairly surprised, and
+made no resistance. The victorious citizens cut the sloop's cables,
+and allowed her to float on shore near Long Wharf. Then, feeling sure
+that their prey could not escape them, they cut away her masts,
+liberated their captives, and taking the sloop's boats, dragged them
+through the streets to the common, where they were burned on a
+triumphal bonfire, amid the cheers of the populace.
+
+But the exploit was not to end here. With the high tide the next day,
+the hulk of the sloop floated away, and drifted ashore again on Goat
+Island. When night fell, some adventurous spirits stealthily went
+over, and, applying the torch to the stranded ship, burned it to the
+water's edge. Thus did the people of Newport resist tyranny.
+
+It may well be imagined that so bold a defiance of the royal authority
+caused a great sensation. Prolonged and vigorous were the attempts of
+the servants of the king to find out the rebellious parties who had
+thus destroyed his Majesty's property. But their efforts were in vain.
+The identity of the captors of the "Liberty" was carefully concealed,
+and even to this day none of their names has become known. But, before
+the people of Newport had done talking about this affair, another
+outbreak occurred, which cast the capture and destruction of the
+"Liberty" into the shade.
+
+This was the affair of the "Gaspee,"--considered by many historians
+the virtual opening of the revolutionary struggle of the Colonies
+against Great Britain. The "Gaspee," like the "St. John" and the
+"Liberty," was an armed vessel stationed in Narragansett Bay to
+enforce the revenue. She was commanded by Lieut. Dudingston of the
+British navy, and carried eight guns. By pursuing the usual tactics of
+the British officers stationed on the American coast, Duddingston had
+made himself hated; and his vessel was marked for destruction. Not a
+boat could pass between Providence and Newport without being subjected
+to search by the crew of the "Gaspee;" and the Yankee sailors swore
+darkly, that, when the time was ripe, they would put an end to the
+Britisher's officious meddling.
+
+The propitious time arrived one bright June morning in the year 1772,
+when the "Gaspee" gave chase to a Newport packet which was scudding
+for Providence, under the command of Capt. Thomas Lindsey. The armed
+vessel was a clean-cut little craft, and, carrying no heavier load
+than a few light guns of the calibre then in vogue, could overhaul
+with ease almost any merchantman on the coast. So on this eventful day
+she was rapidly overhauling the chase, when, by a blunder of the
+pilot, she was run hard and fast upon a spit of sand running out from
+Namquit Point, and thus saw her projected prize sail away in triumph.
+
+But the escape of her prize was not the greatest disaster that was to
+befall the "Gaspee" that day. Lindsey, finding himself safe from the
+clutches of the enemy, continued his course to Providence, and on
+arriving at that city reported the condition of the "Gaspee" to a
+prominent citizen, who straightway determined to organize an
+expedition for the destruction of the pest of marine traffic. He
+therefore gave orders to a trusty ship-master to collect eight of the
+largest long-boats in the harbor, and, having muffled their oars and
+rowlocks, place them at Fenner's Wharf, near a noted tavern.
+
+That night, soon after sunset, as the tradesmen were shutting up their
+shops, and the laboring men were standing on the streets talking after
+their day's work, a man passed down the middle of each street, beating
+a drum, and crying aloud,--
+
+"The schooner 'Gaspee' is ashore on Namquit Point. Who will help
+destroy her?"
+
+All who expressed a desire to join in the enterprise were directed to
+repair to the Sabin House; and thither, later in the evening, flocked
+many of the townspeople carrying guns, powder-flasks, and
+bullet-pouches. Within the house all was life and bustle. The great
+hall was crowded with determined men, discussing the plan of attack.
+Guns stood in every corner, while down in the kitchen a half a dozen
+men stood about a glowing fire busily casting bullets. At last, all
+being prepared, the party crossed the street to the dock, and
+embarked,--a veteran sea-captain taking the tiller of each boat.
+
+On the way down the harbor the boats stopped, and took aboard a number
+of paving-stones and stout clubs, as weapons for those who had no
+muskets. After this stoppage the boats continued on their way, until,
+when within sixty yards of the "Gaspee," the long-drawn hail. "Who
+comes there?" rang out over the water. No answer was made, and the
+lookout quickly repeated his hail. Capt. Whipple, one of the leaders of
+the attack, then responded,--
+
+"I want to come on board."
+
+Dudingston, who was below at the time, rushed on deck, exclaiming,
+"Stand off. You can't come aboard."
+
+As Dudingston stood at the side of the "Gaspee" warning off the
+assailants, he presented a good mark; and Joseph Bucklin, who pulled
+an oar in the leading boat, turned to a comrade and said, "Ephe, lend
+me your gun, and I can kill that fellow." The gun was accordingly
+handed him, and he fired. Dudingston fell to the deck. Just as the
+shot was fired, the leader of the assailants cried out,--
+
+"I am sheriff of the county of Kent. I am come for the commander of
+this vessel; and have him I will, dead or alive. Men, spring to your
+oars."
+
+In an instant the boats were under the lee of the schooner, and the
+attacking party was clambering over the side. The first man to attempt
+to board seized a rope, and was clambering up, when one of the British
+cut the rope, and let him fall into the water. He quickly recovered
+himself, and was soon on deck, where he found his comrades driving the
+crew of the "Gaspee" below, and meeting with but little resistance.
+
+A surgeon who was with the party of Americans led the boarders below,
+and began the task of tying the hands of the captured crew with strong
+tarred cord. While thus engaged, he was called on deck.
+
+"What is wanted, Mr. Brown?" asked he, calling the name of the person
+inquiring for him.
+
+"Don't call names, but go immediately into the cabin," was the
+response. "There is one wounded, and will bleed to death."
+
+The surgeon went into the captain's cabin, and there found Dudingston,
+severely wounded, and bleeding freely. Seeing no cloth suitable for
+bandages, the surgeon opened his vest, and began to tear his own shirt
+into strips to bind up the wound. With the tenderest care the hurt of
+the injured officer was attended to; and he was gently lowered into a
+boat, and rowed up the river to Providence.
+
+The Americans remained in possession of the captured schooner, and
+quickly began the work of demolition. In the captain's cabin were a
+number of bottles of liquor, and for these the men made a rush; but
+the American surgeon dashed the bottles to pieces with the heels of
+his heavy boots, so that no scenes of drunkenness were enacted. After
+breaking up the furniture and trappings of the craft, her people were
+bundled over the side into the boats of their captors, and the torch
+was set to the schooner. The boats layoff a little distance until the
+roaring flames satisfied them that the "Gaspee" would never again
+annoy American merchantmen. As the schooner's shotted guns went off
+one after the other, the Americans turned their boats' prows homeward,
+and soon dispersed quietly to their homes.
+
+It is almost incredible that the identity of the parties to this
+expedition was kept a secret until long after the Revolution. Although
+the British authorities made the most strenuous efforts, and offered
+huge rewards for the detection of the culprits, not one was discovered
+until after the Colonies had thrown off the royal yoke, when they came
+boldly forward, and boasted of their exploit.
+
+After the destruction of the "Gaspee," the colonists in no way openly
+opposed the authority of the king, until the time of those stirring
+events immediately preceding the American Revolution. Little was done
+on the water to betoken the hatred of the colonists for King George.
+The turbulent little towns of Providence and Newport subsided, and the
+scene of revolt was transferred to Massachusetts, and particularly to
+Boston. In the streets of Boston occurred the famous massacre, and at
+the wharves of Boston lay the three ships whose cargo aroused the ire
+of the famous Boston tea-party.
+
+To almost every young American the story of the Boston tea-party is as
+familiar as his own name,--how the British Parliament levied a tax
+upon tea, how the Colonies refused to pay it; and determined to use
+none of the article; how British merchants strove to force the tea
+upon the unwilling colonists, and how the latter refused to permit the
+vessels to unload, and in some cases drove them back to England. At
+Philadelphia, Annapolis, Charleston, Newport, and Providence,
+disturbances took place over the arrival of the tea-ships; but at
+Boston the turbulence was the greatest.
+
+The story of that dramatic scene in the great drama of American
+revolution has been told too often to bear repetition. The arrival of
+three ships laden with tea aroused instant indignation in the New
+England city. Mass meetings were held, the captains of the vessels
+warned not to attempt to unload their cargoes, and the consignees were
+terrified into refusing to have any thing to do with the tea.
+
+In the midst of an indignation meeting held at the Old South Church, a
+shrill war-whoop resounded from one of the galleries. The startled
+audience, looking in that direction, saw a person disguised as a
+Mohawk Indian, who wildly waved his arms and shouted,--
+
+"Boston Harbor, a tea-pot to-night! Hurrah for Griffin's Wharf."
+
+In wild excitement the meeting adjourned, and the people crowded out
+into the streets. Other Indians were seen running down the streets in
+the direction of Griffin's Wharf, where the tea-ships were moored, and
+thither the people turned their steps.
+
+On reaching the wharf, a scene of wild confusion was witnessed. The
+three tea-ships lay side by side at the wharf. Their decks were
+crowded with men, many of them wearing the Indian disguise. The
+hatches were off the hatchways; and the chests of tea were being
+rapidly passed up, broken open, and thrown overboard. There was little
+noise, as the workers seemed to be well disciplined, and went about
+their work in the bright moonlight with systematic activity. In about
+three hours the work was done. Three hundred and forty-two chests of
+tea had been thrown overboard, and the rioters dispersed quietly to
+their homes.
+
+The incident of the destruction of the tea in Boston Harbor was the
+last of the petty incidents that led up to the American Revolution.
+Following quick upon it came Lexington, Concord, and Bunker
+Hill,--then the great conflict was fairly under way, and the Colonies
+were fighting for liberty. What part the sailors of the colonies took
+in that struggle, it is the purpose of this book to recount.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+ THE BEGINNING OF THE NAVY. -- LEXINGTON AND CONCORD. -- A
+ BLOW STRUCK IN MAINE. -- CAPTURE OF THE "MARGARETTA." --
+ GEN. WASHINGTON AND THE NAVY. -- WORK OF CAPT. MANLY.
+
+
+In treating of the history of the navy during the war of the
+Revolution, we must always bear in mind the fact, that, during the
+greater part of that war, there was no navy. Indeed, the subject
+presents much the same aspect as the celebrated chapter on snakes in
+Ireland, which consisted of exactly six words, "There are no snakes in
+Ireland." So many of the episodes and incidents of the Revolutionary
+war that we chronicle as part of the naval history of that struggle
+are naval only in that they took place on the water. The participants
+in them were often longshoremen, fishermen, or privateersmen, and but
+seldom sailors enrolled in the regular navy of the united colonies.
+Nevertheless, these irregular forces accomplished some results that
+would be creditable to a navy in the highest state of efficiency and
+discipline.
+
+The expense of building vessels-of-war, and the difficulty, amounting
+even to impossibility, of procuring cannon for their armament,
+deterred the Colonies from equipping a naval force. All the energies
+of the revolutionists were directed towards organizing and equipping
+the army. The cause of independence upon the ocean was left to shift
+for itself. But, as the war spread, the depredations of British
+vessels along the coast became so intolerable that some colonies
+fitted out armed vessels for self-protection. Private enterprise sent
+out many privateers to prey upon British commerce, so that the
+opening months of the year 1776 saw many vessels on the ocean to
+support the cause of the Colonies. To man these vessels, there were
+plenty of sailors; for even at that early day New England had begun to
+develop that race of hardy seamen for which she is still noted in this
+day of decadence in the American marine. There was, however, a sad
+lack of trained officers to command the vessels of the infant navy.
+Many Americans were enrolled on the lists of the ships flying the
+royal banner of England, but most of these remained in the British
+service. The men, therefore, who were to command the ships of the
+colonies, were trained in the rough school of the merchant service,
+and had smelt gunpowder only when resisting piratical attacks, or in
+serving themselves as privateers.
+
+For these reasons the encounters and exploits that we shall consider
+as being part of the naval operations of the Revolutionary war were of
+a kind that would to-day be regarded as insignificant skirmishes; and
+the naval officer of to-day would look with supreme contempt upon most
+of his brethren of '76, as so many untrained sea-guerillas.
+Nevertheless, the achievements of some of the seamen of the Revolution
+are not insignificant, even when compared with exploits of the era of
+Farragut; and it must be remembered that the efforts of the devoted
+men were directed against a nation that had in commission at the
+opening of the war three hundred and fifty-three vessels, and even
+then bore proudly the title conferred upon her by the consent of all
+nations,--"The Mistress of the Seas."
+
+It was on the 19th of April, 1775, that the redoubtable Major Pitcairn
+and his corps of scarlet-coated British regulars shot down the
+colonists on the green at Lexington, and then fled back to Boston
+followed by the enraged minute-men, who harassed the retreating
+redcoats with a constant fire of musketry. The news of the battle
+spread far and wide; and wherever the story was told, the colonists
+began arming themselves, and preparing for resistance to the
+continually increasing despotism of the British authorities.
+
+On the 9th of May, a coasting schooner from Boston put into the little
+seaport of Machias on the coast of Maine. The people of the little
+town gathered at the wharf, and from the sailors first heard the story
+of Lexington and Concord. The yoke of the British Government had
+rested lightly on the shoulders of the people of Machias. Far from
+the chief cities of the New World, they had heard little of the
+continued dissensions between the Colonies and the home Government,
+and they heard the story of the rebellion with amazement. But however
+unprepared they might have been for the news of the outbreak, their
+sympathies went warmly out to their struggling brethren, and they
+determined to place themselves shoulder to shoulder with the
+Massachusetts colonists in the fight against the oppression of the
+British. Their opportunity for action came that very night.
+
+As the sturdy young colonists stood on the deck listening to the
+stories of the newly arrived sailors, they could see floating lightly
+at anchor near the wharf a trimly rigged schooner flying the ensign of
+the British navy. This craft was the "Margaretta," an armed schooner
+acting as convoy to two sloops that were then loading with ship-timber
+to be used in the service of the king.
+
+The Boston sailors had not yet finished their narrative of the two
+battles, when the thought occurred to some of the adventurous
+listeners that they might strike a retaliatory blow by capturing the
+"Margaretta." Therefore, bidding the sailors to say nothing to the
+British of Lexington and Concord, they left the wharf and dispersed
+through the town, seeking for recruits. That same evening, sixty
+stalwart men assembled in a secluded farm-house, and laid their plans
+for the destruction of the schooner. It was then Saturday night, and
+the conspirators determined to attack the vessel the next morning
+while the officers were at church. All were to proceed by twos and
+threes to the wharf, in order that no suspicion might be aroused. Once
+at the water-side, they would rush to their boats, and carry the
+schooner by boarding.
+
+Sunday morning dawned clear, and all seemed propitious for the
+conspirators. The "Margaretta" had then been in port for more than a
+week, and her officers had no reason to doubt the loyalty and
+friendship of the inhabitants: no whisper of the occurrences in
+Massachusetts, nor any hint of the purposes of the people of Machias,
+had reached their ears. Therefore, on this peaceful May morning, Capt.
+Moore donned his full-dress uniform, and with his brother officers
+proceeded to the little church in the village.
+
+Every thing then seemed favorable to the success of the adventure.
+The "Margaretta," manned by a sleepy crew, and deserted by her
+officers, lay within easy distance of the shore. It seemed as though
+the conspirators had only to divide into two parties; and while the
+one surrounded the church, and captured the worshipping officers, the
+others might descend upon the schooner, and easily make themselves
+masters of all.
+
+But the plot failed. History fails to record just how or why the
+suspicions of Capt. Moore were aroused. Whether it was that the wary
+captain noticed the absence of most of the young men of the
+congregation, or whether he saw the conspirators assembling on the
+dock, is not known. But certain it is that the good dominie in the
+pulpit, and the pious people in the pews, were mightily startled by
+the sudden uprisal of Capt. Moore, who sprang from his seat, and,
+calling upon his officers to follow him, leaped through the great
+window of the church, and ran like mad for the shore, followed by the
+rest of the naval party.
+
+There was no more church for the good people of Machias that morning.
+Even the preacher came down from his pulpit to stare through his
+horn-rimmed glasses at the retreating forms of his whilom listeners.
+And, as he stood in blank amazement at the church door, he saw a large
+party of the missing young men of his congregation come dashing down
+the street in hot pursuit of the retreating mariners. In their hands,
+the pursuers carried sabres, cutlasses, old flint-lock muskets,
+cumbrous horse-pistols, scythes, and reaping-hooks. The pursued wore
+no arms; and, as no boat awaited them at the shore, their case looked
+hopeless indeed. But the old salt left in charge of the schooner was
+equal to the occasion. The unsabbath-like tumult on the shore quickly
+attracted his attention, and with unfeigned astonishment he had
+observed his commander's unseemly egress from the church. But, when
+the armed band of colonists appeared upon the scene, he ceased to rub
+his eyes in wonder, and quickly loaded up a swivel gun, with which he
+let fly, over the heads of his officers, and in dangerous proximity to
+the advancing colonists. This fire checked the advance of the
+conspirators; and, while they wavered and hung back, a boat put off
+from the schooner, and soon took the officers aboard. Then, after
+firing a few solid shot over the town, merely as an admonition of what
+might be expected if the hot-headed young men persisted in their
+violent outbreaks, the "Margaretta" dropped down the bay to a more
+secluded anchorage.
+
+The defeated conspirators were vastly chagrined at the miscarriage of
+their plot; but, nothing daunted, they resolved to attempt to carry
+the schooner by assault, since strategy had failed. Therefore, early
+the next morning, four young men seized upon a sloop, and, bringing
+her up to the wharf, cheered lustily. A crowd soon gathered, and the
+project was explained, and volunteers called for. Thirty-five hardy
+sailors and woodmen hastily armed themselves with muskets, pitchforks,
+and axes; and, after taking aboard a small supply of provisions, the
+sloop dropped down the harbor toward the "Margaretta." The captain of
+the threatened schooner had observed through his spy-glass the
+proceedings at the wharf, and suspected his danger. He was utterly
+ignorant of the reason for this sudden hostility on the part of the
+people of Machias. He knew nothing of the quarrel that had thus
+provoked the rebellion of the colonies. Therefore, he sought to avoid
+a conflict; and, upon the approach of the sloop, he hoisted his
+anchor, and fled down the bay.
+
+The sloop followed in hot haste. The Yankees crowded forward, and
+shouted taunts and jeers at their more powerful enemy who thus strove
+to avoid the conflict. Both vessels were under full sail; and the size
+of the schooner was beginning to tell, when, in jibing, she carried
+away her main boom. Nevertheless, she was so far ahead of the sloop
+that she was able to put into Holmes Bay, and take a spar out of a
+vessel lying there, before the sloop overtook her. But the delay
+incident upon changing the spars brought the sloop within range; and
+Capt. Moore, still anxious to avoid an encounter, cut away his boats,
+and stood out to sea. With plenty of sea room, and with a spanking
+breeze on the quarter, the sloop proved to be the better sailer. Moore
+then prepared for battle, and, as the sloop overhauled him, let fly
+one of his swivels, following it immediately with his whole broadside,
+killing one man. The sloop returned the fire with her one piece of
+ordnance, which was so well aimed as to kill the man at the helm of
+the "Margaretta," and clear her quarter-deck. The two vessels then
+closed, and a hand-to-hand battle began, in which muskets,
+hand-grenades, pikes, pitchforks, and cutlasses were used with deadly
+effect. The colonists strove to board their enemy, but were repeatedly
+beaten back. If any had thought that Capt. Moore's continued efforts
+to avoid a conflict were signs of cowardice, they were quickly
+undeceived; for that officer fought like a tiger, standing on the
+quarter-deck rail, cheering on his men, and hurling hand-grenades down
+upon his assailants, until a shot brought him down. The fall of their
+captain disheartened the British; and the Americans quickly swarmed
+over the sides of the "Margaretta," and drove her crew below.
+
+This victory was no mean achievement for the colonists. The
+"Margaretta" was vastly the superior, both in metal and in the
+strength of her crew. She was ably officered by trained and courageous
+seamen; while the Yankees had no leaders save one Jeremiah O'Brien,
+whom they had elected, by acclamation, captain. That the Americans had
+so quickly brought their more powerful foe to terms, spoke volumes for
+their pluck and determination. Nor were they content to rest with the
+capture of the schooner. Transferring her armament to the sloop,
+O'Brien set out in search of prizes, and soon fell in with, and
+captured, two small British cruisers. These he took to Watertown,
+where the Massachusetts Legislature was then in session. The news of
+his victory was received with vast enthusiasm; and the Legislature
+conferred upon him the rank of captain, and ordered him to set out on
+another cruise, and particularly watch out for British vessels
+bringing over provisions or munitions of war to the king's troops in
+America.
+
+But by this time Great Britain was aroused. The king saw all America
+up in arms against his authority, and he determined to punish the
+rebellious colonists. A naval expedition was therefore sent against
+Falmouth, and that unfortunate town was given to the flames. The
+Legislature of Massachusetts then passed a law granting commissions to
+privateers, and directing the seizure of British ships. Thereafter the
+hostilities on the ocean, which had been previously unauthorized and
+somewhat piratical, had the stamp of legislative authority.
+
+Petty hostilities along the coast were very active during the first
+few months of the war. The exploits of Capt. O'Brien stirred up seamen
+from Maine to the Carolinas, and luckless indeed was the British
+vessel that fell into their clutches. At Providence two armed American
+vessels re-took a Yankee brig and sloop that had been captured by the
+British. At Dartmouth a party of soldiers captured a British armed
+brig. In addition to these exploits, the success of the American
+privateers, which had got to sea in great numbers, added greatly to
+the credit of the American cause.
+
+The first order looking toward the establishment of a national navy
+was given by Gen. Washington in the latter part of 1775. The
+sagacious general, knowing that the British forces in Boston were
+supplied with provisions and munitions of war by sea, conceived the
+idea of fitting out some swift-sailing cruisers to intercept the
+enemy's cruisers, and cut off their supplies. Accordingly, on his own
+authority, he sent out Capt. Broughton with two armed schooners
+belonging to the colony of Massachusetts. Broughton was ordered to
+intercept two brigs bound for Quebec with military stores. This he
+failed to do, but brought in ten other vessels. Congress, however,
+directed the release of the captured ships, as it was then intended
+only to take such vessels as were actually employed in the king's
+service.
+
+By this time Congress had become convinced that some naval force was
+absolutely essential to the success of the American cause. In October,
+1775, it therefore fitted out, and ordered to sea, a number of small
+vessels. Of these the first to sail was the "Lee," under command of
+Capt. John Manly, whose honorable name, won in the opening years of
+the Revolution, fairly entitles him to the station of the father of
+the American navy.
+
+With his swift cruiser, Manly patrolled the New England coast, and was
+marvellously successful in capturing British storeships. Washington
+wrote to Congress, "I am in very great want of powder, lead, mortars,
+and, indeed, most sorts of military stores." Hardly had the letter
+been forwarded, when Manly appeared in port with a prize heavy laden
+with just the goods for which the commander-in-chief had applied. A
+queer coincidence is on record regarding these captured stores. Samuel
+Tucker, an able Yankee seaman, later an officer in the American navy,
+was on the docks at Liverpool as a transport was loading for America.
+As he saw the great cases of guns and barrels of powder marked
+"Boston" being lowered into the hold of the vessel, he said to a
+friend who stood with him, "I would walk barefoot one hundred miles,
+if by that means these arms could only take the direction of
+Cambridge." Three months later Tucker was in Washington's camp at
+Cambridge, and there saw the very arms he had so coveted on the
+Liverpool docks. They had been captured by Capt. Manly.
+
+Manly's activity proved very harassing to the British, and the
+sloop-of-war "Falcon" was sent out to capture the Yankee. She fell in
+with the "Lee" near Gloucester, just as the latter was making for
+that port with a merchant schooner in convoy. Manly, seeing that the
+Englishman was too heavy for him, deserted his convoy and ran into the
+port, where he anchored, out of reach of the sloop's guns. Capt.
+Lindzee of the "Falcon" stopped to capture the abandoned schooner, and
+then taking his vessel to the mouth of the port, anchored her in such
+a way as to prevent any escape for the "Lee." He then prepared to
+capture the Yankee by boarding. The "Falcon" drew too much water to
+run alongside the "Lee" at the anchorage Manly had chosen; and the
+Englishman therefore put his men in large barges, and with a force of
+about forty men set out to capture the schooner. Manly saw the force
+that was to be brought against him, and sent his men to quarters,
+preparing for a desperate resistance. The schooner was lying near the
+shore; and the townspeople and militia gathered by the water-side,
+with guns in their hands, prepared to lend their aid to the brave
+defenders of the "Lee." As the three barges drew near the schooner,
+Manly mounted the rail, and hailed them, warning them to keep off lest
+he fire upon them.
+
+"Fire, and be hanged to you," was the response of the lieutenant in
+command of the assailants. "We have no fear of traitors."
+
+So saying, the British pressed on through a fierce storm of musketry
+from the deck of the schooner and from the shore. They showed no lack
+of courage. The lieutenant himself brought his boat under the cabin
+windows, and was in the act of boarding, when a shot from the shore
+struck him in the thigh, and he was carried back to the man-of-war.
+Capt. Lindzee, who had watched the progress of the fight from the deck
+of the "Falcon," was greatly enraged when his lieutenant was thus
+disabled; and he hastily despatched re-enforcements to the scene of
+action, and directed the gunners on the "Falcon" to commence a
+cannonade of the town.
+
+"Now," said he with an oath, "my boys, we will aim at the Presbyterian
+church. Well, my brave fellows, one shot more, and the house of God
+will fall before you."
+
+But the British were fairly outfought, and the outcome of the battle
+was disastrous to them. A newspaper of the period, speaking of the
+fight says, "Under God, our little party at the water-side performed
+wonders; for they soon made themselves masters of both the schooners,
+the cutter, the two barges, the boat, and every man in them, and all
+that pertained to them. In the action, which lasted several hours, we
+have lost but one man; two others wounded,--one of whom is since dead,
+the other very slightly wounded. We took of the man-of-war's men
+thirty-five; several are wounded, and one since dead; twenty-four are
+sent to headquarters. The remainder, being impressed from this and
+neighboring towns, are permitted to return to their friends. This
+morning Capt. Lindzee warped off with but one-half of his men, with
+neither a prize-boat nor tender, except a small skiff the wounded
+lieutenant returned in."
+
+The work done by the small armed schooners of which the "Lee" was a
+type encouraged Congress to proceed with the work of organizing a
+regular navy; and by the end of 1775 that body had authorized the
+building of thirteen war-vessels carrying from twenty-four to
+thirty-two guns each. But as some naval force was obviously necessary
+during the construction of this fleet, five vessels were procured, and
+the new navy was organized with the following roster of officers:--
+
+ Esek Hopkins _Commander-in-chief._
+ Dudley Saltonstall _Captain of the "Alfred."_
+ Abraham Whipple _Captain of the "Columbus."_
+ Nicholas Biddle _Captain of the "Andrea Doria."_
+ John B. Hopkins _Captain of the "Cabot."_
+
+A long list of lieutenants was also provided, among whom stands out
+boldly the name of John Paul Jones. John Manly, whose dashing work in
+the schooner "Lee" we have already noticed, was left in command of his
+little craft until the thirty-two-gun ship "Hancock" was completed,
+when he was put in charge of her.
+
+It may possibly have occurred to some of my readers to wonder what
+flag floated from the mastheads of these ships. There is much
+confusion upon this point, and not a little uncertainty. There were
+three classes of American armed vessels on the seas. First were the
+privateers, that sailed under any flag that might suit their purpose.
+Next came the vessels fitted out and commissioned by the individual
+colonies; these usually floated the flag of the colony from which they
+hailed. Last came the vessels commissioned by Congress, which at the
+outset floated many banners of diverse kinds. It fell to the lot of
+Lieut. Paul Jones, however, to hoist the first authorized American
+flag over a regularly commissioned vessel-of-war. This flag was of
+bunting, showing a pine-tree on a plain white ground, with the words
+"Liberty Tree" and "Appeal to God" prominently displayed. This flag
+was chiefly used until the adoption of the stars and stripes. The
+"rattlesnake flag," with a reptile in the act of striking, and the
+legend "Don't tread on me," was largely used by the privateers.
+
+The year 1775 closed with but little activity upon the ocean. The
+ships of the regular navy were late in getting into commission, and an
+early winter impeded their usefulness. Some little work was done by
+privateers and the ships of the different colonies, and the ships of
+the British navy were kept fully occupied in guarding against the
+operations of these gentry. The man-of-war "Nautilus" chased an
+American privateer into a little cove near Beverly, and in the heat of
+the chase both vessels ran aground. The people on shore put off to the
+privateer, and quickly stripped her of her cordage and armament, and
+with the guns built a small battery by the water-side, from which they
+opened a telling fire upon the stranded "Nautilus." The man-of-war
+returned in kind, and did some slight damage to the town; but when the
+tide had risen she slipped her cables and departed. Such desultory
+encounters were of frequent occurrence, but no naval battles of any
+importance took place until the spring of 1776.
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Esek Hopkins.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+ EVENTS OF 1776. -- THE FIRST CRUISE OF THE REGULAR NAVY. --
+ THE "LEXINGTON" AND THE "EDWARD." -- MUGFORD'S BRAVE FIGHT.
+ -- LOSS OF THE "YANKEE HERO." -- CAPT. MANLY, AND THE
+ "DEFENCE." -- AMERICAN VESSELS IN EUROPEAN WATERS. -- GOOD
+ WORK OF THE "LEXINGTON" AND THE "REPRISAL." -- THE BRITISH
+ DEFEATED AT CHARLESTON.
+
+
+The year 1776 witnessed some good service done for the cause of
+liberty by the little colonial navy. The squadron, under the command
+of Ezekiel Hopkins, left the Delaware in February, as soon as the ice
+had left the river, and made a descent upon the island of New
+Providence, where the British had established a naval station. The
+force under Hopkins consisted of seven vessels-of-war, and one
+despatch-boat. The attack was successful in every way, a landing party
+of three hundred marines and sailors which was sent ashore meeting
+with but little resistance from the British garrison. By this exploit,
+the Americans captured over a hundred cannon, and a great quantity of
+naval stores.
+
+After this exploit, Hopkins left New Providence, carrying away with
+him the governor and one or two notable citizens, and continued his
+cruise. His course was shaped to the northward, and early in April he
+found himself off the shore of Long Island. He had picked up a couple
+of insignificant British vessels,--one a tender of six guns, and the
+other an eight-gun bomb-brig. But his cruise had been mainly barren of
+results; and his crew, who had looked forward to sharp service and
+plenty of prize-money, were beginning to grumble. But their inactivity
+was not of long duration; for before daylight on the morning of April
+6, the lookout at the masthead of the "Alfred" sighted a large ship,
+bearing down upon the American squadron. The night was clear and
+beautiful, the wind light, and the sea smooth; and so, although it
+lacked several hours to daylight, the commanders determined to give
+battle to the stranger. Soon, therefore, the roll of the drums beating
+to quarters was heard over the water, and the angry glare of the
+battle lanterns on the gun-decks made the open ports of the war-ships
+stand out like fiery eyes against the black hulls. The Englishman, who
+proved later to be the "Glasgow," twenty guns, carrying one hundred
+and fifty men, might easily have escaped; but, apparently undaunted by
+the odds against him, he awaited the attack. The little "Cabot" was
+the first American ship to open fire on the enemy. Her attack, though
+sharp and plucky, was injudicious; for two of the Englishman's heavy
+broadsides were enough to send her out of the battle for repairs. The
+"Glasgow" and the "Alfred" then took up the fight, and exchanged
+repeated broadsides; the American vessel suffering the more serious
+injuries of the two. After some hours of this fighting, the "Glasgow"
+hauled away, and made good her escape, although she was almost
+surrounded by the vessels of the American squadron. It would seem that
+only the most careless seamanship on the part of the Americans could
+have enabled a twenty-gun vessel to escape from four vessels, each one
+of which was singly almost a match for her. It is evident that the
+Continental Congress took the same view of the matter, for Hopkins was
+soon after dismissed from the service.
+
+This action was little to the credit of the sailors of the colonial
+navy. Fortunately, a second action during the same month set them in a
+better light before the people of the country. This was the encounter
+of the "Lexington," Capt. Barry, with the British vessel "Edward," off
+the capes of Virginia. The two vessels were laid yard-arm to yard-arm;
+and a hot battle ensued, in which the Americans came off the victors.
+The career of this little American brig was a rather remarkable one.
+The year following her capture of the "Edward," she was again off the
+capes of the Delaware, and again fell in with a British ship. This
+time, however, the Englishman was a frigate, and the luckless
+"Lexington" was forced to surrender. Her captor left the Americans
+aboard their own craft, and, putting a prize crew aboard, ordered them
+to follow in the wake of the frigate. That night the Americans plotted
+the recapture of their vessel. By a concerted movement, they
+overpowered their captors; and the "Lexington" was taken into
+Baltimore, where she was soon recommissioned, and ordered to cruise in
+European waters.
+
+Shortly after the battle between the "Lexington" and the "Edward,"
+there was fought in Massachusetts Bay an action in which the Americans
+showed the most determined bravery, and which for the courage shown,
+and losses suffered on either side, may well be regarded as the most
+important of the naval battles of that year. Early in May, a merchant
+seaman named Mugford had succeeded, after great importunity, in
+securing the command of the armed vessel "Franklin," a small cruiser
+mounting only four guns. The naval authorities had been unwilling to
+give him the command, though he showed great zeal in pressing his
+suit. Indeed, after the appointment had been made, certain damaging
+rumors concerning the newly appointed captain reached the ears of the
+marine committee, and caused them to send an express messenger to
+Boston to cancel Mugford's commission. But the order arrived too late.
+Mugford had already fitted out his ship, and sailed. He had been but a
+few days at sea, when the British ship "Hope," of four hundred tons
+and mounting six guns, hove in sight. More than this, the lookout
+reported that the fleet of the British commodore Banks lay but a few
+miles away, and in plain sight. Many a man would have been daunted by
+such odds. Not so Capt. Mugford. Mustering his men, he showed them the
+British ship, told them that she carried heavier metal than the
+"Franklin," told them that the British fleet lay near at hand, and
+would doubtless try to take a hand in the engagement; then, having
+pointed out all the odds against them, he said, "Now, my lads, it's a
+desperate case; but we can take her, and win lots of glory and
+prize-money. Will you stand by me?"
+
+The jackies wasted no time in debate, but, cheering lustily for the
+captain, went to their posts, and made ready for a hot fight. The
+naval discipline of the present day was little known, and less
+observed, at that time in the American navy. The perfect order which
+makes the gun-deck of a ship going into action as quiet and solemn as
+during Sunday prayers then gave place to excited talk and bustle. The
+men stood in crews at the four guns; but most of the jackies were
+mustered on the forecastle, ready to board. All expected a desperate
+resistance. Great was their surprise, then, when they were permitted
+to take a raking position under the stern of the "Hope," and to board
+her without a shot being fired. But as Mugford, at the head of the
+boarders, clambered over the taffrail, he heard the captain of the
+"Hope" order the men to cut the topsail halliards and ties, with the
+intention of so crippling the ship that the British squadron might
+overhaul and recapture her.
+
+"Avast there!" bawled Mugford, seeing through the plot in an instant,
+and clapping a pistol to the head of the captain; "if a knife is
+touched to those ropes, not a man of this crew shall live."
+
+This threat so terrified the captured sailors, that they relinquished
+their design; and Mugford, crowding all sail on his prize, soon was
+bowling along before a stiff breeze, with the British squadron in hot
+pursuit. An examination of the ship's papers showed her to be the most
+valuable prize yet taken by the Americans. In her hold were fifteen
+hundred barrels of powder, a thousand carbines, a great number of
+travelling carriages for cannon, and a most complete assortment of
+artillery instruments and pioneer tools. While running for Boston
+Harbor, through the channel known as Point Shirley gut, the vessel
+grounded, but was soon floated, and taken safely to her anchorage. Her
+arrival was most timely, as the American army was in the most dire
+straits for gunpowder. It may well be imagined that there was no
+longer any talk about revoking Capt. Mugford's commission.
+
+Mugford remained in port only long enough to take a supply of powder
+from his prize; then put to sea again. He well knew that the British
+fleet that had chased him into Boston Harbor was still blockading the
+harbor's mouth, but he hoped to evade it by going out through a
+circuitous channel. Unluckily, in thus attempting to avoid the enemy,
+the "Franklin" ran aground, and there remained hard and fast in full
+view of the enemy. He had as consort the privateer schooner "Lady
+Washington," whose captain, seeing Mugford's dangerous predicament,
+volunteered to remain near at hand and assist in the defence.
+
+Mugford knew that his case was desperate, and made preparations for a
+most determined resistance. Swinging his craft around, he mounted all
+four of his guns on that side which commanded the channel in the
+direction from which the enemy was expected. Boarding-nettings were
+triced up, and strengthened with cables and cordage, to make an
+effective barrier against the assaults of boarders. The men were
+served with double rations of grog, and set to work sharpening the
+cutlasses and spears, with which they were well provided. The work of
+preparation was completed none too soon; for about nine o'clock
+Mugford heard the rattle of oars in rowlocks, and saw boats gliding
+towards the "Franklin" through the darkness.
+
+"Boat ahoy!" he challenged. "Keep off, or I shall fire into you."
+
+"Don't fire," was the response; "we are friends from Boston coming to
+your aid."
+
+"We want none of your aid," cried Mugford with an oath. Then, turning
+to his crew, he shouted, "Let them have it, boys."
+
+The roar of the cannon then mingled with the rattle of the musketry,
+the cries of the wounded, and the shouts and curses of the combatants,
+as the British strove to clamber up the sides of the "Franklin." Not
+less than two hundred men were engaged on the side of the British, who
+advanced to the fray in thirteen large barges, many of them carrying
+swivel guns. Several boats dashed in close under the side of the
+"Franklin," and their crews strove manfully to board, but were beaten
+back by the Yankees, who rained cutlass blows upon them. The long
+pikes with which the Americans were armed proved particularly
+effective. "One man with that weapon is positive of having killed nine
+of the enemy," says a newspaper of that day.
+
+Unhappily, however, the heroic Mugford, while urging on his men to a
+more vigorous resistance, was struck by a musket-ball, which inflicted
+a mortal wound. At the moment the wound was received, he was reaching
+out over the quarter to catch hold of the mast of one of the barges,
+in the hope of upsetting her. As he fell to the deck, he called his
+first lieutenant, and said, "I am a dead man. Do not give up the
+vessel; you will be able to beat them off." Nearly forty years after,
+the heroic Lawrence, dying on the deck of the "Chesapeake," repeated
+Mugford's words, "Don't give up the ship."
+
+For about half an hour the battle raged fiercely. The British, beaten
+back with great loss, returned again and again to the attack. The
+boats would come under the lee of the "Franklin;" but, not being
+provided with grappling-irons, the British were forced to lay hold of
+the gunwales of the enemy with their hands, which the Americans
+promptly lopped off with their cutlasses. Shots from the swivel guns
+of the Yankee soon stove in two of the boats of the enemy, which sunk,
+carrying down many of their crew. After nearly an hour of this
+desperate fighting, the British withdrew, having lost about seventy
+men. The only loss sustained by the Americans was that of their brave
+commander Mugford.
+
+About a month after this battle, there occurred off the coast of
+Massachusetts a battle in which the Americans, though they fought with
+the most undaunted bravery, were forced to strike their colors to
+their adversary. The American was the privateer "Yankee Hero" of
+Newburyport. She sailed from that place for Boston on the 7th of June
+with only forty men aboard, intending to ship her full complement of
+one hundred and twenty at Boston. As the "Hero" rounded Cape Ann, she
+sighted a sail on the horizon, but in her short-handed condition did
+not think it worth while to give chase. The stranger, however, had
+caught sight of the "Hero;" and, a fresh southerly breeze springing
+up, she began to close with the American. As she came closer, Capt.
+Tracy of the "Yankee Hero" saw that she was a ship-of-war. Despite the
+desperate efforts of the Americans to escape, their pursuer rapidly
+overhauled them, and soon coming up within half a mile, opened fire
+with her bow chasers. The brig returned the fire with a swivel gun,
+which had little effect. Seeing this, Capt. Tracy ordered the firing
+to cease until the ships should came to close quarters. The stranger
+rapidly overhauled the privateer, keeping up all the time a vigorous
+fire. Tracy with difficulty restrained the ardor of his men, who were
+anxious to try to cripple their pursuer. When the enemy came within
+pistol-shot, Tracy saw that the time for action on his part had come,
+and immediately opened fire with all the guns and small-arms that
+could be brought to bear. The only possible chance for escape lay in
+crippling the big craft with a lucky shot; but broadside after
+broadside was fired, and still the great ship came rushing along in
+the wake of the flying privateer. Closer and closer drew the bulky
+man-of-war, until her bow crept past the stern of the "Yankee Hero,"
+and the marines upon her forecastle poured down a destructive volley
+of musketry upon the brig's crowded deck. The plight of the privateer
+was now a desperate one. Her heavy antagonist was close alongside, and
+towered high above her, so that the marines on the quarter-deck and
+forecastle of the Englishman were on a level with the leading blocks
+of the Yankee. From the depressed guns of the frigate, a murderous
+fire poured down upon the smaller craft. For an hour and twenty
+minutes the two vessels continued the fight, pouring hot broadsides
+into each other, and separated by less than a hundred feet of water.
+The brisk breeze blowing carried away the clouds of smoke, and left
+the men on the deck of the Yankee no protection from sharp-shooters on
+the enemy's deck. Accordingly, the execution was frightful. Tracy,
+from his post on the quarter-deck, saw his men falling like sheep,
+while the continual volleys of the great ship had so cut the cordage
+of the weaker vessel that escape was impossible. At last a musket-ball
+struck Capt. Tracy in the thigh, and he fell bleeding to the deck. For
+a moment his men wavered at their guns; but he called manfully to
+them, from where he lay, to fight on boldly for the honor of the
+"Yankee Hero." Two petty officers had rushed to his assistance; and he
+directed them to lay him upon a chest of arms upon the quarter-deck,
+whence he might direct the course of the battle. But, strong though
+was his spirit, his body was too weak to perform the task he had
+allotted it; and, growing faint from pain and loss of blood, he was
+carried below.
+
+He lay unconscious for a few minutes, but was recalled to his senses
+by the piteous cries of wounded men by whom he was surrounded. When he
+came to himself, he saw the cabin filled with grievously wounded
+people, bleeding and suffering for lack of surgical aid. The firing of
+the privateer had ceased, but the enemy was still pouring in pitiless
+broadsides. Enraged at this spectacle, Capt. Tracy ordered his men to
+re-open the conflict, and directed that he be taken in a chair to the
+quarter-deck. But, on getting into the chair, he was suddenly seized
+with a fainting spell, and gave orders, by signs, that the colors be
+struck.
+
+When the inequality of the two enemies is considered, this action
+appears to be a most notable reason for pride in the powers of the
+Americans. The "Yankee Hero" was a low single-decked vessel of
+fourteen guns, while her captor was the British frigate of thirty-two
+guns. Yet the little American vessel had held her own for two hours,
+and by good gunnery and skilful manoeuvring had succeeded in doing
+almost as much damage as she had suffered.
+
+In reading of the naval engagements of the Revolution, one is
+impressed with the small sacrifice of life that attended the most
+protracted conflicts. Thus in the action just recorded only four men
+were killed upon the defeated ship, although for more than an hour the
+two vessels had exchanged broadsides a distance of less than a hundred
+feet apart. The execution done on the British frigate has never been
+recorded, but was probably even less.
+
+Only the most fragmentary account can be given of any naval actions in
+the year 1776, except those in which America's great naval hero Paul
+Jones took part. Of the trivial encounters that go to complete the
+naval annals of the year, only the briefest recountal is necessary.
+The work of the little brig "Andrea Doria," Capt. Biddle, deserves a
+passing mention. This little fourteen-gun craft had the most wonderful
+luck in making prizes. Besides capturing two transports loaded with
+British soldiers, she took so many merchantmen, that on one cruise she
+brought back to port only five of her original crew, the rest having
+all been put aboard prizes.
+
+On the 17th of June, the crew of the Connecticut cruiser "Defence," a
+fourteen-gun brig, heard the sound of distant cannonading coming
+faintly over the water. All sail was crowded upon the brig, and she
+made all possible speed to the scene of conflict. About nightfall, she
+fell in with four American schooners that had just been having a
+tussle with two heavy British transports. Three of the American
+vessels were privateers, the fourth was the little cruiser "Lee" in
+which Capt. John Manly had done such brilliant service. The four
+schooners had found the transports too powerful for them, and had
+therefore drawn off, but were eager to renew the fray with the help of
+the "Defence." Accordingly the "Defence" led the way to Nantasket
+Roads, where the transports lay at anchor. Capt. Harding wasted little
+time in manoeuvring, but, laying his vessel alongside the larger of
+the two transports, summoned her commander to strike.
+
+"Ay, ay--I'll strike," was the response from the threatened vessel;
+and instantly a heavy broadside was poured into the "Defence." A sharp
+action followed, lasting for nearly an hour. The "Defence" bore the
+brunt of the conflict, for the four schooners did not come to
+sufficiently close quarters to be of much assistance against the
+enemy. The gunnery of the Americans proved too much for the enemy,
+however; and after losing eighteen men, together with a large number
+wounded, the British surrendered. The American vessel was a good deal
+cut up aloft, and lost nine of her men. The next morning a third
+transport was sighted by the "Defence," and speedily overhauled and
+captured. More than five hundred British soldiers were thus captured;
+and the British thenceforward dared not treat the Americans as rebels,
+lest the colonial army authorities should retaliate upon the British
+prisoners in their hands.
+
+It was in the year 1776 that the first naval vessel giving allegiance
+to the American Colonies showed herself in European waters. This
+vessel was the "Reprisal," Capt. Wickes, a small craft, mounting
+sixteen guns. Early in the summer of '76, the "Reprisal" made a cruise
+to Martinique, taking several prizes. When near the island, she
+encountered the British sloop-of-war "Shark," and a sharp battle
+ensued. In size and weight of metal, the two vessels were about evenly
+matched; but the "Reprisal" had been sending out so many prize-crews,
+that she was short eighty men of her full crew. Therefore, when, after
+a brisk interchange of broadsides, the British sloop sheered off, and
+left the "Reprisal" to continue her course, Capt. Wickes rejoiced in
+his escape as being almost equal to a victory.
+
+After completing this cruise, the "Reprisal" was ordered to France for
+the purpose of conveying thither from Philadelphia Benjamin Franklin,
+the ambassador sent from the Colonies to interest the French in the
+cause of American liberty. While on the way over, she took two or
+three prizes, which were sold in France. After landing her
+distinguished passenger, she cruised about in the proverbially
+tempestuous Bay of Biscay, where she forced several British vessels to
+strike to the American flag, then first seen in those waters. On
+returning to France to sell his newly captured prizes, Capt. Wickes
+found trouble in store for him. The British ambassador at Paris had
+declared that the American cruiser was a detestable pirate; and that
+for France to permit the pirate to anchor in her harbors, or sell his
+prizes in her markets, was equal to a declaration of war against
+England. Wickes was, therefore, admonished to take his ships and
+prisoners away. But even in that early day Yankee wit was sharp, and
+able to extricate its possessor from troublesome scrapes. Wickes knew
+that there were plenty of purchasers to be had for his prizes: so,
+gathering a few ship-owners together, he took them out to sea beyond
+the jurisdiction of France, and there sold them to the highest bidder.
+
+The money thus obtained Wickes used in purchasing vessels suitable for
+armed cruisers. While these were fitting out, the "Lexington" and the
+"Dolphin" arrived in France, and soon joined the "Reprisal" in a
+cruise around the British Islands. The little squadron fairly swept
+the Channel and the Irish Sea of merchantmen. The excitement in
+England ran high, and the admiralty despatched all the available
+men-of-war in search of the marauders. But the swift-sailing cruisers
+escaped all pursuers. Once indeed the "Reprisal" came near falling
+into the hands of the enemy, but escaped by throwing overboard every
+thing movable, sawing away her bulwarks, and even cutting away her
+heavy timbers.
+
+The result of this cruise so aroused England, that France no longer
+dared to harbor the audacious Yankee cruisers. The "Lexington" and
+"Reprisal" were, therefore, ordered to leave European waters
+forthwith. The "Lexington" complied first, and when one day out from
+the port of Morlaix encountered the British man-of-war cutter "Alert."
+The "Alert" was the smaller of the two vessels, but her commander had
+in him all that pluck and those sterling seamanlike qualities that
+made the name of England great upon the ocean. A stiff breeze was
+blowing, and a heavy cross sea running, when the two vessels came
+together. The gunners sighted their pieces at random and fired,
+knowing little whether the shot would go plunging into the waves, or
+fly high into the air. As a result, they carried on a spirited
+cannonade for upwards of two hours, with the sole effect of carrying
+away the top hamper of the "Alert," and exhausting most of the powder
+on the American craft.
+
+Finding his ammunition rapidly giving out, the captain of the
+"Lexington" clapped on all sail, and soon showed his crippled
+antagonist a clean pair of heels. But so great was the activity of
+the crew of the "Alert" that they repaired the damage done aloft, and
+in four hours overtook the "American," and opened fire upon her The
+battle now became one-sided; for the "Lexington," being short of
+powder, could make little resistance to the brisk attack of her
+persevering adversary. In less than an hour she was forced to strike
+her flag.
+
+The fate of the "Reprisal" was even harder than that of her consort.
+While crossing the Atlantic on her way back to the coast of America,
+she was overtaken by a furious gale. With furled sails and battened
+hatches, the little craft made a desperate fight for life. But the
+fierce wind carried away her masts and spars, and the tossing waves
+opened her seams, so that it became apparent to all on board that the
+fate of the gallant craft, that had so nobly defended the cause of
+American liberty, was sealed. As the water rose higher and higher in
+the hold, the officers saw that it was no longer a question of the
+possibility of saving the ship, but that their lives and those of the
+crew were in the greatest danger. Boats were lowered; but the angry
+white-capped waves tossed them madly aloft, and, turning them over and
+over, sent the poor fellows that manned them to their long account.
+All hands then set to work at the construction of a huge raft; and
+just as the ship's stern settled, it was pushed off, and all that
+could reach it clambered on. A few poor fellows clung to the sinking
+ship; and their comrades on the raft saw them crowd on the forecastle,
+and heard their despairing cries as the good ship threw her prow high
+in the air, and sunk stern foremost to the placid depths of the stormy
+ocean. But those on the raft were not destined to escape the fate of
+their comrades. The haggard sufferers were doomed to see the frail
+structure on which their lives depended go slowly to pieces before the
+mighty power of the remorseless sea. Bit by bit their foothold
+vanished from beneath them. One by one they were swept off into the
+seething cauldron of the storm. At last but one man remained, the cook
+of the ill-fated vessel, who floated about for three days on a piece
+of wreckage, until, half-starved and nearly crazed, he was picked up
+by a passing vessel, and told the tale of the wreck. So ended the
+career of the patriotic and gallant Capt. Wickes and his crew, and
+such is the fate that every stout fellow braves when he dons his blue
+jacket and goes to serve his country on the ocean.
+
+In addition to the exploits of the American cruisers upon the high
+seas, certain operations of the British navy along the American coast,
+during the year 1776, demand attention. Of these the most important
+was the attack by Sir Peter Parker upon Charleston, in September of
+that year,--an attack made memorable by the determined courage of the
+Americans, the daring exploit of Sergt. Jasper, and the discovery of
+the remarkable qualities of palmetto logs as a material for
+fortifications.
+
+Charleston was then a town of but a few thousand inhabitants; but,
+small as it was, it had become particularly obnoxious to the British
+on account of the strong revolutionary sentiment of its people, and
+their many open acts of defiance of King George's authority. When the
+offensive Stamp Act first was published, the people of Charleston rose
+in revolt; and the stamps for the city being stored in an armed
+fortress in the bay, known as Castle Johnson, a party of a hundred and
+fifty armed men went down the bay, surprised the garrison, captured
+the castle, and, loading its guns, defied the authorities. Not until
+the promise had been made that the stamps should be sent back to
+England, did the rebellious Carolinians lay down their arms. Nor was
+their peace of long duration. When the news of the battle of Lexington
+reached the little Southern seaport, the people straightway cast about
+for an opportunity to strike a blow against the tyranny of England.
+The opportunity soon offered itself. An English sloop laden with
+powder was lying at St. Augustine, Fla. Learning this, the people of
+Charleston fitted out a vessel, which captured the powder-ship, and,
+eluding a number of British cruisers, returned safely to Charleston
+with fifteen thousand pounds of gunpowder for the colonial army. Soon
+after the colonial troops took possession of the forts in the harbor,
+and Charleston became a revolutionary stronghold.
+
+Therefore, when the war authorities of Great Britain prepared to take
+active, offensive measures against the seaport cities of the
+rebellious colonies, Charleston was one of the first points chosen for
+attack. It was on the 4th of June, 1776, that the British fleet, under
+the command of the veteran admiral, Sir Peter Parker, appeared off
+Charleston bar. The colonists had learned of its approach some time
+before; and the town was crowded with troops, both regular and
+volunteer. Two forts, Johnson and Sullivan, were erected at points
+commanding the entrance to the harbor. Troops were thrown out to
+oppose the advance of landing parties. The wharves were covered with
+breastworks, and the streets leading up from the water-side were
+barricaded. There was a great scarceness of lead for bullets; and to
+supply that need the leaden sashes, in which window-panes were at that
+time set, were melted down. When the fleet of the enemy appeared in
+the offing, Charleston was quite ready to give the invaders a warm
+reception.
+
+Fort Sullivan was the chief work in the harbor, and against this
+Parker began a vigorous cannonade early on the morning of the 28th of
+June. The fort had been built of logs of palmetto wood, and was looked
+upon with some distrust by its defenders, who did not know how well
+that material could withstand cannon-shot; but the opening volley of
+the fleet re-assured them. The balls penetrated deep in the soft,
+spongy wood without detaching any of the splinters, which, in a
+battle, are more dangerous than the shot themselves. The fort soon
+replied to the fire of the fleet; and the thunder of three hundred
+cannon rang out over the bay, while dense clouds of sulphurous smoke
+hid the scene from the eager gaze of the crowds of people on the
+housetops of the city.
+
+When the stately ships of the British squadron swung into line before
+the little wooden fort, there was hardly a sailor who did not take his
+station without a feeling of contempt for the insignificant obstacle
+that they were about to sweep from their path. But as the day wore on,
+and the ceaseless cannonade seemed to have no effect on the bastions
+of the fort, the case began to look serious.
+
+"Mind the commodore, and the fifty-gun ships," was the command
+Moultrie gave to the gunners in the fort when the action commenced,
+and right well did they heed the injunction. The quarter-decks of the
+ships-of-the-line were swept clean of officers. The gunners in the
+fort soon found that the fire of the enemy was doing little or no
+execution, and they sighted their guns as coolly as though out for a
+day's target practice. The huge iron balls crashed through the hulls
+of the ships, or swept their decks, doing terrific execution. The
+cable of the "Bristol" was shot away, and she swung round with her
+stern to the fort. In this position she was raked repeatedly; her
+captain was killed, and at one time not an officer remained on her
+quarter-deck except the admiral Sir Peter Parker. When the conflict
+ceased, this ship alone contained forty killed and seventy-one wounded
+men. The other ships suffered nearly as severely. The twenty-eight-gun
+ship "Actaeon" grounded during the course of the engagement; and when,
+after ten hours' fruitless cannonading, the British abandoned the task
+of reducing the fort, and determined to withdraw, she was found to be
+immovable. Accordingly Admiral Parker signalled to her officer to
+abandon the ship, and set her on fire. This was accordingly done; and
+the ship was left with her colors flying, and her guns loaded. This
+movement was observed by the Americans, who, in spite of the danger of
+an explosion, boarded the ship, fired her guns at the "Bristol,"
+loaded three boats with stores, and pulled away, leaving the "Actaeon"
+to blow up, which she did half an hour later.
+
+While the battle was at its hottest, and the shot and shell were
+flying thick over the fort, the flagstaff was shot away; and the flag
+of South Carolina, a blue ground, bearing a silver crescent, fell on
+the beach outside the parapet. Sergt. William Jasper, seeing this,
+leaped on the bastion, walked calmly through the storm of flying
+missiles, picked up the flag, and fastened it upon a sponge-staff.
+Then standing upon the highest point of the parapet, in full view of
+the ships and the men in the fort, he calmly fixed the staff upright,
+and returned to his place, leaving the flag proudly waving. The next
+day the governor of the colony visited the fort, and seeking out the
+brave sergeant, handed him a handsome sword and a lieutenant's
+commission. But Jasper proved to be as modest as he was brave; for he
+declined the proffered promotion, with the remark,--
+
+"I am not fit to keep officers' company; I am but a sergeant."
+
+The complete failure of the attack upon Charleston was a bitter pill
+for the English to swallow. They had brought against the raw,
+untrained forces of the colony some of the finest ships of the boasted
+navy of Great Britain. They had fought well and pluckily. The fact
+that Sir Peter Parker was in command was in itself a guaranty that the
+attack would be a spirited one; and the tremendous loss of life in the
+fleet affords convincing proof that no poltroonery lurked among the
+British sailors. The loss of the British during the engagement, in
+killed and wounded, amounted to two hundred and twenty-five men. The
+Americans had ten men killed and twenty-two wounded. Moultrie, the
+commandant of the fort, says that after the battle was over they
+picked up more than twelve hundred solid shot of different sizes, and
+many thirteen-inch shells. Most of the shells that fell within the
+fort fell into a large pool of water, which extinguished their fuses,
+thus robbing them of their power for evil.
+
+In his report of this battle, Admiral Parker fell into a queer error.
+He reports that a large party of men entering the fort met a man going
+out, whom they straightway hanged to a neighboring tree, in full view
+of the fleet. From this the admiral concluded that there was an
+incipient mutiny in the fort, and the ringleader was hanged as an
+example. Col. Moultrie, however, explained this by stating that the
+man hanging in the tree was simply the coat of a soldier, which had
+been carried away by a cannon-shot, and left hanging in the branches.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+ THE CAREER OF PAUL JONES. -- IN COMMAND OF THE "PROVIDENCE."
+ -- CAPTURE OF THE "MELLISH." -- EXPLOITS WITH THE "ALFRED."
+ -- IN COMMAND OF THE "RANGER." -- SWEEPING THE ENGLISH
+ CHANNEL. -- THE DESCENT UPON WHITEHAVEN.
+
+
+We have already spoken of the farcical affair between the fleet under
+Ezekiel Hopkins and the English frigate "Glasgow," in which the
+English vessel, by superior seamanship, and taking advantage of the
+blunders of the Americans, escaped capture. The primary result of this
+battle was to cause the dismissal from the service of Hopkins. But his
+dismissal led to the advancement of a young naval officer, whose name
+became one of the most glorious in American naval annals, and whose
+fame as a skilful seaman has not been tarnished by the hand of time.
+
+[Illustration: Captain John Paul Jones Quelling The Mob At White
+Haven, Scotland, Nov., 1777.]
+
+At the time of the escape of the "Glasgow," there was serving upon the
+"Alfred" a young lieutenant, by name John Paul Jones. Jones was a
+Scotchman. His rightful name was John Paul; but for some reason, never
+fully understood, he had assumed the surname of Jones, and his record
+under the name of Paul Jones forms one of the most glorious chapters
+of American naval history. When given a lieutenant's commission in the
+colonial navy, Jones was twenty-nine years old. From the day when a
+lad of thirteen years he shipped for his first voyage, he had spent
+his life on the ocean. He had served on peaceful merchantmen, and
+in the less peaceful, but at that time equally respectable,
+slave-trade. A small inheritance had enabled him to assume the station
+of a Virginia gentleman; and he had become warmly attached to American
+ideas and principles, and at the outbreak of the Revolution put his
+services at the command of Congress. He was first offered a captain's
+commission with the command of the "Providence," mounting twelve guns
+and carrying one hundred men. But with extraordinary modesty the young
+sailor declined, saying that he hardly felt himself fitted to
+discharge the duties of a first lieutenant. The lieutenant's
+commission, however, he accepted; and it was in this station that with
+his own hands he hoisted the first American flag to the masthead of
+the "Alfred."
+
+The wretched fiasco which attended the attack of the American fleet
+upon the "Glasgow" was greatly deplored by Jones. However, he
+refrained from any criticism upon his superiors, and sincerely
+regretted the finding of the court of inquiry, by which the captain of
+the "Providence" was dismissed the service, and Lieut. Paul Jones
+recommended to fill the vacancy.
+
+The duties which devolved upon Capt. Jones were manifold and arduous.
+The ocean was swarming with powerful British men-of-war, which in his
+little craft he must avoid, while keeping a sharp outlook for foemen
+with whom he was equally matched. More than once, from the masthead of
+the "Providence," the lookout could discover white sails of one or
+more vessels, any one of which, with a single broadside, could have
+sent the audacious Yankee to the bottom. But luckily the "Providence"
+was a fast sailer, and wonderfully obedient to her helm. To her good
+sailing qualities, and to his own admirable seamanship, Jones owed
+more than one fortunate escape. Once, when almost overtaken by a
+powerful man-of-war, he edged away until he brought his pursuer on his
+weather quarter; then, putting his helm up suddenly, he stood dead
+before the wind, thus doubling on his course, and running past his
+adversary within pistol-shot of her guns, but in a course directly
+opposite to that upon which she was standing. The heavy war-ship went
+plunging ahead like a heavy hound eluded by the agile fox, and the
+Yankee proceeded safely on her course.
+
+Some days later the "Providence" was lying to on the great banks near
+the Isle of Sables. It was a holiday for the crew; for no sails were
+in sight, and Capt. Jones had indulgently allowed them to get out
+their cod-lines and enjoy an afternoon's fishing. In the midst of
+their sport, as they were hauling in the finny monsters right merrily,
+the hail of the lookout warned them that a strange sail was in sight.
+The stranger drew rapidly nearer, and was soon made out to be a war
+vessel. Jones, finding after a short trial that his light craft could
+easily outstrip the lumbering man-of-war, managed to keep just out of
+reach. Now and then the pursuer would luff up and let fly a broadside;
+the shot skipping along over the waves, but sinking before they
+reached the "Providence." Jones, who had an element of humor in his
+character, responded to this cannonade with one musket, which, with
+great solemnity, was discharged in response to each broadside. After
+keeping up this burlesque battle for some hours, the "Providence"
+spread her sails, and soon left her foe hull down beneath the horizon.
+
+After having thus eluded his pursuer, Jones skirted the coast of Cape
+Breton, and put into the harbor of Canso, where he found three British
+fishing schooners lying at anchor. The inhabitants of the little
+fishing village were electrified to see the "Providence" cast anchor
+in the harbor, and, lowering her boats, send two crews of armed
+sailors to seize the British craft. No resistance was made, however;
+and the Americans burned one schooner, scuttled a second, and after
+filling the third with fish, taken from the other two, took her out of
+the harbor with the "Providence" leading the way.
+
+From the crew of the captured vessel, Jones learned that at the Island
+of Madame, not far from Canso, there was a considerable flotilla of
+British merchantmen. Accordingly he proceeded thither with the
+intention of destroying them. On arriving, he found the harbor too
+shallow to admit the "Providence;" and accordingly taking up a
+position from which he could, with his cannon, command the harbor, he
+despatched armed boats' crews to attack the shipping. On entering the
+harbor, the Americans found nine British vessels lying at anchor.
+Ships and brigs, as well as small fishing schooners, were in the
+fleet. It was a rich prize for the Americans, and it was won without
+bloodshed; for the peaceful fishermen offered no resistance to the
+Yankees, and looked upon the capture of their vessels with amazement.
+The condition of these poor men, thus left on a bleak coast with no
+means of escape, appealed strongly to Jones's humanity. He therefore
+told them, that, if they would assist him in making ready for sea such
+of the prizes as he wished to take with him, he would leave them
+vessels enough to carry them back to England. The fishermen heartily
+agreed to the proposition, and worked faithfully for several days at
+the task of fitting out the captured vessels. The night before the day
+on which Jones had intended leaving the harbor, the wind came on to
+blow, and a violent storm of wind and rain set in. Even the usually
+calm surface of the little harbor was lashed to fury by the shrieking
+wind. The schooner "Sea-Flower"--one of the captured prizes--was torn
+from her moorings; and though her crew got out the sweeps, and
+struggled valiantly for headway against the driving storm, she drifted
+on shore, and lay there a total wreck. The schooner "Ebenezer," which
+Jones had brought from Canso laden with fish, drifted on a sunken
+reef, and was there so battered by the roaring waves that she went to
+pieces. Her crew, after vainly striving to launch the boats, built a
+raft, and saved themselves on that.
+
+The next day the storm abated; and Capt. Jones, taking with him three
+heavily laden prizes, left the harbor, and turned his ship's prow
+homeward. The voyage to Newport, then the headquarters of the little
+navy, was made without other incident than the futile chase of three
+British ships, which ran into the harbor of Louisbourg. On his
+arrival, Jones reported that he had been cruising for forty-seven
+days, and in that time had captured sixteen prizes, beside the
+fishing-vessels he burned at Cape Breton. Eight of his prizes he had
+manned, and sent into port; the remainder he had burned. It was the
+first effective blow the colonists had yet struck at their powerful
+foe upon the ocean.
+
+Hardly had Paul Jones completed this first cruise, when his mind, ever
+active in the service of his country, suggested to him a new
+enterprise in which he might contribute to the cause of American
+liberty. At this early period of the Revolution, the British were
+treating American prisoners with almost inconceivable barbarity. Many
+were sent to the "Old Jersey" prison-ship, of whose horrors we shall
+read something later on. Others, to the number of about a hundred,
+were taken to Cape Breton, and forced to labor like Russian felons in
+the underground coal-mines. Jones's plan was bold in its conception,
+but needed only energy and promptitude to make it perfectly feasible.
+
+He besought the authorities to give him command of a squadron, that he
+might move on Cape Breton, destroy the British coal and fishing
+vessels always congregated there, and liberate the hapless Americans
+who were passing their lives in the dark misery of underground mining.
+His plan was received with favor, but the authorities lacked the means
+to give him the proper aid. However, two vessels, the "Alfred" and the
+"Providence," were assigned to him; and he went speedily to work to
+prepare for the adventure. At the outset, he was handicapped by lack
+of men. The privateers were then fitting out in every port; and seamen
+saw in privateering easier service, milder discipline, and greater
+profits than they could hope for in the regular navy. When, by hard
+work, the muster-roll of the "Alfred" showed her full complement of
+men shipped, the stormy month of November had arrived, and the golden
+hour for success was past.
+
+Nevertheless, Jones, taking command of the "Alfred," and putting the
+"Providence" in the command of Capt. Hacker, left Newport, and laid
+his course to the northward. When he arrived off the entrance to the
+harbor of Louisbourg, he was so lucky as to encounter an English brig,
+the "Mellish," which, after a short resistance, struck her flag. She
+proved to be laden with heavy warm clothing for the British troops in
+Canada. This capture was a piece of great good fortune for the
+Americans, and many a poor fellow in Washington's army that winter had
+cause to bless Paul Jones for his activity and success.
+
+The day succeeding the capture of the "Mellish" dawned gray and
+cheerless. Light flurries of snow swept across the waves, and by noon
+a heavy snowstorm, driven by a violent north-east gale, darkened the
+air, and lashed the waves into fury. Jones stood dauntless at his post
+on deck, encouraging the sailors by cheery words, and keeping the
+sturdy little vessel on her course. All day and night the storm
+roared; and when, the next morning, Jones, wearied by his ceaseless
+vigilance, looked anxiously across the waters for his consort, she was
+not to be seen. The people on the "Alfred" supposed, of course, that
+the "Providence" was lost, with all on board, and mourned the sad fate
+of their comrades. But, in fact, Capt. Hacker, affrighted by the
+storm, had basely deserted his leader during the night, and made off
+for Newport, leaving Jones to prosecute his enterprise alone.
+
+Jones recognized in this desertion the knell of the enterprise upon
+which he had embarked. Nevertheless, he disdained to return to port:
+so sending the "Mellish" and a second prize, which the British
+afterwards recaptured, back to Massachusetts, he continued his cruise
+along the Nova Scotia coast. Again he sought out the harbor of Canso,
+and, entering it, found a large English transport laden with
+provisions aground just inside the bar. Boats' crews from the "Alfred"
+soon set the torch to the stranded ship, and then, landing, fired a
+huge warehouse filled with whale-oil and the products of the
+fisheries. Leaving the blazing pile behind, the "Alfred" put out again
+into the stormy sea, and made for the northward.
+
+As he approached Louisbourg, Jones fell in with a considerable fleet
+of British coal-vessels, in convoy of the frigate "Flora." A heavy fog
+hung over the ocean; and the fleet Yankee, flying here and there, was
+able to cut out and capture three of the vessels without alarming the
+frigate, that continued unsuspectingly on her course. Two days later,
+Jones snapped up a Liverpool privateer, that fired scarcely a single
+gun in resistance. Then crowded with prisoners, embarrassed by prizes,
+and short of food and water, the "Alfred" turned her course homeward.
+
+Five valuable prizes sailed in her wake. Anxiety for the safety of
+these gave Jones no rest by day or night. He was ceaselessly on the
+watch lest some hostile man-of-war should overhaul his fleet, and
+force him to abandon his hard-won fruits of victory. All went well
+until, when off St. George's Bank, he encountered the frigate
+"Milford,"--the same craft to whose cannon-balls Jones, but a few
+months before, had tauntingly responded with musket-shots.
+
+It was late in the afternoon when the "Milford" was sighted; and
+Jones, seeing that she could by no possibility overtake his squadron
+before night, ordered his prizes to continue their course without
+regard to any lights or apparent signals from the "Alfred." When
+darkness fell upon the sea, the Yankees were scudding along on the
+starboard tack, with the Englishman coming bravely up astern. From the
+tops of the "Alfred" swung two burning lanterns, which the enemy
+doubtless pronounced a bit of beastly stupidity on the part of the
+Yankee, affording, as it did, an excellent guide for the pursuer to
+steer by. But during the night the wily Jones changed his course. The
+prizes, with the exception of the captured privateer, continued on
+the starboard tack. The "Alfred" and the privateer made off on the
+port tack, with the "Milford" in full cry in their wake. Not until the
+morning dawned did the Englishman discover how he had been tricked.
+
+Having thus secured the safety of his prizes, it only remained for
+Jones to escape with the privateer. Unluckily, however, the officer
+put in charge of the privateer proved incapable, and his craft fell
+into hands of the British. Jones, however, safely carried the "Alfred"
+clear of the "Milford's" guns, and, a heavy storm coming up, soon
+eluded his foe in the snow and darkness. Thereupon he shaped his
+course for Boston, where he arrived on the 5th of December, 1776. Had
+he been delayed two days longer, both his provisions and his water
+would have been exhausted.
+
+For the ensuing six months Jones remained on shore, not by any means
+inactive, for his brain was teeming with great projects for his
+country's service. He had been deprived of the command of the
+"Alfred," and another ship was not easily to be found: so he turned
+his attention to questions of naval organization, and the results of
+many of his suggestions are observable in the United States navy
+to-day. It was not until June 14, 1777, that a command was found for
+him. This was the eighteen-gun ship "Ranger," built to carry a
+frigate's battery of twenty-six guns. She had been built for the
+revolutionary government, at Portsmouth, and was a stanch-built, solid
+craft, though miserably slow and somewhat crank. Jones, though
+disappointed with the sailing qualities of the craft, was nevertheless
+vastly delighted to be again in command of a man-of-war, and wasted no
+time in getting her ready for sea.
+
+It so happened, that, on the very day Paul Jones received his
+commission as commander of the "Ranger," the Continental Congress
+adopted the Stars and Stripes for the national flag. Jones,
+anticipating this action, had prepared a flag in accordance with the
+proposed designs, and, upon hearing of the action of Congress, had it
+run to the masthead, while the cannon of the "Ranger" thundered out
+their deep-mouthed greetings to the starry banner destined to wave
+over the most glorious nation of the earth. Thus it happened that the
+same hand that had given the pine-tree banner to the winds was the
+first to fling out to the breezes the bright folds of the Stars and
+Stripes.
+
+Early in October the "Ranger" left Portsmouth, and made for the coast
+of France. Astute agents of the Americans in that country were having
+a fleet, powerful frigate built there for Jones, which he was to take,
+leaving the sluggish "Ranger" to be sold. But, on his arrival at
+Nantes, Jones was grievously disappointed to learn that the British
+Government had so vigorously protested against the building of a
+vessel-of-war in France for the Americans, that the French Government
+had been obliged to notify the American agents that their plan must be
+abandoned. France was at this time at peace with Great Britain, and,
+though inclined to be friendly with the rebellious colonies, was not
+ready to entirely abandon her position as a neutral power. Later, when
+she took up arms against England, she gave the Americans every right
+in her ports they could desire.
+
+Jones thus found himself in European waters with a vessel too weak to
+stand against the frigates England could send to take her, and too
+slow to elude them. But he determined to strike some effective blows
+for the cause of liberty. Accordingly he planned an enterprise, which,
+for audacity of conception and dash in execution, has never been
+equalled by any naval expedition since.
+
+This was nothing less than a virtual invasion of England. The "Ranger"
+lay at Brest. Jones planned to dash across the English Channel, and
+cruise along the coast of England, burning shipping and towns, as a
+piece of retaliation upon the British for their wanton outrages along
+the American coast. It was a bold plan. The channel was thronged with
+the heavy frigates of Great Britain, any one of which could have
+annihilated the audacious Yankee cruiser. Nevertheless, Jones
+determined to brave the danger.
+
+At the outset, it seemed as though his purpose was to be balked by
+heavy weather. For days after the "Ranger" left Brest, she battled
+against the chop-seas of the English Channel. The sky was dark, and
+the light of the sun obscured by gray clouds. The wind whistled
+through the rigging, and tore at the tightly furled sails. Great green
+walls of water, capped with snowy foam, beat thunderously against the
+sides of the "Ranger." Now and then a port would be driven in, and the
+men between decks drenched by the incoming deluge. The "Ranger" had
+encountered an equinoctial gale in its worst form.
+
+When the gale died away, Jones found himself off the Scilly Islands,
+in full view of the coast of England. Here he encountered a
+merchantman, which he took and scuttled, sending the crew ashore to
+spread the news that an American man-of-war was ravaging the channel.
+Having alarmed all England, he changed his hunting-ground to St.
+George's Channel and the Irish Sea, where he captured several ships;
+sending one, a prize, back to Brest. He was in waters with which he
+had been familiar from his youth, and he made good use of his
+knowledge; dashing here and there, lying in wait in the highway of
+commerce, and then secreting himself in some sequestered cove while
+the enemy's ship-of-war went by in fruitless search for the marauder.
+All England was aroused by the exploits of the Yankee cruiser. Never
+since the days of the Invincible Armada had war been so brought home
+to the people of the tight little island. Long had the British
+boastfully claimed the title of monarch of the seas. Long had they
+sung the vainglorious song,--
+
+ "Britannia needs no bulwarks,
+ No towers along the steep;
+ Her march is o'er the mountain waves,
+ Her home is on the deep."
+
+But Paul Jones showed Great Britain that her boasted power was a
+bubble. He ravaged the seas within cannon-shot of English headlands.
+He captured and burned merchantmen, drove the rates of insurance up to
+panic prices, paralyzed British shipping-trade, and even made small
+incursions into British territory.
+
+The reports that reached Jones of British barbarity along the American
+coast, of the burning of Falmouth, of tribute levied on innumerable
+seaport towns,--all aroused in him a determination to strike a
+retaliatory blow. Whitehaven, a small seaport, was the spot chosen by
+him for attack; and he brought his ship to off the mouth of the harbor
+late one night, intending to send in a boat's crew to fire the
+shipping. But so strong a wind sprung up, as to threaten to drive the
+ship ashore; and Jones was forced to make sail, and get an offing. A
+second attempt, made upon a small harbor called Lochryan, on the
+western coast of Scotland, was defeated by a like cause.
+
+But the expedition against Lochryan, though in itself futile, was the
+means of giving Jones an opportunity to show his merits as a fighter.
+Soon after leaving Lochryan, he entered the bay of Carrichfergus, on
+which is situated the Irish commercial city of Belfast. The bay was
+constantly filled with merchantmen; and the "Ranger," with her ports
+closed, and her warlike character carefully disguised, excited no
+suspicion aboard a trim, heavy-built craft that lay at anchor a little
+farther up the bay. This craft was the British man-of-war "Drake,"
+mounting twenty guns. Soon after his arrival in the bay, Jones learned
+the character of the "Drake," and determined to attempt her capture
+during the night. Accordingly he dropped anchor near by, and, while
+carefully concealing the character of his craft, made every
+preparation for a midnight fight. The men sat between decks,
+sharpening cutlasses, and cleaning and priming their pistols; the
+cannon were loaded with grape, and depressed for work at close
+quarters; battle lanterns were hung in place, ready to be lighted at
+the signal for action.
+
+At ten o'clock, the tramp of men about the capstan gave notice that
+the anchor was being brought to the catheads. Soon the creaking of
+cordage, and the snapping of the sails, told that the fresh breeze was
+being caught by the spreading sails. Then the waves rippled about the
+bow of the ship, and the "Ranger" was fairly under way.
+
+It was a pitch-dark night, but the lights on board the "Drake" showed
+where she was lying. On the "Ranger" all lights were extinguished, and
+no noise told of her progress towards her enemy. It was the captain's
+plan to run his vessel across the "Drake's" cable, drop his own
+anchor, let the "Ranger" swing alongside the Englishman, and then
+fight it out at close quarters. But this plan, though well laid,
+failed of execution. The anchor was not let fall in season; and the
+"Ranger," instead of bringing up alongside her enemy, came to anchor
+half a cable-length astern. The swift-flowing tide and the fresh
+breeze made it impossible to warp the ship alongside: so Jones ordered
+the cable cut, and the "Ranger" scudded down the bay before the
+ever-freshening gale. It does not appear that the people on the
+"Drake" were aware of the danger they so narrowly escaped.
+
+The wind that had aided the tide in defeating Jones's enterprise blew
+stronger and stronger, and before morning the sea was tossing before a
+regular north-east gale. Against it the "Ranger" could make no
+headway: so Jones gave his ship her head, and scudded before the wind
+until within the vicinity of Whitehaven, when he determined to again
+attempt to destroy the shipping in that port. This time he was
+successful. Bringing the "Ranger" to anchor near the bar, Capt. Jones
+called for volunteers to accompany him on the expedition. He himself
+was to be their leader; for as a boy he had often sailed in and out of
+the little harbor, knew where the forts stood, and where the colliers
+anchored most thickly. The landing party was divided into two
+boat-loads; Jones taking command of one, while Lieut. Wallingford held
+the tiller of the other boat. With muffled oars the Americans made for
+the shore, the boats' keels grated upon the pebbly shore, and an
+instant later the adventurers had scaled the ramparts of the forts,
+and had made themselves masters of the garrisons. All was done
+quietly. The guns in the fortifications were spiked; and, leaving the
+few soldiers on guard gagged and bound, Jones and his followers
+hastened down to the wharves to set fire to the shipping.
+
+In the harbor were not less than two hundred and twenty vessels, large
+and small. On the north side of the harbor, near the forts, were about
+one hundred and fifty vessels. These Jones undertook to destroy. The
+others were left to Lieut. Wallingford, with his boat's crew of
+fifteen picked men.
+
+When Jones and his followers reached the cluster of merchantmen, they
+found their torches so far burned out as to be useless. Failure stared
+them in the face then, when success was almost within their grasp.
+Jones, however, was not to be balked of his prey. Running his boat
+ashore, he hastened to a neighboring house, where he demanded candles.
+With these he returned, led his men aboard a large ship from which the
+crew fled, and deliberately built a fire in her hold. Lest the fire
+should go out, he found a barrel of tar, and threw it upon the flames.
+Then with the great ship roaring and crackling, and surrounded by
+scores of other vessels in danger from the flames, Jones withdrew,
+thinking his work complete.
+
+Many writers have criticised Paul Jones for not having stayed longer
+to complete the destruction of the vessels in the harbor. But, with
+the gradually brightening day, his position, which was at the best
+very dangerous, was becoming desperate. There were one hundred and
+fifty vessels in that part of the harbor; the crews averaged ten men
+to a vessel: so that nearly fifteen hundred men were opposed to the
+plucky little band of Americans. The roar of the fire aroused the
+people of the town, and they rushed in crowds to the wharf. In
+describing the affair Jones writes, "The inhabitants began to appear
+in thousands, and individuals ran hastily toward us. I stood between
+them and the ship on fire, with my pistol in my hand, and ordered them
+to stand, which they did with some precipitation. The sun was a full
+hour's march above the horizon; and, as sleep no longer ruled the
+world, it was time to retire. We re-embarked without opposition,
+having released a number of prisoners, as our boats could not carry
+them. After all my people had embarked, I stood upon the pier for a
+considerable space, yet no person advanced. I saw all the eminences
+round the town covered with the amazed inhabitants."
+
+As his boat drew away from the blazing shipping, Jones looked
+anxiously across the harbor to the spot to which Lieut. Wallingford
+had been despatched. But no flames were seen in that quarter; for,
+Wallingford's torches having gone out, he had abandoned the
+enterprise. And so the Americans, having regained their ship, took
+their departure, leaving only one of the enemy's vessels burning. A
+most lame and impotent conclusion it was indeed; but, as Jones said,
+"What was done is sufficient to show that not all the boasted British
+navy is sufficient to protect their own coasts, and that the scenes of
+distress which they have occasioned in America may soon be brought
+home to their own doors."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+ CAREER OF PAUL JONES CONTINUED. -- HIS DESCENT UPON THE
+ CASTLE OF LORD SELKIRK -- THE AFFAIR OF THE PLATE. -- THE
+ DESCENT UPON WHITEHAVEN. -- THE BATTLE WITH THE
+ "DRAKE."-LIEUT. SIMPSON'S PERFIDY.
+
+
+We now come to the glorious part of the career of Paul Jones upon the
+ocean. Heretofore he has been chiefly occupied in the capture of
+defenceless merchantmen. His work has been that of the privateer, even
+if not of the pirate that the British have always claimed he was. But
+the time came when Jones proved that he was ready to fight an
+adversary of his mettle; was willing to take heavy blows, and deal
+stunning ones in return. His daring was not confined to dashing
+expeditions in which the danger was chiefly overcome by spirit and
+rapid movements. While this class of operations was ever a favorite
+with the doughty seaman, he was not at all averse to the deadly naval
+duel.
+
+We shall for a time abandon our account of the general naval incidents
+of the Revolution, to follow the career of Paul Jones to the end of
+the war. His career is not only the most interesting, but the most
+important, feature of the naval operations of that war. He stands out
+alone, a grand figure in naval history, as does Decatur in the wars
+with the Barbary pirates, or Farragut in the war for the Union. The
+war of 1812 affords no such example of single greatness in the navy.
+There we find Perry, McDonough, and Porter, all equally great. But in
+'76 there was no one to stand beside Paul Jones.
+
+When the "Ranger" left the harbor of Whitehaven, her captain was heavy
+hearted. He felt that he had had the opportunity to strike a heavy
+blow at the British shipping, but had nevertheless inflicted only a
+trifling hurt. Angry with himself for not having better planned the
+adventure, and discontented with his lieutenant for not having by
+presence of mind prevented the fiasco, he felt that peace of mind
+could only be obtained by some deed of successful daring.
+
+He was cruising in seas familiar to him as a sailor. Along the
+Scottish shores his boyhood hours had been spent. This knowledge he
+sought to turn to account. From the deck of his ship, he could see the
+wooded shores of St. Mary's Island, on which were the landed estates
+of Lord Selkirk, a British noble, of ancient lineage and political
+prominence. On the estate of this nobleman Paul Jones was born, and
+there he passed the few years of his life that elapsed before he
+forsook the land for his favorite element.
+
+Leaning against the rail on the quarter-deck of the "Ranger," Jones
+could see through his spy-glass the turrets and spires of Lord
+Selkirk's castle. As he gazed, there occurred to him the idea, that if
+he could send a landing party ashore, seize the castle, capture the
+peer, and bear him off into captivity, he would not only strike terror
+into the hearts of the British, but would give the Americans a
+prisoner who would serve as a hostage to secure good treatment for the
+hapless Americans who had fallen into the hands of the enemy.
+
+With Jones, the conception of a plan was followed by its swift
+execution. Disdaining to wait for nightfall, he chose two boats' crews
+of tried and trusty men, and landed. The party started up the broad
+and open highway leading to the castle. They had gone but a few rods,
+however, when they encountered two countrymen, who stared a moment at
+the force of armed men, and then turned in fear to escape.
+
+"Halt!" rang out the clear voice of the leader of the blue-jackets;
+and the peasants fell upon their faces in abject terror. Jones
+directed that they be brought to him; and he questioned them kindly,
+setting their minds at rest, and learning from them much of the castle
+and its inmates. Lord Selkirk was away from home. This to Jones was
+bitter news. It seemed as though some evil genius was dogging his
+footsteps, bringing failure upon his most carefully planned
+enterprises. But he was not a man to repine over the inevitable, and
+he promptly ordered his men to the right about, and made for the
+landing-place again.
+
+But the sailors were not so unselfish in their motives as their
+captain. They had come ashore expecting to plunder the castle of the
+earl, and they now murmured loudly over the abandonment of the
+adventure. They saw the way clear before them. No guards protected the
+house. The massive ancestral plate, with which all English landed
+families are well provided, was unprotected by bolts or bars. They
+felt that, in retreating, they were throwing away a chance to despoil
+their enemy, and enrich themselves.
+
+Jones felt the justice of the complaint of the sailors; but only after
+a fierce struggle with his personal scruples could he yield the point.
+The grounds of the Earl of Selkirk had been his early playground. A
+lodge on the vast estate had been his childhood's home. Lady Selkirk
+had shown his family many kindnesses. To now come to her house as a
+robber and pillager, seemed the blackest ingratitude; but, on the
+other hand, he had no right to permit his personal feelings to
+interfere with his duty to the crew. The sailors had followed him into
+danger many a time, and this was their first opportunity for financial
+reward. And, even if it was fair to deny them this chance to make a
+little prize-money, it would hardly be safe to sow the seeds of
+discontent among the crew while on a cruise in waters infested with
+the enemy's ships. With a sigh Jones abandoned his intention of
+protecting the property of Lady Selkirk, and ordered his lieutenant to
+proceed to the castle, and capture the family plate. Jones himself
+returned to the ship, resolved to purchase the spoils at open sale,
+and return them to their former owner.
+
+The blue-jackets continued their way up the highway, and, turning
+aside where a heavy gate opened into a stately grove, demanded of an
+old man who came, wondering, out of the lodge, that he give them
+instant admittance. Then, swinging into a trot, they ran along the
+winding carriage-drive until they came out on the broad lawn that
+extended in front of the castle. Here for the first time they were
+seen by the inmates of the castle; and faint screams of fear, and
+shouts of astonishment, came from the open windows of the stately
+pile. The men-servants came rushing out to discover who the lawless
+crowd that so violated the sanctity of an English earl's private park
+could be; but their curiosity soon abated when a few stout
+blue-jackets, cutlass and pistol in hand, surrounded them, and bade
+them keep quiet. The lieutenant, with two stout seamen at his back,
+then entered the castle, and sought out the mistress, who received him
+with calm courtesy, with a trace of scorn, but with no sign of fear.
+
+Briefly the lieutenant told his errand. The countess gave an order to
+a butler, and soon a line of stout footmen entered, bearing the plate.
+Heavy salvers engraved with the family arms of Lord Selkirk, quaint
+drinking-cups and flagons curiously carved, ewers, goblets, platters,
+covers, dishes, teapots, and all kinds of table utensils were there,
+all of exquisitely artistic workmanship, and bearing the stamp of
+antiquity. When all was ready, the lieutenant called in two of the
+sailors from the lawn; and soon the whole party, bearing the captured
+treasure, disappeared in the curves of the road.
+
+This incident, simple enough in reality, the novelist Fenimore Cooper
+has made the germ of one of his exquisite sea-tales, "The Pilot."
+British historians have made of it an example by which to prove the
+lawlessness and base ingratitude of Paul Jones. As may readily be
+imagined, it stirred up at the time the most intense excitement in
+England. Jones became the bugbear of timid people. His name was used
+to frighten little children. He was called pirate, traitor,
+free-booter, plunderer. It was indeed a most audacious act that he had
+committed. Never before or since had the soil of England been trodden
+by a hostile foot. Never had a British peer been forced to feel that
+his own castle was not safe from the invader. Jones, with his handful
+of American tars, had accomplished a feat which had never before been
+accomplished, and which no later foeman of England has dared to
+repeat. It is little wonder that the British papers described him as a
+bloodthirsty desperado.
+
+A few weeks later, the captured plate was put up for sale by the prize
+agents. Capt. Jones, though not a rich man, bought it, and returned it
+to the countess. Lord Selkirk, in acknowledging its receipt, wrote,--
+
+"And on all occasions, both now and formerly, I have done you the
+justice to tell that you made an offer of returning the plate very
+soon after your return to Brest; and although you yourself were not
+at my house, but remained at the shore with your boat, that you had
+your officers and men in such extraordinary good discipline, that your
+having given them the strictest orders to behave well,--to do no
+injury of any kind, to make no search, but only to bring off what
+plate was given them,--that in reality they did exactly as was
+ordered; and that not one man offered to stir from his post on the
+outside of the house, nor entered the doors, nor said an uncivil word;
+that the two officers stayed not one-quarter of an hour in the parlor
+and in the butler's pantry while the butler got the plate together,
+behaved politely, and asked for nothing but the plate, and instantly
+marched their men off in regular order; and that both officers and men
+behaved in all respects so well, that it would have done credit to the
+best-disciplined troops whatever."
+
+But the British took little notice of the generous reparation made by
+Capt. Jones, and continued to hurl abuse and hard names at him.
+
+Jones was vastly disappointed at his failure to capture the person of
+Lord Selkirk. The story of the sufferings of his countrymen in British
+prisons worked upon his heart, and he longed to take captive a
+personage whom he could hold as hostage. But, soon after leaving St.
+Mary's Isle, he fell in again with the British man-of-war "Drake;" and
+as a result of this encounter he had prisoners enough to exchange for
+many hapless Americans languishing in hulks and prisons.
+
+After the wind and tide had defeated the midnight attempt made by
+Jones to capture the "Drake," that craft had remained quietly at her
+anchorage, little suspecting that the bay of Carrickfergus had held so
+dangerous a neighbor. But soon reports of the "Ranger's" depredations
+began to reach the ears of the British captain. The news of the
+desperate raid upon Whitehaven became known to him. He therefore
+determined to leave his snug anchorage, and go in search of the
+audacious Yankee. Just as the captain of the "Drake" had reached this
+determination, and while he was making sail, the "Ranger" appeared off
+the mouth of the harbor.
+
+The "Drake" promptly sent out a boat to examine the strange craft, and
+report upon her character. Jones saw her coming, and resolved to throw
+her off the scent. Accordingly, by skilful seamanship, he kept the
+stern of the "Ranger" continually presented to the prying eyes in the
+British boat. Turn which way they might, be as swift in their
+manoeuvres as they might, the British scouts could see nothing of the
+"Ranger" but her stern, pierced with two cabin windows, as might be
+the stern of any merchantman. Her sides, dotted with frowning ports,
+were kept securely hidden from their eyes.
+
+Though provided with spy-glasses, the people in the boat were totally
+deceived. Unsuspectingly they came up under the stern of the "Ranger,"
+and demanded to come on board. As the officer in command clambered up
+a rope, and vaulted the taffrail to the quarter-deck, he saw Paul
+Jones and his lieutenants, in full uniform, standing before him.
+
+"Why,--why, what ship's this?" stammered the astonished officer.
+
+"This is the American Continental ship 'Ranger,' and you are my
+prisoner," responded Jones; and at the words a few sailors, with
+cutlasses and pistols, called to the men in the boat alongside, to
+come aboard and give themselves up.
+
+From his captives Jones learned that the news of the Whitehaven raid
+had reached the "Drake" only the night before; and that she had been
+re-enforcing her crew with volunteers, preparatory to going out in
+search of the "Ranger." As he stood talking to the captured British
+naval officer, Jones noticed slender columns of smoke rising from the
+woods on neighboring highlands, where he knew there were no houses.
+
+"What does that mean?" he asked.
+
+"Alarm fires, sir," answered the captive; "the news of your descent
+upon Whitehaven is terrifying the whole country."
+
+Soon, however, the attention of the Americans was diverted from the
+signal-fires to the "Drake." An appearance of life and bustle was
+observable about the boat. The shrill notes of the boatswain's
+whistle, and the tramp of men about the capstan, came faintly over the
+waters. The rigging was full of sailors, and the sails were being
+quickly spread to catch the fresh breeze. Soon the ship began to move
+slowly from her anchorage; she heeled a little to one side, and,
+responsive to her helm, turned down the bay. She was coming out to
+look after her lost boat.
+
+Jones determined to hold his ground, and give battle to the
+Englishman. He at once began to prepare for battle in every way
+possible without alarming the enemy. The great guns were loaded and
+primed. Cutlasses and pistols were brought up from the armorer's room,
+and placed in convenient locations on the main deck, so that the
+boarders might find them when needed. The powder-monkeys, stripped for
+action, and the handlers and cartridge-makers entered the
+powder-magazine, and prepared to hand out the deadly explosive. The
+cook and his assistant strewed sawdust and ashes about the decks, to
+catch the blood, and keep the men from slipping. Every one was busy,
+from the captain down to the galley-boy.
+
+There was plenty of time to prepare; for the tide was out, and the
+"Drake," beating down a narrow channel, made but slow headway. The
+delay was a severe strain upon the nerves of the men, who stood silent
+and grim at their quarters on the American ship, waiting for the fight
+to begin. At such a moment, even the most courageous must lose heart,
+as he thinks upon the terrible ordeal through which he must pass.
+Visions of home and loved ones flit before his misty eyes; and Jack
+chokes down a sob as he hides his emotion in nervously fingering the
+lock of his gun, or taking a squint through the port-holes at the
+approaching enemy.
+
+At length the "Drake" emerged from the narrow channel of the harbor,
+and coming within hailing distance of the "Ranger," ran up the flag of
+England, and hailed,--
+
+"What ship is that?"
+
+Paul Jones, himself standing on the taffrail, made answer,--
+
+"This is the American Continental ship 'Ranger.' We are waiting for
+you. The sun is but little more than an hour from setting. It is
+therefore time to begin."
+
+The "Drake" lay with her bow towards the "Ranger," and a little
+astern. As Jones finished speaking, he turned to the man at the wheel,
+and said, "Put your helm up. Up, I say!"
+
+Quickly responsive to her helm, the vessel swung round; and, as her
+broadside came to bear, she let fly a full broadside of solid shot
+into the crowded decks and hull of the "Drake." Through timbers and
+planks, flesh and bone, the iron hail rushed, leaving death, wounds,
+and destruction in its path. The volunteers that the "Drake" had added
+to her crew so crowded the decks, that the execution was fearful. It
+seemed as though every shot found a human mark.
+
+But the British were not slow to return the fire, and the roar of
+their broadside was heard before the thunder of the American fire had
+ceased to reverberate among the hills along the shore.
+
+Then followed a desperate naval duel. The tide of victory flowed now
+this way, and now that. Jones kept his ship at close quarters with the
+enemy, and stood on the quarter-deck urging on his gunners, now
+pointing out some vulnerable spot, now applauding a good shot, at one
+time cheering, and at another swearing, watching every movement of his
+foe, and giving quick but wise orders to his helmsman, his whole mind
+concentrated upon the course of battle, and with never a thought for
+his own safety.
+
+For more than an hour the battle raged, but the superior gunnery of
+the Americans soon began to tell. The "Drake" fought under no colors,
+her ensign having been shot away early in the action. But the spirited
+manner in which her guns were worked gave assurance that she had not
+struck. The American fire had wrought great execution on the deck of
+the Englishman. Her captain was desperately wounded early in the
+fight; and the first lieutenant, who took his place, was struck down
+by a musket-ball from the "Ranger's" tops. The cock-pit of the "Drake"
+was like a butcher's shambles, so bespattered was it with blood. But
+on the "Ranger" there was little execution. The brave Wallingford,
+Jones's first lieutenant and right-hand man, was killed early in the
+action, and one poor fellow accompanied him to his long account; but
+beyond this there were no deaths. Six men only were wounded.
+
+The sun was just dipping the lower edge of its great red circle
+beneath the watery horizon, when the "Drake" began to show signs of
+failing. First her fire slackened. A few guns would go off at a time,
+followed by a long silence. That portion of her masts which was
+visible above the clouds of gunpowder-smoke showed plainly the results
+of American gunnery. The sails were shot to ribbons. The cordage cut
+by the flying shot hung loosely down, or was blown out by the breeze.
+The spars were shattered, and hung out of place. The main-mast canted
+to leeward, and was in imminent danger of falling. The jib had been
+shot away entirely, and was trailing in the water alongside the ship.
+
+Gradually the fire of the "Drake" slackened, until at last it had
+ceased altogether. Noticing this, Capt. Jones gave orders to cease
+firing; and soon silence reigned over the bay that had for an hour
+resounded with the thunder of cannon. As the smoke that enveloped the
+two ships cleared away, the people on the "Ranger" could see an
+officer standing on the rail of the "Drake" waving a white flag. At
+the sight a mighty huzza went up from the gallant lads on the Yankee
+ship, which was, however, quickly checked by Jones.
+
+"Have you struck your flag?" he shouted through a speaking-trumpet.
+
+"We have, sir," was the response.
+
+"Then lay by until I send a boat aboard," directed Capt. Jones; and
+soon after a cutter put off from the side of the "Ranger," and made
+for the captured ship.
+
+The boarding-officer clambered over the bulwarks of the "Drake," and,
+veteran naval officer as he was, started in amazement at the scene of
+bloodshed before him. He had left a ship on which were two dead and
+six wounded men. He had come to a ship on which were forty men either
+dead or seriously wounded. Two dismounted cannon lay across the deck,
+one resting on the shattered and bleeding fragments of a man, torn to
+pieces by a heavy shot. The deck was slippery with blood. The cock-pit
+was not large enough to hold all the wounded; and many sufferers lay
+on the deck crying piteously for aid, and surrounded by the mangled
+bodies of their dead comrades. The body of the captain, who had died
+of his wound, lay on the deserted quarter-deck.
+
+Hastily the American officer noted the condition of the prize, and
+returned to his own ship for aid. All the boats of the "Ranger" were
+then lowered, and in the growing darkness the work of taking
+possession of the prize began. Most of the prisoners were transferred
+to the "Ranger." The dead were thrown overboard without burial service
+or ceremony of any kind, such is the grim earnestness of war. Such of
+the wounded as could not be taken care of in the sick-bay of the
+"Drake" were transferred to the "Ranger." The decks were scrubbed,
+holystoned, and sprinkled with hot vinegar to take away the smell of
+the blood-soaked planks. Cordage was spliced, sails mended, shot-holes
+plugged up; and, by the time morning came, the two ships were
+sufficiently repaired to be ready to leave the bay.
+
+But, before leaving, Capt. Jones set at liberty two fishermen, whom he
+had captured several days before, and held prisoners lest they should
+spread the news of his presence in those parts. While the fishermen
+had been taken on board the "Ranger," and treated with the utmost
+kindness, their boat had been made fast alongside. Unluckily, however,
+the stormy weather had torn the boat from its fastenings; and it
+foundered before the eyes of its luckless owners, who bitterly
+bewailed their hard fate as they saw their craft disappear. But, when
+they came to leave the "Ranger," their sorrow was turned to joy; for
+Jones gave them money enough to buy for them a new boat and outfit,--a
+bit of liberality very characteristic of the man.
+
+When the "Drake" was in condition to sail, Jones put her in command of
+Lieut. Simpson, and the two vessels left the bay. This choice of
+commander proved to be an unfortunate one. Simpson was in many ways a
+most eccentric officer. He was a violent advocate of equal rights of
+all men, and even went so far as to disbelieve in the discipline
+without which no efficiency can be obtained on ship-board. He was an
+eighteenth-century Sir Joseph Porter. He believed that all questions
+of importance on ship-board should be settled by a vote of the crew;
+that the captain was, in a certain sense, only perpetual chairman of a
+meeting, and should only execute the will of the sailors. Naturally,
+this view of an officer's authority was little relished by Lieut.
+Simpson's brother officers, and he had for some time been greatly
+dissatisfied with his position.
+
+When it came about, therefore, that the "Ranger," seeing a strange
+sail in the offing, left the "Drake" to go in pursuit of the stranger,
+Lieut. Simpson saw his chance to make off with the "Drake," and thus
+rid himself of the disagreeable necessity of submitting to the orders
+of a superior officer. This course he determined to adopt; and when
+Jones, having overtaken the stranger and found her a neutral, turned
+to rejoin his prize, he was vastly astounded at the evolutions of the
+"Drake." The vessel which he had left in charge of one of his trusted
+officers seemed to be trying to elude him. She was already hull down
+on the horizon, and was carrying every stitch of sail. The "Ranger"
+signalled to her colleague to return, but in vain. Several large ships
+were in sight; but Jones, perplexed by the strange antics of his
+consort, abandoned all thoughts of making captures, and made after the
+rapidly vanishing "Drake."
+
+As the "Ranger" cut through the ugly cross seas of the channel, Jones
+revolved in his mind the causes which might lead to the inexplicable
+flight of his consort. His chief fear was that the prisoners on the
+"Drake" might have risen, overpowered their captors, and were then
+endeavoring to take the ship into a British port. Convinced that this
+was the true explanation of the matter, Jones made tremendous efforts
+to overhaul the prize before the night should give her an opportunity
+to elude pursuit. Every thing from jib-boom to main-truck, that would
+draw, was set on the "Ranger;" and the gallant little vessel ploughed
+along at a rate that almost belied her reputation as a slow craft.
+After an hour's run, it became evident that the "Ranger" was gaining
+ground. Nevertheless, darkness settled over the waters, and the
+"Drake" was still far in the lead. It was not until the next day that
+the runaway was overhauled. Upon boarding the "Drake," Jones found, to
+his intense indignation, that not to the revolt of the captives, but
+to the wilful and silly insubordination of Lieut. Simpson, the flight
+of the captured vessel was due. This officer, feeling himself
+aggrieved by something Jones had said or done, had determined to seize
+upon the "Drake," repair her in some French port, and thenceforward to
+cruise as a privateer. This plan was nipped in the bud by Jones, who
+put the disobedient officer in irons, and carried the "Drake" into
+Brest as a prize.
+
+All Europe now rang with the praises of Paul Jones. Looked at in the
+calm light of history, his achievements do not appear so very
+remarkable. But it is none the less true that they have never been
+paralleled. Before the day of Paul Jones, no hostile vessel had ever
+swept the English Channel and Irish Sea clear of British merchantmen.
+And since the day of Paul Jones the exploit has never been repeated,
+save by the little American brig "Argus" in the War of 1812. But
+neither before nor since the day of Paul Jones has the spectacle of a
+British ship in an English port, blazing with fire applied by the
+torches of an enemy, been seen. And no other man than Paul Jones has,
+for several centuries, led an invading force down the level highways,
+and across the green fields, of England.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+ THE CAREER OF PAUL JONES CONTINUED. -- HIS SEARCH FOR A
+ SHIP. -- GIVEN COMMAND OF THE "BON HOMME RICHARD." --
+ LANDAIS AND HIS CHARACTER. -- THE FRUSTRATED MUTINY. --
+ LANDAIS QUARRELS WITH JONES. -- EDINBURGH AND LEITH
+ THREATENED. -- THE DOMINIE'S PRAYER.
+
+
+When Paul Jones arrived at Brest, bringing the captured Drake, he
+found the situation of affairs materially altered. France had
+acknowledged the independence of the American Colonies, and had openly
+espoused their cause as against that of Great Britain. It was no
+longer necessary to resort to cunning deceptions to buy a war-ship or
+sell a prize in a French port. French vessels, manned by French crews
+and commanded by French officers, were putting to sea to strike a blow
+against the British. French troops were being sent to America. The
+stars and stripes waved by the side of the _fleur de lys_; and
+Benjamin Franklin, the American envoy, was the lion of French society,
+and the idol of the Parisian mob.
+
+Paul Jones saw in this friendship of France for the struggling
+colonies his opportunity. Heretofore he had been condemned to command
+only slow-going, weak ships. He had been hampered by a lack of funds
+for the payment of his crew and the purchase of provisions. More than
+once the inability of the impoverished Continental Congress to provide
+the sinews of war had forced him to go down into his own purse for the
+necessary funds. All this period of penury he now felt was past. He
+could rely upon the king of France for a proper vessel, and the funds
+with which to prosecute his work on the seas. Accordingly, when the
+"Ranger" was again ready for sea, he turned her over to the
+insubordinate Lieut. Simpson, while he himself remained in France with
+the expectation of being provided with a better ship.
+
+But the sturdy seaman soon found how vexatious is the lot of him who
+depends upon the bounty of monarchs. Ship after ship was put in
+commission, but no command was tendered to the distinguished American.
+The French naval officers had first to be attended to. Jones made
+earnest appeals to the minister of the marine. He brought every
+possible influence to bear. His claims were urged by Dr. Franklin, but
+all to no avail. At last an appointment came. It was to command an
+English prize, lately captured and brought into Brest. Thither went
+Jones to examine the craft. Much to his disappointment, he found her
+very slow; and this determined him to decline the commission.
+
+"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast,"
+he wrote to a gentleman who had secured for him the appointment; "for
+I intend to go in harm's way. You know I believe that this is not
+every one's intention. Therefore, buy a frigate that sails fast, and
+that is sufficiently large to carry twenty-six or twenty-eight guns,
+not less than twelve-pounders, on one deck. I would rather be shot
+ashore than sent to sea in such things as the armed prizes I have
+described."
+
+Five months of waiting and ceaseless solicitation of the authorities
+still left the sailor, who had won so many victories, stranded in
+shameful inactivity. He had shrunk from a personal interview with the
+king, trusting rather to the efforts of his friends, many of whom were
+in high favor at Versailles. But one day he happened to light upon an
+old copy of "Poor Richard's Almanac," that unique publication in which
+Benjamin Franklin printed so many wise maxims and witty sayings. As
+Jones listlessly turned its pages, his eye fell upon the maxim,--
+
+"If you wish to have any business done faithfully and expeditiously,
+go and do it yourself. Otherwise, send some one."
+
+Shutting the book, and dashing it to the floor, Jones sprang to his
+feet exclaiming, "I will go to Versailles this very day." Before night
+he set out, and soon reached the royal court. His reputation easily
+gained him an interview; and his frank, self-reliant way so impressed
+the monarch, that in five days the American was tendered the command
+of the ship "Daras," mounting forty guns.
+
+Great was the exultation of the American seaman at this happy
+termination of his labor. Full of gratitude to the distinguished
+philosopher whose advice had proved so effective, he wrote to the
+minister of marine, begging permission to change the name of the
+vessel to the "Poor Richard," or, translated into French, the "Bon
+Homme Richard." Permission was readily granted; and thereafter the
+"Bon Homme Richard," with Paul Jones on the quarter-deck, did valiant
+work for the cause of the young American Republic.
+
+The "Bon Homme Richard" was lying in the harbor of L'Orient when Jones
+visited her to examine his new ship. He found her a fairly well
+modelled craft, giving promise of being a good sailer. She had one of
+the high pitched poops that were so common in the early part of the
+last century, and that gave to the sterns of ships of that period the
+appearance of lofty towers. Originally she was a single-decked ship,
+mounting her battery on one gun-deck, with the exception of a few
+cannon on the quarter-deck and forecastle. The gun-deck mounted
+twenty-eight guns, all twelve-pounders. On the quarter-deck and
+forecastle were eight long nines. To this armament Jones at once added
+six eighteen-pounders, which were mounted in the gun-room below.
+
+To man this vessel, Jones was obliged to recruit a most motley crew.
+Few American seamen were then in France, and he considered himself
+fortunate to find enough to fill the stations of officers on the
+quarter-deck and forward. For his crew proper he was forced to accept
+an undisciplined crowd of Portuguese, Norwegians, Germans, Spaniards,
+Swedes, Italians, Malays, Scotch, Irish, and even a few Englishmen.
+About a hundred and thirty-five marines were put aboard to keep order
+among this rabble; and, even with this aid to discipline, it is
+wonderful that no disturbance ever broke out in a crew that was made
+up of so many discordant elements.
+
+While the "Bon Homme Richard" was being made ready for sea, the
+vessels that were to sail with her as consorts were making for the
+rendezvous at L'Orient. These vessels were the "Pallas," "Cerf,"
+"Vengeance," and "Alliance." The three former were small vessels,
+built in France, and manned wholly by Frenchmen. The "Alliance" was a
+powerful, well-built American frigate, carrying an American crew, but
+commanded by a French officer,--Capt. Landais. This vessel was the
+last to arrive at the rendezvous, as she had a stormy and somewhat
+eventful trip across the ocean.
+
+The "Alliance" was a thirty-two gun frigate, built under the
+supervision of the American Marine Committee, and which had come to
+European waters, bringing as a passenger the distinguished Gen.
+Lafayette. As has been stated, she was under the command of a French
+naval officer, to whom the command had been offered as a compliment to
+France. Unfortunately the jack tars of America were not so anxious to
+compliment France, and looked with much disfavor upon the prospect of
+serving under a Frenchman. Capt. Landais, therefore, found great
+difficulty in getting a crew to man his frigate; and when Lafayette
+reached Boston, ready to embark for France, the roster of the ship in
+which he was to sail was still painfully incomplete. Great was the
+mortification of the American authorities; and the government of
+Massachusetts, desiring to aid the distinguished Frenchman in every
+way, offered to complete by impressment. It is vastly to the credit of
+Lafayette that he refused for a moment to countenance a method of
+recruiting so entirely in opposition to those principles of liberty to
+which he was devoted. But, though impressment was not resorted to, a
+plan hardly less objectionable was adopted. The British man-of-war
+"Somerset" had been wrecked on the New England coast some time before,
+and many of her crew were then in Boston. These men volunteered to
+join the crew of the "Alliance," though by so doing they knew that
+they were likely to be forced to fight against their own flag and
+countrymen. But the ties of nationality bear lightly upon sailors, and
+these men were as ready to fight under the stars and stripes as under
+the cross of St. George.
+
+With a crew made up of Americans, Englishmen, and Frenchmen, the
+"Alliance" put to sea in the early part of January, 1779. It was the
+most stormy season of the year on the tempestuous Atlantic. But the
+storms which racked the good ship from without were as nothing to the
+turbulence within. In the forecastle were three different elements of
+discord. British, French, and Americans quarrelled bitterly among
+themselves, and the jackies went about their work with a sullen air
+that betokened trouble brewing.
+
+The officers suspected the impending trouble, but had little idea of
+its extent. They were living over a volcano which was liable to burst
+forth at any moment. The Englishmen in the crew, who numbered some
+seventy or eighty, had determined to mutiny, and had perfected all
+their plans for the uprising. Their intention was not only to seize
+the ship, and take her into an English port, but they proposed to
+wreak their hatred in the bloodiest form upon the officers. Capt.
+Landais, as the special object of their hate, was to be put into an
+open boat without food, water, oars, or sails. Heavy irons were to
+bind his wrists and ankles, and he was to be set adrift to starve on
+the open ocean. The fate of the surgeon and marine officer was to be
+equally hard. They were to be hanged and quartered, and their bodies
+cast into the sea. The sailing-master was to be seized up to the
+mizzen-mast, stripped to the waist, and his back cut to pieces with
+the cat-of-nine-tails; after which he was to be slowly hacked to
+pieces with cutlasses, and thrown into the sea. The gunner, carpenter,
+and boatswain were to be mercifully treated. No torture was prepared
+for them, but they were to be promptly put to death. As to the
+lieutenants, they were to be given the choice between navigating the
+ship to the nearest British port, or walking the plank.
+
+This sanguinary programme the mutineers discussed day and night. The
+ringleaders were in the same watch, and in the silent hours of the
+night matured their plans, and picked out men whom they thought would
+join them. One by one they cautiously chose their associates. The
+sailor whom the mutineers thought was a safe man would be led quietly
+apart from his fellows to some secluded nook on the gun-deck; and
+there, with many pledges to secrecy, the plot would be revealed, and
+his assistance asked. Or perhaps of two men out on the end of a
+tossing yard-arm, far above the raging waters, one would be a
+mutineer, and would take that opportunity to try to win his fellow
+sailor to the cause. So the mutiny spread apace; and the volcano was
+almost ready to burst forth, when all was discovered, and the plans of
+the mutineers were happily defeated.
+
+The conspirators had succeeded in gaining the support of all the
+Englishmen in the crew, as well as many of the sailors of other
+nationalities. So numerous were their adherents, that they were well
+able to capture the ship; but before so doing they sought to gain one
+more recruit. This man was an American sailor, who had lived long in
+Ireland, and spoke with a slight brogue, that led the conspirators to
+think him a subject of the king, and an enemy to the revolted
+colonies. This man was known to have some knowledge of navigation, and
+the mutineers felt that his assistance would be essential to the
+success of their plot. Though they had planned to force the
+lieutenant, under penalty of death, to navigate the vessel into a
+British port, they had no means of telling whether the lieutenant
+should play them false. It would be an easy matter for an officer to
+take the ship into a French port, where the lives of the conspirators
+should pay the penalty of their misdeeds. Accordingly, it was highly
+important for them to number among them some one versed in the science
+of navigation; and, with this end in view, they turned to the young
+Irish-American.
+
+The young seaman proved to be possessed of the loyalty and shrewdness
+of the Yankee, together with a touch of the blarney of the genuine
+Irishman. He listened to the complaints of the mutineers, sympathized
+with their grievances, entered heartily into their plans, and by his
+apparent interest in the conspiracy soon became looked upon as one of
+the chief ringleaders.
+
+He learned that the plan of the conspirators was to assemble on deck
+about daylight on a certain day when one of the conspirators should be
+posted in the tops as lookout. This man was to raise the cry of "Sail,
+ho!" when the officers and passengers would of course come to the
+quarter-deck unarmed. The mutineers would commence operations by
+seizing them in a body. Then, separating into four parties, the
+conspirators would seize upon the ship. On the forecastle were mounted
+four nine-pound guns. These were usually kept charged with blank
+cartridge only; but a gunner's mate, who was one of the ringleaders,
+had quietly slipped a charge of canister into each gun. Should the
+officers show signs of resistance, these cannon were to be trained
+aft, and the quarter-deck swept by their discharge. Discipline on a
+man-of-war requires that the crew should be kept disarmed, except in
+time of battle; the cutlasses, pikes, and pistols being given over to
+the armorer. But a sergeant of marines had done the cause of the
+mutineers good service, by purloining some muskets, and handing them
+over to the ringleaders.
+
+Having thus gained full knowledge of the plans of the mutineers, the
+loyal seaman sought the first opportunity to warn the officers of the
+ship. But not until three o'clock on the afternoon before the day set
+for the mutiny could he manage to slip into the captain's cabin unseen
+by the conspirators. Landais and Lafayette were seated there talking.
+
+"Well, what's wanted now?" asked the captain in the peremptory tone
+officers assume in speaking to a sailor.
+
+The intruder stammered and looked confused, but finally managed to
+tell the story. Landais was amazed. That so dangerous a conspiracy
+should have been nurtured in his crew, astonished him beyond
+expression. But he wasted no time in vain conjectures. Quietly the
+word was passed to the officers and passengers to assemble in the
+captain's cabin. Some trusty petty officers were given arms to
+distribute among the American and French seamen who had not been
+infected with the fever of mutiny. At a given signal the officers and
+passengers rushed to the quarter-deck. The American and French seamen
+joined them; and the conspirators suddenly found themselves confronted
+by an angry body of determined men, fully armed.
+
+The leading mutineers were pointed out by the informer, instantly
+seized, and hurried below in irons. Then the work of arresting the
+other conspirators began, and was continued until about forty of the
+English were in irons. While the work was progressing, a square-rigged
+ship hove in sight, and was soon made out to be one of the enemy's
+twenty-gun ships. Under ordinary circumstances, the "Alliance" would
+have sought to give battle to the enemy; but in the present instance,
+with mutiny rife among his crew, Capt. Landais thought it his wisest
+course to avoid the stranger. A few days later, the "Alliance" arrived
+at Brest, where the mutineers were thrown into jail, and kept in close
+confinement, until exchanged for American prisoners in the hands of
+the British.
+
+But to return to Paul Jones, whom we left with the "Bon Homme Richard"
+lying at anchor in the harbor of L'Orient waiting for the arrival of
+his allies. On the 19th of June, 1779, all were ready to sail, and
+left the harbor with a few coasters and transports under convoy. The
+"Bon Homme Richard" was the largest vessel of the little fleet; next
+came the "Alliance," under command of Capt. Landais; then the
+"Pallas," an old merchantman hastily remodelled, and mounting
+thirty-two guns; then the "Cerf" with eighteen guns, and the
+"Vengeance" with twelve. Though not a very formidable armada, this
+little fleet might have done great good to the American cause, had
+Paul Jones been given proper authority, and had his daring plans been
+countenanced by the French authorities. But, though nominally
+commander-in-chief, Jones soon found that he had no means of enforcing
+his authority. He found that the three Frenchmen in command of the
+other vessels of the squadron looked upon him as a partner in the
+enterprise, rather than as a leader with absolute authority. They paid
+no heed to the signals set at the fore of the flag-ship. They wilfully
+disobeyed orders. Worse than all, they proved to be poor seamen; and
+the squadron had hardly got into blue water before the "Alliance" was
+run foul of the "Richard," losing her own mizzen-mast, and tearing
+away the head and bowsprit of the flag-ship. Thus, after long months
+of preparation for sea, Jones found himself forced to return to port
+to refit. It has been charged that this accident was not altogether
+accidental, so far as the "Alliance" was concerned. Landais, the
+commander of that vessel, hated Jones, and was insanely jealous of the
+man who outranked him. The collision was only the first of a series of
+mishaps, all of which Landais ascribed to accident, but which
+unprejudiced readers must confess seem to have been inspired by malice
+or the results of gross incompetence.
+
+A few days sufficed to repair all damage, and again the vessels sought
+the open sea. When two days out, a strange sail was sighted. Jones
+crowded all sail on the "Richard," and set out in hot pursuit, but
+found, to his bitter disappointment, that his ship was a wretchedly
+slow sailer. Therefore, signalling to the swift-sailing "Cerf" to
+follow the stranger, he abandoned the chase to the smaller craft. All
+night long the cutter followed in the wake of the stranger, and when
+day broke the two vessels were near enough to each other to readily
+make out each other's character. The stranger proved to be a small
+English cruiser of fourteen guns. Her captain was no poltroon; for as
+soon as he discovered that the ship from which he had been trying to
+escape was but little larger than his own, he came about, and, running
+down upon the "Cerf," opened fire. The action was a sharp one. The two
+vessels were fairly matched and well fought. The thunder of their
+broadsides resounded far and wide over the ocean. For an hour they
+grappled in deadly strife. The tide of battle turned now to one side,
+and now to the other. But at last the superior metal of the "Cerf" won
+for her the victory. With her battered prize in tow, she sought to
+rejoin the squadron, but unluckily fell in with a British frigate that
+had been attracted by the sound of the cannonading. It was useless to
+think of saving the prize: so the "Cerf" abandoned it, and after a
+hard chase escaped, and put into the harbor of L'Orient.
+
+In the mean time, the squadron had become separated; and, after a
+fortnight's fruitless cruising, all the vessels returned to L'Orient.
+Here they lay until the middle of August. More than three months had
+passed since Jones had been given command of the "Richard." Most of
+the time had been spent in port. The little cruising that had been
+done had been unproductive of results. Dissension and jealousy made
+the squadron absolutely ineffective. As for the "Bon Homme Richard,"
+she had proved a failure; being unable to overhaul the enemy that she
+wished to engage, or escape from the man-of-war she might wish to
+avoid. Jones saw his reputation fast slipping away from him. Bitterly
+he bewailed the fate that had put him at the mercy of a lot of
+quarrelsome Frenchmen. He determined that when once again he got to
+sea he would ignore his consorts, and fight the battles of his country
+with his own ship only.
+
+It was on the 14th of August that the squadron weighed anchor, and
+left the harbor of L'Orient. The "Richard" was greatly strengthened by
+the addition to her crew of about one hundred American seamen, who had
+been sent to France from England in exchange for a number of English
+prisoners. With her sailed the same vessels that had previously made
+up the squadron, together with two French privateers,--the "Monsieur"
+and the "Granville." Four days after sailing, a large French ship in
+charge of a British prize-crew was sighted. The whole squadron gave
+chase; and the "Monsieur," being the swiftest sailer of the fleet,
+recaptured the prize. Then arose a quarrel. The privateersmen claimed
+that the prize was theirs alone. They had captured it, and the regular
+naval officers had no authority over them. To this Capt. Jones
+vigorously demurred, and, taking the prize from its captors, sent it
+to L'Orient to be disposed of in accordance with the laws. In high
+dudgeon, the privateers vowed vengeance, and that night the "Monsieur"
+left the squadron. She was a fine, fast vessel, mounting forty guns;
+and her departure greatly weakened the fleet.
+
+A few days later a second serious loss was encountered. The fleet was
+lying off Cape Clear, only a few miles from the shore. The day was
+perfectly calm. Not a breath of wind ruffled the calm surface of the
+water. The sails flapped idly against the mast. The sailors lay about
+the decks, trying to keep cool, and lazily watching the distant shore.
+Far off in the distance a white sail glimmered on the horizon. It
+showed no sign of motion, and was clearly becalmed. After some
+deliberation, Capt. Jones determined to attempt to capture the
+stranger by means of boats. The two largest boats, manned with crews
+of picked men, were sent out to hail the vessel, and, if she proved to
+be an enemy, to capture her. In this they were successful, and
+returned next day, bringing the captured craft.
+
+But, while the two boats were still out after the enemy's ship, the
+tide changed; and Capt. Jones soon saw that his ship was in danger
+from a powerful current, that seemed to be sweeping her on shore. A
+few hundred yards from the ship, two dangerous reefs, known as the
+Skallocks and the Blasketts, reared their black heads above the calm
+surface of the sea. Toward these rocks the "Bon Homme Richard" was
+drifting, when Jones, seeing the danger, ordered out two boats to tow
+the ship to a less perilous position. As the best men of the crew had
+been sent away to capture the brig, the crews of the two boats were
+made up of the riff-raff of the crew. Many of them were Englishmen,
+mere mercenary sailors, who had shipped on the Richard, secretly
+intending to desert at the first opportunity. Therefore, when night
+fell, as they were still in the boats trying to pull the "Richard's"
+head around, they cut the ropes and made off for the shore.
+
+The desertion was discovered immediately. The night was clear, and by
+the faint light of the stars the course of the receding boats could be
+traced. The sailing-master of the "Richard," a Mr. Trent, being the
+first to discover the treachery, sprang into a boat with a few armed
+men, and set out in hot pursuit. The bow-gun of the "Richard" was
+hastily trained on the deserters, and a few cannon-shot sent after
+them; but without effect. Before the pursuing boat could overhaul the
+fugitives, a dense bank of gray fog settled over the water, and
+pursued and pursuers were hidden from each other and from the gaze of
+those on the man-of-war. All night long the fog, like a moist,
+impenetrable curtain, rested on the ocean. The next day the "Cerf" set
+out to find the missing boats. As she neared the shore, to avoid
+raising an alarm, she hoisted British colors. Hardly had she done so
+when she was seen by Trent and his companions. The fog made the
+outlines of the cutter indistinct, and magnified her in the eyes of
+the Americans, so that they mistook her for an English man-of-war. To
+avoid what they thought would lead to certain capture on the water,
+they ran their boat ashore, and speedily fell into the hands of the
+British coast guard. They were at once thrown into prison, where the
+unfortunate Trent soon died. The rest of the party were exchanged
+later in the war.
+
+The loss of the boats, and capture of Mr. Trent and his followers,
+were not the only unfortunate results of this incident; for the "Cerf"
+became lost in the fog, and before she could rejoin the fleet a
+violent gale sprang up, and she was carried back to the coast of
+France. She never again returned to join the fleet, and Jones found
+his force again, depleted.
+
+But the effective force of the squadron under the command of Paul
+Jones was weakened far more by the eccentric and mutinous actions of
+Capt. Landais of the "Alliance" than by any losses by desertion or
+capture. When the news of the loss of two boats by desertion reached
+the "Alliance," Landais straightway went to the "Richard," and
+entering the cabin began to upbraid Jones in unmeasured terms for
+having lost two boats through his folly in sending boats to capture a
+brig.
+
+"It is not true, Capt. Landais," answered Jones, "that the boats which
+are lost are the two which were sent to capture the brig."
+
+"Do you tell me I lie?" screamed the Frenchman, white with anger. His
+officers strove to pacify him, but without avail; and he left the
+"Richard" vowing that he would challenge Capt. Jones, and kill him.
+Shortly thereafter the "Richard" captured a very valuable prize,--a
+ship mounting twenty-two guns, and loaded with sails, rigging,
+anchors, cables, and other essential articles for the navy Great
+Britain was building on the Lakes. By desertion and other causes, the
+crew of the "Richard" was greatly depleted, and not enough men could
+be spared to man the prize. Jones applied to Landais for aid. In
+response the Frenchman said,--
+
+"If it is your wish that I should take charge of the prize, I shall
+not allow any boat or any individual from the 'Bon Homme Richard' to
+go near her."
+
+To this absurd stipulation Jones agreed. Landais, having thus assumed
+complete charge of the prize, showed his incompetence by sending her,
+together with a prize taken by the "Alliance," to Bergen in Norway.
+The Danish Government, being on friendly terms with England,
+immediately surrendered the vessels to the British ambassador; and the
+cause of the young republic was cheated of more than two hundred
+thousand dollars through the insane negligence of the French captain.
+
+Ever thereafter, Landais manifested the most insolent indifference to
+the orders of Capt. Jones, to whom, as his superior officer, he should
+render implicit obedience. He came and went as he saw fit. The
+"Alliance" would disappear from the squadron, and return again after
+two or three days' absence, without apology or explanation. Jones soon
+learned to look with indifference upon the antics of his consort, and
+considered his squadron as composed of the "Richard," "Vengeance," and
+"Pallas" only.
+
+On the 15th of September, the three vessels lay off the port of Leith,
+a thriving city, which was then, as now, the seaport for the greater
+city of Edinburgh, which stands a little farther inland. Jones had
+come to this point cherishing one of those daring plans of which his
+mind was so fertile. He had learned that the harbor was full of
+shipping, and defended only by a single armed vessel of twenty guns.
+Shore batteries there were none. The people of the town were resting
+in fancied security, and had no idea that the dreaded Paul Jones was
+at their very harbor's mouth. It would have been an easy matter for
+the three cruisers to make a dash into the harbor, take some
+distinguished prisoners, demand a huge ransom, fire the shipping, and
+escape again to the open sea. Had Jones been in reality, as he was in
+name, the commander of the little fleet, the exploit would have been
+performed. But the lack of authority which had hampered him throughout
+his cruise paralyzed him here. By the time he had overcome the timid
+objections of the captains of the "Vengeance" and the "Pallas," all
+Leith was aroused. Still Jones persevered. His arrangements were
+carefully perfected. Troops were to be landed under command of
+Lieut.-Col. Chamillard, who was to lay before the chief magistrate of
+the town the following letter, written by Jones himself:--
+
+"I do not wish to distress the poor inhabitants. My intention is only
+to demand your contribution toward the reimbursement which Britain
+owes to the much injured citizens of America. Savages would blush at
+the unmanly violation and rapacity that have marked the tracks of
+British tyranny in America, from which neither virgin innocence nor
+helpless age has been a plea of protection or pity.
+
+"Leith and its port now lay at our mercy. And did not the plea of
+humanity stay the just hand of retaliation, I should without
+advertisement lay it in ashes. Before I proceed to that stern duty as
+an officer, my duty as a man induces me to propose to you, by means
+of a reasonable ransom, to prevent such a scene of horror and
+distress. For this reason, I have authorized Lieut.-Col. de Chamillard
+to agree with you on the terms of ransom, allowing you exactly half an
+hour's reflection before you finally accept or reject the terms which
+he shall propose."
+
+The landing parties having been chosen, the order of attack mapped
+out, and part to be taken by each boat's-crew accurately defined, the
+three vessels advanced to the attack. It was a bright Sunday morning.
+A light breeze blowing on shore wafted the three vessels gently along
+the smooth surface of the bay. It is said that as the invaders passed
+the little town of Kirkaldy, the people were at church, but, seeing
+the three men-of-war passing, deserted the sacred edifice for the
+beach, where the gray-haired pastor, surrounded by his flock, offered
+the following remarkable appeal to the Deity:--
+
+"Now, dear Lord, dinna ye think it a shame for ye to send this vile
+pirate to rob our folk o' Kirkaldy? Ye ken that they are puir enow
+already, and hae naething to spare. The way the wind blaws, he'll be
+here in a jiffy. And wha kens what he may do? He's nae too good for
+ony thing. Mickles the mischief he has done already. He'll burn their
+hooses, take their very claes, and strip them to the very sark. And
+waes me, wha kens but that the bluidy villain might tak' their lives!
+The puir weemin are most frightened out of their wits, and the bairns
+screeching after them. I canna think of it! I canna think of it!
+
+"I hae long been a faithful servant to ye, O Lord. But gin ye dinna
+turn the wind about, and blaw the scoundrel out of our gate, I'll nae
+stir a foot, but will just sit here till the tide comes. Sae tak' your
+will o't."
+
+Never was prayer more promptly answered. Hardly had the pastor
+concluded his prayer, when the wind veered round, and soon a violent
+gale was blowing off shore. In the teeth of the wind, the ships could
+make no headway. The gale increased in violence until it rivalled in
+fierceness a tornado. The sea was lashed into fury, and great waves
+arose, on the crests of which the men-of-war were tossed about like
+fragile shells. The coal-ship which had been captured was so racked
+and torn by the heavy seas, that her seams opened, and she foundered
+so speedily, that only by the most active efforts was her crew saved.
+After several hours' ineffectual battling with the gale, the ships
+were forced to come about and run out to sea; and Jones suffered the
+mortification of witnessing the failure of his enterprise, after
+having been within gunshot of the town that he had hoped to capture.
+As for the good people of Kirkaldy, they were convinced that their
+escape from the daring seamen was wholly due to the personal influence
+of their pastor with the Deity; and the worthy parson lived long
+afterward, ever held in the most mighty veneration by the people of
+his flock.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+ CAREER OF PAUL JONES CONCLUDED. -- THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE
+ "BON HOMME RICHARD" AND THE "SERAPIS." -- TREACHERY OF
+ LANDAIS. -- JONES'S GREAT VICTORY. -- LANDAIS STEALS THE
+ "ALLIANCE." -- JONES IN COMMAND OF THE "ARIEL." -- THE
+ "ARIEL" IN THE STORM. -- ARRIVAL IN AMERICA.
+
+
+After this adventure, the three vessels continued their cruise along
+the eastern coast of Scotland. Continued good fortune, in the way of
+prizes, rather soothed the somewhat chafed feelings of Capt. Jones,
+and he soon recovered from the severe disappointment caused by the
+failure of his attack upon Leith. He found good reason to believe that
+the report of his exploits had spread far and wide in England, and
+that British sea-captains were using every precaution to avoid
+encountering him. British vessels manifested an extreme disinclination
+to come within hailing distance of any of the cruisers, although all
+three were so disguised that it seemed impossible to make out their
+warlike character. One fleet of merchantmen that caught sight of the
+"Bon Homme Richard" and the "Pallas" ran into the River Humber, to the
+mouth of which they were pursued by the two men-of-war. Lying at
+anchor outside the bar, Jones made signal for a pilot, keeping the
+British flag flying at his peak. Two pilot-boats came out; and Jones,
+assuming the character of a British naval officer, learned from them,
+that besides the merchantmen lying at anchor in the river, a British
+frigate lay there waiting to convoy a fleet of merchantmen to the
+north. Jones tried to lure the frigate out with a signal that the
+pilots revealed to him; but, though she weighed anchor, she was driven
+back by strong head-winds that were blowing. Disappointed in this
+plan, Jones continued his cruise. Soon after he fell in with the
+"Alliance" and the "Vengeance;" and, while off Flamborough Head, the
+little squadron encountered a fleet of forty-one merchant ships, that,
+at the sight of the dreaded Yankee cruisers, crowded together like a
+flock of frightened pigeons, and made all sail for the shore; while
+two stately men-of-war--the "Serapis, forty-four," and the "Countess
+of Scarborough, twenty-two"--moved forward to give battle to the
+Americans.
+
+Jones now stood upon the threshold of his greatest victory. His bold
+and chivalric mind had longed for battle, and recoiled from the less
+glorious pursuit of burning helpless merchantmen, and terrorizing
+small towns and villages. He now saw before him a chance to meet the
+enemy in a fair fight, muzzle to muzzle, and with no overpowering odds
+on either side. Although the Americans had six vessels to the
+Englishmen's two, the odds were in no wise in their favor. Two of the
+vessels were pilot-boats, which, of course, kept out of the battle.
+The "Vengeance," though ordered to render the larger vessels any
+possible assistance, kept out of the fight altogether, and even
+neglected to make any attempt to overhaul the flying band of
+merchantmen. As for the "Alliance," under the erratic Landais, she
+only entered the conflict at the last moment; and then her broadsides,
+instead of being delivered into the enemy, crashed through the already
+shattered sides of the "Bon Homme Richard." Thus the actual combatants
+were the "Richard" with forty guns, against the "Serapis" with
+forty-four; and the "Pallas" with twenty-two guns, against the
+"Countess of Scarborough" with twenty-two.
+
+It was about seven o'clock in the evening of a clear September
+day--the twenty-third--that the hostile vessels bore down upon each
+other, making rapid preparations for the impending battle. The sea was
+fast turning gray, as the deepening twilight robbed the sky of its
+azure hue. A brisk breeze was blowing, that filled out the bellying
+sails of the ships, and beat the waters into little waves capped with
+snowy foam. In the west the rosy tints of the autumnal sunset were
+still warm in the sky. Nature was in one of her most smiling moods, as
+these men with set faces, and hearts throbbing with the mingled
+emotions of fear and excitement, stood silent at their guns, or worked
+busily at the ropes of the great war-ships.
+
+As soon as he became convinced of the character of the two English
+ships, Jones beat his crew to quarters, and signalled his consorts to
+form in line of battle. The people on the "Richard" went cheerfully to
+their guns; and though the ship was extremely short-handed, and
+crowded with prisoners, no voice was raised against giving immediate
+battle to the enemy. The actions of the other vessels of the American
+fleet, however, gave little promise of any aid from that quarter. When
+the enemy was first sighted, the swift-sailing "Alliance" dashed
+forward to reconnoitre. As she passed the "Pallas," Landais cried out,
+that, if the stranger proved to be a forty-four, the only course for
+the Americans was immediate flight. Evidently the result of his
+investigations convinced him that in flight lay his only hope of
+safety; for he quickly hauled off, and stood away from the enemy. The
+"Vengeance," too, ran off to windward, leaving the "Richard" and the
+"Pallas" to bear the brunt of battle.
+
+It was by this time quite dark, and the position of the ships was
+outlined by the rows of open port-holes gleaming with the lurid light
+of the battle-lanterns. On each ship rested a stillness like that of
+death itself. The men stood at their guns silent and thoughtful. Sweet
+memories of home and loved ones mingled with fearful anticipations of
+death or of mangling wounds in the minds of each. The little lads
+whose duty in time of action it was to carry cartridges from the
+magazine to the gunners had ceased their boyish chatter, and stood
+nervously at their stations. Officers walked up and down the decks,
+speaking words of encouragement to the men, glancing sharply at
+primers and breechings to see that all was ready, and ever and anon
+stooping to peer through the porthole at the line of slowly moving
+lights that told of the approach of the enemy. On the quarter-deck,
+Paul Jones, with his officers about him, stood carefully watching the
+movements of the enemy through a night glass, giving occasionally a
+quiet order to the man at the wheel, and now and then sending an agile
+midshipman below with orders to the armorer, or aloft with orders for
+the sharp-shooters posted in the tops.
+
+As the night came on, the wind died away to a gentle breeze, that
+hardly ruffled the surface of the water, and urged the ships toward
+each other but sluggishly. As they came within pistol-shot of each
+other, bow to bow, and going on opposite tacks, a hoarse cry came from
+the deck of the "Serapis,"--
+
+"What ship is that?"
+
+"What is that you say?"
+
+"What ship is that? Answer immediately, or I shall fire into you."
+
+Instantly with a flash and roar both vessels opened fire. The thunder
+of the broadsides reverberated over the waters; and the bright flash
+of the cannon, together with the pale light of the moon just rising,
+showed Flamborough Head crowded with multitudes who had come out to
+witness the grand yet awful spectacle of a naval duel.
+
+The very first broadside seemed enough to wreck the fortunes of the
+"Richard." In her gun-room were mounted six long eighteens, the only
+guns she carried that were of sufficient weight to be matched against
+the heavy ordnance of the "Serapis." At the very first discharge, two
+of these guns burst with frightful violence. Huge masses of iron were
+hurled in every direction, cutting through beams and stanchions,
+crashing through floors and bulkheads, and tearing through the
+agonized bodies of the men who served the guns. Hardly a man who was
+stationed in the gun-room escaped unhurt in the storm of iron and
+splinters. Several huge blocks of iron crashed through the upper deck,
+injuring the people on the deck above, and causing the cry to be
+raised, that the magazine had blown up. This unhappy calamity not only
+rendered useless the whole battery of eighteen-pounders, thus forcing
+Jones to fight an eighteen-pounder frigate with a twelve-pounder
+battery, but it spread a panic among the men, who saw the dangers of
+explosion added to the peril they were in by reason of the enemy's
+continued fire.
+
+Jones himself left the quarter-deck, and rushed forward among the men,
+cheering them on, and arousing them to renewed activity by his
+exertions. Now he would lend a hand at training some gun, now pull at
+a rope, or help a lagging powder-monkey on his way. His pluck and
+enthusiasm infused new life into the men; and they threw the heavy
+guns about like playthings, and cheered loudly as each shot told.
+
+The two ships were at no time separated by a greater distance than
+half a pistol-shot, and were continually manoeuvring to cross each
+others' bows, and get in a raking broadside. In this attempt, they
+crossed from one to the other side of each other; so that now the port
+and now the starboard battery would be engaged. From the shore these
+evolutions were concealed under a dense cloud of smoke, and the
+spectators could only see the tops of the two vessels moving slowly
+about before the light breeze; while the lurid flashes of the cannon,
+and constant thunder of the broadsides, told of the deadly work going
+on. At a little distance were the "Countess of Scarborough" and the
+"Pallas," linked in deadly combat, and adding the roar of their cannon
+to the general turmoil. It seemed to the watchers on the heights that
+war was coming very close to England.
+
+The "Serapis" first succeeded in getting a raking position; and, as
+she slowly crossed her antagonist's bow, her guns were fired, loaded
+again, and again discharged,--the heavy bolts crashing into the
+"Richard's" bow, and ranging aft, tearing the flesh of the brave
+fellows on the decks, and cutting through timbers and cordage in their
+frightful course. At this moment, the Americans almost despaired of
+the termination of the conflict. The "Richard" proved to be old and
+rotten, and the enemy's shot seemed to tear her timbers to pieces;
+while the "Serapis" was new, with timbers that withstood the shock of
+the balls like steel armor. Jones saw that in a battle with great guns
+he was sure to be the loser. He therefore resolved to board.
+
+Soon the "Richard" made an attempt to cross the bows of the "Serapis,"
+but not having way enough failed; and the "Serapis" ran foul of her,
+with her long bowsprit projecting over the stern of the American ship.
+Springing from the quarter-deck, Jones with his own hands swung
+grappling-irons into the rigging of the enemy, and made the ships
+fast. As he bent to his work, he was a prominent target for every
+sharp-shooter on the British vessel, and the bullets hummed thickly
+about his ears; but he never flinched. His work done, he clambered
+back to the quarter-deck, and set about gathering the boarders. The
+two vessels swung alongside each other. The cannonading was redoubled,
+and the heavy ordnance of the "Serapis" told fearfully upon the
+"Richard." The American gunners were driven from their guns by the
+flying cloud of shot and splinters. Each party thought the other was
+about to board. The darkness and the smoke made all vision impossible;
+and the boarders on each vessel were crouched behind the bulwarks,
+ready to give a hot reception to their enemies. This suspense caused a
+temporary lull in the firing, and Capt. Pearson of the "Serapis"
+shouted out through the sulphurous blackness,--
+
+"Have you struck your colors?"
+
+"I have not yet begun to fight," replied Jones; and again the thunder
+of the cannon awakened the echoes on the distant shore. As the firing
+recommenced, the two ships broke away and drifted apart. Again the
+"Serapis" sought to get a raking position; but by this time Jones had
+determined that his only hope lay in boarding. Terrible had been the
+execution on his ship. The cock-pit was filled with the wounded. The
+mangled remains of the dead lay thick about the decks. The timbers of
+the ship were greatly shattered, and her cordage was so badly cut that
+skilful manoeuvring was impossible. Many shot-holes were beneath the
+water-line, and the hold was rapidly filling. Therefore, Jones
+determined to run down his enemy, and get out his boarders, at any
+cost.
+
+Soon the two vessels were foul again. Capt. Pearson, knowing that his
+advantage lay in long-distance fighting, strove to break away. Jones
+bent all his energies to the task of keeping the ships together.
+Meantime the battle raged fiercely. Jones himself, in his official
+report of the battle, thus describes the course of the fight:--
+
+"I directed the fire of one of the three cannon against the main-mast
+with double-headed shot, while the other two were exceedingly well
+served with grape and canister shot, to silence the enemy's musketry,
+and clear her decks, which was at last effected. The enemy were, as I
+have since understood, on the instant for calling for quarter, when
+the cowardice or treachery of three of my under officers induced them
+to call to the enemy. The English commodore asked me if I demanded
+quarter; and I having answered him in the negative, they renewed the
+battle with double fury. They were unable to stand the deck; but the
+fury of their cannon, especially the lower battery, which was entirely
+formed of eighteen-pounders, was incessant. Both ships were set on
+fire in various places, and the scene was dreadful beyond the reach of
+language. To account for the timidity of my three under officers (I
+mean the gunner, the carpenter, and the master-at-arms), I must
+observe that the two first were slightly wounded; and as the ship had
+received various shots under water, and one of the pumps being shot
+away, the carpenter expressed his fear that she would sink, and the
+other two concluded that she was sinking, which occasioned the gunner
+to run aft on the poop, without my knowledge, to strike the colors.
+Fortunately for me a cannon-ball had done that before by carrying away
+the ensign staff: he was, therefore, reduced to the necessity of
+sinking--as he supposed--or of calling for quarter; and he preferred
+the latter."
+
+Indeed, the petty officers were little to be blamed for considering
+the condition of the "Richard" hopeless. The great guns of the
+"Serapis," with their muzzles not twenty feet away, were hurling solid
+shot and grape through the flimsy shell of the American ship. So close
+together did the two ships come at times, that the rammers were
+sometimes thrust into the port-holes of the opposite ship in loading.
+When the ships first swung together, the lower ports of the "Serapis"
+were closed to prevent the Americans boarding through them. But in the
+heat of the conflict the ports were quickly blown off, and the iron
+throats of the great guns again protruded, and dealt out their
+messages of death. How frightful was the scene! In the two great ships
+were more than seven hundred men, their eyes lighted with the fire of
+hatred, their faces blackened with powder or made ghastly by streaks
+of blood. Cries of pain, yells of rage, prayers, and curses rose
+shrill above the thunderous monotone of the cannonade. Both ships were
+on fire; and the black smoke of the conflagration, mingled with the
+gray gunpowder smoke, and lighted up by the red flashes of the
+cannonade, added to the terrible picturesqueness of the scene.
+
+The "Richard" seemed like a spectre ship, so shattered was her
+framework. From the main-mast to the stern post, her timbers above the
+water-line were shot away, a few blackened posts alone preventing the
+upper deck from falling. Through this ruined shell swept the shot of
+the "Serapis," finding little to impede their flight save human flesh
+and bone. Great streams of water were pouring into the hold. The
+pitiful cries of nearly two hundred prisoners aroused the compassion
+of an officer, who ran below and liberated them. Driven from the hold
+by the inpouring water, these unhappy men ran to the deck, only to be
+swept down by the storm of cannon-shot and bullets. Fire, too,
+encompassed them; and the flames were so fast sweeping down upon the
+magazine, that Capt. Jones ordered the powder-kegs to be brought up
+and thrown into the sea. At this work, and at the pumps, the prisoners
+were kept employed until the end of the action.
+
+But though the heavy guns of the "Serapis" had it all their own way
+below, shattering the hull of the "Richard," and driving the Yankee
+gunners from their quarters, the conflict, viewed from the tops, was
+not so one-sided. The Americans crowded on the forecastle and in the
+tops, where they continued the battle with musketry and hand-grenades,
+with such murderous effect that the British were driven entirely from
+the upper deck. Once a party of about one hundred picked men, mustered
+below by Capt. Pearson, rushed to the upper deck of the "Serapis," and
+thence made a descent upon the deck of the "Richard," firing pistols,
+brandishing cutlasses, and yelling like demons. But the Yankee tars
+were ready for them at that game, and gave the boarders so spirited a
+reception with pikes and cutlasses, that they were ready enough to
+swarm over the bulwarks, and seek again the comparative safety of
+their own ship.
+
+But all this time, though the Americans were making a brave and
+desperate defence, the tide of battle was surely going against them
+Though they held the deck of the "Richard" secure against all comers,
+yet the Englishmen were cutting the ship away from beneath them, with
+continued heavy broadsides. Suddenly the course of battle was changed,
+and victory took her stand with the Americans, all through the daring
+and coolness of one man,--no officer, but an humble jacky.
+
+The rapid and accurate fire of the sharp-shooters on the "Richard" had
+driven all the riflemen of the "Serapis" from their posts in the tops.
+Seeing this, the Americans swarmed into the rigging of their own ship,
+and from that elevated station poured down a destructive fire of
+hand-grenades upon the decks of the enemy. The sailors on the deck of
+the "Richard" seconded this attack, by throwing the same missiles
+through the open ports of the enemy.
+
+At last one American topman, filling a bucket with grenades, and
+hanging it on his left arm, clambered out on the yard-arm of the
+"Richard," that stretched far out over the deck of the British ship.
+Cautiously the brave fellow crept out on the slender spar. His
+comrades below watched his progress, while the sharp-shooters kept a
+wary eye on the enemy, lest some watchful rifleman should pick off the
+adventurous blue-jacket. Little by little the nimble sailor crept out
+on the yard, until he was over the crowded gun-deck of the "Serapis."
+Then, lying at full length on the spar, and somewhat protected by it,
+he began to shower his missiles upon the enemy's gun-deck. Great was
+the execution done by each grenade; but at last, one better aimed
+than the rest fell through the main hatch to the main deck. There was
+a flash, then a succession of quick explosions; a great sheet of flame
+gushed up through the hatchway, and a chorus of cries told of some
+frightful tragedy enacted below.
+
+It seemed that the powder-boys of the "Serapis" had been too active in
+bringing powder to the guns, and, instead of bringing cartridges as
+needed, had kept one charge in advance of the demand; so that behind
+every gun stood a cartridge, making a line of cartridges on the deck
+from bow to stern. Several cartridges had been broken, so that much
+loose powder lay upon the deck. This was fired by the discharge of the
+hand-grenade, and communicated the fire to the cartridges, which
+exploded in rapid succession, horribly burning scores of men. More
+than twenty men were killed instantly; and so great was the flame and
+the force of the explosion, that many of them were left with nothing
+on but the collars and wristbands of their shirts and the waistbands
+of their trousers. It is impossible to conceive of the horror of the
+sight.
+
+Capt. Pearson in his official report of the battle, speaking of this
+occurrence, says, "A hand-grenade being thrown in at one of the lower
+ports, a cartridge of powder was set on fire, the flames of which,
+running from cartridge to cartridge all the way aft, blew up the whole
+of the people and officers that were quartered abaft the main-mast;
+from which unfortunate circumstance those guns were rendered useless
+for the remainder of the action, and I fear that the greater part of
+the people will lose their lives."
+
+This event changed the current of the battle. The English were hemmed
+between decks by the fire of the American topmen, and they found that
+not even then were they protected from the fiery hail of
+hand-grenades. The continual pounding of double-headed shot from a gun
+which Jones had trained upon the main-mast of the enemy had finally
+cut away that spar; and it fell with a crash upon the deck, bringing
+down spars and rigging with it. Flames were rising from the tarred
+cordage, and spreading to the framework of the ship. The Americans saw
+victory within their grasp.
+
+But at this moment a new and most unsuspected enemy appeared upon the
+scene. The "Alliance," which had stood aloof during the heat of the
+conflict, now appeared, and, after firing a few shots into the
+"Serapis," ranged slowly down along the "Richard," pouring a murderous
+fire of grape-shot into the already shattered ship. Jones thus tells
+the story of this treacherous and wanton assault:--
+
+"I now thought that the battle was at an end. But, to my utter
+astonishment, he discharged a broadside full into the stern of the
+'Bon Homme Richard.' We called to him for God's sake to forbear. Yet
+he passed along the off-side of the ship, and continued firing. There
+was no possibility of his mistaking the enemy's ship for the 'Bon
+Homme Richard,' there being the most essential difference in their
+appearance and construction. Besides, it was then full moonlight; and
+the sides of the 'Bon Homme Richard' were all black, and the sides of
+the enemy's ship were yellow. Yet, for the greater security, I showed
+the signal for our reconnoissance, by putting out three lanterns,--one
+at the bow, one at the stern, and one at the middle, in a horizontal
+line.
+
+"Every one cried that he was firing into the wrong ship, but nothing
+availed. He passed around, firing into the 'Bon Homme Richard,' head,
+stern, and broadside, and by one of his volleys killed several of my
+best men, and mortally wounded a good officer of the forecastle. My
+situation was truly deplorable. The 'Bon Homme Richard' received
+several shots under the water from the 'Alliance.' The leak gained on
+the pumps, and the fire increased much on board both ships. Some
+officers entreated me to strike, of whose courage and sense I
+entertain a high opinion. I would not, however, give up the point."
+
+Fortunately Landais did not persist in his cowardly attack upon his
+friends in the almost sinking ship, but sailed off, and allowed the
+"Richard" to continue her life-and-death struggle with her enemy. The
+struggle was not now of long duration; for Capt. Pearson, seeing that
+his ship was a perfect wreck, and that the fire was gaining head way,
+hauled down his colors with his own hands, since none of his men could
+be persuaded to brave the fire from the tops of the "Richard."
+
+As the proud emblem of Great Britain fluttered down, Lieut. Richard
+Dale turned to Capt. Jones, and asked permission to board the prize.
+Receiving an affirmative answer, he jumped on the gunwale, seized the
+mainbrace-pendant, and swung himself upon the quarter-deck of the
+captured ship. Midshipman Mayrant, with a large party of sailors,
+followed. So great was the confusion on the "Serapis," that few of
+the Englishmen knew that the ship had been surrendered. As Mayrant
+came aboard, he was mistaken for the leader of a boarding-party, and
+run through the thigh with a pike.
+
+Capt. Pearson was found standing alone upon the quarter-deck,
+contemplating with a sad face the shattered condition of his once
+noble ship, and the dead bodies of his brave fellows lying about the
+decks. Stepping up to him, Lieut. Dale said,--
+
+"Sir, I have orders to send you on board the ship alongside."
+
+At this moment, the first lieutenant of the "Serapis" came up hastily,
+and inquired,--
+
+"Has the enemy struck her flag?"
+
+"No, sir," answered Dale. "On the contrary, you have struck to us."
+
+Turning quickly to his commander, the English lieutenant asked,--
+
+"Have you struck, sir?"
+
+"Yes, I have," was the brief reply.
+
+"I have nothing more to say," remarked the officer, and turning about
+was in the act of going below, when Lieut. Dale stopped him, saying,--
+
+"It is my duty to request you, sir, to accompany Capt. Pearson on
+board the ship alongside."
+
+"If you will first permit me to go below," responded the other, "I
+will silence the firing of the lower deck guns."
+
+"This cannot be permitted," was the response; and, silently bowing his
+head, the lieutenant followed his chief to the victorious ship, while
+two midshipmen went below to stop the firing.
+
+Lieut. Dale remained in command of the "Serapis." Seating himself on
+the binnacle, he ordered the lashings which had bound the two ships
+throughout the bloody conflict to be cut. Then the head-sails were
+braced back, and the wheel put down. But, as the ship had been
+anchored at the beginning of the battle, she refused to answer either
+helm or canvas. Vastly astounded at this, Dale leaped from the
+binnacle; but his legs refused to support him, and he fell heavily to
+the deck. His followers sprang to his aid; and it was found that the
+lieutenant had been severely wounded in the leg by a splinter, but had
+fought out the battle without ever noticing his hurt.
+
+So ended this memorable battle. But the feelings of pride and
+exultation so natural to a victor died away in the breast of the
+American captain as he looked about the scene of wreck and carnage. On
+all sides lay the mutilated bodies of the gallant fellows who had so
+bravely stood to their guns amid the storm of death-dealing missiles.
+There they lay, piled one on top of the other,--some with their
+agonized writhings caught and fixed by death; others calm and
+peaceful, as though sleeping. Powder-boys, young and tender, lay by
+the side of grizzled old seamen. Words cannot picture the scene. In
+his journal Capt. Jones wrote:--
+
+"A person must have been an eye-witness to form a just idea of the
+tremendous scene of carnage, wreck, and ruin that everywhere appeared.
+Humanity cannot but recoil from the prospect of such finished horror,
+and lament that war should produce such fatal consequences."
+
+But worse than the appearance of the main deck was the scene in the
+cock-pit and along the gun-deck, which had been converted into a
+temporary hospital. Here lay the wounded, ranged in rows along the
+deck. Moans and shrieks of agony were heard on every side. The
+surgeons were busy with their glittering instruments. The tramp of men
+on the decks overhead, and the creaking of the timbers of the
+water-logged ship, added to the cries of the wounded, made a perfect
+bedlam of the place.
+
+[Illustration: The Action Between The "Bon Homme Richard" And The
+"Serapis," September 23, 1779.]
+
+It did not take long to discover that the "Bon Homme Richard" was a
+complete wreck, and in a sinking condition. The gallant old craft had
+kept afloat while the battle was being fought; but now, that the
+victory had remained with her, she had given up the struggle against
+the steadily encroaching waves. The carpenters who had explored the
+hold came on deck with long faces, and reported that nothing could be
+done to stop the great holes made by the shot of the "Serapis."
+Therefore Jones determined to remove his crew and all the wounded to
+the "Serapis," and abandon the noble "Richard" to her fate.
+Accordingly, all available hands were put at the pumps, and the work
+of transferring the wounded was begun. Slings were rigged over the
+side; and the poor shattered bodies were gently lowered into the boats
+awaiting them, and, on reaching the "Serapis," were placed tenderly in
+cots ranged along the main deck. All night the work went on; and by
+ten o'clock the next morning there were left on the "Richard" only a
+few sailors, who alternately worked at the pumps, and fought the
+steadily encroaching flames.
+
+For Jones did not intend to desert the good old ship without a
+struggle to save her, even though both fire and water were warring
+against her. Not until the morning dawned did the Americans fully
+appreciate how shattered was the hulk that stood between them and a
+watery grave. Fenimore Cooper, the pioneer historian of the United
+States navy, writes:--
+
+"When the day dawned, an examination was made into the situation of
+the 'Richard.' Abaft on a line with those guns of the 'Serapis' that
+had not been disabled by the explosion, the timbers were found to be
+nearly all beaten in, or beaten out,--for in this respect there was
+little difference between the two sides of the ship,--and it was said
+that her poop and upper decks would have fallen into the gun-room, but
+for a few buttocks that had been missed. Indeed, so large was the
+vacuum, that most of the shot fired from this part of the 'Serapis,'
+at the close of the action, must have gone through the 'Richard'
+without touching any thing. The rudder was cut from the stern post,
+and the transoms were nearly driven out of her. All the after-part of
+the ship, in particular, that was below the quarter-deck was torn to
+pieces; and nothing had saved those stationed on the quarter-deck but
+the impossibility of sufficiently elevating guns that almost touched
+their object."
+
+Despite the terribly shattered condition of the ship, her crew worked
+manfully to save her. But, after fighting the flames and working the
+pumps all day, they were reluctantly forced to abandon the good ship
+to her fate. It was nine o'clock at night, that the hopelessness of
+the task became evident. The "Richard" rolled heavily from side to
+side. The sea was up to her lower port-holes. At each roll the water
+gushed through her port-holes, and swashed through the hatchways. At
+ten o'clock, with a last dying surge, the shattered hulk plunged to
+her final resting-place, carrying with her the bodies of her dead.
+They had died the noblest of all deaths,--the death of a patriot
+killed in doing battle for his country. They receive the grandest of
+all burials,--the burial of a sailor who follows his ship to her
+grave, on the hard, white sand, in the calm depths of the ocean.
+
+How many were there that went down with the ship? History does not
+accurately state. Capt. Jones himself was never able to tell how great
+was the number of dead upon his ship. The most careful estimate puts
+the number at forty-two. Of the wounded on the American ship, there
+were about forty. All these were happily removed from the "Richard"
+before she sunk.
+
+On the "Serapis" the loss was much greater; but here, too, history is
+at fault, in that no official returns of the killed and wounded have
+been preserved. Capt. Jones's estimate, which is probably nearly
+correct, put the loss of the English ship at about a hundred killed,
+and an equal number wounded.
+
+The sinking of the "Richard" left the "Serapis" crowded with wounded
+of both nations, prisoners, and the remnant of the crew of the sunken
+ship. No time was lost in getting the ship in navigable shape, and in
+clearing away the traces of the battle. The bodies of the dead were
+thrown overboard. The decks were scrubbed and sprinkled with hot
+vinegar. The sound of the hammer and the saw was heard on every hand,
+as the carpenters stopped the leaks, patched the deck, and rigged new
+spars in place of those shattered by the "Richard's" fire. All three
+of the masts had gone by the board. Jury masts were rigged; and with
+small sails stretched on these the ship beat about the ocean, the
+plaything of the winds. Her consorts had left her. Landais, seeing no
+chance to rob Jones of the honor of the victory, had taken the
+"Alliance" to other waters. The "Pallas" had been victorious in her
+contest with the "Countess of Scarborough;" and, as soon as the issue
+of the conflict between the "Bon Homme Richard" and the "Serapis" had
+become evident, she made off with her prize, intent upon gaining a
+friendly port. The "Richard," after ten days of drifting, finally ran
+into Texel, in the north of Holland.
+
+The next year was one of comparative inactivity for Jones. He enjoyed
+for a time the praise of all friends of the revolting colonies. He was
+the lion of Paris. Then came the investigation into the action of
+Landais at the time of the great battle. Though his course at that
+time was one of open treachery, inspired by his wish to have Jones
+strike to the "Serapis," that he might have the honor of capturing
+both ships, Landais escaped any punishment at the hands of his French
+compatriots. But he was relieved of the command of the "Alliance,"
+which was given to Jones. Highly incensed at this action, the erratic
+Frenchman incited the crew of the "Alliance" to open mutiny, and,
+taking command of the ship himself, left France and sailed for
+America, leaving Commodore Jones in the lurch. On his arrival at
+Philadelphia, Landais strove to justify his action by blackening the
+character of Jones, but failed in this, and was dismissed the service.
+His actions should be regarded with some charity, for the man was
+doubtless of unsound mind. His insanity became even more evident after
+his dismissal from the navy; and from that time, until the time of his
+death, his eccentricities made him generally regarded as one mentally
+unsound.
+
+Jones, having lost the "Alliance" by the mutiny of Landais, remained
+abroad, waiting for another ship. He travelled widely on the
+Continent, and was lavishly entertained by the rich and noble of every
+nation. Not until October, 1780, did he again tread the deck of a
+vessel under his own command.
+
+The ship which the French Government finally fitted out and put in
+command of Paul Jones was the "Ariel," a small twenty-gun ship. This
+vessel the adventurous sailor packed full of powder and cannon-balls,
+taking only provisions enough for nine weeks, and evidently expecting
+to live off the prizes he calculated upon taking. He sailed from
+L'Orient on a bright October afternoon, under clear skies, and with a
+fair wind, intending to proceed directly to the coast of America. But
+the first night out there arose a furious gale. The wind howled
+through the rigging, tore the sails from the ring-bolts, snapped the
+spars, and seriously wrecked the cordage of the vessel. The great
+waves, lashed into fury by the hurricane, smote against the sides of
+the little craft as though they would burst through her sheathing. The
+ship rolled heavily; and the yards, in their grand sweep from side to
+side, often plunged deep into the foaming waves. At last so great
+became the strain upon the vessel, that the crew were set to work with
+axes to cut away the foremast. Balancing themselves upon the tossing,
+slippery deck, holding fast to a rope with one hand, while with the
+other they swung the axe, the gallant fellows finally cut so deep into
+the heart of the stout spar, that a heavy roll of the ship made it
+snap off short, and it fell alongside, where it hung by the cordage.
+The wreck was soon cleared away; and as this seemed to ease the ship
+somewhat, and as she was drifting about near the dreaded rock of
+Penmarque, the anchors were got out. But in the mean time the violent
+rolling of the "Ariel" had thrown the heel of the main-mast from the
+step; and the heavy mast was reeling about, threatening either to
+plough its way upward through the gun-deck, or to crash through the
+bottom of the ship. It was determined to cut away this mast; but,
+before this could be done, it fell, carrying with it the mizzen-mast,
+and crushing in the deck on which it fell. Thus dismasted, the "Ariel"
+rode out the gale. All night and all the next day she was tossed about
+on the angry waters. Her crew thought that their last hour had surely
+come. Over the shrieking of the gale, and the roaring of the waves,
+rose that steady, all-pervading sound, which brings horror to the mind
+of the sailor,--the dull, monotonous thunder of the breakers on the
+reef of Penmarque. But the "Ariel" was not fated to be ground to
+pieces on the jagged teeth of the cruel reef. Though she drifted
+about, the plaything of the winds and the waves, she escaped the jaws
+of Penmarque. Finally the gale subsided; and, with hastily devised
+jury-masts, the shattered ship was taken back to L'Orient to refit.
+
+Two months were consumed in the work of getting the shattered vessel
+ready for sea. When she again set out, she met with no mishap, until,
+when near the American coast, she fell in with a British vessel to
+which she gave battle. A sharp action of a quarter of an hour forced
+the Englishman to strike his colors; but, while the Americans were
+preparing to board the prize, she sailed away, vastly to the chagrin
+and indignation of her would-be captors.
+
+The short cruise of the "Ariel" was the last service rendered by Paul
+Jones to the American Colonies. On his arrival at Philadelphia, he was
+dined and feted to his heart's desire; he received a vote of thanks
+from Congress; he became the idol of the populace. But the necessities
+of the struggling colonies were such that they were unable to build
+for him a proper war-ship, and he remained inactive upon shore until
+the close of the Revolution, when he went abroad, and took service
+with Russia. He is the one great character in the naval history of the
+Revolution. He is the first heroic figure in American naval annals.
+Not until years after his death did men begin to know him at his true
+worth. He was too often looked upon as a man of no patriotism, but
+wholly mercenary; courageous, but only with the daring of a pirate.
+Not until he had died a lonely death, estranged from the country he
+had so nobly served, did men come to know Paul Jones as a model naval
+officer, high-minded in his patriotism, pure in his life, elevated in
+his sentiments, and as courageous as a lion.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+ CAREER OF NICHOLAS BIDDLE. -- HIS EXPLOIT AT LEWISTON JAIL.
+ -- CRUISE IN THE "RANDOLPH." -- BATTLE WITH THE "YARMOUTH."
+ -- THE FATAL EXPLOSION. -- SAMUEL TUCKER. -- HIS BOYHOOD. --
+ ENCOUNTER WITH CORSAIRS. -- CRUISING IN THE "FRANKLIN." --
+ IN COMMAND OF THE "BOSTON." -- ANECDOTES OF CAPT. TUCKER.
+
+
+In the career of Paul Jones is to be found the record of the most
+stirring events of the Revolution; but there were other commanders in
+the young American navy no less daring than he. As the chief naval
+representative of the Colonies who cruised in European waters, Jones
+achieved a notoriety somewhat out of proportion to his actual
+achievements. But other brave seamen did gallant service along the
+Atlantic coast for the cause of the struggling nation, and, by their
+daring and nautical skill, did much to bring the war of the Revolution
+to its happy conclusion.
+
+We abandoned our consideration of the general naval events of the war,
+to turn to a recountal of the exploits of Paul Jones at the close of
+the year 1776. Hostilities on the water during that year were confined
+to sharp, but short, actions between small men-of-war or privateers.
+The Americans lacked the discipline and experience necessary to win
+for themselves any great reputation on the water. Though they showed
+themselves full of dash and spirit, they were deficient in discipline
+and staying qualities. Nevertheless, the record of the year was by no
+means discreditable to so young a naval organization.
+
+Aside from the naval operations on the ocean, the year 1776 had seen
+the thick clouds of gunpowder-smoke floating across the placid surface
+of Lake Champlain, while the wooded hills that surrounded that lake
+and Lake George more than once resounded with thunderous tones of
+cannon. The hostile meetings of the English and Americans on the
+interior lakes are hardly to be classed as naval engagements. The
+vessels were chiefly gondolas and galleys, and many of their crews had
+never seen salt water. On the British side the forces were more
+considerable. In October, 1776, the British had on Lake Champlain at
+least one full-rigged ship; and their schooners and galleys were all
+manned by trained sailors, drafted from men-of-war laid up in the St.
+Lawrence. This force was under the command of Capt. Douglass of the
+frigate "Isis." The Americans, on the contrary, had manned their fleet
+with recruits from the army; and the forces were under the command of
+an army-officer, Gen. Benedict Arnold, the story of whose later
+treachery is familiar to every American. It was late in October that
+the two hostile fleets met in deadly conflict, and a few short hours
+were enough to prove to the Americans that they were greatly
+overmatched. Such of their vessels as were not sunk were captured and
+burned by the enemy; while their crews escaped into the woods, and
+ultimately rejoined Arnold's army, from which they had been drafted.
+
+We pass thus hastily over the so-called naval operations on Lake
+Champlain, because they were properly not naval operations at all, but
+merely incidents in the shore campaign. The fact that a few soldiers
+hastily build a small flotilla, and with it give battle to an enemy on
+the water, does not in any sense constitute a naval battle.
+
+The year 1777 witnessed many notable naval events. Hostilities along
+the seaboard became more lively. New vessels were put into commission.
+England despatched a larger naval armament to crush her rebellious
+colonies. The records of the admiralty show, that at the beginning of
+that year Parliament voted to the navy forty-five thousand men. The
+Americans were able to array against this huge force only some four
+thousand, scattered upon thirteen small vessels-of-war.
+
+One of the first ships to get to sea in this year was the "Randolph:"
+a new frigate commanded by Nicholas Biddle, who thus early in the war
+had won the confidence of the people and the naval authorities. In
+command of the little cruiser "Andrea Doria," Biddle had cruised off
+the coast of Newfoundland in 1776. His success upon that cruise has
+already been noted.
+
+Biddle was a man possessing to the fullest degree that primary
+qualification of a good naval officer,--an indomitable will. In
+illustration of his determination, a story is related concerning an
+incident that occurred just as the "Andrea Doria" had left the Capes
+of the Delaware. Two of her crew had deserted, and, being apprehended
+by the authorities on shore, were lodged in Lewiston jail. But the
+sheriff and his deputies found it easier to turn the key on the
+fugitive tars, than to keep them in control while they lay in durance
+vile. Gathering all the benches, chairs, and tables that lay about the
+jail,--for the lockup of those days was not the trim affair of steel
+and iron seen to-day,--the unrepentant jackies built for themselves a
+barricade, and, snugly entrenched behind it, shouted out bold defiance
+to any and all who should come to take them. The jail authorities had
+committed the foolish error of neglecting to disarm the prisoners when
+they were captured; and, as each had a brace of ugly pistols in his
+belt, the position of the two behind their barricade was really one of
+considerable strength. The prison officials dared not attempt to
+dislodge the warlike tars. The militia company of the town was ordered
+to the scene, but even this body of soldiery dared not force the
+prison door. Accordingly they determined to let time do the work, and
+starve the rogues out of their retreat. At this juncture Capt. Biddle
+came ashore. He had no intention of letting his trim ship lie idly in
+the offing while two mutinous blue-jackets were slowly starved into
+subjection. The "Andrea Doria" needed the men, and there must be no
+more delay. A captain in the American navy was not to be defied by two
+of his own people.
+
+Therefore, seizing a loaded pistol in each hand, Capt. Biddle walked
+to the prison, accompanied only by a young midshipman. As the two
+pounded upon the heavy barred door, the crowd outside fell back,
+expecting the bullets to fly.
+
+"Open this door, Green," shouted Biddle to one of the prisoners, whom
+he knew by name.
+
+"Try to open it yourself," came the reply from within, with an
+accompanying oath. "The first man that shows his head inside this door
+gets a bullet."
+
+Green was known as a bold, desperate man; but Biddle did not hesitate
+a moment. Ordering the bystanders to break down the door, he waited
+quietly, until a crash, and the sudden scattering of the crowd, gave
+notice that the way into the prison was clear. Then gripping his
+pistols tightly, but with his arms hanging loosely at his sides, he
+advanced upon the deserters. Behind the barricade stood Green, his
+eyes blazing with rage, his pistol levelled. Biddle faced him quietly.
+
+"Now, Green, if you don't take a good aim, you are a dead man," said
+he.
+
+With a muttered curse, the mutineer dropped his weapon. The cool
+determination of the captain awed him. In a few minutes he, with his
+companion, was on his way to the ship in irons.
+
+It was in February, 1777, that the stanch new frigate "Randolph," with
+Biddle in command, set sail from Philadelphia. Hardly had she reached
+the high seas when a terrific gale set in, from which the "Randolph"
+emerged, shorn of her tapering masts. As she lay a helpless wreck
+tossing on the waves, the hard work necessary to put her in decent
+shape again induced Biddle to accede to the request of a number of
+British prisoners on board, who wished to be enrolled among the crew
+of the "Randolph." This proved to be an unfortunate move; for the
+Englishmen were no sooner enrolled on the ship's list than they began
+plotting mutiny, and the uprising reached such a stage that they
+assembled on the gun-deck, and gave three cheers. But the firm and
+determined stand of the captain and his officers overawed the
+mutineers, and they returned to their places after the ringleaders had
+been made to suffer at the gratings. But the spirit of disaffection
+rife amid his crew, and the crippled condition of his ship, determined
+Biddle to proceed forthwith to Charleston to refit.
+
+But a few days were spent in port. Getting to sea again, the
+"Randolph" fell in with the "True Briton," a twenty-gun ship, flying
+the British colors. Though the captain of the "True Briton" had often
+boasted of what he would do should he encounter the "Randolph," his
+courage then failed him, and he fled. The "Randolph" gave chase, and,
+proving to be a speedy ship, soon overhauled the prize, which struck
+without waiting for a volley. Three other vessels that had been
+cruising with the "True Briton" were also captured, and with her rich
+prizes the "Randolph" returned proudly to Charleston. Here her
+usefulness ceased for a time; for a superior force of British
+men-of-war appeared off the harbor, and by them the "Randolph" was
+blockaded for the remainder of the season.
+
+Early in 1778 Biddle again took the sea with the "Randolph," supported
+this time by four small vessels, fitted out by the South Carolina
+authorities. They were the "Gen. Moultrie," eighteen guns; the
+"Polly," sixteen; the "Notre Dame," sixteen; and the "Fair American,"
+sixteen. With this force Capt. Biddle set out in search of a British
+squadron known to be cruising thereabouts, and probably the same
+vessels that had kept him a prisoner during so much of the previous
+year.
+
+On the 7th of March, 1778, the lookouts on the smaller vessels saw a
+signal thrown out from the masthead of the "Randolph," which announced
+a sail in sight. Chase was at once given; and by four o'clock she was
+near enough for the Americans to see that she was a large ship, and
+apparently a man-of-war. About eight o'clock the stranger was near
+enough the squadron for them to make out that she was a heavy frigate.
+
+The Englishman was not slow to suspect the character of the vessels
+with which he had fallen in, and firing a shot across the bows of the
+"Moultrie," demanded her name.
+
+"The 'Polly' of New York," was the response.
+
+Leaving the "Moultrie" unmolested, the stranger ranged up alongside
+the "Randolph," and ordered her to show her colors. This Biddle
+promptly did; and as the American flag went fluttering to the fore,
+the ports of the "Randolph" were thrown open, and a broadside poured
+into the hull of the Englishman. The stranger was not slow in
+replying, and the action became hot and deadly. Capt. Biddle was
+wounded in the thigh early in the battle. As he fell to the deck, his
+officers crowded about him, thinking that he was killed; but he
+encouraged them to return to their posts, and, ordering a chair to be
+placed on the quarter-deck, remained on deck, giving orders, and
+cheering on his men. It is said that Capt. Biddle was wounded by a
+shot from the "Moultrie," which flew wide of its intended mark.
+
+For twenty minutes the battle raged, and there was no sign of
+weakening on the part of either contestant. Suddenly the sound of the
+cannonade was deadened by a thunderous roar. The people on the other
+ships saw a huge column of fire and smoke rise where the "Randolph"
+had floated. The English vessel was thrown violently on her beam-ends.
+The sky was darkened with flying timbers and splinters, which fell
+heavily into the sea. The "Randolph" had blown up. A spark, a red-hot
+shot, some fiery object, had penetrated her magazine, and she was
+annihilated.
+
+The horrible accident which destroyed the "Randolph" came near being
+the end of the "Yarmouth," her antagonist. The two battling ships were
+close together; so close, in fact, that after the explosion Capt.
+Morgan of the "Fair American" hailed the "Yarmouth" to ask how Capt.
+Biddle was. The English ship was fairly covered with bits of the
+flying wreck. Some heavy pieces of timber falling from the skies badly
+shattered her main-deck. An American ensign, closely rolled up, fell
+on her forecastle, not even singed by the fiery ordeal through which
+it had passed.
+
+The "Yarmouth" wasted little time in wonder over the fate of her late
+antagonist. In all the mass of floating wreckage that covered the sea,
+there appeared to be no living thing. The four smaller American
+vessels, dismayed by the fate of their consort, were making good their
+escape. Without more ado, the "Yarmouth" set out in chase.
+
+Four days later, the Americans having escaped, the "Yarmouth" was
+again cruising near the scene of the action. A raft was discovered on
+the ocean, which seemed to support some living creatures. Running down
+upon it, four wretched, emaciated men were discovered clinging to a
+piece of wreckage, and wildly waving for assistance. They were taken
+aboard the British man-of-war, and given food and drink, of both of
+which they partook greedily; for their sole sustenance during the four
+days for which they clung to their frail raft was rain-water sucked
+from a piece of blanket.
+
+So died Capt. Nicholas Biddle, blown to atoms by the explosion of his
+ship in the midst of battle. Though but a young officer, not having
+completed his twenty-seventh year, he left an enduring name in the
+naval annals of his country. Though his service was short, the fame he
+won was great.
+
+Among the more notable commanders who did good service on the sea was
+Capt. Samuel Tucker, who was put in command of the frigate "Boston" in
+the latter part of the year 1777. Tucker was an old and tried seaman,
+and is furthermore one of the most picturesque figures in the naval
+history of the Revolution. He first showed his love for the sea in the
+way that Yankee boys from time immemorial have shown it,--by running
+away from home, and shipping as a cabin-boy. The ship which he chose
+was the British sloop-of-war "Royal George," and the boy found himself
+face to face with the rigid naval discipline of the British service at
+that time. But he stuck manfully to the career he had chosen, and
+gradually mastered not only the details of a seaman's duty, but much
+of the art of navigation; so that when finally he got his discharge
+from the "Royal George," he shipped as second mate on a Salem
+merchantman. It was on his first voyage in this capacity that he first
+showed the mettle that was in him. Two Algerine corsairs, their decks
+crowded with men, their long low hulls cleaving the waves like
+dolphins, had given chase to the merchantman. The captain of the
+threatened ship grew faint-hearted: he sought courage in liquor, and
+soon became unable to manage his vessel. Tucker took the helm. He saw
+that there was no chance of escape in flight, for the corsairs were
+too fleet. There was no hope of victory in a battle, for the pirates
+were too strong. But the trim New England schooner minded her helm
+better than her lanteen-rigged pursuers, and this fact Tucker put to
+good account.
+
+Putting his helm hard down, he headed the schooner directly for the
+piratical craft. By skilful manoeuvring, he secured such a position
+that either pirate, by firing upon him, was in danger of firing into
+his fellow corsair. This position he managed to maintain until
+nightfall, when he slipped away, and by daylight was snugly at anchor
+in the port of Lisbon.
+
+For some time after this episode, the record of Tucker's seafaring
+life is lost. Certain it is that he served in the British navy as an
+officer for some time, and was master of a merchantman for several
+years.
+
+When the Revolution broke out, Samuel Tucker was in London. Being
+offered by a recruiting officer a commission in either the army or
+navy, if he would consent to serve "his gracious Majesty," Tucker very
+rashly responded, "Hang his gracious Majesty! Do you think I would
+serve against my country?"
+
+Soon a hue and cry was out for Tucker. He was charged with treason,
+and fled into the country to the house of a tavern-keeper whom he
+knew, who sheltered him until he could make his escape from England.
+
+Hardly had he arrived in America, when Gen. Washington commissioned
+him captain of the "Franklin," and instructed him to proceed directly
+to sea. An express with the commission and instructions was hurried
+off to Marblehead, then a straggling little city. He was instructed to
+find the "Hon. Samuel Tucker," and to deliver to him the packets in
+his charge. When the messenger arrived, Tucker was working in his
+yard. The messenger saw a rough-looking person, roughly clad, with a
+tarpaulin hat, and his neck bound with a flaming red bandanna
+handkerchief. Never once thinking this person could be the man he
+sought, he leaned from his horse, and shouted out roughly,--
+
+"I say, fellow, I wish you would tell me whether the Hon. Samuel
+Tucker lives hereabouts."
+
+Tucker looked up with a quizzical smile, and surveyed the speaker from
+under the wide rim of his tarpaulin, as he answered,--
+
+"Honorable, honorable! There's none of that name in Marblehead. He
+must be one of the Tuckers in Salem. I'm the only Samuel Tucker here."
+
+"Capt. Glover told me he knew him," responded the messenger, "and
+described his house, gable-end on the seaside, none near it. Faith,
+this looks like the very place!"
+
+With a laugh, Tucker then confessed his identity, and asked the
+messenger his business. Receiving the commission and instructions, he
+at once began his preparations for leaving home, and at daybreak the
+next morning was on his way to Beverly, where lay anchored the first
+ship he was to command in the service of his country.
+
+In the "Franklin" Capt. Tucker did some most efficient work. His name
+appears constantly in the letters of Gen. Washington, and in the State
+papers making up the American archives, as having sent in valuable
+prizes. At one time we read of the capture of "a brigantine from
+Scotland, worth fifteen thousand pounds sterling;" again, of six
+gunboats, and of brigs laden with wine and fruit. During the year
+1776, he took not less than thirty--and probably a few more--ships,
+brigs, and smaller vessels. Nor were all these vessels taken without
+some sharp fighting.
+
+Of one battle Tucker himself speaks in one of his letters. First
+telling how his wife made the colors for his ship, "the field of which
+was white, and the union was green, made of cloth of her own
+purchasing, and at her own expense," he goes on to write of one of his
+battles:--
+
+"Those colors I wore in honor of the country,--which has so nobly
+rewarded me for my past services,--and the love of their maker, until
+I fell in with Col. Archibald Campbell in the ship "George," and brig
+"Arabella," transports with about two hundred and eighty Highland
+troops on board, of Gen. Frazer's corps. About ten P.M. a severe
+conflict ensued, which held about two hours and twenty minutes. I
+conquered them with great carnage on their side, it being in the
+night, and my small bark, about seventy tons burden, being very low in
+the water, I received no damage in loss of men, but lost a complete
+set of new by the passing of their balls; then the white field and
+pine-tree union were riddled to atoms. I was then immediately supplied
+with a new suit of sails, and a new suit of colors, made of canvas and
+bunting of my own prize-goods."
+
+Another time, during the same year, Tucker took two British ships near
+Marblehead. So near was the scene of action to the house of Capt.
+Tucker, that his wife and her sister, hearing the sound of
+cannonading, ascended a high hill in the vicinity, and from that point
+viewed the action through a spy-glass.
+
+Capt. Tucker kept the sea in the "Franklin" until late in the winter.
+When finally the cold weather and high winds forced him to put his
+ship out of commission, he went to his home at Marblehead. He remained
+there but a short time; for in March, 1777, he was put in command of
+the "Boston," a frigate of twenty-four guns. In this vessel he cruised
+during the year with varying success.
+
+Feb. 10, 1778, Capt. Tucker was ordered to carry the Hon. John Adams
+to France, as envoy from the United States. The voyage was full of
+incidents. Feeling impressed with the gravity of the charge laid upon
+him, Capt. Tucker chose a course which he hoped would enable him to
+steer clear of the horde of British men-of-war which then infested
+the American coast. But in so doing he fell in with a natural enemy,
+which came near proving fatal. A terrific thunderstorm, gradually
+growing into a tornado, crossed the path of the ship. The ocean was
+lashed into waves mountain high. The crash of the thunder rent the
+sky. A stroke of lightning struck the main-mast, and ripped up the
+deck, narrowly missing the magazine. The ship sprung a leak; and the
+grewsome sound of the pumps mingled with the roar of the waves, and
+the shrieking of the winds. For several days the stormy weather
+continued. Then followed a period of calm, which the captain well
+employed in repairing the rigging, and exercising the men with the
+guns and small-arms. Many ships had been sighted, and some, evidently
+men-of-war, had given chase; but the "Boston" succeeded in showing
+them all a clean pair of heels.
+
+"What would you do," said Mr. Adams one day, as he stood with the
+captain watching three ships that were making desperate efforts to
+overhaul the "Boston," "if you could not escape, and they should
+attack you?"
+
+"As the first is far in advance of the others, I should carry her by
+boarding, leading the boarders myself," was the response. "I should
+take her; for no doubt a majority of her crew, being pressed men,
+would turn to and join me. Having taken her, I should be matched, and
+could fight the other two."
+
+Such language as this coming from many men would be considered mere
+foolhardy boasting. But Tucker was a man not given to brag. Indeed, he
+was apt to be very laconic in speaking of his exploits. A short time
+after his escape from the three ships, he fell in with an English
+armed vessel of no small force, and captured her. His only comment on
+the action in his journal reads, "I fired a gun, and they returned
+three; and down went the colors."
+
+John Adams, however, told a more graphic story of this capture.
+Tucker, as soon as he saw an armed vessel in his path, hastily called
+his crew to order, and bore down upon her. When the roll of the drum,
+calling the people to quarters, resounded through the ship, Mr. Adams
+seized a musket, and took his stand with the marines. Capt. Tucker,
+seeing him there, requested him to go below, and upon his desire being
+disregarded, put his hand upon the envoy's shoulder, and in a tone of
+authority said,--
+
+"Mr. Adams, I am commanded by the Continental Congress to deliver you
+safe in France, and you must go below."
+
+The envoy smilingly complied, and just at that moment the enemy let
+fly her broadside. The shot flew through the rigging, doing but little
+damage. Though the guns of the "Boston" were shotted, and the gunners
+stood at their posts with smoking match-stocks, Capt. Tucker gave no
+order to fire, but seemed intent upon the manoeuvres of the ships. The
+eager blue-jackets begun to murmur, and the chorus of questions and
+oaths was soon so great that the attention of Tucker was attracted. He
+looked at the row of eager faces on the gun-deck, and shouted out,--
+
+"Hold on, my men! I wish to save that egg without breaking the shell."
+
+Soon after, Tucker brought his broadside to bear on the stern of the
+enemy, and she struck without more ado. She proved to be an armed
+ship, the "Martha."
+
+After this encounter, nothing more of moment occurred on the voyage;
+and the "Boston" reached Bordeaux, and landed her distinguished
+passenger in safety. Two months later she left Bordeaux, in company
+with a fleet of twenty sail, one of which was the "Ranger," formerly
+commanded by Paul Jones. With these vessels he cruised for a time in
+European waters, but returned to the American coast in the autumn. His
+services for the rest of that year, and the early part of 1779, we
+must pass over hastily, though many were the prizes that fell into his
+clutches.
+
+Many anecdotes are told of Tucker. His shrewdness, originality, and
+daring made him a favorite theme for story-tellers. But, unhappily,
+the anecdotes have generally no proof of their truth. One or two,
+however, told by Capt. Tucker's biographer, Mr. John H. Sheppard, will
+not be out of place here.
+
+In one the story is told that Tucker fell in with a British frigate
+which he knew to be sent in search of him. Showing the English flag,
+he sailed boldly towards the enemy, and in answer to her hail said he
+was Capt. Gordon of the English navy, out in search of the "Boston,"
+commanded by the rebel Tucker.
+
+"I'll carry him to New York, dead or alive," said Tucker.
+
+"Have you seen him?" was asked.
+
+"Well, I've heard of him," was the response; "and they say he is a
+hard customer."
+
+All this time Tucker had been manoeuvring to secure a raking
+position. Behind the closed ports of the "Boston," the men stood at
+their guns, ready for the word of command. Just as the American had
+secured the position desired, a sailor in the tops of the British
+vessel cried out,--
+
+"That is surely Tucker; we shall have a devil of a smell directly."
+
+Hearing this, Tucker ordered the American flag hoisted, and the ports
+thrown open. Hailing his astonished foe, he cried,--
+
+"The time I proposed talking with you is ended. This is the 'Boston,'
+frigate. I am Samuel Tucker, but no rebel. Fire, or strike your flag."
+
+The Englishman saw he had no alternative but to strike. This he did
+without firing a gun. The vessel, though not named in the anecdote,
+was probably the "Pole," of the capture of which Tucker frequently
+speaks in his letters.
+
+Of the part Tucker played in the siege of Charleston, of his capture
+there by the British, and of his exchange, we shall speak later. At
+that disaster four American frigates were lost: so many of the best
+naval officers were thrown out of employment. Among them was Tucker;
+but ever anxious for active service, he obtained the sloop-of-war
+"Thorn," which he himself had captured, and went out as a privateer.
+In this vessel he saw some sharp service. One engagement was thus
+described to Mr. Sheppard by a marine named Everett who was on
+board:--
+
+"We had been cruising about three weeks when we fell in with an
+English packet of twenty-two guns and one hundred men. Not long after
+she was discovered, the commodore called up his crew, and said, 'She
+means to fight us; and if we go alongside like men, she is ours in
+thirty minutes, but if we can't go as men we have no business here.'
+He then told them he wanted no cowards on deck, and requested those
+who were willing to fight to go down the starboard, and those who were
+unwilling the larboard gangway. Every man and boy took the first,
+signifying his willingness to meet the enemy.
+
+"As Mr. Everett was passing by, the commodore asked him,--
+
+"'Are you willing to go alongside of her?'
+
+"'Yes, sir,' was the reply.
+
+"In mentioning this conversation, however, Mr. Everett candidly
+confessed, 'I did not tell him the truth, for I would rather have been
+in my father's cornfield.'
+
+"After the commanders of these two vessels, as they drew near, had
+hailed each other in the customary way when ships meet at sea, the
+captain of the English packet cried out roughly from the
+quarter-deck,--
+
+"'Haul down your colors, or I'll sink you!'
+
+"'Ay, ay, sir; directly,' answered Tucker calmly. And he then ordered
+the helmsman to steer the 'Thorn' right under the stern of the packet,
+luff up under her lee quarters, and range alongside of her. The order
+was promptly executed. The two vessels were laid side by side, within
+pistol shot of each other. While the 'Thorn' was getting into
+position, the enemy fired a full broadside at her which did but little
+damage. As soon as she was brought completely alongside her adversary,
+Tucker thundered out to his men to fire, and a tremendous discharge
+followed; and, as good aim had been taken, a dreadful carnage was seen
+in that ill-fated vessel. It was rapidly succeeded by a fresh volley
+of artillery, and in twenty-seven minutes a piercing cry was heard
+from the English vessel: 'Quarters, for God's sake! Our ship is
+sinking. Our men are dying of their wounds.'
+
+"To this heart-rending appeal Capt. Tucker exclaimed,--
+
+"'How can you expect quarters while that British flag is flying?'
+
+"The sad answer came back, 'Our halliards are shot away.'
+
+"'Then cut away your ensign staff, or ye'll all be dead men.'
+
+"It was done immediately. Down came the colors, the din of cannonading
+ceased, and only the groans of the wounded and dying were heard.
+
+"Fifteen men, with carpenters, surgeon, and their leader, were quickly
+on the deck of the prize. Thirty-four of her crew, with her captain,
+were either killed or wounded. Her decks were besmeared with blood,
+and in some places it stood in clotted masses to the tops of the
+sailors' slippers. The gloomy but needful work of amputating limbs,
+and laying out the dead, was begun; and every effort was made to
+render the wounded prisoners as comfortable as possible."
+
+Here we must take leave of Commodore Tucker and his exploits. As a
+privateersman, he continued to do daring work to the end of the war.
+He fought at least one more bloody action. He was captured once and
+escaped. But the recountal of his romantic career must now yield to
+our chronological survey of the lesser naval events of the Revolution.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ HOSTILITIES IN 1777. -- AMERICAN REVERSES. -- THE BRITISH IN
+ PHILADELPHIA. -- THE ATTACK UPON FORT MIFFLIN. -- CRUISE OF
+ THE "RALEIGH" AND THE "ALFRED." -- TORPEDO WARFARE. -- THE
+ BATTLE OF THE KEGS.
+
+
+We have now heard of the exploits of some of the chief naval leaders
+of the war of the Revolution. But there were many dashing engagements
+in which the great commanders took no part, and many important
+captures made by vessels sailing under the flags of the individual
+colonies, which deserve attention.
+
+The American cause on the water suffered some rather severe reverses
+in the early part of 1777. In March, the brig "Cabot" fell in with the
+British frigate "Milford," and was so hard pressed that she was run
+ashore on the coast of Nova Scotia. The crew had hardly time to get
+ashore before the British took possession of the stranded craft. The
+Americans were left helpless, in a wild and little settled country,
+but finally made their way through the woods to a harbor. Here they
+found a coasting schooner lying at anchor, upon which they promptly
+seized, and in which they escaped to Portsmouth. In the mean time, the
+British had got the "Cabot" afloat again.
+
+Two months later, or in the early part of May, two United States
+vessels, the "Hancock" thirty-two, Capt. Manly, and the "Boston"
+twenty-four, Capt. Hector McNeil, sailed in company from Boston. When
+a few days out, a strange sail was sighted, and proved to be a
+British frigate. The "Hancock" soon came near enough to her to
+exchange broadsides, as the two vessels were going on opposite tacks.
+The enemy, however, seemed anxious to avoid a conflict, and exerted
+every effort to escape. Manly, having great confidence in the speed of
+his ship, gave chase. Calling the people from the guns, he bade them
+make a leisurely breakfast, and get ready for the work before them.
+The "Hancock" soon overhauled the chase, which began firing her guns
+as fast as they would bear. The Americans, however, made no response
+until fairly alongside, when they let fly a broadside with ringing
+cheers. The action lasted for an hour and a half before the enemy
+struck. She proved to be the "Fox," twenty-eight. She was badly cut up
+by the American fire, and had thirty-two dead and wounded men on
+board. The loss on the "Hancock" amounted to only eight men. In this
+running fight the "Boston" was hopelessly distanced, coming up just in
+time to fire a gun as the British ensign came fluttering from the
+peak.
+
+Putting a prize crew on the "Fox," the three vessels continued their
+cruise. A week passed, and no sail was seen. Somewhat rashly Capt.
+Manly turned his ship's prow toward Halifax, then, as now, the chief
+British naval station on the American coast. When the three ships
+appeared off the entrance to the harbor of Halifax, the British
+men-of-war inside quickly spied them, raised anchor, and came crowding
+out in hot pursuit. There was the "Rainbow" forty-four, the "Flora"
+thirty-two, and the "Victor" eighteen, besides two others whose names
+could not be ascertained. The Americans saw that they had stirred up a
+nest of hornets, and sought safety in flight. The three British
+vessels whose names are given gave chase. The "Boston," by her swift
+sailing, easily kept out of the reach of the enemy. The "Fox,"
+however, was quickly overhauled by the "Flora," and struck her flag
+after exchanging a few broadsides. The "Hancock" for a time seemed
+likely to escape, but at last the "Rainbow" began gradually to
+overhaul her. Capt. Manly, finding escape impossible, began
+manoeuvring with the intention of boarding his powerful adversary; but
+the light winds made this impossible, and he suddenly found himself
+under the guns of the "Rainbow," with the "Victor" astern, in a raking
+position. Seeing no hope for success in so unequal a conflict, Manly
+struck his flag. In the mean time the "Boston" had calmly proceeded
+upon her way, leaving her consorts to their fate. For having thus
+abandoned his superior officer, Capt. McNeil was dismissed the service
+upon his return to Boston.
+
+These losses were to some degree offset by the good fortune of the
+"Trumbull," twenty-eight, in command of Capt. Saltonstall. She left
+New York in April of this year, and had been on the water but a few
+days when she fell in with two British armed vessels of no
+inconsiderable force. The Englishmen, confident of their ability to
+beat off the cruiser, made no effort to avoid a conflict. Capt.
+Saltonstall, by good seamanship, managed to put his vessel between the
+two hostile ships, and then worked both batteries with such vigor,
+that, after half-an-hour's fighting, the enemy was glad to strike. In
+this action the Americans lost seven men killed, and eight wounded.
+The loss of the enemy was not reported. This capture was of the
+greatest importance to the American cause, for the two prizes were
+loaded with military and naval stores.
+
+During the year 1777, the occupation of Philadelphia by the British
+army, under Gen. Howe, led to some activity on the part of the
+American navy. While Philadelphia had been in the possession of the
+Continentals, it had been a favorite naval rendezvous. Into the broad
+channel of the Delaware the American cruisers had been accustomed to
+retreat when the British naval force along the coast became
+threateningly active. At the broad wharves of Philadelphia, the
+men-of-war laid up to have necessary repairs made. In the rope-walks
+of the town, the cordage for the gallant Yankee ships was spun. In the
+busy shipyards along the Delaware, many of the frigates, provided for
+by the Act of 1775, were built.
+
+In the summer of 1777 all this was changed. Sir William Howe, at the
+head of an irresistible army, marched upon Philadelphia; and,
+defeating the American army at Brandywine, entered the city in
+triumph. The privateers and men-of-war scattered hastily, to avoid
+capture. Most of them fled down the Delaware; but a few, chiefly
+vessels still uncompleted, ascended the river.
+
+To cut off these vessels, the British immediately commenced the
+erection of batteries to command the channel of the river, and prevent
+any communication between the American vessels above and below
+Philadelphia. To check the erection of these batteries, the American
+vessels "Delaware" twenty-four, and "Andrea Doria" fourteen, together
+with one or two vessels flying the Pennsylvania flag, took up a
+position before the incomplete earthworks, and opened a heavy fire
+upon the soldiers employed in the trenches. So accurate was the aim of
+the American gunners, that work on the batteries was stopped. But,
+unluckily, the commander of the "Delaware," Capt. Alexander, had
+failed to reckon on the swift outflowing of the tide; and just as the
+sailors on that ship were becoming jubilant over the prospect of a
+victory, a mighty quiver throughout the ship told that she had been
+left on a shoal by the ebb tide. The enemy was not long in discovering
+the helpless condition of the "Delaware;" and field-pieces and
+siege-guns were brought down to the river-bank, until the luckless
+Americans saw themselves commanded by a heavy battery. In this unhappy
+predicament there was no course remaining but to strike their flag.
+
+Though the British had possession of Philadelphia, and virtually
+controlled the navigation of the river at that point, the Americans
+still held powerful positions at Red Bank and at Fort Mifflin, lower
+down the river. Against the former post the British sent an
+unsuccessful land expedition of Hessians, but against Fort Mifflin a
+naval expedition was despatched.
+
+Fort Mifflin was built on a low marshy island near the mouth of the
+Schuylkill. Its very situation, surrounded as it was by mud and water,
+made it impregnable to any land attack. While the fort itself was a
+fairly strong earthwork, laid out upon approved principles of
+engineering, its outer works of defence added greatly to its strength.
+In the main channels of the river were sunk heavy, sharp-pointed
+_chevaux de frise_, or submarine palisades, with sharp points
+extending just above the surface of the water. In addition to this
+obstacle, the enemy advancing by water upon the fort would have to
+meet the American flotilla, which, though composed of small craft
+only, was large enough to prove very annoying to an enemy. In this
+flotilla were thirteen galleys, one carrying a thirty-two pounder, and
+the rest with varying weight of ordnance; twenty-six half-galleys,
+each carrying a four-pounder; two xebecs, each with two
+twenty-four-pounders in the bow, two eighteen-pounders in the stern,
+and four nine-pounders in the waist; two floating batteries, fourteen
+fire-ships, one schooner-galley, one brig-galley, one provincial ship,
+and the brig "Andrea Doria." It was no small naval force that the
+British had to overcome before attacking the mud ramparts and bastions
+of Fort Mifflin.
+
+Against this armament the British brought a number of vessels, with
+the "Augusta," sixty-four, in the lead. The battle was begun late in
+the afternoon of the 22d of October, 1777. The attack of the Hessians
+upon the American fortifications at Red Bank, and the opening of the
+action between the British and American fleets, were simultaneous. The
+Hessians were beaten back with heavy loss, some of the American
+vessels opening fire upon them from the river. The naval battle lasted
+but a short time that night, owing to the darkness. When the battle
+ended for the night, the "Augusta," and the "Merlin," sloop-of-war,
+were left hard and fast aground.
+
+The next morning the British advanced again to the attack. The
+skirmish of the night before had shown them that the Yankee flotilla
+was no mean adversary; and they now brought up re-inforcements, in the
+shape of the "Roebuck" forty-four, "Isis" thirty-two, "Pearl"
+thirty-two, and "Liverpool" twenty-eight. No sooner had the British
+squadron come within range than a heavy fire was opened upon the fort.
+The American flotilla was prompt to answer the challenge, and soon the
+action became general. Time and time again the Americans sent huge
+fire-ships, their well-tarred spars and rigging blazing fiercely, down
+among the enemy. But the skill and activity of the British sailors
+warded off this danger. Thereupon the Americans, seeing that they
+could not rely upon their fire-ships, changed their plan of action.
+Any one of the British vessels was more than a match for the largest
+American craft, so the Yankees saw they must rely upon force of
+numbers. Accordingly their larger vessels were each assigned to attack
+one of the enemy; while the swift-sailing galleys plied to and fro in
+the battle, lending aid where needed, and striking a blow wherever the
+opportunity offered itself. This course of action soon began to tell
+upon the British. All of their vessels began to show the effects of
+the American fire. The "Augusta" was in flames, owing to some pressed
+hay that had been packed upon her quarter having been set on fire.
+Despite the efforts of her crew, the flames spread rapidly. Seeing no
+chance to save the vessel, the crew abandoned her, and sought to gain
+the protection of other vessels of the British fleet. But the other
+ships, seeing the flames on the "Augusta" drawing closer and closer
+to the magazine, and knowing that her explosion in that narrow and
+crowded channel would work dreadful damage among them, determined to
+abandon the attack upon Fort Mifflin, and withdrew. The "Merlin,"
+which was hard and fast aground, was fired, and the British fled. As
+they turned their ships' prows down the Delaware, the dull sullen roar
+of an explosion told that the "Augusta" had met her end. Soon after
+the "Merlin" blew up, and the defeat of the British was complete.
+
+But, though worsted in this attack upon Fort Mifflin, the British did
+not wholly abandon their designs upon it. Immediately upon their
+repulse, they began their preparations for a second attack. This time
+they did not propose to rely upon men-of-war alone. Batteries were
+built upon every point of land within range of Fort Mifflin. Floating
+batteries were built, and towed into position. By the 10th of November
+all was ready, and upon that day a tremendous cannonade was opened
+upon the American works. After two days of ceaseless bombardment, the
+garrison of the fort was forced to surrender. Since the fall of Fort
+Mifflin gave the control of the Delaware to the British, the Americans
+immediately put the torch to the "Andrea Doria" fourteen, the "Wasp"
+eight, and the "Hornet" ten; while the galleys skulked away along the
+Jersey coast, in search of places of retreat.
+
+While the Yankee tars on river and harbor duty were thus getting their
+share of fighting, there was plenty of daring work being done on the
+high seas. One of the most important cruises of the year was that of
+the "Raleigh" and the "Alfred." The "Raleigh" was one of the
+twelve-pounder frigates built under the naval Act of 1775. With her
+consort the "Alfred," she left the American coast in the summer of
+1777, bound for France, in search of naval stores that were there
+awaiting transportation to the United States. Both vessels were
+short-handed.
+
+On the 2d of September the two vessels overhauled and captured the
+snow "Nancy," from England, bound for the West Indies. Her captain
+reported that he had sailed from the West Indies with a fleet of sixty
+merchantmen, under the convoy of four small men-of-war, the "Camel,"
+the "Druid," the "Weasel," and the "Grasshopper." The poor sailing
+qualities of the "Nancy" had forced her to drop behind, and the fleet
+was then about a day in advance of her.
+
+Crowding on all canvas, the two American ships set out in hot pursuit.
+From the captain of the "Nancy" Capt. Thompson of the "Raleigh" had
+obtained all the signals in use in the fleet of Indiamen. The next
+morning the fleet was made out; and the "Raleigh" and the "Alfred"
+exchanged signals, as though they were part of the convoy. They hung
+about the outskirts of the fleet until dark, planning, when the night
+should fall, to make a dash into the enemy's midst, and cut out the
+chief armed vessel.
+
+But at nightfall the wind changed, so that the plan of the Americans
+was defeated. At daylight, however, the wind veered round and
+freshened, so that the "Raleigh," crowding on more sail, was soon in
+the very centre of the enemy's fleet. The "Alfred," unfortunately,
+being unable to carry so great a spread of canvas, was left behind;
+and the "Raleigh" remained to carry out alone her daring adventure.
+
+The "Raleigh" boldly steered straight into the midst of the British
+merchantmen, exchanging signals with some, and hailing others. Her
+ports were lowered, and her guns on deck housed, so that there
+appeared about her nothing to indicate her true character. Having
+cruised about amid the merchantmen, she drew up alongside the nearest
+man-of-war, and when within pistol-shot, suddenly ran up her flag,
+threw open her ports, and commanded the enemy to strike.
+
+All was confusion on board the British vessel. Her officers had never
+for a moment suspected the "Raleigh" of being other than one of their
+own fleet. While they stood aghast, not even keeping the vessel on her
+course, the "Raleigh" poured in a broadside. The British responded
+faintly with a few guns. Deliberately the Americans let fly another
+broadside, which did great execution. The enemy were driven from their
+guns, but doggedly refused to strike, holding out, doubtless, in the
+hope that the cannonade might draw to their assistance some of the
+other armed ships accompanying the fleet.
+
+While the unequal combat was raging, a heavy squall came rushing over
+the water. The driving sheets of rain shut in the combatants, and only
+by the thunders of the cannonade could the other vessels tell that a
+battle was being fought in their midst.
+
+When the squall had passed by, the affrighted merchantmen were seen
+scudding in every direction, like a school of flying-fish into whose
+midst some rapacious shark or dolphin has intruded himself. But the
+three men-of-war, with several armed West-Indiamen in their wake, were
+fast bearing down upon the combatants, with the obvious intention of
+rescuing their comrade, and punishing the audacious Yankee.
+
+The odds against Thompson were too great; and after staying by his
+adversary until the last possible moment, and pouring broadside after
+broadside into her, he abandoned the fight and rejoined the "Alfred."
+The two ships hung on the flanks of the fleet for some days, in the
+hopes of enticing two of the men-of-war out to join in battle. But all
+was to no avail, and the Americans were forced to content themselves
+with the scant glory won in the incomplete action of the "Raleigh."
+Her adversary proved to be the "Druid," twenty, which suffered
+severely from the "Raleigh's" repeated broadsides, having six killed,
+and twenty-six wounded; of the wounded, five died immediately after
+the battle.
+
+It was during the year 1777 that occurred the first attempt to use
+gunpowder in the shape of a submarine torpedo. This device, which
+to-day threatens to overturn all established ideas of naval
+organization and architecture, originated with a clever Connecticut
+mechanic named David Bushnell. His invention covered not only
+submarine torpedoes, to be launched against a vessel, but a submarine
+boat in which an adventurous navigator might undertake to go beneath
+the hull of a man-of-war, and affix the torpedoes, so that failure
+should be impossible. This boat in shape was not unlike a turtle. A
+system of valves, air-pumps, and ballast enabled the operator to
+ascend or descend in the water at will. A screw-propeller afforded
+means of propulsion, and phosphorescent gauges and compasses enabled
+him to steer with some accuracy.
+
+Preliminary tests made with this craft were uniformly successful.
+After a skilled operator had been obtained, the boat perfectly
+discharged the duties required of her. But, as is so often the case,
+when the time for action came she proved inadequate to the emergency.
+Let her inventor tell the story in his own words:--
+
+"After various attempts to find an operator to my wish, I sent one,
+who appeared to be more expert than the rest, from New York, to a
+fifty-gun ship, lying not far from Governor's Island. He went under
+the ship, and attempted to fix the wooden screw to her bottom, but
+struck, as he supposes, a bar of iron, which passes from the rudder
+hinge, and is spiked under the ship's quarter. Had he moved a few
+inches, which he might have done without rowing, I have no doubt he
+would have found wood where he might have fixed the screw; or, if the
+ship were sheathed with copper, he might easily have pierced it. But
+not being well skilled in the management of the vessel, in attempting
+to move to another place, he lost the ship. After seeking her in vain
+for some time, he rowed some distance, and rose to the surface of the
+water, but found daylight had advanced so far that he durst not renew
+the attempt. He says that he could easily have fastened the magazine
+under the stern of the ship above water, as he rowed up to the stern
+and touched it before he descended. Had he fastened it there, the
+explosion of a hundred and fifty pounds of powder (the quantity
+contained in the magazine) must have been fatal to the ship. In his
+return from the ship to New York, he passed near Governor's Island,
+and thought he was discovered by the enemy on the island. Being in
+haste to avoid the danger he feared, he cast off the magazine, as he
+imagined it retarded him in the swell, which was very considerable.
+After the magazine had been cast off one hour the time the internal
+apparatus was set to run, it blew up with great violence.
+
+"Afterwards there were two attempts made in Hudson's River, above the
+city; but they effected nothing. One of them was by the aforementioned
+person. In going toward the ship, he lost sight of her, and went a
+great distance beyond her. When he at length found her, the tide ran
+so strong, that, as he descended under water, for the ship's bottom,
+it swept him away. Soon after this, the enemy went up the river, and
+pursued the boat which had the submarine vessel on board, and sunk it
+with their shot."
+
+So it appears, that, so far as this submarine vessel was concerned,
+Bushnell's great invention came to naught. And, indeed, it was but the
+first of a long line of experiments which have been terribly costly in
+human life, and which as yet have not been brought to a successful
+end. In every war there comes forward the inventor with the submarine
+boat, and he always finds a few brave men ready to risk their lives in
+the floating coffin. Somewhere in Charleston Harbor to-day lies a
+submarine boat, enclosing the skeletons of eight men, who went out in
+it to break the blockade of the port during the civil war. And
+although there are to-day several types of submarine boat, each of
+which is claimed to make practicable the navigation of the ocean's
+depths, yet it is doubtful whether any of them are much safer than
+Bushnell's primitive "turtle."
+
+But Bushnell's experiments in torpedo warfare were not confined to
+attempts to destroy hostile vessels by means of his submarine vessel.
+He made several attacks upon the enemy by means of automatic
+torpedoes, none of which met with complete success. One of these
+attacks, made at Philadelphia in December, 1777, furnished the
+incident upon which is founded the well-known ballad of the "Battle of
+the Kegs."
+
+It was at a time when the Delaware was filled with British shipping,
+that Bushnell set adrift upon its swift-flowing tide a number of small
+kegs, filled with gunpowder, and provided with percussion apparatus,
+so that contact with any object would explode them. The kegs were
+started on their voyage at night. But Bushnell had miscalculated the
+distance they had to travel; so that, instead of reaching the British
+fleet under cover of darkness, they arrived early in the morning.
+Great was the wonder of the British sentries, on ship and shore, to
+see the broad bosom of the river dotted with floating kegs. As the
+author of the satirical ballad describes it,--
+
+ "Twas early day, as poets say,
+ Just as the sun was rising;
+ A soldier stood on a log of wood
+ And saw the sun a-rising.
+
+ As in amaze he stood to gaze
+ (The truth can't be denied, sir),
+ He spied a score of kegs, or more,
+ Come floating down the tide, sir.
+
+ A sailor, too, in jerkin blue,
+ The strange appearance viewing,
+ First d----d his eyes in great surprise,
+ Then said, 'Some mischief's brewing.'
+
+ These kegs, I'm told, the rebels hold,
+ Packed up like pickled herring;
+ And they've come down to attack the town
+ In this new way of ferrying."
+
+The curiosity of the British at this inexplicable spectacle gave place
+to alarm, when one of the kegs, being picked up, blew up a boat, and
+seriously injured the man whose curiosity had led him to examine it
+too closely. Half panic-stricken, the British got out their guns,
+great and small; and all day every small object on the Delaware was
+the target for a lively fusillade.
+
+ "The cannons roar from shore to shore,
+ The small arms loud did rattle.
+ Since wars began, I'm sure no man
+ E'er saw so strange a battle.
+
+ The fish below swam to and fro,
+ Attacked from every quarter.
+ 'Why sure' (thought they), 'the devil's to pay,
+ 'Mong folk above the water.'"
+
+But in the end the kegs all floated by the city, and only the
+ammunition stores of the British suffered from the attack.
+
+Another attempt was made by Bushnell to destroy the British frigate
+"Cerberus," lying at anchor off the Connecticut coast. A torpedo, with
+the usual percussion apparatus, was drawn along the side of the
+frigate by a long line, but fouled with a schooner lying astern. The
+explosion occurred with frightful force, and the schooner was wholly
+demolished. Three men who were on board of her were blown to pieces;
+and a fourth was thrown high into the air, and was picked out of the
+water in an almost dying condition.
+
+These experiments of the Connecticut mechanic in the Revolutionary war
+were the forerunner of a movement which took almost a hundred years to
+become generally accepted. We have been accustomed to say that
+Ericsson's armor-clad monitor revolutionized naval warfare; but the
+perfection of the torpedo is forcing the armor-clad ships into disuse,
+as they in their day thrust aside the old wooden frigates. The wise
+nation to-day, seeing how irresistible is the power of the torpedo, is
+abandoning the construction of cumbrous iron-clads, and building
+light, swift cruisers, that by speed and easy steering can avoid the
+submarine enemy. And if the torpedo cannot be said to be the ideal
+weapon of chivalric warfare, it may at least in time be credited with
+doing away with the custom of cooping men up in wrought-iron boxes, to
+fight with machine guns. Farragut, who hated iron-clads, liked
+torpedoes little better; but had he foreseen their effects upon naval
+tactics, he might have hailed them as the destroyers of the iron-clad
+ships.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+ NAVAL EVENTS OF 1778. -- RECRUITING FOR THE NAVY. -- THE
+ DESCENT UPON NEW PROVIDENCE. -- OPERATIONS ON THE DELAWARE.
+ -- CAPT. BARRY'S EXPLOITS. -- DESTRUCTION OF THE AMERICAN
+ FRIGATES. -- AMERICAN REVERSES. -- THE CAPTURE OF THE
+ "PIGOT." -- FRENCH NAVAL EXPLOITS.
+
+
+The year 1778 opened with the brightest prospects for the American
+cause. The notable success of the American arms on land, and
+particularly the surrender of Burgoyne, had favorably disposed France
+toward an alliance with the United States; and, in fact, this alliance
+was soon formed. Furthermore, the evidence of the prowess of the
+Americans on shore had stirred up the naval authorities to vigorous
+action, and it was determined to make the year 1778 a notable one upon
+the ocean.
+
+Much difficulty was found, at the very outset, in getting men to ship
+for service on the regular cruisers. Privateers were being fitted out
+in every port; and on them the life was easy, discipline slack, danger
+to life small, and the prospects for financial reward far greater than
+on the United States men-of-war. Accordingly, the seafaring men as a
+rule preferred to ship on the privateers. At no time in the history
+of the United States has the barbaric British custom of getting
+sailors for the navy by means of the "press-gang" been followed.
+American blue-jackets have never been impressed by force. It is
+unfortunately true that unfair advantages have been taken of their
+simplicity, and sometimes they have even been shipped while under the
+influence of liquor; but such cases have been rare. It is safe to say
+that few men have ever trod the deck of a United States man-of-war, as
+members of the crew, without being there of their own free will and
+accord.
+
+But in 1777 it was sometimes hard to fill the ships' rosters. Then the
+ingenuity of the recruiting officers was called into play. A sailor
+who served on the "Protector" during the Revolution thus tells the
+story of his enlistment:--
+
+"All means were resorted to which ingenuity could devise to induce men
+to enlist. A recruiting officer, bearing a flag, and attended by a
+band of martial music, paraded the streets, to excite a thirst for
+glory and a spirit of military ambition. The recruiting officer
+possessed the qualifications necessary to make the service appear
+alluring, especially to the young. He was a jovial, good-natured
+fellow, of ready wit and much broad humor. When he espied any large
+boys among the idle crowd around him, he would attract their attention
+by singing in a comical manner the following doggerel,--
+
+ 'All you that have bad masters,
+ And cannot get your due,
+ Come, come, my brave boys,
+ And join our ship's crew.'
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Barry.]
+
+"A shout and a huzza would follow, and some would join in the ranks.
+My excitable feelings were aroused. I repaired to the rendezvous,
+signed the ship's papers, mounted a cockade, and was, in my own
+estimation, already more than half a sailor. Appeals continued to be
+made to the patriotism of every young man, to lend his aid, by his
+exertions on sea or land, to free his country from the common enemy.
+About the last of February the ship was ready to receive her crew, and
+was hauled off into the channel, that the sailors might have no
+opportunity to run away after they were got on board. Upward of three
+hundred and thirty men were carried, dragged, and driven on board,
+of all kinds, ages, and descriptions, in all the various stages of
+intoxication, from that of sober tipsiness to beastly drunkenness,
+with an uproar and clamor that may be more easily imagined than
+described."
+
+But, whatever the methods adopted to secure recruits for the navy, the
+men thus obtained did admirable service; and in no year did they win
+more glory than in 1778.
+
+As usual the year's operations were opened by an exploit of one of the
+smaller cruisers. This was the United States sloop-of-war
+"Providence," a trig little vessel, mounting only twelve
+four-pounders, and carrying a crew of but fifty men. But she was in
+command of a daring seaman Capt. Rathburne, and she opened the year's
+hostilities with an exploit worthy of Paul Jones.
+
+Off the south-eastern coast of Florida, in that archipelago or
+collection of groups of islands known collectively as the West Indies,
+lies the small island of New Providence. Here in 1778 was a small
+British colony. The well-protected harbor, and the convenient location
+of the island, made it a favorite place for the rendezvous of British
+naval vessels. Indeed, it bid fair to become, what Nassau is to-day,
+the chief British naval station on the American coast. In 1778 the
+little seaport had a population of about one thousand people.
+
+With his little vessel, and her puny battery of four-pounders, Capt.
+Rathburne determined to undertake the capture of New Providence. Only
+the highest daring, approaching even recklessness, could have
+conceived such a plan. The harbor was defended by a fort of no mean
+power. There was always one British armed vessel, and often more,
+lying at anchor under the guns of the fort. Two hundred of the people
+of the town were able-bodied men, able to bear arms. How, then, were
+the Yankees, with their puny force, to hope for success? This query
+Rathburne answered, "By dash and daring."
+
+It was about eleven o'clock on the night of the 27th of January, 1778,
+that the "Providence" cast anchor in a sheltered cove near the
+entrance to the harbor of New Providence. Twenty-five of her crew were
+put ashore, and being re-enforced by a few American prisoners kept
+upon the island, made a descent upon Fort Nassau from its landward
+side. The sentries dozing at their posts were easily overpowered, and
+the garrison was aroused from its peaceful slumbers by the cheers of
+the Yankee blue-jackets as they came tumbling in over the ramparts. A
+rocket sent up from the fort announced the victory to the
+"Providence," and she came in and cast anchor near the fort.
+
+When morning broke, the Americans saw a large sixteen-gun ship lying
+at anchor in the harbor, together with five sail that looked
+suspiciously like captured American merchantmen. The proceedings of
+the night had been quietly carried on, and the crew of the armed
+vessel had no reason to suspect that the condition of affairs on shore
+had been changed in any way during the night. But at daybreak a boat
+carrying four men put off from the shore, and made for the armed ship;
+and at the same time a flag was flung out from the flagstaff of the
+fort,--not the familiar scarlet flag of Great Britain, but the almost
+unknown stars and stripes of the United States.
+
+The sleepy sailors on the armed vessel rubbed their eyes; and while
+they were staring at the strange piece of bunting, there came a hail
+from a boat alongside, and an American officer clambered over the
+rail. He curtly told the captain of the privateer that the fort was in
+the hands of the Americans, and called upon him to surrender his
+vessel forthwith. Resistance was useless; for the heavy guns of Fort
+Nassau were trained upon the British ship, and could blow her out of
+the water. The visitor's arguments proved to be unanswerable; and the
+captain of the privateer surrendered his vessel, which was taken
+possession of by the Americans; while her crew of forty-five men was
+ordered into confinement in the dungeons of the fort which had so
+lately held captive Americans. Other boarding parties were then sent
+to the other vessels in the harbor, which proved to be American craft,
+captured by the British sloop-of-war "Grayton."
+
+At sunrise the sleeping town showed signs of reviving life, and a
+party of the audacious Yankees marched down to the house of the
+governor. That functionary was found in bed, and in profound ignorance
+of the events of the night. The Americans broke the news to him none
+too gently, and demanded the keys of a disused fortress on the
+opposite side of the harbor from Fort Nassau. For a time the governor
+was inclined to demur; but the determined attitude of the Americans
+soon persuaded him that he was a prisoner, though in his own house,
+and he delivered the keys. Thereupon the Americans marched through the
+streets of the city, around the harbor's edge to the fort, spiked the
+guns, and carrying with them the powder and small-arms, marched back
+to Fort Nassau.
+
+But by this time it was ten o'clock, and the whole town was aroused.
+The streets were crowded with people eagerly discussing the invasion.
+The timid ones were busily packing up their goods to fly into the
+country; while the braver ones were hunting for weapons, and
+organizing for an attack upon the fort held by the Americans. Fearing
+an outbreak, Capt. Rathburne sent out a flag of truce, making
+proclamation to all the inhabitants of New Providence, that the
+Americans would do no damage to the persons or property of the people
+of the island unless compelled so to do in self-defence. This pacified
+the more temperate of the inhabitants; but the hotheads, to the number
+of about two hundred, assembled before Fort Nassau, and threatened to
+attack it. But, when they summoned Rathburne to surrender, that
+officer leaped upon the parapet, and coolly told the assailants to
+come on.
+
+"We can beat you back easily," said he. "And, by the Eternal, if you
+fire a gun at us, we'll turn the guns of the fort on your town, and
+lay it in ruins."
+
+This bold defiance disconcerted the enemy; and, after some
+consultation among themselves, they dispersed.
+
+About noon that day, the British sloop-of-war "Grayton" made her
+appearance, and stood boldly into the harbor where lay the
+"Providence." The United States colors were quickly hauled down from
+the fort flagstaff, and every means was taken to conceal the true
+state of affairs from the enemy. But the inhabitants along the
+water-side, by means of constant signalling and shouting, at last
+aroused the suspicion of her officers; and she hastily put about, and
+scudded for the open sea. The guns at Fort Nassau opened on her as she
+passed, and the aim of the Yankee gunners was accurate enough to make
+the splinters fly. The exact damage done her has, however, never been
+ascertained.
+
+All that night the daring band of blue-jackets held the fort
+unmolested. But on the following morning the townspeople again plucked
+up courage, and to the number of five hundred marched to the fort, and
+placing several pieces of artillery in battery, summoned the garrison
+to surrender. The flag of truce that bore the summons carried also the
+threat, that, unless the Americans laid down their arms without
+resistance, the fort would be stormed, and all therein put to the
+sword without mercy.
+
+For answer to the summons, the Americans nailed their colors to the
+mast, and swore that while a man of them lived the fort should not be
+surrendered. By this bold defiance they so awed the enemy that the day
+passed without the expected assault; and at night the besiegers
+returned to their homes, without having fired a shot.
+
+All that night the Americans worked busily, transferring to the
+"Providence" all the ammunition and stores in the fort; and the next
+morning the prizes were manned, the guns of the fort spiked, and the
+adventurous Yankees set sail in triumph. For three days they had held
+possession of the island, though outnumbered tenfold by the
+inhabitants; they had captured large quantities of ammunition and
+naval stores; they had freed their captured countrymen; they had
+retaken from the British five captured American vessels, and in the
+whole affair they had lost not a single man. It was an achievement of
+which a force of triple the number might have been proud.
+
+In February, 1778, the Delaware, along the water-front of
+Philadelphia, was the scene of some dashing work by American sailors,
+under the command of Capt. John Barry. This officer was in command of
+the "Effingham," one of the vessels which had been trapped in the
+Delaware by the unexpected occupation of Philadelphia by the British.
+The inactivity of the vessels, which had taken refuge at Whitehall,
+was a sore disappointment to Barry, who longed for the excitement and
+dangers of actual battle. With the British in force at Philadelphia,
+it was madness to think of taking the frigates down the stream. But
+Barry rightly thought that what could not be done with a heavy ship
+might be done with a few light boats.
+
+Philadelphia was then crowded with British troops. The soldiers were
+well provided with money, and, finding themselves quartered in a city
+for the winter, led a life of continual gayety. The great accession to
+the population of the town made it necessary to draw upon the country
+far and near for provisions; and boats were continually plying upon
+the Delaware, carrying provisions to the city. To intercept some of
+these boats, and to give the merry British officers a taste of
+starvation, was Barry's plan.
+
+Accordingly four boats were manned with well-armed crews, and with
+muffled oars set out on a dark night to patrol the river. Philadelphia
+was reached, and the expedition was almost past the city, when the
+sentries on one of the British men-of-war gave the alarm. A few
+scattering shots were fired from the shore; but the jackies bent to
+their oars, and the boats were soon lost to sight in the darkness.
+When day broke, Barry was far down the river.
+
+Opposite the little post held by the American army, and called Fort
+Penn, Barry spied a large schooner, mounting ten guns, and flying the
+British flag. With her were four transport ships, loaded with forage
+for the enemy's forces. Though the sun had risen, and it was broad
+day, Barry succeeded in running his boats alongside the schooner; and
+before the British suspected the presence of any enemy, the
+blue-jackets were clambering over the rail, cutlass and pistol in
+hand. There was no resistance. The astonished Englishmen threw down
+their arms, and rushed below. The victorious Americans battened down
+the hatches, ordered the four transports to surrender, on pain of
+being fired into, and triumphantly carried all five prizes to the
+piers of Fort Penn. There the hatches were removed; and, the Yankee
+sailors being drawn up in line, Barry ordered the prisoners to come on
+deck. When all appeared, it was found that the Yankees had bagged one
+major, two captains, three lieutenants, ten soldiers, and about a
+hundred sailors and marines,--a very respectable haul for a party of
+not more than thirty American sailors.
+
+The next day a British frigate and sloop-of-war appeared down the bay.
+They were under full sail, and were apparently making for Fort Penn,
+with the probable intention of recapturing Barry's prizes. Fearing
+that he might be robbed of the fruits of his victory, Barry put the
+four transports in charge of Capt. Middleton, with instructions to
+fire them should the enemy attempt to cut them out. In the mean time,
+he took the ten-gun schooner, and made for the Christiana River, in
+the hopes of taking her into shallow waters, whither the heavier
+British vessels could not follow. But, unluckily for his plans, the
+wind favored the frigate; and she gained upon him so rapidly, that
+only by the greatest expedition could he run his craft ashore and
+escape. Two of the guns were pointed down the main hatch, and a few
+rounds of round-shot were fired through the schooner's bottom. She
+sunk quickly; and the Americans pushed off from her side, just as the
+British frigate swung into position, and let fly her broadside at her
+escaping foes.
+
+The schooner being thus disposed of, the British turned their
+attention to the four captured transports at Fort Penn. Capt.
+Middleton and Capt. McLane, who commanded the American militia on
+shore, had taken advantage of the delay to build a battery of bales of
+hay near the piers. The British sloop-of-war opened the attack, but
+the sharp-shooters in the battery and on the transports gave her so
+warm a reception that she retired. She soon returned to the attack,
+but was checked by the American fire, and might have been beaten off,
+had not Middleton received a mortal wound while standing on the
+battery and cheering on his men. Dismayed by the fall of their leader,
+the Americans set fire to the transport and fled to the woods, leaving
+the British masters of the field.
+
+Barry's conduct in this enterprise won for him the admiration of
+friend and foe alike. Sir William Howe, then commander-in-chief of the
+British forces in America, offered the daring American twenty thousand
+guineas and the command of a British frigate, if he would desert the
+service of the United States.
+
+"Not the value and command of the whole British fleet," wrote Barry in
+reply, "can seduce me from the cause of my country."
+
+After this adventure, Barry and his followers made their way through
+the woods back to Whitehall, where his ship the "Effingham" was lying
+at anchor. Here he passed the winter in inactivity. At Whitehall, and
+near that place, were nearly a dozen armed ships, frigates, sloops,
+and privateers. All had fled thither for safety when the British took
+possession of Philadelphia, and now found themselves caught in a trap.
+To run the blockade of British batteries and men-of-war at
+Philadelphia, was impossible; and there was nothing to do but wait
+until the enemy should evacuate the city.
+
+But the British were in no haste to leave Philadelphia; and when they
+did get ready to leave, they determined to destroy the American
+flotilla before departing. Accordingly on the 4th of May, 1778, the
+water-front of the Quaker City was alive with soldiers and citizens
+watching the embarkation of the troops ordered against the American
+forces at Whitehall. On the placid bosom of the Delaware floated the
+schooners "Viper" and "Pembroke," the galleys "Hussar," "Cornwallis,"
+"Ferret," and "Philadelphia," four gunboats, and eighteen flat-boats.
+Between this fleet and the shore, boats were busily plying, carrying
+off the soldiers of the light infantry, seven hundred of whom were
+detailed for the expedition. It was a holiday affair. The British
+expected little fighting; and with flags flying, and bands playing,
+the vessels started up stream, the cheers of the soldiers on board
+mingling with those on the shore.
+
+Bristol, the landing-place chosen, was soon reached; and the troops
+disembarked without meeting with any opposition. Forming in solid
+column, the soldiers took up the march for Whitehall; but, when within
+five miles of that place, a ruddy glare in the sky told that the
+Americans had been warned of their coming, and had set the torch to
+the shipping. When the head of the British column entered Whitehall,
+the two new American frigates "Washington" and "Effingham" were
+wrapped in flames. Both were new vessels, and neither had yet taken on
+board her battery. Several other vessels were lying at the wharves;
+and to these the British set the torch, and continued their march,
+leaving the roaring flames behind them. A little farther up the
+Delaware, at the point known as Crosswise Creek, the large privateer
+"Sturdy Beggar" was found, together with several smaller craft. The
+crews had all fled, and the deserted vessels met the fate of the other
+craft taken by the invaders. Then the British turned their steps
+homeward, and reached Philadelphia, after having burned almost a score
+of vessels, and fired not a single shot.
+
+On the high seas during 1778 occurred several notable naval
+engagements. Of the more important of these we have spoken in our
+accounts of the exploits of Tucker, Biddle, and Paul Jones. The less
+important ones must be dismissed with a hasty word.
+
+It may be said, that, in general, the naval actions of 1778 went
+against the Americans. In February of that year the "Alfred" was
+captured by a British frigate, and the "Raleigh" narrowly escaped. In
+March, the new frigate "Virginia," while beating out of Chesapeake Bay
+on her very first cruise, ran aground, and was captured by the enemy.
+In September, the United States frigate "Raleigh," when a few days out
+from Boston, fell in with two British vessels,--one a frigate, and the
+other a ship-of-the-line. Capt. Barry, whose daring exploits on the
+Delaware we have chronicled, was in command of the "Raleigh," and
+gallantly gave battle to the frigate, which was in the lead. Between
+these two vessels the conflict raged with great fury for upwards of
+two hours, when the fore-topmast and mizzen top-gallant-mast of the
+American having been shot away Barry attempted to close the conflict
+by boarding. The enemy kept at a safe distance, however; and his
+consort soon coming up, the Americans determined to seek safety in
+flight. The enemy pursued, keeping up a rapid fire; and the running
+conflict continued until midnight. Finally Barry set fire to his ship,
+and with the greater part of his crew escaped to the nearest land, an
+island near the mouth of the Penobscot. The British immediately
+boarded the abandoned ship, extinguished the flames, and carried their
+prize away in triumph.
+
+To offset these reverses to the American arms, there were one or two
+victories for the Americans, aside from those won by Paul Jones, and
+the exploits of privateers and colonial armed vessels, which we shall
+group together in a later chapter. The first of these victories was
+won by an army officer, who was later transferred to the navy, and won
+great honor in the naval service.
+
+In an inlet of Narragansett Bay, near Newport, the British had
+anchored a powerful floating battery, made of the dismasted hulk of
+the schooner "Pigot," on which were mounted twelve eight-pounders and
+ten swivel guns. It was about the time that the fleet sent by France
+to aid the United States was expected to arrive; and the British had
+built and placed in position this battery, to close the channel
+leading to Newport. Major Silas Talbot, an army officer who had won
+renown earlier in the war by a daring but unsuccessful attempt to
+destroy two British frigates in the Hudson River, by means of
+fire-ships, obtained permission to lead an expedition for the capture
+of the "Pigot." Accordingly, with sixty picked men, he set sail from
+Providence in the sloop "Hawk," mounting three three-pounders. When
+within a few miles of the "Pigot," he landed, and, borrowing a horse,
+rode down and reconnoitred the battery. When the night set in, he
+returned to the sloop, and at once weighed anchor and made for the
+enemy. As the "Hawk" drew near the "Pigot," the British sentinels
+challenged her, and receiving no reply, fired a volley of musketry,
+which injured no one. On came the "Hawk," under a full spread of
+canvas. A kedge-anchor had been lashed to the end of her bowsprit;
+and, before the British could reload, this crashed through the
+boarding-nettings of the "Pigot," and caught in the shrouds. The two
+vessels being fast, the Americans, with ringing cheers, ran along the
+bowsprit, and dropped on the deck of the "Pigot." The surprise was
+complete. The British captain rushed on deck, clad only in his shirt
+and drawers, and strove manfully to rally his crew. But as the
+Americans, cutlass and pistol in hand, swarmed over the taffrail, the
+surprised British lost heart, and fled to the hold, until at last the
+captain found himself alone upon the deck. Nothing was left for him
+but to surrender with the best grace possible; and soon Talbot was on
+his way back to Providence, with his prize and a shipful of prisoners.
+
+But perhaps the greatest naval event of 1778 in American waters was
+the arrival of the fleet sent by France to co-operate with the
+American forces. Not that any thing of importance was ever
+accomplished by this naval force: the French officers seemed to find
+their greatest satisfaction in manoeuvring, reconnoitring, and
+performing in the most exact and admirable manner all the
+preliminaries to a battle. Having done this, they would sail away,
+never firing a gun. The Yankees were prone to disregard the nice
+points of naval tactics. Their plan was to lay their ships alongside
+the enemy, and pound away until one side or the other had to yield or
+sink. But the French allies were strong on tactics, and somewhat weak
+in dash; and, as a result, there is not one actual combat in which
+they figured to be recorded.
+
+It was a noble fleet that France sent to the aid of the struggling
+Americans,--twelve ships-of-the-line and three frigates. What dashing
+Paul Jones would have done, had he ever enjoyed the command of such a
+fleet, almost passes imagination. Certain it is that he would have
+wasted little time in formal evolutions. But the fleet was commanded
+by Count d'Estaing, a French naval officer of honorable reputation.
+What he accomplished during his first year's cruise in American
+waters, can be told in a few words. His intention was to trap Lord
+Howe's fleet in the Delaware, but he arrived too late. He then
+followed the British to New York, but was baffled there by the fact
+that his vessels were too heavy to cross the bar. Thence he went to
+Newport, where the appearance of his fleet frightened the British into
+burning four of their frigates, and sinking two sloops-of-war. Lord
+Howe, hearing of this, plucked up courage, and, gathering together all
+his ships, sailed from New York to Newport, to give battle to the
+French. The two fleets were about equally matched. On the 10th of
+August the enemies met in the open sea, off Newport. For two days they
+kept out of range of each other, manoeuvring for the weather-gage;
+that is, the French fleet, being to windward of the British, strove to
+keep that position, while the British endeavored to take it from them.
+The third day a gale arose; and when it subsided the ships were so
+crippled, that, after exchanging a few harmless broadsides at long
+range, they withdrew, and the naval battle was ended.
+
+Such was the record of D'Estaing's magnificent fleet during 1778.
+Certainly the Americans had little to learn from the representatives
+of the power that had for years contended with England for the mastery
+of the seas.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+ LAST YEARS OF THE WAR. -- DISASTROUS EXPEDITION TO THE
+ PENOBSCOT. -- WHOLESALE CAPTURES ON THE NEWFOUNDLAND BANKS.
+ -- FRENCH SHIPS IN AMERICAN WATERS. -- TAKING OF CHARLESTON.
+ -- THE "TRUMBULL'S" VICTORY AND DEFEAT. -- CAPT. BARRY AND
+ THE "ALLIANCE." -- CLOSE OF THE WAR.
+
+
+The year 1779 is chiefly known in American naval history as the year
+in which Paul Jones did his most brilliant service in the "Bon Homme
+Richard." The glory won by the Americans was chiefly gained in
+European waters. Along the coast of the United States, there were some
+dashing actions; but the advantage generally remained with the
+British.
+
+Perhaps the most notable naval event of this year, aside from the
+battle between the "Bon Homme Richard" and the "Serapis," was the
+expedition sent by the State of Massachusetts against the British post
+at Castine, on the banks of the Penobscot River. At this unimportant
+settlement in the wilds of Maine, the British had established a
+military post, with a garrison of about a thousand men, together with
+four armed vessels. Here they might have been permitted to remain in
+peace, so far as any danger from their presence was to be apprehended
+by the people of New England. But the sturdy citizens of Massachusetts
+had boasted, that, since the evacuation of Boston, no British soldier
+had dared to set foot on Massachusetts soil; and the news of this
+invasion caused the people of Boston to rise as one man, and demand
+that the invaders should be expelled.
+
+Accordingly a joint naval and military expedition was fitted out under
+authority granted by the Legislature of the State. Congress detailed
+the United States frigate "Warren," and the sloops-of-war "Diligence"
+and "Providence," to head the expedition. The Massachusetts cruisers
+"Hazard," "Active," and "Tyrannicide" represented the regular naval
+forces of the Bay State; and twelve armed vessels belonging to private
+citizens were hired, to complete the armada. The excitement among
+seafaring men ran high. Every man who had ever swung a cutlass or
+sighted a gun was anxious to accompany the expedition. Ordinarily it
+was difficult to ship enough men for the navy; now it was impossible
+to take all the applicants. It is even recorded that the list of
+common sailors on the armed ship "Vengeance" included thirty masters
+of merchantmen, who waived all considerations of rank, in order that
+they might join the expedition.
+
+To co-operate with the fleet, a military force was thought necessary;
+and accordingly orders were issued for fifteen hundred of the militia
+of the district of Maine to assemble at Townsend. Brig.-Gen. Sullivan
+was appointed to the command of the land forces, while Capt.
+Saltonstall of the "Warren" was made commodore of the fleet.
+
+Punctually on the day appointed the white sails of the American ships
+were seen by the militiamen at the appointed rendezvous. But when the
+ships dropped anchor, and the commodore went ashore to consult with
+the officers of the land forces, he found that but nine hundred of the
+militiamen had responded to the call. Nevertheless, it was determined,
+after a brief consultation, to proceed with the expedition, despite
+the sadly diminished strength of the militia battalions.
+
+On the 23d of July, the fleet set sail from the harbor of Townsend. It
+was an extraordinary and impressive spectacle. The shores of the
+harbor were covered with unbroken forests, save at the lower end where
+a little hamlet of scarce five hundred people gave a touch of
+civilization to the wild scene. But the water looked as though the
+commerce of a dozen cities had centred there. On the placid bosom of
+the little bay floated forty-four vessels. The tread of men about the
+capstans, the hoarse shouts of command, the monotonous songs of the
+sailors, the creaking of cordage, and the flapping of sails gave an
+unwonted turbulence to the air which seldom bore a sound other than
+the voices of birds or the occasional blows of a woodman's axe.
+Nineteen vessels-of-war and twenty-five transports imparted to the
+harbor of Townsend an air of life and bustle to which it had been a
+stranger, and which it has never since experienced.
+
+The weather was clear, and the wind fair; so that two days after
+leaving Townsend the fleet appeared before the works of the enemy.
+Standing on the quarter-deck of the "Warren," the commodore and the
+general eagerly scanned the enemy's defences, and after a careful
+examination were forced to admit that the works they had to carry were
+no mean specimens of the art of fortification. The river's banks rose
+almost perpendicularly from the water-side, and on their crest were
+perched the enemy's batteries, while on a high and precipitous hill
+was built a fort or citadel. In the river were anchored the four armed
+vessels.
+
+Two days were spent by the Americans in reconnoitring the enemy's
+works; and on the 28th of July the work of disembarking the troops
+began, under a heavy fire from the enemy's batteries. The "Warren" and
+one of the sloops-of-war endeavored to cover the landing party by
+attacking the batteries; and a spirited cannonade followed, in which
+the American flag-ship suffered seriously. At last all the militia,
+together with three hundred marines, were put on shore, and at once
+assaulted the batteries. They were opposed by about an equal number of
+well-drilled Scotch regulars, and the battle raged fiercely; the
+men-of-war in the river covering the advance of the troops by a
+spirited and well-directed fire. More than once the curving line of
+men rushed against the fiery front of the British ramparts, and
+recoiled, shattered by the deadly volleys of the Scotch veterans. Here
+and there, in the grass and weeds, the forms of dead men began to be
+seen. The pitiable spectacle of the wounded, painfully crawling to the
+rear, began to make the pulse of the bravest beat quicker. But the men
+of Massachusetts, responsive to the voices of their officers,
+re-formed their shattered ranks, and charged again and again, until at
+last, with a mighty cheer, they swept over the ramparts, driving the
+British out. Many of the enemy surrendered; more fled for shelter to
+the fort on the hill. The smoke and din of battle died away. There
+came a brief respite in the bloody strife. The Americans had won the
+first trick in the bloody game of war.
+
+Only a short pause followed; then the Americans moved upon the fort.
+But here they found themselves overmatched. Against the towering
+bastions of the fortress they might hurl themselves in vain. The
+enemy, safe behind its heavy parapets, could mow down their advancing
+ranks with a cool and deliberate fire. The assailants had already
+sacrificed more than a hundred men. Was it wise now to order an
+assault that might lead to the loss of twice that number?
+
+The hotheads cried out for the immediate storming of the fort; but
+cooler counsels prevailed, and a siege was decided upon. Trenches were
+dug, the guns in the outlying batteries were turned upon the fort, and
+the New Englanders sat down to wait until the enemy should be starved
+out or until re-enforcements might be brought from Boston.
+
+So for three weeks the combatants rested on their arms, glaring at
+each other over the tops of their breastworks, and now and then
+exchanging a shot or a casual volley, but doing little in the way of
+actual hostilities. Provisions were failing the British, and they
+began to feel that they were in a trap from which they could only
+emerge through a surrender, when suddenly the situation was changed,
+and the fortunes of war went against the Americans.
+
+One morning the "Tyrannicide," which was stationed on the lookout down
+the bay, was seen beating up the river, under a full press of sail.
+Signals flying at her fore indicated that she had important news to
+tell. Her anchor had not touched the bottom before a boat pushed off
+from her side, and made straight for the commodore's flag-ship.
+Reaching the "Warren," a lieutenant clambered over the side, and
+saluted Commodore Saltonstall on the quarter-deck.
+
+"Capt. Cathcart's compliments, sir," said he, "and five British
+men-of-war are just entering the bay. The first one appears to be the
+'Rainbow,' forty-four."
+
+Here was news indeed. Though superior in numbers, the Americans were
+far inferior in weight of metal. After a hasty consultation, it was
+determined to abandon the siege, and retreat with troops and vessels
+to the shallow waters of the Penobscot, whither the heavy men-of-war
+of the enemy would be unable to follow them. Accordingly the troops
+were hastily re-embarked, and a hurried flight began, which was
+greatly accelerated by the appearance of the enemy coming up the
+river.
+
+The chase did not continue long before it became evident the enemy
+would overhaul the retreating ships. Soon he came within range, and
+opened fire with his bow-guns, in the hopes of crippling one of the
+American ships. The fire was returned; and for several hours the
+wooded shores of the Penobscot echoed and re-echoed the thunders of
+the cannonade, as the warring fleets swept up the river.
+
+At last the conviction forced itself on the minds of the Americans,
+that for them there was no escape. The British were steadily gaining
+upon them, and there was no sign of the shoal water in which they had
+hoped to find a refuge. It would seem that a bold dash might have
+carried the day for the Americans, so greatly did they outnumber their
+enemies. But this plan does not appear to have suggested itself to
+Capt. Saltonstall, who had concentrated all his efforts upon the
+attempt to escape. When escape proved to be hopeless, his only thought
+was to destroy his vessels. Accordingly his flag-ship, the "Warren,"
+was run ashore, and set on fire. The action of the commodore was
+imitated by the rest of the officers, and soon the banks of the river
+were lined with blazing vessels. The "Hunter," the "Hampden," and one
+transport fell into the hands of the British. The rest of the
+forty-nine vessels--men-of-war, privateers, and transports--that made
+up the fleet were destroyed by flames.
+
+It must indeed have been a stirring spectacle. The shores of the
+Penobscot River were then a trackless wilderness; the placid bosom of
+the river itself had seldom been traversed by a heavier craft than the
+slender birch-bark canoe of the red man; yet here was this river
+crowded with shipping, the dark forests along its banks lighted up by
+the glare of twoscore angry fires. Through the thickets and underbrush
+parties of excited men broke their way, seeking for a common point of
+meeting, out of range of the cannon of the enemy. The British,
+meantime, were striving to extinguish the flames, but with little
+success; and before the day ended, little remained of the great
+Massachusetts flotilla, except the three captured ships and sundry
+heaps of smouldering timber.
+
+The hardships of the soldiers and marines who had escaped capture,
+only to find themselves lost in the desolate forest, were of the
+severest kind. Separating into parties they plodded along,
+half-starved, with torn and rain-soaked clothing, until finally,
+footsore and almost perishing, they reached the border settlements,
+and were aided on their way to Boston. The disaster was complete, and
+for months its depressing effect upon American naval enterprise was
+observable.
+
+In observing the course of naval events in 1779, it is noticeable that
+the most effective work was done by the cruisers sent out by the
+individual States, or by privateers. The United States navy, proper,
+did little except what was done in European waters by Paul Jones.
+Indeed, along the American coast, a few cruises in which no actions of
+moment occurred, although several prizes were taken, make up the
+record of naval activity for the year.
+
+The first of these cruises was that made in April by the ships
+"Warren," "Queen of France," and "Ranger." They sailed from Boston,
+and were out but a few days when they captured a British privateer of
+fourteen guns. From one of the sailors on this craft it was learned
+that a large fleet of transports and storeships had just sailed from
+New York, bound for Georgia. Crowding on all sail, the Americans set
+out in pursuit, and off Cape Henry overhauled the chase. Two fleets
+were sighted, one to windward numbering nine sail, and one to leeward
+made up of ten sail. The pursuers chose the fleet to windward for
+their prey, and by sharp work succeeded in capturing seven vessels in
+eight hours. Two of the ships were armed cruisers of twenty-nine and
+sixteen guns respectively, and all the prizes were heavy laden with
+provisions, ammunition, and cavalry accoutrements. All were safely
+taken into port.
+
+In June, another fleet of United States vessels left Boston in search
+of British game. The "Queen of France" and the "Ranger" were again
+employed; but the "Warren" remained in port, fitting out for her
+ill-fated expedition to the Penobscot. Her place was taken by the
+"Providence," thirty-two. For a time the cruisers fell in with nothing
+of importance. But one day about the middle of July, as the three
+vessels lay hove to off the banks of Newfoundland, in the region of
+perpetual fog, the dull booming of a signal gun was heard. Nothing was
+to be seen on any side. From the quarter-deck, and from the
+cross-trees alike, the eager eyes of the officers and seamen strove in
+vain to penetrate the dense curtain of gray fog that shut them in. But
+again the signal gun sounded, then another; and tone and direction
+alike told that the two reports had not come from the same cannon.
+Then a bell was heard telling the hour,--another, still another; then
+a whole chorus of bells. Clearly a large fleet was shut in the fog.
+
+[Illustration: Shortening Sail On The "Lancaster"--the Oldest U. S.
+Cruiser In Commission.]
+
+About eleven o'clock in the morning the fog lifted, and to their
+intense surprise the crew of the "Queen of France" found themselves
+close alongside of a large merchant-ship. As the fog cleared away more
+completely, ships appeared on every side; and the astonished Yankees
+found themselves in the midst of a fleet of about one hundred and
+fifty sail under convoy of a British ship-of-the-line, and several
+frigates and sloops-of-war. Luckily the United States vessels had no
+colors flying, and nothing about them to betray their nationality: so
+Capt. Rathburn of the "Queen" determined to try a little masquerading.
+
+Bearing down upon the nearest merchantman, he hailed her; and the
+following conversation ensued,--
+
+"What fleet is this?"
+
+"British merchantmen from Jamaica, bound for London. Who are you?"
+
+"His Majesty's ship 'Arethusa,'" answered Rathburn boldly, "from
+Halifax on cruise. Have you seen any Yankee privateers?"
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," was the response. "Several have been driven out of the
+fleet."
+
+"Come aboard the 'Arethusa,' then. I wish to consult with you."
+
+Soon a boat put off from the side of the merchantman, and a jolly
+British sea-captain confidently clambered to the deck of the "Queen."
+Great was his astonishment to be told that he was a prisoner, and to
+see his boat's crew brought aboard, and their places taken by American
+jackies. Back went the boat to the British ship; and soon the
+Americans were in control of the craft, without in the least alarming
+the other vessels, that lay almost within hail. The "Queen" then made
+up to another ship, and captured her in the same manner.
+
+But at this juncture Commodore Whipple, in the "Providence," hailed
+the "Queen," and directed Rathburn to edge out of the fleet before the
+British men-of-war should discover his true character. Rathburn
+protested vigorously, pointing out the two vessels he had captured,
+and urging Whipple to follow his example, and capture as many vessels
+as he could in the same manner. Finally Whipple overcame his fears,
+and adopted Rathburn's methods, with such success that shortly after
+nightfall the Americans left the fleet, taking with them eleven rich
+prizes. Eight of these they succeeded in taking safe to Boston, where
+they were sold for more than a million dollars.
+
+In May, 1779, occurred two unimportant engagements,--one off Sandy
+Hook, in which the United States sloop "Providence," ten guns,
+captured the British sloop "Diligent," after a brief but spirited
+engagement; the second action occurred off St. Kitts, where the United
+States brig "Retaliation" successfully resisted a vigorous attack by a
+British cutter and a brig. The record of the regular navy for the year
+closed with the cruise of the United States frigates "Deane" and
+"Boston," that set sail from the Delaware late in the summer. They
+kept the seas for nearly three months, but made only a few bloodless
+captures.
+
+The next year opened with a great disaster to the American cause. The
+Count d'Estaing, after aimlessly wandering up and down the coast of
+the United States with the fleet ostensibly sent to aid the Americans,
+suddenly took himself and his fleet off to the West Indies. Sir Henry
+Clinton soon learned of the departure of the French, and gathered an
+expedition for the capture of Charleston. On the 10th of February,
+Clinton with five thousand troops, and a British fleet under Admiral
+Arbuthnot, appeared off Edisto Inlet, about thirty miles from
+Charleston, and began leisurely preparations for an attack upon the
+city. Had he pushed ahead and made his assault at once, he would have
+met but little resistance; but his delay of over a month gave the
+people of Charleston time to prepare for a spirited resistance.
+
+The approach of the British fleet penned up in Charleston harbor
+several United States men-of-war and armed vessels, among them the
+"Providence," "Queen of France," "Boston," "Ranger," "Gen. Moultrie,"
+and "Notre Dame." These vessels took an active part in the defence of
+the harbor against Arbuthnot's fleet, but were beaten back. The
+"Queen," the "Gen. Moultrie," and the "Notre Dame" were then sunk in
+the channel to obstruct the progress of the enemy; their guns being
+taken ashore, and mounted in the batteries on the sea-wall. Then
+followed days of terror for Charleston. The land forces of the enemy
+turned siege guns on the unhappy city, and a constant bombardment was
+kept up from the hostile fleet. Fort Sumter, the batteries along the
+water front, and the ships remaining to the Americans answered boldly.
+But the defence was hopeless. The city was hemmed in by an iron
+cordon. The hot-shot of the enemy's batteries were falling in the
+streets, and flames were breaking out in all parts of the town. While
+the defence lasted, the men-of-war took an active part in it; and,
+indeed, the sailors were the last to consent to a surrender. So
+noticeable was the activity of the frigate "Boston" in particular,
+that, when it became evident that the Americans could hold out but a
+little longer, Admiral Arbuthnot sent her commander a special order to
+surrender.
+
+"I do not think much of striking my flag to your present force,"
+responded bluff Samuel Tucker, who commanded the "Boston;" "for I have
+struck more of your flags than are now flying in this harbor."
+
+But, despite this bold defiance, the inevitable capitulation soon
+followed. Charleston fell into the hands of the British; and with the
+city went the three men-of-war, "Providence," "Boston," and "Ranger."
+
+It will be noticed that this disaster was the direct result of the
+disappearance of Count d'Estaing and the French fleet. To the student
+of history who calmly considers the record of our French naval allies
+in the Revolution, there appears good reason to believe that their
+presence did us more harm than good. Under De Grasse, the French fleet
+did good service in co-operation with the allied armies in the
+Yorktown campaign; but, with this single exception, no instance can be
+cited of any material aid rendered by it to the American cause. The
+United States navy, indeed, suffered on account of the French
+alliance; for despite the loss of many vessels in 1779 and 1780,
+Congress refused to increase the navy in any way, trusting to France
+to care for America's interests on the seas. The result of this policy
+was a notable falling-off in the number and spirit of naval actions.
+
+The ship "Trumbull," twenty-eight, one of the exploits of which we
+have already chronicled, saw a good deal of active service during the
+last two years of the war; and though she finally fell into the hands
+of the enemy, it was only because the odds against her were not to be
+overcome by the most spirited resistance. It was on the 2d of June,
+1780, that the "Trumbull," while cruising far out in the Atlantic
+Ocean in the path of British merchantmen bound for the West Indies,
+sighted a strange sail hull down to windward. The "Trumbull" was then
+in command of Capt. James Nicholson, an able and plucky officer.
+Immediately on hearing the report of the lookout, Nicholson ordered
+all the canvas furled, in order that the stranger might not catch
+sight of the "Trumbull." It is, of course, obvious that a ship under
+bare poles is a far less conspicuous object upon the ocean, than is
+the same ship with her yards hung with vast clouds of snowy canvas.
+But apparently the stranger sighted the "Trumbull," and had no desire
+to avoid her; for she bore down upon the American ship rapidly, and
+showed no desire to avoid a meeting. Seeing this, Nicholson made sail,
+and was soon close to the stranger. As the two ships drew closer
+together, the stranger showed her character by firing three guns, and
+hoisting the British colors.
+
+Seeing an action impending, Nicholson called his crew aft and
+harangued them, as was the custom before going into battle. It was not
+a promising outlook for the American ship. She was but recently out of
+port, and was manned largely by "green hands." The privateers had so
+thoroughly stripped the decks of able seamen, that the "Trumbull" had
+to ship men who knew not one rope from another; and it is even said,
+that, when the drums beat to quarters the day of the battle, many of
+the sailors were suffering from the landsman's terror, seasickness.
+But what they lacked in experience, they made up in enthusiasm.
+
+With the British flag at the peak, the "Trumbull" bore down upon the
+enemy. But the stranger was not to be deceived by so hackneyed a
+device. He set a private signal, and, as the Americans did not answer
+it, let fly a broadside at one hundred yards distance. The "Trumbull"
+responded with spirit, and the stars and stripes went fluttering to
+the peak in the place of the British ensign. Then the thunder of
+battle continued undiminished for two hours and a half. The wind was
+light, and the vessels rode on an even keel nearly abreast of each
+other, and but fifty yards apart. At times their yard-arms
+interlocked; and still the heavy broadsides rang out, and the flying
+shot crashed through beam and stanchion, striking down the men at
+their guns, and covering the decks with blood. Twice the flying wads
+of heavy paper from the enemy's guns set the "Trumbull" a-fire, and
+once the British ship was endangered by the same cause.
+
+At last the fire of the enemy slackened, and the Americans, seeing
+victory within their grasp, redoubled their efforts; but at this
+critical moment one of the gun-deck officers came running to
+Nicholson, with the report that the main-mast had been repeatedly hit
+by the enemy's shot, and was now tottering. If the main-mast went by
+the board, the fate of the "Trumbull" was sealed. Crowding sail on
+the other masts, the "Trumbull" shot ahead, and was soon out of the
+line of fire, the enemy being apparently too much occupied with his
+own injuries to molest her. Hardly had she gone the distance of a
+musket-shot, when her main and mizzen top-masts went by the board; and
+before the nimble jackies could cut away the wreck the other spars
+followed, until nothing was left but the foremast. When the crashing
+and confusion was over, the "Trumbull" lay a pitiable wreck, and an
+easy prey for her foe.
+
+But the Briton showed a strange disinclination to take advantage of
+the opportunity. The Yankee sailors worked like mad in cutting away
+the wreck; then rushed to their guns, ready to make a desperate, if
+hopeless, resistance in case of an attack. But the attack never came.
+Without even a parting shot the enemy went off on her course; and
+before she was out of sight her main topmast was seen to fall, showing
+that she too had suffered in the action.
+
+Not for months after did the crew of the "Trumbull" learn the name of
+the vessel they had fought. At last it was learned that she was a
+heavy letter-of-marque, the "Watt." Her exact weight of metal has
+never been ascertained, though Capt. Nicholson estimated it at
+thirty-four or thirty-six guns. The "Trumbull" mounted thirty-six
+guns. The captain of the "Watt" reported his loss to have been
+ninety-two in killed and wounded; the loss of the "Trumbull" amounted
+to thirty-nine, though two of her lieutenants were among the slain.
+This action, in severity, ranked next to the famous naval duel between
+the "Bon Homme Richard" and the "Serapis."
+
+As the "Trumbull" fought her last battle under the flag of the United
+States a year later, and as our consideration of the events of the
+Revolution is drawing to a close, we may abandon chronological order,
+and follow Nicholson and his good ship to the end of their career. In
+August, 1781, the "Trumbull" left the Delaware, convoying twenty-eight
+merchantmen, and accompanied by one privateer. Again her crew was
+weakened by the scarcity of good seamen, and this time Nicholson had
+adopted the dangerous and indefensible expedient of shipping British
+prisoners-of-war. There were fifty of these renegades in the crew; and
+naturally, as they were ready to traitorously abandon their own
+country, they were equally ready for treachery to the flag under which
+they sailed. There were many instances during the Revolution of
+United States ships being manned largely by British prisoners. Usually
+the crews thus obtained were treacherous and insubordinate. Even if it
+had been otherwise, the custom was a bad one, and repugnant to
+honorable men.
+
+So with a crew half-trained and half-disaffected, the "Trumbull" set
+out to convoy a fleet of merchantmen through waters frequented by
+British men-of-war. Hardly had she passed the capes when three British
+cruisers were made out astern. One, a frigate, gave chase. Night fell,
+and in the darkness the "Trumbull" might have escaped with her
+charges, but that a violent squall struck her, carrying away her
+fore-topmast and main-top-gallant-mast. Her convoy scattered in all
+directions, and by ten o'clock the British frigate had caught up with
+the disabled American.
+
+The night was still squally, with bursts of rain and fitful flashes of
+lightning, which lighted up the decks of the American ship as she
+tossed on the waves. The storm had left her in a sadly disabled
+condition. The shattered top hamper had fallen forward, cumbering up
+the forecastle, and so tangling the bow tackle that the jibs were
+useless. The foresail was jammed and torn by the fore-topsail-yard.
+There was half a day's work necessary to clear away the wreck, and the
+steadily advancing lights of the British ship told that not half an
+hour could be had to prepare for the battle.
+
+There was no hope that resistance could be successful, but the brave
+hearts of Nicholson and his officers recoiled from the thought of
+tamely striking the flag without firing a shot. So the drummers were
+ordered to beat the crew to quarters; and soon, by the light of the
+battle-lanterns, the captains of the guns were calling over the names
+of the sailors. The roll-call had proceeded but a short time when it
+became evident that most of the British renegades were absent from
+their stations. The officers and marines went below to find them.
+While they were absent, others of the renegades, together with about
+half of the crew whom they had tainted with their mutinous plottings,
+put out the battle-lanterns, and hid themselves deep in the hold. At
+this moment the enemy came up, and opened fire.
+
+Determined to make some defence, Nicholson sent the few faithful
+jackies to the guns, and the officers worked side by side with the
+sailors. The few guns that were manned were served splendidly, and the
+unequal contest was maintained for over an hour, when a second British
+man-of-war came up, and the "Trumbull" was forced to strike. At no
+time had more than forty of her people been at the guns. To this fact
+is due the small loss of life; for, though the ship was terribly cut
+up, only five of her crew were killed, and eleven wounded.
+
+The frigate that had engaged the "Trumbull" was the "Iris," formerly
+the "Hancock" captured from the Americans by the "Rainbow." She was
+one of the largest of the American frigates, while the "Trumbull" was
+one of the smallest. The contest, therefore, would have been unequal,
+even had not so many elements of weakness contributed to the
+"Trumbull's" discomfiture.
+
+Taking up again the thread of our narrative of the events of 1780, we
+find that for three months after the action between the "Trumbull" and
+the "Watt" there were no naval actions of moment. Not until October
+did a United States vessel again knock the tompions from her guns, and
+give battle to an enemy. During that month the cruiser "Saratoga" fell
+in with a hostile armed ship and two brigs. The action that followed
+was brief, and the triumph of the Americans complete. One broadside
+was fired by the "Saratoga;" then, closing with her foe, she threw
+fifty men aboard, who drove the enemy below. But the gallant Americans
+were not destined to profit by the results of their victory; for, as
+they were making for the Delaware, the British seventy-four "Intrepid"
+intercepted them, and recaptured all the prizes. The "Saratoga"
+escaped capture, only to meet a sadder fate; for, as she never
+returned to port, it is supposed that she foundered with all on board.
+
+The autumn and winter passed without any further exploits on the part
+of the navy. The number of the regular cruisers had been sadly
+diminished, and several were kept blockaded in home ports. Along the
+American coast the British cruisers fairly swarmed; and the only
+chance for the few Yankee ships afloat was to keep at sea as much as
+possible, and try to intercept the enemy's privateers, transports, and
+merchantmen, on their way across the ocean.
+
+One United States frigate, and that one a favorite ship in the navy,
+was ordered abroad in February, 1781, and on her voyage did some
+brave work for her country. This vessel was the "Alliance," once
+under the treacherous command of the eccentric Landais, and since his
+dismissal commanded by Capt. John Barry, of whose plucky fight in the
+"Raleigh" we have already spoken. The "Alliance" sailed from Boston,
+carrying an army officer on a mission to France. She made the voyage
+without sighting an enemy. Having landed her passenger, she set out
+from L'Orient, with the "Lafayette," forty, in company. The two
+cruised together for three days, capturing two heavy privateers. They
+then parted, and the "Alliance" continued her cruise alone.
+
+On the 28th of May the lookout reported two sail in sight; and soon
+the strangers altered their course, and bore down directly upon the
+American frigate. It was late in the afternoon, and darkness set in
+before the strangers were near enough for their character to be made
+out. At dawn all eyes on the "Alliance" scanned the ocean in search of
+the two vessels, which were then easily seen to be a sloop-of-war and
+a brig. Over each floated the British colors.
+
+A dead calm rested upon the waters. Canvas was spread on all the
+ships, but flapped idly against the yards. Not the slightest motion
+could be discerned, and none of the ships had steerage-way. The enemy
+had evidently determined to fight; for before the sun rose red and
+glowing from beneath the horizon, sweeps were seen protruding from the
+sides of the two ships, and they gradually began to lessen the
+distance between them and the American frigate. Capt. Barry had no
+desire to avoid the conflict; though in a calm, the lighter vessels,
+being manageable with sweeps, had greatly the advantage of the
+"Alliance," which could only lie like a log upon the water. Six hours
+of weary work with the sweeps passed before the enemy came near enough
+to hail. The usual questions and answers were followed by the roar of
+the cannon, and the action began. The prospects for the "Alliance"
+were dreary indeed; for the enemy took positions on the quarters of
+the helpless ship, and were able to pour in broadsides, while she
+could respond only with a few of her aftermost guns. But, though the
+case looked hopeless, the Americans fought on, hoping that a wind
+might spring up, that would give the good ship "Alliance" at least a
+fighting chance.
+
+As Barry strode the quarter-deck, watching the progress of the fight,
+encouraging his men, and looking out anxiously for indications of a
+wind, a grape-shot struck him in the shoulder, and felled him to the
+deck. He was on his feet again in an instant; and though weakened by
+the pain, and the rapid flow of blood from the wound, he remained on
+deck. At last, however, he became too weak to stand, and was carried
+below. At this moment a flying shot carried away the American colors;
+and, as the fire of the "Alliance" was stopped a moment for the
+loading of the guns, the enemy thought the victory won, and cheered
+lustily. But their triumph was of short duration; for a new ensign
+soon took the place of the vanished one, and the fire of the
+"Alliance" commenced again.
+
+The "Alliance" was now getting into sore straits. The fire of the
+enemy had told heavily upon her, and her fire in return had done but
+little visible damage. As Capt. Barry lay on his berth, enfeebled by
+the pain of his wound, and waiting for the surgeon's attention, a
+lieutenant entered.
+
+"The ship remains unmanageable, sir," said he. "The rigging is badly
+cut up, and there is danger that the fore-topmast may go by the board.
+The enemy's fire is telling on the hull, and the carpenter reports two
+leaks. Eight or ten of the people are killed, and several officers
+wounded. Have we your consent to striking the colors?"
+
+"No, sir," roared out Barry, sitting bolt upright. "And, if this ship
+can't be fought without me, I will be carried on deck."
+
+The lieutenant returned with his report; and, when the story became
+known to the crew, the jackies cheered for their dauntless commander.
+
+"We'll stand by the old man, lads," said one of the petty officers.
+
+"Ay, ay, that we will! We'll stick to him right manfully," was the
+hearty response.
+
+But now affairs began to look more hopeful for the "Alliance." Far
+away a gentle rippling of the water rapidly approaching the ship gave
+promise of wind. The quick eye of an old boatswain caught sight of it.
+"A breeze, a breeze!" he cried; and the jackies took up the shout, and
+sprang to their stations at the ropes, ready to take advantage of the
+coming gust. Soon the breeze arrived, the idly flapping sails filled
+out, the helmsman felt the responsive pressure of the water as he
+leaned upon the wheel, the gentle ripple of the water alongside
+gladdened the ears of the blue-jackets, the ship keeled over to
+leeward, then swung around responsive to her helm, and the first
+effective broadside went crashing into the side of the nearest
+British vessel. After that, the conflict was short. Though the enemy
+had nearly beaten the "Alliance" in the calm, they were no match for
+her when she was able to manoeuvre. Their resistance was plucky; but
+when Capt. Barry came on deck, with his wound dressed, he was just in
+time to see the flags of both vessels come fluttering to the deck.
+
+The two prizes proved to be the "Atlanta" sixteen, and the "Trepassy"
+fourteen. Both were badly cut up, and together had suffered a loss of
+forty-one men in killed and wounded. On the "Alliance" were eleven
+dead, and twenty-one wounded. As the capture of the two vessels threw
+about two hundred prisoners into the hands of the Americans, and as
+the "Alliance" was already crowded with captives, Capt. Barry made a
+cartel of the "Trepassy," and sent her into an English port with all
+the prisoners. The "Atlanta" he manned with a prize crew, and sent to
+Boston; but she unluckily fell in with a British cruiser in
+Massachusetts Bay, and was retaken.
+
+Once more before the cessation of hostilities between Great Britain
+and the United States threw her out of commission, did the "Alliance"
+exchange shots with a hostile man-of-war. It was in 1782, when the
+noble frigate was engaged in bringing specie from the West Indies. She
+had under convoy a vessel loaded with supplies, and the two had hardly
+left Havana when some of the enemy's ships caught sight of them, and
+gave chase. While the chase was in progress, a fifty-gun ship hove in
+sight, and was soon made out to be a French frigate. Feeling that he
+had an ally at hand, Barry now wore ship, and attacked the leading
+vessel, and a spirited action followed, until the enemy, finding
+himself hard pressed, signalled for his consorts, and Barry, seeing
+that the French ship made no sign of coming to his aid, drew off.
+
+Irritated by the failure of the French frigate to come to his
+assistance, Barry bore down upon her and hailed. The French captain
+declared that the manoeuvres of the "Alliance" and her antagonist had
+made him suspect that the engagement was only a trick to draw him into
+the power of the British fleet. He had feared that the "Alliance" had
+been captured, and was being used as a decoy; but now that the matter
+was made clear to him, he would join the "Alliance" in pursuit of the
+enemy. This he did; but Barry soon found that the fifty was so slow a
+sailer, that the "Alliance" might catch up with the British fleet, and
+be knocked to pieces by their guns, before the Frenchman could get
+within range. Accordingly he abandoned the chase in disgust, and
+renewed his homeward course. Some years later, an American gentleman
+travelling in Europe met the British naval officer who commanded the
+frigate which Barry had engaged. This officer, then a vice-admiral,
+declared that he had never before seen a ship so ably fought as was
+the "Alliance," and acknowledged that the presence of his consorts
+alone saved him a drubbing.
+
+This engagement was the last fought by the "Alliance" during the
+Revolution, and with it we practically complete our narrative of the
+work of the regular navy during that war. One slight disaster to the
+American cause alone remains to be mentioned. The "Confederacy," a
+thirty-two-gun frigate built in 1778, was captured by the enemy in
+1781. She was an unlucky ship, having been totally dismasted on her
+first cruise, and captured by an overwhelming force on her second.
+
+Though this chapter completes the story of the regular navy during the
+Revolution, there remain many important naval events to be described
+in an ensuing chapter. The work of the ships fitted out by Congress
+was aided greatly by the armed cruisers furnished by individual
+States, and privateers. Some of the exploits of these crafts and some
+desultory maritime hostilities we shall describe in the next chapter.
+And if the story of the United States navy, as told in these few
+chapters, seems a record of events trivial as compared with the
+gigantic naval struggles of 1812 and 1861, it must be remembered that
+not only were naval architecture and ordnance in their infancy in
+1776, but that the country was young, and its sailors unused to the
+ways of war. But that country, young as it was, produced Paul Jones;
+and it is to be questioned whether any naval war since has brought
+forth a braver or nobler naval officer, or one more skilled in the
+handling of a single ship-of-war.
+
+The result of the war of the Revolution is known to all. A new nation
+was created by it. These pages will perhaps convince their readers
+that to the navy was due somewhat the creation of that nation. And if
+to-day, in its power and might, the United States seems inclined to
+throw off the navy and belittle its importance, let the memory of Paul
+Jones and his colleagues be conjured up, to awaken the old enthusiasm
+over the triumphs of the stars and stripes upon the waves.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+ WORK OF THE PRIVATEERS. -- THE "GEN. HANCOCK" AND THE
+ "LEVANT." -- EXPLOITS OF THE "PICKERING." -- THE "REVENGE."
+ -- THE "HOLKAR." -- THE "CONGRESS" AND THE "SAVAGE." -- THE
+ "HYDER ALI" AND THE "GEN. MONK." -- THE WHALE-BOAT
+ HOSTILITIES. -- THE OLD JERSEY PRISON-SHIP.
+
+
+To chronicle in full the myriad exploits and experiences of the
+privateers and armed cruisers in the service of individual states
+during the Revolution, would require a volume thrice the size of this.
+Moreover, it is difficult and well-nigh impossible to obtain authentic
+information regarding the movements of this class of armed craft. An
+immense number of anecdotes of their prowess is current, and some few
+such narratives will be repeated in this chapter; but, as a rule, they
+are based only upon tradition, or the imperfect and often incorrect
+reports in the newspapers of the day.
+
+The loss inflicted upon Great Britain by the activity of American
+privateers was colossal. For the first year of the war the Continental
+Congress was unwilling to take so belligerent a step as to encourage
+privateering; but, in the summer of 1776, the issuing of letters of
+marque and reprisal was begun, and in a short time all New England had
+gone to privateering. The ocean fairly swarmed with trim Yankee
+schooners and brigs, and in the two years that followed nearly eight
+hundred merchantmen were taken.
+
+Discipline on the privateers was lax, and the profits of a successful
+cruise were enormous. Often a new speedy craft paid her whole cost of
+construction on her first cruise. The sailors fairly revelled in money
+at the close of such a cruise; and, like true jack-tars, they made
+their money fly as soon as they got ashore. A few days would generally
+suffice to squander all the earnings of a two-months' cruise; and,
+penniless but happy, Jack would ship for another bout with fortune.
+
+A volume could be written dealing with the exploits of the privateers,
+but for our purpose a few instances of their dash and spirit will be
+enough. Though the purpose of the privateers was purely mercenary,
+their chief end and aim being to capture defenceless merchantmen, yet
+they were always ready to fight when fighting was necessary, and more
+than once made a good showing against stronger and better disciplined
+naval forces. In many cases audacity and dash more than made up for
+the lack of strength.
+
+In 1777 two American privateers hung about the British Isles, making
+captures, and sending their prizes into French ports. The exploits of
+Paul Jones were equalled by these irregular cruisers. One of them,
+being in need of provisions, put into the little Irish port of
+Beerhaven, and lay at anchor for ten hours, while her crew scoured the
+town in search of the needed stores. A second privateer boldly entered
+a harbor on the Island of Guernsey. A castle at the entrance of the
+harbor opened fire upon her, whereupon she came about, and, keeping
+out of range of the castle guns, captured a large brig that was making
+for the port. When night fell, the privateer sent a boat's crew
+ashore, and took captive two officers of the local militia.
+
+In 1778 occurred an action between a private armed ship and a British
+frigate, in which the privateer was signally successful. On the 19th
+of September of that year, the "Gen. Hancock," a stout-built, well
+armed and manned privateer, fell in with the "Levant," a British
+frigate of thirty-two guns. The "Hancock" made no attempt to avoid a
+conflict, and opened with a broadside without answering the enemy's
+hail. The action was stubbornly contested upon both sides. After an
+hour of fighting, the captain of the Yankee ship, peering through the
+smoke, saw that the colors no longer waved above his adversary.
+
+"Have you struck?" he shouted.
+
+"No. Fire away," came the response faintly through the roar of the
+cannon. Two hours longer the combat raged, with the ships lying
+yard-arm to yard-arm. A ball struck Capt. Hardy of the "Hancock" in
+the neck, and he was carried below, while the first lieutenant took
+command of the ship. A few minutes later there arose a deafening roar
+and blinding flash; a terrific shock threw the men on the American
+ship to the deck. Stifling smoke darkened the atmosphere; and pieces
+of timber, cordage, and even horribly torn bits of human flesh began
+to fall upon the decks. When the smoke cleared away, the Americans
+looked eagerly for their enemy. Where she had floated a minute or two
+before, was now a shattered, blackened hulk fast sinking beneath the
+waves. The surface of the sea for yards around was strewn with
+wreckage, and here and there men could be seen struggling for life. As
+ready to save life as they had been to destroy it, the Americans
+lowered their boats and pulled about, picking up the survivors of the
+explosion. The boatswain of the ill-fated ship and seventeen of the
+crew were thus saved, but more than fourscore brave fellows went down
+with her. The American vessel herself was damaged not a little by the
+violence of the explosion.
+
+This was not the only case during this year in which a British
+man-of-war met defeat at the guns of a Yankee privateer. The
+"Hinchinbrooke," sloop-of-war fourteen; the "York," tender twelve; and
+the "Enterprise," ten guns,--all struck their colors to private armed
+vessels flying the stars and stripes.
+
+By 1778 the privateers under the British flag were afloat in no small
+number. America had no commerce on which they might prey, and they
+looked forward only to recapturing those British vessels that had been
+taken by Yankee privateers and sent homeward. That so many British
+vessels should have found profitable employment in this pursuit, is in
+itself a speaking tribute to the activity of the American private
+armed navy.
+
+During the Revolution, as during the second war with Great Britain in
+1812, Salem, Mass., and Baltimore, Md., were the principal points from
+which privateers hailed. In all the early wars of the United States,
+the term "Salem privateer" carried with it a picture of a fleet
+schooner, manned with a picked crew of able seamen, commanded by a
+lanky Yankee skipper who knew the byways of old ocean as well as the
+highways of trade, armed with eight, four, or six pounders, and a
+heavy "Long Tom" amidships. Scores of such craft sailed from Salem
+during the Revolution; and hardly a week passed without two or three
+returning privateers entering the little port and discharging their
+crews, to keep the little village in a turmoil until their prize money
+was spent, or, to use the sailors' phrase, until "no shot was left in
+the locker."
+
+One of the most successful of the Salem privateers was the
+"Pickering," a craft carrying a battery of sixteen guns, and a crew of
+forty-seven men. On one cruise she fought an engagement of an hour and
+a half with a British cutter of twenty guns; and so roughly did she
+handle the enemy, that he was glad to sheer off. A day of two later,
+the "Pickering" overhauled the "Golden Eagle," a large schooner of
+twenty-two guns and fifty-seven men. The action which followed was
+ended by the schooner striking her flag. A prize crew was then put
+aboard the "Golden Eagle," and she was ordered to follow in the wake
+of her captor. Three days later the British sloop-of-war "Achilles"
+hove in sight, and gave chase to the privateer and her prize. After a
+fifteen hours' chase the prize was overhauled; and the sloop-of-war,
+after taking possession of her, continued in pursuit of the privateer.
+But while the privateersmen had preferred flight to fighting while
+nothing was at stake, they did not propose to let their prize be taken
+from them without a resistance, however great the odds against them.
+Accordingly they permitted the "Achilles" to overhaul them, and a
+sharp action followed. The British tried to force the combat by
+boarding; but the Americans, with pikes and cutlasses, drove them back
+to their own ship. Then the two vessels separated, and during the rest
+of the conflict came no nearer each other than the length of a
+pistol-shot. At this distance they carried on a spirited cannonade for
+upwards of three hours; when the "Achilles," concluding that she had
+had enough, sheered off. Thereupon, the "Pickering" coolly ran back to
+her late prize, took possession of her, captured the lieutenant and
+prize crew that the "Achilles" had put in charge of her, and continued
+her cruise.
+
+A good example of the Baltimore privateers was the "Revenge," mounting
+eighteen guns, with a crew of fifty men. In 1780 this vessel was
+commanded by Capt. Alexander Murray of the regular navy. She was
+engaged by a large number of Baltimore merchants to convoy a fleet of
+merchantmen, but had hardly started to sea with her charges when she
+fell in with a fleet of British vessels, and was forced to retreat up
+the Patuxent River. While there, the American fleet was strengthened
+by several privateers and armed merchant-vessels which joined it, so
+that it was felt safe to try again to get to sea. Accordingly the
+attempt was made; but, though the captains of the fleet had signed a
+solemn compact to stand together in case of the danger, the sudden
+appearance of a fleet of hostile armed vessels sent all scurrying up
+the Patuxent again, except one brig and a schooner. The British fleet
+consisted of a ship of eighteen guns, a brig of sixteen, and three
+privateer schooners. Leaving the schooners to his two faithful
+consorts, Murray threw himself between the two larger vessels and the
+flying merchantmen. Seeing themselves thus balked of their prey, the
+enemy turned fiercely upon the "Revenge," but were met with so
+spirited a resistance, that they hauled off after an hour's fighting.
+The other American vessels behaved equally well, and the discomfiture
+of the British was complete.
+
+Philadelphia, though not looked upon as a centre of privateering
+activity, furnished one privateer that made a notable record. This was
+the "Holkar," sixteen guns. In April, 1780, she captured a British
+schooner of ten guns, and in May of the same year she fought a
+desperate action with a British privateer brig, the name of which has
+never been ascertained. Twice the Briton sheered off to escape the
+telling fire of the American; but the "Holkar" pressed him closely,
+and only the appearance of a second British armed vessel at the scene
+of the action saved the Englishman from capture. This battle was one
+of the most sanguinary ever fought by private armed vessels; for of
+the crew of the "Holkar" six were killed and sixteen wounded,
+including the captain and first lieutenant, while of the enemy there
+were about the same number killed and twenty wounded. Three months
+later this same privateer fell in with the British sixteen-gun cutter
+"Hypocrite," and captured her after a sharp conflict.
+
+Perhaps the most audacious privateering exploit was that of the
+privateers "Hero," "Hope," and "Swallow," in July, 1782. The captains
+of these craft, meeting after an unprofitable season upon the high
+seas, conceived the idea of making a descent upon the Nova Scotian
+town of Lunenberg, some thirty-five miles from Halifax. Little time
+was wasted in discussion. Privateers are not hampered by official red
+tape. So it happened that early in the month the three privateers
+appeared off the harbor of the threatened town, having landed a shore
+party of ninety men. Before the invaders the inhabitants retreated
+rapidly, making some slight resistance. Two block-houses, garrisoned
+by British regulars, guarded the town. One of these fortresses the
+Americans burned, whereupon the British established themselves in the
+second, and prepared to stand a siege. Luckily for the Americans, the
+block-house was within range of the harbor; so that the three
+privateers took advantageous positions, and fired a few rounds of
+solid shot into the enemy's wooden citadel. The besieged then made
+haste to raise the white flag, and surrendered themselves
+prisoners-of-war. When the Yankee ships left the harbor, they took
+with them a large quantity of merchandise and provisions, and a
+thousand pounds sterling by way of ransom.
+
+One more conflict, in which the irregular naval forces of the United
+States did credit to themselves, must be described before dismissing
+the subject of privateering. In September, 1781, the British
+sloop-of-war "Savage" was cruising off the southern coast of the
+United States. Her officers and men were in a particularly good humor,
+and felt a lively sense of self-satisfaction; for they had just
+ascended the Potomac, and plundered Gen. Washington's estate,--an
+exploit which would make them heroes in the eyes of their admiring
+countrymen.
+
+Off Charleston the "Savage" encountered the American privateer
+"Congress," of about the same strength as herself,--twenty guns and
+one hundred and fifty men. In one respect the "Congress" was the
+weaker; for her crew was composed largely of landsmen, and her marines
+were a company of militia, most of whom were sadly afflicted with
+seasickness. Nevertheless, the Yankee craft rushed boldly into action,
+opening fire with her bow-chasers as soon as she came within range.
+Like two savage bull-dogs, the two ships rushed at each other,
+disdaining all manoeuvring, and seemingly intent only upon locking in
+a deadly struggle, yard-arm to yard-arm. At first the "Savage" won a
+slight advantage. Swinging across the bow of the "Congress," she raked
+her enemy twice. But soon the two ships lay side by side, and the
+thunder of the cannon was constant. The militia-marines on the
+"Congress" did good service. Stationed in the tops, on the forecastle,
+the quarter-deck, and every elevated place on the ship, they poured
+down upon the deck of the enemy a murderous fire. The jackies at the
+great guns poured in broadsides so well directed that soon the
+"Savage" had not a rope left with which to manage the sails. Her
+quarter-deck was cleared, and not a man was to be seen to serve as a
+mark for the American gunners. So near lay the two vessels to each
+other, that the fire from the guns scorched the gunners on the
+opposite ship. The antagonists were inextricably entangled; for the
+mizzen-mast of the "Savage" had been shot away, and had fallen into
+the after-rigging of the "Congress." There was no flight for the
+weaker vessel. When she could no longer fight, surrender was her only
+recourse. Neither vessel showed any colors, for both ensigns had been
+shot away early in the action. Accordingly, when the boatswain of the
+"Savage" was seen upon the forecastle wildly waving his arms, it was
+taken as an evidence of surrender; and the fire slackened until his
+voice could be heard.
+
+"Give us quarter," he cried hoarsely; "we are a wreck, and strike our
+flag."
+
+The firing then ceased; but, when the lieutenant of the "Congress"
+ordered a boat lowered in which to board the prize, the old boatswain
+came back with the report,--
+
+"Boats all knocked to pieces, sir. Couldn't find one that would
+float."
+
+Accordingly the two vessels had to be slowly drawn together, and the
+boarding party reached the deck of the prize by clambering over a spar
+which served as a bridge. When they reached the prize, they found her
+decks covered with dead and wounded men. The slaughter had been
+terrible. Twenty-three men were killed, and thirty-one wounded. On the
+"Congress" were thirty, killed and wounded together. One of the
+wounded Americans was found lying with his back braced against the
+foot of the bowsprit, cheering for the victory, and crying,--
+
+"If they have broken my legs, my hands and heart are still whole."
+
+Throughout this sanguinary action both parties showed the greatest
+courage and determination. Two vessels of the two most perfectly
+organized regular navies in the world could not have been better
+handled, nor could they have more stubbornly contested for the
+victory.
+
+A class of armed vessels outside the limits of the regular navy, but
+very active and efficient in the service of the country, was the
+maritime forces of the individual states. Before Congress had seen
+the necessity for a naval force, several of the colonies had been
+alive to the situation, and fitted out cruisers of their own. Even
+after the Revolution had developed into a war of the first magnitude,
+and after the colonies had assumed the title of states, and delegated
+to Congress the duty of providing for the common defence, they still
+continued to fit out their own men-of-war to protect their ports and
+act as convoys for their merchant fleets. Though vessels in this
+service seldom cruised far from the coast of their home colony, yet
+occasionally they met the vessels of the enemy, and many sharp actions
+were fought by them.
+
+Of all the actions fought by the State cruisers, the most hotly
+contested was that between the Pennsylvania cruiser "Hyder Ali," and
+the British sloop-of-war "Gen. Monk." The "Hyder Ali" was a
+merchantman, bought by the state just as she was about departing on a
+voyage to the West Indies. She was in no way calculated for a
+man-of-war; but the need was pressing, and she was pierced for eight
+ports on a side, and provided with a battery of six-pounders. The
+command of this vessel was given to Joshua Barney, a young officer
+with an extensive experience of Yankee privateers and British prisons,
+and whose later exploits in the United States navy are familiar to
+readers of "Blue-Jackets of 1812."
+
+Barney's instructions were, not to go to sea, but to patrol the
+Delaware River and Bay, and see that no privateer lay in wait for the
+merchant-vessels that cleared from the port of Philadelphia. In April,
+1782, the "Hyder Ali" stood down Delaware Bay at the head of a large
+fleet of outward-bound merchantmen. When Cape May was reached, strong
+head-winds sprang up, and the whole fleet anchored to await more
+favorable weather before putting out to sea. While they lay at anchor,
+the "Hyder Ali" sighted a trio of British vessels, two ships and a
+brig, rounding the cape. Instantly Barney signalled his convoy to trip
+anchor and retreat, a signal which was promptly obeyed by all save one
+too daring craft, that tried to slip round the cape, and get to sea,
+but fell into the hands of the enemy. Soon the whole fleet, with the
+"Hyder Ali" bringing up the rear, fled up the bay. The British
+followed in hot pursuit.
+
+At a point half-way up the bay the pursuers parted; one of the ships,
+a frigate, cutting through a side channel in the hope of intercepting
+the fugitives. The other two pursuers, a privateer brig and a
+sloop-of-war, continued in the wake of the "Hyder Ali." The brig
+proved herself a clipper, and soon came up with the American vessel,
+which promptly offered battle. The challenge was declined by the
+privateer, which fired a harmless broadside, and continued on up the
+bay. Barney let her pass, for he had determined to risk the dangers of
+an unequal combat with the sloop-of-war. This vessel came up rapidly;
+and as she drew near Barney luffed up suddenly, and let fly a
+broadside. This somewhat staggered the enemy, who had expected only a
+tame surrender; but she quickly recovered, and came boldly on. At this
+juncture Barney turned to his helmsman, and said,--
+
+"Now, when I give the word, pay no attention to my order, but put the
+helm hard-a-starboard. Pay no heed to the actual command I may give
+you."
+
+The British vessel was then within half pistol-shot, and her forward
+guns were beginning to bear. From his station on the quarter-deck
+Barney shouted to his steersman in stentorian tones,--
+
+"Port your helm. Hard-a-port."
+
+The order was clearly heard on board the enemy, and he prepared to
+manoeuvre his ship accordingly. But the steersman of the "Hyder Ali"
+remembered his instructions; and before the enemy discovered the ruse,
+the American ship lay athwart the other's bow, and the bowsprit of the
+enemy was caught in the "Hyder Ali's" rigging, giving the latter a
+raking position. Quickly the Yankee gunners seized the opportunity.
+Not five miles away was a British frigate ready to rush to the
+assistance of her consort, and whatever was to be done by the bold
+lads of Pennsylvania had to be done with expedition. No cheer rose
+from their ranks; but with grim determination they worked at the great
+guns, pouring in rapid and effective broadsides. The explosions of the
+two batteries were like the deafening peals of thunder echoed and
+re-echoed in some mountain-gorge. Smoke hid the vessels from sight,
+and the riflemen in the tops could only occasionally catch sight of
+the figures of the enemy. The enemy had twenty guns to Barney's
+sixteen; but he was out-manoeuvred at the start, and this disadvantage
+he never overcame. Half an hour from the time of the opening of the
+battle, his flag was struck, and the Americans, with lusty cheers,
+took possession of their prize. There was no time for ceremony. The
+frigate had seen the conflict from afar, and was bearing down upon
+the two antagonists. So without even asking the name of the captured
+vessel, Barney hastily threw a prize crew aboard, ordered her to
+proceed to Philadelphia, and himself remained behind to cover the
+retreat.
+
+Some hours later, having escaped the British frigate, the two vessels
+sailed up to a Philadelphia wharf. The scars of battle had been in no
+way healed: the tattered sails, the shattered hulls and bulwarks, the
+cordage hanging loosely from the masts, told the story of battle. The
+crowd that rushed to the wharf, and peered curiously about the decks
+of the two vessels, saw a ghastly and horrible sight. For the battle
+had been as sanguinary as it was spirited, and the dead still lay
+where they fell. On the British vessel, the "Gen. Monk," lay the
+lifeless bodies of twenty men; while twenty-six wounded, whose blood
+stained the deck, lay groaning in the cock-pit below. On the "Hyder
+Ali" were four killed and eleven wounded.
+
+This action, for steadiness and brilliancy, was not surpassed by any
+naval duel of the war of the Revolution. By it the name of Joshua
+Barney was put upon a plane with those of the most eminent commanders
+in the regular navy; and had not the war speedily terminated, he would
+have been granted a commission and a ship by the United States.
+
+While the chief naval events of the war for independence have now been
+recounted, there still remain certain incidents connected more or less
+closely with the war on the water, which deserve a passing mention.
+One of these is the curious desultory warfare carried on in and about
+New York Harbor by fishermen and longshoremen in whale-boats, dories,
+sharpies, and similar small craft.
+
+From 1776 until the close of the war, New York City and the region
+bordering upon the harbor were occupied by the British. Provisions
+were needed for their support, and were brought from Connecticut and
+New Jersey in small sailing craft, chiefly whale-boats. These boats
+the patriots often intercepted, and desperate encounters upon the
+water were frequent. Nor did the Yankee boatmen confine their attacks
+to the provision boats alone. In the summer of 1775 the British
+transport "Blue Mountain Valley" was captured by a band of hardy
+Jerseymen, who concealed themselves in the holds of four small
+sail-boats until fairly alongside the enemy's vessel, when they
+swarmed out and drove the British from the deck of their vessel.
+
+Two New Jersey fishermen, Adam Hyler and William Marriner, were
+particularly active in this class of warfare. Twice the British sent
+armed forces to capture them, and, failing in that, burned their
+boats. But the sturdy patriots were undaunted, and building new boats,
+waged a relentless war against the followers of King George. Every
+Tory that fished in the bay was forced to pay them tribute; and many
+of these gentry, so obnoxious to the Yankees, were visited in their
+homes at dead of night, and solemnly warned to show more moderation in
+their disapproval of the American cause. When the occasion offered,
+the two Jerseymen gathered armed bands, and more than one small
+British vessel fell a prey to their midnight activity. Two British
+corvettes were captured by them in Coney Island Bay, and burned to the
+water's edge. With one of the blazing vessels forty thousand dollars
+in specie was destroyed,--a fact that Hyler bitterly lamented when he
+learned of it.
+
+No narrative of the events of the Revolution would be complete,
+without some description of the floating prison-houses in which the
+British immured the hapless soldiers and sailors who fell into their
+hands. Of these the chief one was a dismasted hulk known as the "Old
+Jersey" prison-ship, and moored in Wallabout Bay near New York City.
+No pen can adequately describe the horrors of this prison; but some
+extracts from the published recollections of men once imprisoned in
+her noisome hold will give some idea of the miserable fate of those
+condemned to be imprisoned on her.
+
+Thomas Andros, a sailor taken by the British with the privateer "Fair
+American," writes of the "Old Jersey:" "This was an old sixty-four-gun
+ship, which, through age, had become unfit for further actual service.
+She was stripped of every spar and all her rigging. After a battle
+with a French fleet, her lion figure-head was taken away to repair
+another ship. No appearance of ornament was left, and nothing remained
+but an old unsightly rotten hulk; and doubtless no other ship in the
+British navy ever proved the means of the destruction of so many human
+beings. It is computed that no less than eleven thousand American
+seamen perished in her. When I first became an inmate of this abode of
+suffering, despair, and death, there were about four hundred prisoners
+on board; but in a short time they amounted to twelve hundred. In a
+short time we had two hundred or more sick and dying lodged in the
+forepart of the lower gun-deck, where all the prisoners were confined
+at night. Utter derangement was a common symptom of yellow-fever; and
+to increase the horror of the darkness that surrounded us (for we were
+allowed no light between decks), the voice of warning would be heard,
+'Take heed to yourselves. There is a madman stalking through the ship
+with a knife in his hand,' I sometimes found the man a corpse in the
+morning, by whose side I laid myself down at night. In the morning the
+hatchways were thrown open; and we were allowed to ascend on the upper
+deck all at once, and remain on the upper deck all day. But the first
+object that met our view in the morning was an appalling spectacle,--a
+boat loaded with dead bodies, conveying them to the Long Island shore,
+where they were very slightly covered."
+
+Ebenezer Fox, another privateersman, has left his recollections of
+this dreadful prison. His description of the food upon which the
+unhappy prisoners were forced to subsist is interesting:--
+
+"Our bill of fare was as follows: on Sunday, one pound of biscuit, one
+pound of pork, and half a pint of pease; Monday, one pound of biscuit,
+one pint of oatmeal, and two ounces of butter; Tuesday, one pound of
+biscuit, and two pounds of salt beef; Wednesday, one and a half pounds
+of flour, and two ounces of suet; Thursday was a repetition of
+Sunday's fare; Friday, of Monday's; and Saturday, of Tuesday's.
+
+"If this food had been of good quality and properly cooked, as we had
+no labor to perform, it would have kept us comfortable, at least from
+suffering; but this was not the case. All our food appeared to be
+damaged. As for the pork, we were cheated out of it more than half the
+time; and when it was obtained, one would have judged from its motley
+hues, exhibiting the consistence and appearance of variegated fancy
+soap, that it was the flesh of the porpoise or sea-hog, and had been
+an inhabitant of the ocean rather than of the stye. The pease were
+generally damaged, and, from the imperfect manner in which they were
+cooked, were about as indigestible as grape-shot. The butter the
+reader will not suppose was the real 'Goshen;' and had it not been for
+its adhesive properties to hold together the particles of the biscuit,
+that had been so riddled by the worms as to lose all their attraction
+of cohesion, we should have considered it no desirable addition to our
+viands."
+
+But it is unnecessary to prolong the painful description of the
+horrors of this floating charnel house. Its name and record must ever
+rest as a dark stain upon the name of England. It is seldom possible
+in war-time to house and care for the immense hordes of
+prisoners-of-war with the same regard for their comfort which is shown
+ordinarily to convicted felons. War is brutal; it is unfeeling, and
+the weaker party must always suffer. But such sufferings as those of
+the "Old Jersey" captives can be excused upon no ground. There was no
+need to crowd hundreds of men into a space hardly large enough for a
+few score. To starve her prisoners, should not be part of a great
+nation's policy. The one plea which England can urge in extenuation of
+the "Old Jersey" is that it had its day at a time when those broad
+principles of humanity, now so generally accepted, had not yet been
+applied to the rules of war.
+
+With this chapter ends the narrative of the naval events of the war of
+the Revolution. It was not a great naval war, for the belligerent
+nations were not sufficiently well matched in naval strength. But it
+brought forth Paul Jones and more than one other brave and able
+commander. It established a new flag upon the seas, a flag that has
+ever since held an honorable position among the insignia of the
+foremost nations of the earth. And in the war of the Revolution, as in
+every war in which the United States has taken part since, there was
+manifested the wonderful ability of the American people to rush into a
+conflict half prepared, and gain daily in strength until the cause for
+which they fight is won. In 1776 that cause was liberty, and in its
+behalf none fought more bravely than the lads who wore the blue
+jackets of the American navy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+ THE NAVY DISBANDED. -- AGGRESSIONS OF BARBARY CORSAIRS. -- A
+ DISGRACEFUL TRIBUTE. -- BAINBRIDGE AND THE DEY. -- GEN.
+ EATON AT TUNIS. A SQUADRON SENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. --
+ DECATUR AND THE SPANIARDS. -- THE "ENTERPRISE" AND THE
+ "TRIPOLI." -- AMERICAN SLAVES IN ALGIERS.
+
+
+Peace having been signed with Great Britain in 1783, the nucleus of a
+navy then in existence was disbanded. Partly this was due to the
+disinclination of the sturdy Republicans to keep a standing
+establishment, either naval or military, in time of peace. The same
+tendency of the American mind to disregard the adage, "In time of
+peace, prepare for war," is observable to-day. But the chief reason
+for the dissolution of the navy lay in the impossibility of collecting
+funds to pay for its maintenance. The states had formed themselves
+into a confederacy, but so jealously had each state guarded its
+individual rights, that no power was left to the general government.
+The navy being a creation of the general government, was therefore
+left without means of support; and in 1785 the last remaining frigate,
+the "Alliance," was sold because there was not enough money in the
+treasury to pay for her needed repairs.
+
+For eight years thereafter the nation remained without a navy. But
+gradually there sprung up a very considerable maritime commerce under
+the flag of the United States. The stars and stripes began to be a
+familiar sight in sea-ports as far away as China and Japan. But as far
+as it afforded any protection to the vessel above which it waved, that
+banner might have been a meaningless bit of striped bunting. In 1785
+the Dey of Algiers, looking to piracy for his income, sent his
+piratical cruisers out into the Atlantic to seize upon the merchantmen
+of the new nation that had no navy to enforce its authority. Two
+vessels were captured, and their crews sold into disgraceful slavery
+in Algiers.
+
+When the first Congress of the United States under the present
+Constitution assembled, President Washington called the attention of
+the law-makers to the crying need for a navy. But war had set in
+between Portugal and Algiers; the Algerian corsairs were blockaded in
+their ports, and American vessels were enjoying a temporary immunity
+from piratical attack. Therefore Congress hesitated.
+
+But in 1793 peace was suddenly arranged between Portugal and Algiers.
+Immediately the corsairs swarmed out of the Mediterranean Sea, and
+swooped down upon the American merchantmen. In a few weeks four ships
+were in their hands, and the gangs of white slaves in Tunis and
+Tripoli were re-enforced by nearly two hundred luckless Yankee
+sailors. Then Congress awoke, and ordered the immediate building of
+six frigates. The ships were laid down, the work was well under way,
+naval officers had been appointed, and every thing seemed to point to
+the revival of the American navy, when a treaty was negotiated with
+Algiers, and all work was stopped.
+
+And what a treaty it was! By it the United States relinquished every
+claim to the rights of a sovereign nation. It agreed to pay an annual
+tribute to the piratical Dey, in consideration of his granting to
+American vessels the right of travel on the high seas. And when some
+slight delay occurred in making the first payment of tribute, the
+obsequious government presented the Barbary corsair with a frigate, to
+allay his wrath.
+
+We must pass hastily over the time during which this iniquitous treaty
+was in force. Suffice it to say, that by it the United States paid the
+Dey more than a million dollars. For the same sum his piratical
+establishment might have been scattered like the sands of the desert.
+
+In May, 1800, it fell to the lot of Capt. William Bainbridge,
+commanding the frigate "George Washington," to carry the annual
+tribute to Algiers. On arriving there he was treated with contempt by
+the Dey, who demanded that he put the "Washington" at the service of
+Algiers, to carry her ambassador to Constantinople. "You pay me
+tribute, by which you become my slaves," said the Dey; "I have
+therefore a right to order you as I may think proper."
+
+Bainbridge protested, but to no avail. He had anchored his frigate
+under the guns of the Dey's castle, and to disobey meant capture and
+slavery. Accordingly he complied, but despatched a letter to the
+authorities at home, saying, "I hope I may never again be sent to
+Algiers with tribute, unless I am authorized to deliver it from the
+mouth of our cannon."
+
+When Bainbridge reached the United States, after faithfully
+discharging the errand of the Dey, he found that it was unlikely that
+either he or any other officer would be forced to carry any further
+tribute to the Barbary pirates. For, while the tribute paid to Algiers
+had merely changed the attitude of that country from open hostility to
+contemptuous forbearance, it had brought the other Barbary states
+clamoring to the United States for tribute. Tunis and Tripoli demanded
+blood-money; and each emphasized its demand by capturing a few Yankee
+merchantmen, and selling their crews into slavery.
+
+The agents or ambassadors sent by the United States to these powers
+were treated with the utmost contempt; and while their lives were
+often in danger, their property was always considered the fair prey of
+the Barbarian ruler to whose domain they were sent. To Tunis was sent
+Gen. William Eaton, an American politician, who has left a record of
+his experiences in the land of the Bey. Some of the entries in his
+journal are very pithy. Thus under the date of Aug. 11, 1799, he
+wrote,--
+
+"Some good friend had informed the Bey that I had an elegant Grecian
+mirror in my house. To-day he sent a request for it, pretending that
+he wanted it for the cabin of his pleasure-boat, now about to be
+launched. So it is. If the consuls have a good piece of furniture, or
+any other good thing which strikes the Bey's fancy, he never hesitates
+to ask for it; and they have no alternative but to give it. They have
+suffered this to become usance also.
+
+"12th. Sent the Bey the mirror."
+
+A letter from Gen. Eaton to the Secretary of State, in 1801, tells of
+the capacity of the Bey. A fire in the regal palace destroyed fifty
+thousand stand of small-arms. The next day the monarch ordered Eaton
+to procure from the United States ten thousand stand to help make up
+the loss. Eaton demurred. "The Bey did not send for you to ask your
+advice," said the prime minister, "but to order you to communicate his
+demands to your Government."
+
+Eaton still protested, pointed out the fact that the United States had
+already paid the Bey heavy tribute, and asked when these extortionate
+demands were to end.
+
+"Never," was the cool response; and the interview ended.
+
+But by this time the United States authorities had perceived the error
+they had committed in temporizing with the Barbary powers. They had
+quieted Algiers by the payment of a heavy tribute, and the gift of a
+frigate. But this had only excited the cupidity of the other petty
+states. Tunis demanded like tribute. The Bashaw of Tripoli,
+discontented with his share of the spoils, cut down the flagstaff
+before the American consulate, and sent out his cruisers to prey upon
+American commerce. Accordingly, on the 20th of May, 1801, the
+Secretary of the Navy ordered a squadron prepared to proceed to the
+Mediterranean, and bring the rapacious Arabs to terms.
+
+The vessels chosen for this service were the "President," Commodore
+Richard Dale; "Philadelphia," Capt. Barron; "Essex," Capt. Bainbridge;
+and the schooner "Enterprise," Lieut.-Commandant Sterrett. Though the
+fleet in itself was powerful, the commodore was hampered by the timid
+and vacillating instructions of Congress. War had not been actually
+declared, and he was therefore to commit no overt act of hostility.
+The vessels of the fleet were to be employed simply to convoy American
+merchantmen in and out of the Mediterranean Sea, and to be in
+readiness to ward off any hostile action on the part of any of the
+Barbary powers.
+
+On July 1 the fleet entered the roadstead at Gibraltar, and anchored
+in the shadow of the famous rock. Here the Americans found two of the
+most rapacious of the Tripolitan corsairs lying at anchor; one a ship
+of twenty-six guns under the command of the Tripolitan admiral, and
+the other a brig of sixteen guns. To keep an eye on these piratical
+worthies, the "Philadelphia" was ordered to remain at Gibraltar, while
+the other vessels scattered. The "Essex" was ordered to cruise along
+the northern shore of the Mediterranean, gathering up all the American
+merchantmen, and convoying them to sea. The "President" and the
+"Enterprise" made sail for Algiers, to convince the ruler of that
+country that it would be impolitic for him to declare war against the
+United States at that time. The desired effect was produced; for the
+sight of an American frigate did more to tone down the harshness of
+the Dey's utterances, than could the most extortionate tribute.
+
+The cruise of the "Essex" was uneventful, save for a dispute between
+the officers of the American man-of-war and a Spanish xebec in the
+roads of Barcelona. The trouble arose in this wise:--
+
+The "Essex," though a small vessel, was perfectly appointed, of
+handsome model and appearance, and her crew was drilled to the highest
+possible state of discipline and efficiency. When she cast anchor at
+Barcelona, she straightway became the talk of the town, and her
+officers became the lions of the hour, vastly to the disgust of the
+Spaniards on the xebec lying in the same port. Accordingly they took
+every opportunity to annoy the Americans, challenging the boats of the
+"Essex" as they passed the xebec, and not scrupling to use abusive
+language to Capt. Bainbridge himself. One night a boat, under command
+of Lieut. Stephen Decatur, was brought under the guns of the xebec,
+and held there while the Spaniards shouted insults from the deck
+above. Decatur called for the officer in command, and remonstrated
+with him, but receiving no satisfaction, ordered his men to shove off,
+declaring he would call again in the morning.
+
+Accordingly, in the forenoon of the following day, a boat from the
+"Essex," with Decatur in the stern-sheets, made for the Spanish
+vessel. Coming alongside, Decatur went on board, and asked for the
+officer who had been in command the night previous. He was told that
+the man he sought had gone ashore.
+
+"Well, then," thundered Decatur, in tones that could be heard all over
+the vessel, "tell him that Lieut. Decatur of the frigate 'Essex'
+pronounces him a cowardly scoundrel, and when they meet on shore he
+will cut his ears off." And having thrown this bombshell into the
+enemy's camp, Decatur returned to his ship.
+
+The duel was never fought, for the civil authorities bestirred
+themselves to prevent it. But the matter was taken up by the United
+States minister to Spain, who never permitted it to rest until the
+fullest apology was made by Spain for the indignities to which the
+American naval officers had been subjected.
+
+After having collected a large number of merchantmen, and taken them
+safely out of the reach of Tripolitan cruisers, the "Essex" showed her
+colors in the chief Barbary ports, and rejoined the flag-ship in time
+to return to the United States in December.
+
+While the "Essex" had been thus pacificly employed, the little
+schooner "Enterprise" had carried off the honors by fighting the first
+and only pitched battle of the year. This little craft, after
+accompanying the "President" to Algiers, was ordered to Malta. While
+on the way thither she fell in with a polacre-rigged ship flying the
+Tripolitan colors. Closer inspection showed her to be a notorious
+corsair, well known for the constant and merciless warfare she waged
+upon American merchantmen. The stars and stripes, floating at the peak
+of the American man-of-war, alarmed the Moors, and they opened fire
+without waiting for a hail. The "Enterprise" took up a position
+alongside, and at a distance of less than a pistol-shot. Broadside
+succeeded broadside in rapid succession. The aim of the Americans was
+better than that of the enemy, and the effect of their fire was
+observable whenever the breeze cleared away the dense smoke that hid
+the vessels from each other. But the ordnance of both was light, so
+that the combat was greatly prolonged. The vessels were almost equally
+matched; for the "Enterprise" carried twelve guns and ninety men,
+while the Tripolitan mounted fourteen guns, and had a crew of
+eighty-five men.
+
+For two hours the battle continued, and the roar of the cannon and the
+rattle of small-arms were incessant. The day was calm and clear, with
+the still, warm air prevalent in the Mediterranean. Hardly was the
+breeze strong enough to carry away the sulphurous cloud of smoke that
+formed the one blot on the fair surface of the fairest of all seas. At
+last the Americans noticed that the fire of the enemy had ceased.
+Eagerly they peered through the smoke, and when the outline of their
+adversary could be made out, three ringing cheers told that the
+Tripolitan flag waved no longer in its place. Leaving their guns, the
+Americans were preparing to board the prize, when they were astonished
+to receive another broadside, and see the colors of their adversary
+again hoisted.
+
+With cries of rage the Yankee seamen again went to quarters; and, if
+they had fought boldly before, they now fought viciously. They cared
+little to take the prize: their chief end was to send her, and the
+treacherous corsairs that manned her, to the bottom. The Tripolitans
+in their turn exerted every energy to conquer. Bringing their vessel
+alongside the "Enterprise," they strove repeatedly to board, only to
+be beaten back again and again. Finally, after receiving two raking
+broadsides from the "Enterprise," she again struck her flag.
+
+This time Capt. Sterrett was in no haste to consider the combat ended.
+Keeping his men at the guns, he ordered the Tripolitan to come under
+the quarter of the "Enterprise." But no sooner had the enemy done so
+than she renewed the conflict for the third time, by attempting to
+board.
+
+"No quarter for the treacherous dogs," was then the cry on the
+American vessel. "Fight on, and send them to the bottom."
+
+The rest of the battle was wholly in favor of the "Enterprise."
+Several times she raked her antagonist, doing great execution. Many
+shots took effect between wind and water; and the cry arose on the
+decks of the Tripolitan, that she was sinking. The "Enterprise" kept
+at a safe distance, and by skilful sailing chose her own position, so
+that she could pour in a deliberate and murderous fire. Bitterly were
+the Tripolitans punished for their treachery. Their decks ran red with
+blood, half of their officers were shot down, the cries of their
+wounded rose shrill above the thunder of the cannon. Her flag was
+struck, but to this the American gunners paid no heed. The repeated
+treachery of the corsairs had left in the minds of the Yankee sailors
+but one thought,--to send the ship to the bottom, and rid the ocean of
+so pestiferous a craft.
+
+But, enraged though they were, the Americans could not wholly cast
+aside their feelings of humanity. Though they had been twice deceived,
+they could not keep up their attack upon a vessel so sorely stricken
+as to be unable to respond to their fire. And when at last the
+commander of the Tripolitan, a venerable old man with a flowing beard,
+appeared in the waist of the ship, sorely wounded, and, bowing
+submissively, cast the colors of his vessel into the sea, then the
+fire of the "Enterprise" ceased, although the usages of war would have
+justified the Americans in exterminating their treacherous foe.
+
+Having captured his enemy, Capt. Sterrett was in some uncertainty as
+to what to do with it. The instructions under which he sailed gave him
+no authority to take prizes. After some deliberation, he concluded to
+rob the captured vessel, which proved to be the "Tripoli," of her
+power for evil. Accordingly he sent Lieut. David Porter, the daring
+naval officer of whose exploits we have already spoken in the
+"Blue-Jackets of 1812," on board the prize, with instructions to
+dismantle her. Porter carried out his instructions admirably. With
+immense satisfaction the jackies he took with him forced the
+Tripolitans to cut away their masts, throw overboard all their cannon,
+cutlasses, pistols, and other arms; cut their sails to pieces; throw
+all ammunition into the sea, and, to use a nautical expression, "strip
+the ship to a girtline." One jury-mast and small sail alone was left.
+
+Porter then pointed out to the crestfallen Tripolitan captain, Mahomet
+Sons, that the "Enterprise" had not lost a man in the action, while of
+the corsairs not less than fifty were either killed or wounded.
+
+"Go," said he sternly to the cowering Mussulman, "go tell the Bashaw
+of Tripoli, and the people of your country, that in future they may
+expect only a tribute of powder and ball from the sailors of the
+United States."
+
+Amid the jeers and execrations of the Yankee tars, the crippled
+Tripolitan hulk, with her dead and dying, drifted slowly away. When
+she reached Tripoli, the anger of the Bashaw was unappeasable. He had
+expected his cruiser to return freighted deep with plunder, and
+crowded with American slaves. She had returned a dismantled hulk. In
+vain her commander showed his wounds to his wrathful master, and told
+of the size of his enemy, and the vigor of his resistance. The rage of
+the Bashaw demanded a sacrifice, and the luckless Mahomet Sons was led
+through the streets of Tripoli tied to a jackass. This in itself was
+the deepest degradation possible for a Mussulman, but the Bashaw
+supplemented it with five hundred bastinadoes well laid on. This
+severe punishment, together with the repeated assertions of the
+sailors of the defeated ship, that the dogs of Christians had fired
+enchanted shot, so terrified the seafaring people of Tripoli that it
+was almost impossible for the Bashaw to muster a ship's crew for a
+year after.
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Decatur.]
+
+The battle between the "Enterprise" and the "Tripoli" alone saved the
+first year of the war from being entirely puerile. Certain it is that
+the distinguished naval officers who accompanied the fleet to the
+Mediterranean were so hedged about with political red tape, that they
+were powerless to take a step in defence of the honor of their
+country. While they were empowered to rescue any American ship that
+might be discovered in the grasp of a corsair, they were powerless to
+attempt the rescue of the hundreds of Americans held by Bashaw, Bey,
+and Dey as slaves. Commodore Dale, indeed, through diplomacy, managed
+to free a few of the enslaved Americans. Having blockaded the
+harbor of Tripoli with the frigate "President," he captured a Greek
+vessel having a score or more of Tripolitan soldiers aboard. He then
+sent word to the Bashaw that he would exchange these prisoners for an
+equal number of Americans; but the monarch apparently cared little for
+his subjects, for he replied that he would not give one American slave
+for the whole lot. After much argument, an exchange was made upon the
+basis of three Tripolitans to one Yankee.
+
+It is hard, even at this late day, to regard the policy of the United
+States towards the Barbary powers with feelings other than of
+mortification. Tunis, Tripoli, Algiers, and Morocco constantly preyed
+on our commerce, and enslaved our sailors. In the streets of Algiers
+worked American slaves, chained together, and wearing iron collars
+upon their necks. Their lives were the property of their owners, and
+they suffered unheard of privations and tortures. Yet at this very
+time the United States kept a consul in Algiers, and maintained
+friendly relations with the Dey. Indeed, a historian writing in 1795
+applauds the American Government for the care it took of its citizens
+enslaved in Algiers, by providing each with a suit of clothing yearly!
+
+But the continued aggressions and extortionate demands of the Barbary
+powers became at last unbearable. The expedition to the Mediterranean,
+under Commodore Dale, was but the premonitory muttering before the
+storm. Dale returned to the United States in December, 1801, and his
+report led to the organization of the naval expedition that was to
+finally crush the piratical powers of Barbary.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+ MORE VIGOROUS POLICY. -- COMMODORE MORRIS SENT TO THE
+ MEDITERRANEAN. -- PORTER'S CUTTING-OUT EXPEDITION. --
+ COMMODORE PREBLE SENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. -- HIS ENCOUNTER
+ WITH A BRITISH MAN-OF-WAR. -- THE LOSS OF THE
+ "PHILADELPHIA." -- DECATUR'S DARING ADVENTURE.
+
+
+The return of Commodore Dale from the Mediterranean, and the reports
+which he brought of the continued aggressions and insolence of the
+Barbary powers, made a very marked change in the temper of the people
+of the United States. Early in 1802 Congress passed laws, which,
+though not in form a formal declaration of war, yet permitted the
+vigorous prosecution of hostilities against Tripoli, Algiers, or any
+other of the Barbary powers. A squadron was immediately ordered into
+commission for the purpose of chastising the corsairs, and was put
+under the command of Commodore Morris. The vessels detailed for this
+service were the "Chesapeake," thirty-eight; "Constellation,"
+thirty-eight; "New York," thirty-six; "John Adams," twenty-eight;
+"Adams," twenty-eight; and "Enterprise," twelve. Some months were
+occupied in getting the vessels into condition for sea; and while the
+"Enterprise" started in February for the Mediterranean, it was not
+until September that the last ship of the squadron followed her. It
+will be remembered that the "Philadelphia" and "Essex," of Dale's
+squadron, had been left in the Mediterranean; and as the "Boston,"
+twenty-eight, had been ordered to cruise in those waters after
+carrying United States Minister Livingstone to France, the power of
+the Western Republic was well supported before the coast-line of
+Barbary.
+
+The "Enterprise" and the "Constellation" were the first of the
+squadron to reach the Mediterranean, and they straightway proceeded to
+Tripoli to begin the blockade of that port. One day, while the
+"Constellation" was lying at anchor some miles from the town, the
+lookout reported that a number of small craft were stealing along,
+close in shore, and evidently trying to sneak into the harbor.
+Immediately the anchor was raised, and the frigate set out in pursuit.
+The strangers proved to be a number of Tripolitan gunboats, and for a
+time it seemed as though they would be cut off by the swift-sailing
+frigate. As they came within range, the "Constellation" opened a rapid
+and well-directed fire, which soon drove the gunboats to protected
+coves and inlets in the shore. The Americans then lowered their boats
+with the intention of engaging the enemy alongshore, but at this
+moment a large body of cavalry came galloping out from town to the
+rescue. The Yankees, therefore, returned to their ship, and, after
+firing a few broadsides at the cavalry, sailed away.
+
+Thereafter, for nearly a year, the record of the American squadron in
+the Mediterranean was uneventful. Commodore Morris showed little
+disposition to push matters to an issue, but confined his operations
+to sailing from port to port, and instituting brief and imperfect
+blockades.
+
+In April, 1803, the squadron narrowly escaped being seriously weakened
+by the loss of the "New York." It was when this vessel was off Malta,
+on her way to Tripoli in company with the "John Adams" and the
+"Enterprise." The drums had just beat to grog; and the sailors, tin
+cup in hand, were standing in a line on the main deck waiting their
+turns at the grog-tub. Suddenly a loud explosion was heard, and the
+lower part of the ship was filled with smoke.
+
+"The magazine is on fire," was the appalling cry; and for a moment
+confusion reigned everywhere. All knew that the explosion must have
+been near the magazine. There was no one to command, for at the grog
+hour the sailors are left to their own occupations. So the confusion
+spread, and there seemed to be grave danger of a panic, when Capt.
+Chauncey came on deck. A drummer passed hurriedly by him.
+
+"Drummer, beat to quarters!" was the quick, sharp command of the
+captain. The drummer stopped short, and in a moment the resonant roll
+of the drum rose above the shouts and the tramping of feet. As the
+well-known call rose on the air, the men regained their self-control,
+and went quietly to their stations at the guns, as though preparing to
+give battle to an enemy.
+
+When order had been restored, Capt. Chauncey commanded the boats to be
+lowered; but the effect of this was to arouse the panic again. The
+people rushed from the guns, and crowded out upon the bowsprit, the
+spritsail-yard, and the knightheads. Some leaped into the sea, and
+swam for the nearest vessel. All strove to get as far from the
+magazine as possible. This poltroonery disgusted Chauncey.
+
+"Volunteers, follow me," he cried. "Remember, lads, it's just as well
+to be blown through three decks as one."
+
+So saying he plunged down the smoky hatchway, followed by Lieut. David
+Porter and some other officers. Blinded and almost stifled by the
+smoke, they groped their way to the seat of the danger. With wet
+blankets, and buckets of water, they began to fight the flames. As
+their efforts began to meet with success, one of the officers went on
+deck, and succeeded in rallying the men, and forming two lines of
+water-carriers. After two hours' hard work, the ship was saved.
+
+The explosion was a serious one, many of the bulkheads having been
+blown down, and nineteen officers and men seriously injured, of whom
+fourteen died. It came near leading to a still more serious blunder;
+for, when the flames broke out, the quartermaster was ordered to hoist
+the signal, "A fire on board." In his trepidation he mistook the
+signal, and announced, "A mutiny on board." Seeing this, Capt. Rodgers
+of the "John Adams" beat his crew to quarters, and with shotted guns
+and open ports took up a raking position astern of the "New York,"
+ready to quell the supposed mutiny. Luckily he discovered his error
+without causing loss of life.
+
+For a month after this incident, the ships were detained at Malta
+making repairs; but, near the end of May, the "John Adams," "Adams,"
+"New York," and "Enterprise" took up the blockade of Tripoli. One
+afternoon a number of merchant vessels succeeded in evading the
+blockaders, and though cut off from the chief harbor of the town, yet
+took refuge in the port of Old Tripoli. They were small lanteen-rigged
+feluccas of light draught; and they threaded the narrow channels, and
+skimmed over shoals whither the heavy men-of-war could not hope to
+follow them. Scarcely had they reached the shore when preparations
+were made for their defence against any cutting-out party the
+Americans might send for their capture. On the shore near the spot
+where the feluccas were beached, stood a heavy stone building, which
+was taken possession of by a party of troops hastily despatched from
+the city. The feluccas were laden with wheat, packed in sacks; and
+these sacks were taken ashore in great numbers, and piled up on either
+side of the great building so as to form breastworks. So well were the
+works planned, that they formed an almost impregnable fortress. Behind
+its walls the Tripolitans stood ready to defend their stranded
+vessels.
+
+That night Lieut. Porter took a light boat, and carefully reconnoitred
+the position of the enemy. He was discovered, and driven away by a
+heavy fire of musketry, but not before he had taken the bearings of
+the feluccas and their defences. The next morning he volunteered to go
+in and destroy the boats, and, having obtained permission, set out,
+accompanied by Lieut. James Lawrence and a strong party of sailors.
+There was no attempt at concealment or surprise. The Americans pushed
+boldly forward, in the teeth of a heavy fire from the Tripolitans. No
+attempt was made to return the fire, for the enemy was securely posted
+behind his ramparts. The Yankees could only bend to their oars, and
+press forward with all possible speed. At last the beach was reached,
+and boats-prows grated upon the pebbly sand. Quickly the jackies
+leaped from their places; and while some engaged the Tripolitans,
+others, torch in hand, clambered upon the feluccas, and set fire to
+the woodwork and the tarred cordage. When the flames had gained some
+headway, the incendiaries returned to their boats, and made for the
+squadron again, feeling confident that the Tripolitans could do
+nothing to arrest the conflagration. But they had underestimated the
+courage of the barbarians; for no sooner had the boats pushed off,
+than the Tripolitans rushed down to the shore, and strained every
+muscle for the preservation of their ships. The men-of-war rained
+grape-shot upon them; but they persevered, and before Porter and his
+followers regained their ships, the triumphant cries of the
+Tripolitans gave notice the flames were extinguished. Porter had been
+severely wounded in the thigh, and twelve or fifteen of his men had
+been killed or wounded; so that the failure of the expedition to fully
+accomplish its purpose was bitterly lamented. The loss of the enemy
+was never definitely ascertained, though several were seen to fall
+during the conflict. On both sides the most conspicuous gallantry was
+shown; the fighting was at times almost hand to hand, and once,
+embarrassed by the lack of ammunition, the Tripolitans seized heavy
+stones, and hurled them down upon their assailants.
+
+For some weeks after this occurrence, no conflict took place between
+the belligerents. Commodore Morris, after vainly trying to negotiate a
+peace with Tripoli, sailed away to Malta, leaving the "John Adams" and
+the "Adams" to blockade the harbor. To them soon returned the
+"Enterprise," and the three vessels soon after robbed the Bey of his
+largest corsair.
+
+On the night of the 21st of June, an unusual commotion about the
+harbor led the Americans to suspect that an attempt was being made to
+run the blockade. A strict watch was kept; and, before morning, the
+"Enterprise" discovered a large cruiser sneaking along the coast
+toward the harbor's mouth. The Tripolitan was heavy enough to have
+blown the Yankee schooner out of the water; but, instead of engaging
+her, she retreated to a small cove, and took up a favorable position
+for action. Signals from the "Enterprise" soon brought the other
+United States vessels to the spot; while in response to rockets and
+signal guns from the corsair, a large body of Tripolitan cavalry came
+galloping down the beach, and a detachment of nine gunboats came to
+the assistance of the beleaguered craft.
+
+No time was lost in manoeuvring. Taking up a position within
+point-blank range, the "John Adams" and the "Enterprise" opened fire
+on the enemy, who returned it with no less spirit. For forty-five
+minutes the cannonade was unabated. The shot of the American gunners
+were seen to hull the enemy repeatedly, and at last the Tripolitans
+began to desert their ship. Over the rail and through the open ports
+the panic-stricken corsairs dropped into the water. The shot of the
+Yankees had made the ship's deck too hot a spot for the Tripolitans,
+and they fled with great alacrity. When the last had left the ship,
+the "John Adams" prepared to send boats to take possession of the
+prize. But at this moment a boat-load of Tripolitans returned to the
+corsair; and the Americans, thinking they were rallying, began again
+their cannonade. Five minutes later, while the boat's-crew was still
+on the Tripolitan ship, she blew up. The watchers heard a sudden
+deafening roar; saw a volcanic burst of smoke; saw rising high above
+the smoke the main and mizzen masts of the shattered vessel, with the
+yards, rigging, and hamper attached. When the smoke cleared away, only
+a shapeless hulk occupied the place where the proud corsair had so
+recently floated. What caused the explosion, cannot be told. Were it
+not for the fact that many of the Tripolitans were blown up with the
+ship, it might be thought that she had been destroyed by her own
+people.
+
+After this encounter, the three United States vessels proceeded to
+Malta. Here Commodore Morris found orders for his recall, and he
+returned to the United States in the "Adams." In his place Commodore
+Preble had been chosen to command the naval forces; and that officer,
+with the "Constitution," forty-four, arrived in the Mediterranean in
+September, 1802. Following him at brief intervals came the other
+vessels of his squadron,--the "Vixen" twelve, "Siren" sixteen, and
+"Argus" sixteen; the "Philadelphia" thirty-eight, and the "Nautilus"
+twelve, having reached the Mediterranean before the commodore. Three
+of these vessels were commanded by young officers, destined to win
+enduring fame in the ensuing war,--Stephen Decatur, William
+Bainbridge, and Richard Somers.
+
+Before the last vessel of this fleet reached the Mediterranean, a
+disaster had befallen one of the foremost vessels, which cost the
+United States a good man-of-war, and forced a ship's crew of Yankee
+seamen to pass two years of their lives in the cells of a Tripolitan
+fortress. This vessel was the "Philadelphia," Capt. Bainbridge. She
+had reached the Mediterranean in the latter part of August, and
+signalled her arrival by overhauling and capturing the cruiser
+"Meshboha," belonging to the emperor of Morocco. With the cruiser was
+a small brig, which proved to be an American merchantman; and in her
+hold were found the captain and seven men, tied hand and foot. Morocco
+was then ostensibly on friendly terms with the United States, and
+Bainbridge demanded of the captain of the cruiser by what right he had
+captured an American vessel. To this the Moor returned, that he had
+done so, anticipating a war which had not yet been declared.
+
+"Then, sir," said Bainbridge sternly, "I must consider you as a
+pirate, and shall treat you as such. I am going on deck for fifteen
+minutes. If, when I return, you can show me no authority for your
+depredations upon American commerce, I shall hang you at the
+yard-arm."
+
+So saying, Bainbridge left the cabin. In fifteen minutes he returned,
+and, throwing the cabin doors open, stepped in with a file of marines
+at his heels. In his hand he held his watch, and he cast upon the Moor
+a look of stern inquiry. Not a word was said, but the prisoner
+understood the dread import of that glance. Nervously he began to
+unbutton the voluminous waistcoats which encircled his body, and from
+an inner pocket of the fifth drew forth a folded paper. It was a
+commission directing him to make prizes of all American craft that
+might come in his path. No more complete evidence of the treachery of
+Morocco could be desired. Bainbridge sent the paper to Commodore
+Preble, and, after stopping at Gibraltar a day or two, proceeded to
+his assigned position off the harbor of Tripoli.
+
+In the latter part of October, the lookout on the "Philadelphia" spied
+a vessel running into the harbor, and the frigate straightway set out
+in chase. The fugitive showed a clean pair of heels; and as the shots
+from the bow-chasers failed to take effect, and the water was
+continually shoaling before the frigate's bow, the helm was put hard
+down, and the frigate began to come about. But just at that moment she
+ran upon a shelving rock, and in an instant was hard and fast aground.
+
+The Americans were then in a most dangerous predicament. The sound of
+the firing had drawn a swarm of gunboats out of the harbor of Tripoli,
+and they were fast bearing down upon the helpless frigate. Every
+possible expedient was tried for the release of the ship, but to no
+avail. At last the gunboats, discovering her helpless condition,
+crowded so thick about her that there was no course open but to
+strike. And so, after flooding the magazine, throwing overboard all
+the small-arms, and knocking holes in the bottom of the ship,
+Bainbridge reluctantly surrendered.
+
+Hardly had the flag touched the deck, when the gunboats were
+alongside. If the Americans expected civilized treatment, they were
+sadly mistaken, for an undisciplined rabble came swarming over the
+taffrail. Lockers and chests were broken open, storerooms ransacked,
+officers and men stripped of all the articles of finery they were
+wearing. It was a scene of unbridled pillage, in which the Tripolitan
+officers were as active as their men. An officer being held fast in
+the grasp of two of the Tripolitans, a third would ransack his
+pockets, and strip him of any property they might covet. Swords,
+watches, jewels, and money were promptly confiscated by the captors;
+and they even ripped the epaulets from the shoulders of the officers'
+uniforms. No resistance was made, until one of the pilferers tried to
+tear from Bainbridge an ivory miniature of his young and beautiful
+wife. Wresting himself free, the captain knocked down the vandal, and
+made so determined a resistance that his despoilers allowed him to
+keep the picture.
+
+When all the portable property was in the hands of the victors, the
+Americans were loaded into boats, and taken ashore. It was then late
+at night; but the captives were marched through the streets to the
+palace of the Bashaw, and exhibited to that functionary. After
+expressing great satisfaction at the capture, the Bashaw ordered the
+sailors thrown into prison, while the officers remained that night as
+his guests. He entertained them with an excellent supper, but the next
+morning they were shown to the gloomy prison apartments that were
+destined to be their home until the end of the war. Of their life
+there we shall have more to say hereafter.
+
+While this disaster had befallen the American cause before Tripoli,
+Commodore Preble in the flag-ship "Constitution," accompanied by the
+"Nautilus," had reached Gibraltar. There he found Commodore Rodgers,
+whom he was to relieve, with the "New York" and the "John Adams."
+Hardly had the commodore arrived, when the case of the captured
+Morocco ship "Meshboha" was brought to his attention; and he
+straightway went to Tangier to request the emperor to define his
+position with regard to the United States. Though the time of
+Commodore Rodgers on the Mediterranean station had expired, he
+consented to accompany Preble to Tangier; and the combined squadrons
+of the two commodores had so great an effect upon the emperor, that he
+speedily concluded a treaty. Commodore Rodgers then sailed for the
+United States, and Preble began his preparations for an active
+prosecution of the war with Tripoli.
+
+It was on the 31st of October that the "Philadelphia" fell into the
+hands of the Tripolitans, but it was not until Nov. 27 that the news
+of the disaster reached Commodore Preble and the other officers of the
+squadron. Shortly after the receipt of the news, the commodore
+proceeded with his flag-ship, accompanied by the "Enterprise," to
+Tripoli, to renew the blockade which had been broken by the loss of
+the "Philadelphia."
+
+It was indeed high time that some life should be infused into the war
+with Tripoli. Commodore Dale had been sent to the Mediterranean with
+instructions that tied him hand and foot. Morris, who followed him,
+was granted more discretion by Congress, but had not been given the
+proper force. Now that Preble had arrived with a sufficient fleet,
+warlike instructions, and a reputation for dash unexcelled by that of
+any officer in the navy, the blue-jackets looked for some active
+service. Foreign nations were beginning to speak scornfully of the
+harmless antics of the United States fleet in the Mediterranean, and
+the younger American officers had fought more than one duel with
+foreigners to uphold the honor of the American service. They now
+looked to Preble to give them a little active service. An incident
+which occurred shortly after the arrival of the "Constitution" in the
+Bay of Gibraltar convinced the American officers that their commodore
+had plenty of fire and determination in his character.
+
+One night the lookouts reported a large vessel alongside, and the hail
+from the "Constitution" brought only a counter-hail from the stranger.
+Both vessels continued to hail without any answer being returned, when
+Preble came on deck. Taking the trumpet from the hand of the
+quartermaster, he shouted,--
+
+"I now hail you for the last time. If you do not answer, I'll fire a
+shot into you."
+
+"If you fire, I'll return a broadside," was the reply.
+
+"I'd like to see you do it. I now hail you for an answer. What ship is
+that?"
+
+"This is H. B. M. ship 'Donegal,' eighty-four; Sir Richard Strachan,
+an English commodore. Send a boat aboard."
+
+"This is the United States ship 'Constitution,' forty-four," answered
+Preble, in high dudgeon; "Edward Preble, an American commodore; and
+I'll be d--d if I send a boat on board of any ship. Blow your matches,
+boys!"
+
+The Englishman saw a conflict coming, and sent a boat aboard with
+profuse apologies. She was really the frigate "Maidstone," but being
+in no condition for immediate battle had prolonged the hailing in
+order to make needed preparations.
+
+On the 23d of December, while the "Constitution" and "Enterprise" were
+blockading Tripoli, the latter vessel overhauled and captured the
+ketch "Mastico," freighted with female slaves that were being sent by
+the Bashaw of Tripoli to the Porte, as a gift. The capture in itself
+was unimportant, save for the use made of the ketch later.
+
+The vessels of the blockading squadron, from their station outside the
+bar, could see the captured "Philadelphia" riding lightly at her
+moorings under the guns of the Tripolitan batteries. Her captors had
+carefully repaired the injuries the Americans had inflicted upon the
+vessel before surrendering. Her foremast was again in place, the holes
+in her bottom were plugged, the scars of battle were effaced, and she
+rode at anchor as pretty a frigate as ever delighted the eye of a tar.
+
+From his captivity Bainbridge had written letters to Commodore Preble,
+with postscripts written in lemon-juice, and illegible save when the
+sheet of paper was exposed to the heat. In these postscripts he urged
+the destruction of the "Philadelphia." Lieut. Stephen Decatur, in
+command of the "Enterprise," eagerly seconded these proposals, and
+proposed to cut into the port with the "Enterprise," and undertake the
+destruction of the captured ship. Lieut.-Commander Stewart of the
+"Nautilus" made the same proposition; but Preble rejected both, not
+wishing to imperil a man-of-war on so hazardous an adventure.
+
+The commodore, however, had a project of his own which he communicated
+to Decatur, and in which that adventurous sailor heartily joined. This
+plan was to convert the captured ketch into a man-of-war, man her with
+volunteers, and with her attempt the perilous adventure of the
+destruction of the "Philadelphia." The project once broached was
+quickly carried into effect. The ketch was taken into the service, and
+named the "Intrepid." News of the expedition spread throughout the
+squadron, and many officers eagerly volunteered their services. When
+the time was near at hand, Decatur called the crew of the "Enterprise"
+together, told them of the plan of the proposed expedition, pointed
+out its dangers, and called for volunteers. Every man and boy on the
+vessel stepped forward, and begged to be taken. Decatur chose
+sixty-two picked men, and was about to leave the deck, when his steps
+were arrested by a young boy who begged hard to be taken.
+
+"Why do you want to go, Jack?" asked the commodore.
+
+"Well, sir," said Jack, "you see, I'd kinder like to see the country."
+
+The oddity of the boy's reason struck Decatur's fancy, and he told
+Jack to report with the rest.
+
+On the night of Feb. 3, 1804, the "Intrepid," accompanied by the
+"Siren," parted company with the rest of the fleet, and made for
+Tripoli. The voyage was stormy and fatiguing. More than seventy men
+were cooped up in the little ketch, which had quarters scarcely for a
+score. The provisions which had been put aboard were in bad condition,
+so that after the second day they had only bread and water upon which
+to live. When they had reached the entrance to the harbor of Tripoli,
+they were driven back by the fury of the gale, and forced to take
+shelter in a neighboring cove. There they remained until the 15th,
+repairing damages, and completing their preparations for the attack.
+
+The weather having moderated, the two vessels left their place of
+concealment, and shaped their course for Tripoli. On the way, Decatur
+gave his forces careful instructions as to the method of attack. The
+Americans were divided into several boarding parties, each with its
+own officer and work. One party was to keep possession of the upper
+deck, another was to carry the gun-deck, a third should drive the
+enemy from the steerage, and so on. All were to carry pistols in their
+belts; but the fighting, as far as possible, was to be done with
+cutlasses, so that no noise might alarm the enemy in the batteries,
+and the vessels in the port. One party was to hover near the
+"Philadelphia" in a light boat, and kill all Tripolitans who might try
+to escape to the shore by swimming. The watchword for the night was
+"Philadelphia."
+
+About noon, the "Intrepid" came in sight of the towers of Tripoli.
+Both the ketch and the "Siren" had been so disguised that the enemy
+could not recognize them, and they therefore stood boldly for the
+harbor. As the wind was fresh, Decatur saw that he was likely to make
+port before night; and he therefore dragged a cable and a number of
+buckets astern to lessen his speed, fearing to take in sail, lest the
+suspicions of the enemy should be aroused.
+
+When within about five miles of the town, the "Philadelphia" became
+visible. She floated lightly at her anchorage under the guns of two
+heavy batteries. Behind her lay moored two Tripolitan cruisers, and
+near by was a fleet of gunboats. It was a powerful stronghold into
+which the Yankee blue-jackets were about to carry the torch.
+
+About ten o'clock, the adventurers reached the harbor's mouth. The
+wind had fallen so that the ketch was wafted slowly along over an
+almost glassy sea. The "Siren" took up a position in the offing, while
+the "Intrepid," with her devoted crew, steered straight for the
+frigate. A new moon hung in the sky. From the city arose the soft low
+murmur of the night. In the fleet all was still.
+
+On the decks of the "Intrepid" but twelve men were visible. The rest
+lay flat on the deck, in the shadow of the bulwarks or weather-boards.
+Her course was laid straight for the bow of the frigate, which she was
+to foul. When within a short distance, a hail came from the
+"Philadelphia." In response, the pilot of the ketch answered, that the
+ketch was a coaster from Malta, that she had lost her anchors in the
+late gale, and had been nearly wrecked, and that she now asked
+permission to ride by the frigate during the night. The people on the
+frigate were wholly deceived, and sent out ropes to the ketch,
+allowing one of the boats of the "Intrepid" to make a line fast to the
+frigate. The ends of the ropes on the ketch were passed to the hidden
+men, who pulled lustily upon them, thus bringing the little craft
+alongside the frigate. But, as she came into clearer view, the
+suspicions of the Tripolitans were aroused; and when at last the
+anchors of the "Intrepid" were seen hanging in their places at the
+catheads, the Tripolitans cried out that they had been deceived, and
+warned the strangers to keep off. At the same moment the cry,
+"Americanos! Americanos!" rang through the ship, and the alarm was
+given.
+
+By this time the ketch was fast to the frigate. "Follow me, lads,"
+cried Decatur, and sprang for the chain-plates of the "Philadelphia."
+Clinging there, he renewed his order to board; and the men sprang to
+their feet, and were soon clambering on board the frigate. Lieut.
+Morris first trod the deck of the "Philadelphia," Decatur followed
+close after, and then the stream of men over the rail and through the
+open ports was constant. Complete as was the surprise, the entire
+absence of any resistance was astonishing. Few of the Turks had
+weapons in their hands, and those who had fled before the advancing
+Americans. On all sides the splashing of water told that the
+affrighted Turks were trying to make their escape that way. In ten
+minutes Decatur and his men had complete possession of the ship.
+
+Doubtless at that moment the successful adventurers bitterly regretted
+that they could not take out of the harbor the noble frigate they had
+so nobly recaptured. But the orders of the commodore, and the dangers
+of their own situation, left them no choice. Nothing was to be done
+but to set fire to the frigate, and retreat with all possible
+expedition. The combustibles were brought from the ketch, and piled
+about the frigate, and lighted. So quickly was the work done, and so
+rapidly did the flames spread, that the people who lit the fires in
+the storerooms and cock-pit had scarce time to get on deck before
+their retreat was cut off by the flames. Before the ketch could be
+cast off from the sides of the frigate, the flames came pouring out of
+the port-holes, and flaming sparks fell aboard the smaller vessel, so
+that the ammunition which lay piled amidships was in grave danger of
+being exploded. Axes and cutlasses were swung with a will; and soon
+the bonds which held the two vessels together were cut, and the ketch
+was pushed off. Then the blue-jackets bent to their sweeps, and soon
+the "Intrepid" was under good headway.
+
+"Now, lads," cried Decatur, "give them three cheers."
+
+And the jackies responded with ringing cheers, that mingled with the
+roar of the flames that now had the frame of the "Philadelphia" in
+their control. Then they grasped their sweeps again, and the little
+vessel glided away through a hail of grape and round shot from the
+Tripolitan batteries and men-of-war. Though the whistle of the
+missiles was incessant, and the splash of round-shot striking the
+water could be heard on every side, no one in the boat was hurt; and
+the only shot that touched the ketch went harmlessly through her
+main-sail. As they pulled away, they saw the flames catch the rigging
+of the "Philadelphia," and run high up the masts. Then the hatchways
+were burst open, and great gusts of flame leaped out. The shotted guns
+of the frigate were discharged in quick succession; one battery
+sending its iron messengers into the streets of Tripoli, while the
+guns on the other side bore upon Fort English. The angry glare of the
+flames, and the flash of the cannon, lighted up the bay; while the
+thunders of the cannonade, and the cries of the Tripolitans, told of
+the storm that was raging.
+
+The ruddy light of the burning ship bore good news to two anxious
+parties of Decatur's friends. Capt. Bainbridge and the other American
+officers whom the Tripolitans had captured with the "Philadelphia"
+were imprisoned in a tower looking out upon the bay. The rapid thunder
+of the cannonade on this eventful night awakened them; and they rushed
+to their windows, to see the "Philadelphia," the Bashaw's boasted
+prize, in flames. Right lustily they added their cheers to the general
+tumult, nor ceased their demonstrations of joy until a surly guard
+came and ordered them from the windows.
+
+Far out to sea another band of watchers hailed the light of the
+conflagration with joy. The "Siren" had gone into the offing when the
+"Intrepid" entered the harbor, and there awaited with intense anxiety
+the outcome of the adventure. After an hour's suspense, a rocket was
+seen to mount into the sky, and burst over Tripoli. It was the signal
+of success agreed upon. Boats were quickly lowered, and sent to the
+harbor's mouth to meet and cover the retreat of the returning party.
+Hardly had they left the side of the ship, when the red light in the
+sky told that the "Philadelphia" was burning; and an hour later
+Decatur himself sprang over the taffrail, and proudly announced his
+victory.
+
+Not a man had been lost in the whole affair. As the expedition had
+been perfect in conception, so it was perfect in execution. The
+adventure became the talk of all Europe. Lord Nelson, England's
+greatest admiral, said of it, "It was the most bold and daring act of
+the ages." And when the news reached the United States, Decatur,
+despite his youth, was made a captain.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+ A STIRRING YEAR. -- THE BOMBARDMENT OF TRIPOLI. -- DECATUR'S
+ HAND-TO-HAND FIGHT. -- LIEUT. TRIPPE'S BRAVERY. -- LIEUT.
+ SPENCE'S BOLD DEED. -- SOMERS'S NARROW ESCAPE. -- THE
+ FLOATING MINE. -- THE FATAL EXPLOSION. -- CLOSE OF THE WAR.
+ -- THE END.
+
+
+Decatur's brilliant exploit set the key-note for the year 1804; and,
+for the remainder of that year, the Americans carried on the war with
+no less spirit and dash. A high degree of daring had been infused into
+the men by so notable an example; and long before the year was out,
+the blue-jackets began to consider themselves invincible, and were
+ready to undertake any exploit for which their services might be
+required.
+
+The lesser events of the year, we must pass over hastily. The
+maintenance of the blockade of Tripoli led to one or two slight
+actions, and an occasional capture of little consequence. Thus, in
+March, the "Siren" captured the "Transfer," privateer, which was
+trying to run the blockade. A month or two later, a coasting felucca,
+loaded with supplies, was chased ashore near Tripoli, and two boats'
+crews were sent to take possession of her. The Tripolitans, as usual,
+sent out a body of cavalry to protect the felucca, and the Americans
+were driven off. Thereupon the American blockading squadron took up a
+position within range, and threw solid shot into the felucca until she
+was a complete wreck. Nor did the Tripolitan cavalry escape without a
+shot or two.
+
+But while the smaller vessels of the Mediterranean squadron were
+enforcing the blockade before Tripoli, Commodore Preble, with the
+flag-ship and the larger vessels, was at Malta preparing for a
+vigorous attack upon the city of the Bashaw itself. He had added to
+the fleet he had brought with him from the United States two
+bomb-vessels and six gunboats. He had also added somewhat to the
+armament of the "Constitution," and now proposed to try the effect
+upon Tripoli of a vigorous bombardment. By the 21st of July, the
+commodore was able to leave Malta with his fleet, fully prepared for
+active hostilities.
+
+Tripoli was then defended by heavy batteries mounting a hundred and
+fifteen guns. In the harbor were moored nineteen gunboats, two
+galleys, two schooners, and a brig. The available force under the
+command of the Bashaw numbered not less than twenty-five thousand men.
+It was no pygmy undertaking upon which the Americans had embarked.
+
+On the 31st of August, 1804, the first attack was made; and though
+only a bombardment of the town had been contemplated, there followed
+one of the most desperate hand-to-hand naval battles recorded in
+history.
+
+It was a sultry midsummer day, and the white walls of the city of
+Tripoli glared under the fierce rays of a tropical sun. A light breeze
+stirred the surface of the water, and made life on the ships bearable.
+Before this breeze the American squadron ran down towards the town.
+All preparations had been made for a spirited bombardment; and as the
+Americans drew near the shore, they saw that the Tripolitans had
+suspected the attack, and had made ready for it.
+
+The attacking forces formed into two lines, with the regular naval
+vessels in the rear, and the gunboats and bomb-vessels in front. As
+the vessels in the van were to bear the brunt of the battle, they were
+manned by picked crews from the larger vessels, and had for their
+officers the most daring spirits of the Mediterranean squadron. At
+half-past two the firing commenced, and soon from every vessel in the
+American line shells and shot were being thrown into the city of the
+Bashaw. The Tripolitan batteries returned the fire with vigor, and
+their gunboats pressed forward to drive the assailants back. At the
+approach of the Tripolitan gunboats, the Americans diverted their aim
+from the city, and, loading with grape and canister, turned upon
+their foes a murderous fire. Upon the eastern division of the enemy's
+gunboats, nine in number, Decatur led the four boats under his
+command. The advance of the enemy was checked; but still the Americans
+pressed on, until fairly within the smoke of the Tripolitans' guns.
+Here the boats were held in position by the brawny sailors at the
+sweeps, while the gunners poured grape and canister into the enemy.
+Fearfully were the Americans outnumbered. They could hope for no help
+from their friends in the men-of-war in the rear. They were hemmed in
+on all sides by hostile gunboats, more strongly manned, and heavier in
+metal, than they. They were outnumbered three to one; for gunboat No.
+3, which had belonged to Decatur's division, had drawn out of the
+fight in obedience to a signal for recall, which had been displayed by
+mistake on the "Constitution." Then Decatur displayed his desperate
+courage. Signalling to his companions to close with their adversaries
+and board, he laid his vessel alongside the nearest gunboat; and in a
+trice every American of the crew was swarming over the enemy's
+bulwarks. Taken by surprise, the Turks retreated. The gunboat was
+divided down the centre by a long, narrow hatchway; and as the Yankees
+came tumbling over the bulwarks, the Turks retreated to the farther
+side. This gave Decatur time to rally his men; and, dividing them into
+two parties, he sent one party around by the stern of the boat, while
+he led a party around the bow. The Turks were dazed by the suddenness
+of the attack, and cowed by the fearful effect of the Americans' last
+volley before boarding. Their captain lay dead, with fourteen bullets
+in his body. Many of the officers were wounded, and all the survivors
+were penned into a narrow space by the two parties of blue-jackets.
+The contest was short. Hampered by lack of room in which to wield
+their weapons, the Turks were shot down or bayoneted. Many leaped over
+the gunwale into the sea; many were thrown into the open hatchway; and
+the remnant, throwing down their arms, pleaded piteously for quarter.
+Decatur had no time to exult in his victory. Hastily securing his
+prisoners below decks, and making his prize fast to his own vessel, he
+bore down upon the Tripolitan next to leeward.
+
+While shaping his course for this vessel, Decatur was arrested by a
+hail from the gunboat which had been commanded by his brother James.
+He was told that his brother had gallantly engaged and captured a
+Tripolitan gunboat, but that, on going aboard of her after her flag
+had been struck, he had been shot down by the cowardly Turk who was in
+command. The murderer then rallied his men, drove the Americans away,
+and carried his craft out of the battle.
+
+Decatur's grief for the death of his brother gave way, for the time,
+to his anger on account of the base treachery by which the victim met
+his death. Casting prudence to the winds, he turned his boat's prow
+towards the gunboat of the murderer, and, urging on his rowers, soon
+laid the enemy aboard. Cutlass in hand, Decatur was first on the deck
+of the enemy. Behind him followed close Lieut. Macdonough and nine
+blue-jackets. Nearly forty Turks were ready to receive the boarders.
+As the boarders came over the rail, they fired their pistols at the
+enemy, and then sprang down, cutlass in hand. The Turks outnumbered
+them five to one; but the Americans rallied in a bunch, and dealt
+lusty blows right and left. At last, Decatur singled out a man whom he
+felt sure was the commander, and the murderer of his brother. He was a
+man of gigantic frame; his head covered with a scarlet cap, his face
+half hidden by a bristly black beard. He was armed with a heavy
+boarding-pike, with which he made a fierce lunge at Decatur. The
+American parried the blow, and make a stroke at the pike, hoping to
+cut off its point. But the force of the blow injured the Tripolitan's
+weapon not a whit, while Decatur's cutlass broke short off at the
+hilt. With a yell of triumph the Turk lunged again. Decatur threw up
+his arm, and partially avoided the thrust; so that the pike pierced
+his breast, but inflicted only a slight wound. Grappling the weapon,
+Decatur tore it from the wound, wrested it from the Turk, and made a
+lunge at him, which he avoided. The combatants then clinched and fell
+to the deck, fiercely struggling for life and death. About them fought
+their followers, who strove to aid their respective commanders.
+Suddenly a Tripolitan officer, who had fought his way to a place above
+the heads of the two officers, aimed a blow at the head of Decatur.
+His victim was powerless to guard himself. One American sailor only
+was at hand. This was Reuben James, a young man whose desperate
+fighting had already cost him wounds in both arms, so that he could
+not lift a hand to save his commander. But, though thus desperately
+wounded, James had yet one offering to lay before his captain,--his
+life. And he showed himself willing to make this last and greatest
+sacrifice, by thrusting his head into the path of the descending
+scimetar, and taking upon his own skull the blow intended for Decatur.
+The hero fell bleeding to the deck; a pistol-shot from an American
+ended the career of the Turk, and Decatur was left to struggle with
+his adversary upon the deck.
+
+But by this time the great strength of the Turkish captain was
+beginning to tell in the death-struggle. His right arm was clasped
+like an iron band around the American captain, while with his left
+hand he drew from his belt a short _yataghan_, which he was about to
+plunge into the throat of his foe. Decatur lay on his side, with his
+eyes fixed upon the face of his foe. He saw the look of triumph flash
+in the eyes of the Turk; he saw the gleaming steel of the _yataghan_
+as it was drawn from its sheath. Mustering all his strength, he
+writhed in the grasp of his burly foe. He wrested his left arm clear,
+and caught the Turk's wrist just as the fatal blow was falling; then
+with his right hand he drew from his pocket a small pistol. Pressing
+this tightly against the back of his enemy, he fired. The ball passed
+through the body of the Turk, and lodged in Decatur's clothing. A
+moment later the Tripolitan's hold relaxed, and he fell back dead;
+while Decatur, covered with his own blood and that of his foe, rose to
+his feet, and stood amidst the pile of dead and wounded men that had
+gathered during the struggle around the battling chiefs.
+
+The fall of their captain disheartened the Tripolitans, and they
+speedily threw down their arms. The prize was then towed out of the
+line of battle; and, as by this time the American gunboats were
+drawing off, Decatur took his prizes into the shelter of the
+flag-ship.
+
+While Decatur had been thus engaged, the gunboats under his command
+had not been idle. Lieut. Trippe, in command of No. 6, had fought a
+hand-to-hand battle that equalled that of Decatur. Trippe's plan of
+attack had been the same as that of his leader. Dashing at the enemy,
+he had let fly a round of grape and canister, then boarded in the
+smoke and confusion. But his boat struck that of the enemy with such
+force as to recoil; and Trippe, who had sprung into the enemy's
+rigging, found himself left with but nine of his people, to confront
+nearly twoscore Tripolitans. The Americans formed in a solid phalanx,
+and held their ground bravely. Again the two commanders singled each
+other out, and a fierce combat ensued. The Turk was armed with a
+cutlass, while Trippe fought with a short boarding-pike. They fought
+with caution, sparring and fencing, until each had received several
+slight wounds. At last the Tripolitan struck Trippe a crushing blow on
+the head. The American fell, half stunned, upon his knees; and at this
+moment a second Tripolitan aimed a blow at him from behind, but was
+checked and killed by an American marine. Rallying all his strength,
+Trippe made a fierce thrust at his adversary. This time the sharp pike
+found its mark, and passed through the body of the Tripolitan captain,
+who fell to the deck. His men, seeing him fall, abandoned the contest,
+and the Americans were soon bearing away their prize in triumph. But
+in the excitement of victory no one thought to haul down the
+Tripolitan flag, which-still flaunted defiant at the end of the long
+lateen mast. So, when the prize came near the "Vixen," the American
+man-of-war, mistaking her for an enemy, let fly a broadside, that
+brought down flag, mast and all. Luckily no one was hurt, and the
+broadside was not repeated.
+
+But by this time the wind had veered round into an unfavorable
+quarter, and the flag-ship showed a signal for the discontinuance of
+the action. The gunboats and their prizes were taken in tow by the
+schooners and brigs, and towed out of range of the enemy's shot. While
+this operation was going on, the "Constitution" kept up a rapid fire
+upon the shore batteries, and not until the last of the smaller craft
+was out of range, did she turn to leave the fray. As she came about, a
+shot came in one of her stern-ports, struck a gun near which Commodore
+Preble was standing, broke to pieces, and scattered death and wounds
+about.
+
+When the squadron had made an offing, Preble hoisted a signal for the
+commanders to come aboard the flag-ship, and make their reports. He
+was sorely disappointed in the outcome of the fray, and little
+inclined to recognize the conspicuous instances of individual
+gallantry shown by his officers. He had set his heart upon capturing
+the entire fleet of nine Tripolitan gunboats, and the escape of six of
+them had roused his naturally irascible disposition to fury. As he
+stalked his quarter-deck, morose and silent, Decatur came aboard. The
+young officer still wore the bloody, smoke-begrimed uniform in which
+he had grappled with the Turk, his face was begrimed with powder, his
+hands and breast covered with blood. As he walked to the quarter-deck,
+he was the centre of observation of all on the flag-ship. Stepping up
+to the commodore, he said quietly,--
+
+"Well, commodore, I have brought you out three of the gunboats."
+
+Preble turned upon him fiercely, seized him with both hands by the
+collar, and shaking him like a schoolboy, snarled out,--
+
+"Ay, sir, why did you not bring me more?"
+
+The blood rushed to Decatur's face. The insult was more than he could
+bear. His hand sought his dagger, but the commodore had left the
+quarter-deck. Turning on his heel, the outraged officer walked to the
+side, and called his boat, determined to leave the ship at once. But
+the officers crowded about him, begging him to be calm, and reminding
+him of the notoriously quick temper of the commodore. While they
+talked, there came a cabin steward with a message. "The commodore
+wishes to see Capt. Decatur below." Decatur hesitated a moment, then
+obeyed. Some time passed, but he did not re-appear on deck. The
+officers became anxious, and at last, upon some pretext, one sought
+the commodore's cabin. There he found Preble and Decatur, sitting
+together, friendly, but both silent, and in tears. The apology had
+been made and accepted.
+
+There is one humble actor in the first attack upon Tripoli, whom we
+cannot abandon without a word. This is Reuben James. That heroic young
+sailor quickly recovered from the bad wound he received when he
+interposed his own head to save his commander's life. One day Decatur
+called him aft, and publicly asked him what could be done to reward
+him for his unselfish heroism. The sailor was embarrassed and
+nonplussed. He rolled his quid of tobacco in his mouth, and scratched
+his head, without replying. His shipmates were eager with advice.
+"Double pay, Jack: the old man will refuse you nothing;" "a
+boatswain's berth;" "a pocket-full of money and shore leave," were
+among the suggestions. But James put them aside. He had decided.
+
+"If you please, sir," said he, "let somebody else hand out the
+hammocks to the men when they are piped down. That is a sort of
+business that I don't exactly like."
+
+The boon was granted; and ever afterwards, when the crew was piped to
+stow away hammocks, Reuben James sauntered about the decks with his
+hands in his pockets, the very personification of elegant leisure.
+
+For modesty, the request of the preserver of Decatur is only equalled
+by that of the sailor who decided the battle between the "Bon Homme
+Richard" and the "Serapis." He had stationed himself on the yard-arm,
+and was dropping hand-grenades upon the deck of the "Serapis." At last
+a well-aimed grenade set fire to some powder on the enemy's ship, and
+virtually decided the day in favor of the Americans. When asked by
+Paul Jones what he would have as a reward for this great service, he
+suggested double rations of grog for the next week as the proper
+recompense. This he got, and no more.
+
+But to return to the American fleet before Tripoli. Four days were
+spent in repairing damages, and on the 7th of August a second attack
+was made upon the town. The disposition of the American forces was
+much the same as on the occasion of the first attack, although the
+Americans were re-enforced by the three captured gunboats. The
+fighting was confined to long-range cannonading; for the enemy had
+been taught a lesson, and was afraid to try conclusions hand to hand
+with the Americans. About three o'clock in the afternoon, a tremendous
+explosion drew the gaze of every one to the spot where gunboat No. 8
+had been anchored. At first only a dense mass of smoke, with the water
+surrounding it littered with wreckage, was to be seen. When the smoke
+cleared away, the extent of the disaster was evident. The gunboat had
+blown up. Her bow alone remained above water, and there a handful of
+plucky men were loading the great twenty-six-pound cannon that formed
+her armament. Lieut. Spence commanded the gunners, and urged them on.
+
+"Now, lads, be lively," he cried. "Let's get one shot at the Turks
+before we sink."
+
+Every ship in the squadron was cheering the devoted crew of No. 8.
+From every vessel anxious eyes watched the men who thus risked their
+lives for one shot. The water was rushing into the shattered hulk; and
+just as Spence pulled the lanyard, and sent a cast-iron shot into
+Tripoli, the wreck gave a lurch, and went down. Her crew was left
+struggling in the water. Spence, who could not swim, saved himself by
+clinging to an oar, while his men struck out for the nearer vessels,
+and were soon receiving the congratulations of their comrades.
+
+In this attack, Richard Somers, a most courageous and capable officer,
+who a few weeks later met a tragic end, narrowly escaped death. He was
+in command of gunboat No. 1, and while directing the attack stood
+leaning against her flagstaff. He saw a shot flying in his direction.
+Involuntarily he ducked his head, and the next instant the flying
+shot cut away the flagstaff just above him. When the action was over,
+Lieut. Somers stood by the pole, and found that the shot had cut it at
+the exact height of his chin.
+
+After firing for about three hours, the American squadron drew off.
+Little had been accomplished, for the stone walls and fortresses of
+Tripoli were not to be damaged very greatly by marine artillery. The
+Americans themselves had suffered seriously. Their killed and wounded
+amounted to eighteen men. They had lost one gunboat by an explosion,
+and all the vessels had suffered somewhat from the Tripolitan fire.
+
+That night the Americans were gladdened by the arrival of the frigate
+"John Adams," bringing letters and news from home. She brought also
+the information that re-enforcements were coming. Accordingly Preble
+determined to defer any further attack upon Tripoli until the arrival
+of the expected vessels. In the mean time he had several interviews
+with the Bashaw upon the subject of peace; but, as the Turk would not
+relinquish his claim of five hundred dollars ransom for each captive
+in his hands, no settlement was reached.
+
+While waiting for the re-enforcements, Preble continued his
+preparations for another attack. The ships were put into fighting
+trim, munition hauled over, and repeated and thorough reconnoissances
+of the enemy's works made. It was while on the latter duty, that the
+brig "Argus" narrowly escaped destruction. With Preble on board, she
+stood into the harbor, and was just coming about before one of the
+batteries, when a heavy shot raked her bottom, cutting several planks
+half through. Had the shot been an inch higher, it would have sunk the
+brig.
+
+By the 24th of August, Preble's patience was exhausted; and, without
+waiting longer for the expected squadron, he began an attack upon the
+town. On the night of the 24th, a few shells were thrown into Tripoli,
+but did little damage. Four days later, a more determined attack was
+made, in which every vessel in the squadron took part. Two of the
+enemy's gunboats were sunk; but with this exception little material
+damage was done, though the Americans chose the most advantageous
+positions, and fired fast and well. It was becoming evident that
+men-of-war were no match for stone walls.
+
+During this engagement, the American fleet came within range of the
+Bashaw's palace, and the flying shot and shell drove that dignitary
+and his suite to a bomb-proof dungeon. One heavy shot flew in at the
+window of the cell in which Capt. Bainbridge was confined, and
+striking the wall, brought down stones and mortar upon him as he lay
+in bed, so that he was seriously bruised. But the American captain was
+in no way daunted, and the next day wrote in sympathetic ink to
+Preble, telling him to keep up his fire, for the Tripolitans were
+greatly harassed by it.
+
+On Sept. 3, yet another attack upon the town and fortress was made. As
+in the foregoing instances, nothing was accomplished except the
+throwing of a vast quantity of shot and shell. Capt. Bainbridge, in a
+secret letter to Preble, reported, that of the shells he had seen
+falling in the city very few exploded, and the damage done by them was
+therefore very light. Preble investigated the matter, and found that
+the fuse-holes of many of the shells had been stopped with lead, so
+that no fire could enter. The shells had been bought in Sicily, where
+they had been made to resist a threatened invasion by the French. It
+is supposed that they had been thus ruined by French secret agents.
+
+But, before this time, Commodore Preble, and the officers under his
+command, had about reached the conclusion that Tripoli could not be
+reduced by bombardment. Accordingly they cast about for some new
+method of attack. The plan that was finally adopted proved unfortunate
+in this instance, just as similar schemes for the reduction of
+fortresses have prove futile throughout all history. Briefly stated,
+the plan was to send a fire-ship, or rather a floating mine, into the
+harbor, to explode before the walls of the fortress, and in the midst
+of the enemy's cruisers.
+
+The ketch "Intrepid," which had carried Decatur and his daring
+followers out of the harbor of Tripoli, leaving the "Philadelphia"
+burning behind them, was still with the fleet. This vessel was chosen,
+and with all possible speed was converted into an "infernal," or
+floating mine. "A small room, or magazine, had been planked up in the
+hold of the ketch, just forward of her principal mast," writes
+Fenimore Cooper. "Communicating with this magazine was a trunk, or
+tube, that led aft to another room filled with combustibles. In the
+planked room, or magazine, were placed one hundred barrels of
+gunpowder in bulk; and on the deck, immediately above the powder, were
+laid fifty thirteen-and-a-half-inch shells, and one hundred nine-inch
+shells, with a large quantity of shot, pieces of kentledge, and
+fragments of iron of different sorts. A train was laid in the trunk,
+or tube, and fuses were attached in the proper manner. In addition to
+this arrangement, the other small room mentioned was filled with
+splinters and light wood, which, besides firing the train, were to
+keep the enemy from boarding, as the flames would be apt to induce
+them to apprehend an immediate explosion."
+
+Such was the engine of death prepared. The plan of operations was
+simply to put a picked crew on this floating volcano, choose a dark
+night, take the "infernal" into the heart of the enemy's squadron,
+fire it, and let the crew escape in boats as best they might.
+
+The leadership of this desperate enterprise was intrusted to Lieut.
+Richard Somers. Indeed, it is probable that the idea itself originated
+with him, for a commanding officer would be little likely to assign a
+subordinate a duty so hazardous. Moreover, there existed between
+Decatur and Somers a generous rivalry. Each strove to surpass the
+other; and since Decatur's exploit with the "Philadelphia," Somers had
+been seeking an opportunity to win equal distinction. It is generally
+believed, that, having conceived the idea of the "infernal," he
+suggested it to Preble, and claimed for himself the right of
+leadership.
+
+But ten men and one officer were to accompany Mr. Somers on his
+perilous trip. Yet volunteers were numerous, and only by the most
+inflexible decision could the importunate ones be kept back. The
+officer chosen was Lieut. Wadsworth of the "Constitution," and the men
+were chosen from that ship and from the "Nautilus."
+
+As the time for carrying out the desperate enterprise drew near,
+Preble pointed out to the young commander the great danger of the
+affair, and the responsibility that rested upon him. Particularly was
+he enjoined not to permit the powder in the ketch to fall into the
+hands of the Tripolitans, who at that time were short of ammunition.
+One day, while talking with Somers, Preble burned a port-fire, or
+slow-match, and, noting its time, asked Somers if he thought the boats
+could get out of reach of the shells in the few minutes it was
+burning.
+
+"I think we can, sir," was the quiet response.
+
+Something in the speaker's tone aroused Preble's interest, and he
+said,--
+
+"Would you like the port-fire shorter still?"
+
+"I ask no port-fire at all," was the quiet reply.
+
+At last the day of the adventure was at hand. It was Sept. 4, the day
+following the last attack upon Tripoli. The sky was overcast and
+lowering, and gave promise of a dark night. Fully convinced that the
+time for action was at hand, Somers called together the handful of
+brave fellows who were to follow him, and briefly addressed them. He
+told them he wished no man to go with him who did not prefer being
+blown up to being captured. For his part, he would much prefer such a
+fate, and he wished his followers to agree with him. For answer the
+brave fellows gave three cheers, and crowded round him, each asking to
+be selected to apply the match. Somers then passed among the officers
+and crew of the "Nautilus," shaking hands, and bidding each farewell.
+There were few dry eyes in the ship that afternoon; for all loved
+their young commander, and all knew how desperate was the enterprise
+in which he had embarked.
+
+It was after dusk when the devoted adventurers boarded the
+powder-laden ketch, as she lay tossing at her anchorage. Shortly after
+they had taken possession, a boat came alongside with Decatur and
+Lieut. Stewart in the stern-sheets. The officers greeted their
+comrades with some emotion. They were all about of an age, followed
+one loved profession, and each had given proofs of his daring. When
+the time came for them to part, the leave-taking was serious, but
+tranquil. Somers took from his finger a ring, and breaking it into
+four pieces, gave one to each of his friends. Then with hearty
+handshakings, and good wishes for success, Decatur and Stewart left
+their friends.
+
+On the ketch was one man who had not been accepted as a volunteer.
+This was Lieut. Israel of the "Constitution," who had smuggled himself
+aboard. With this addition to his original force, Somers ordered sail
+made, and the "Intrepid" turned her prow in the direction of the
+Tripolitan batteries.
+
+As far as the harbor's mouth, she was accompanied by the "Argus," the
+"Vixen," and the "Nautilus." There they left her, and she pursued her
+way alone. It was a calm, foggy night. A few stars could be seen
+glimmering through the haze, and a light breeze ruffled the water, and
+wafted the sloop gently along her course. From the three vessels that
+waited outside the harbor's mouth, eager watchers with night-glasses
+kept their gaze riveted upon the spectral form of the ketch, as she
+slowly receded from their sight. Fainter and fainter grew the outline
+of her sails, until at last they were lost to sight altogether. Then
+fitful flashes from the enemy's batteries, and the harsh thunder of
+the cannon, told that she had been sighted by the foe. The anxious
+watchers paced their decks with bated breath. Though no enemy was near
+to hear them, they spoke in whispers. The shadow of a great awe, the
+weight of some great calamity, seemed crushing them.
+
+"What was that?"
+
+All started at the abrupt exclamation. Through the haze a glimmering
+light had been seen to move rapidly along the surface of the water, as
+though a lantern were being carried along a deck. Suddenly it
+disappeared, as though dropped down a hatchway. A few seconds
+passed,--seconds that seemed like hours. Then there shot up into the
+sky a dazzling jet of fire. A roar like that of a huge volcano shook
+earth and sea. The vessels trembled at their moorings. The concussion
+of the air threw men upon the decks. Then the mast of the ketch, with
+its sail blazing, was seen to rise straight into the air, and fall
+back. Bombs with burning fuses flew in every direction. The distant
+sound of heavy bodies falling into the water and on the rocks was
+heard. Then all was still. Even the Tripolitan batteries were silent.
+
+For a moment a great sorrow fell upon the Americans. Then came the
+thought that Somers and his brave men might have left the ketch before
+the explosion. All listened for approaching oars. Minutes lengthened
+into hours, and still no sound was heard. Men hung from the sides of
+the vessels, with their ears to the water, in the hopes of catching
+the sound of the coming boats. But all was in vain. Day broke; the
+shattered wreck of the "Intrepid" could be seen within the harbor, and
+near it two injured Tripolitan gunboats. But of Somers and his brave
+followers no trace could be seen, nor were they ever again beheld by
+their companions.
+
+To Capt. Bainbridge in his prison-cell came a Tripolitan officer,
+several days later, asking him to go to a point of rocks, and view
+some bodies thrown there by the waves. Thither Bainbridge went, and
+was shown several bodies shockingly mutilated and burned. Though they
+were doubtless the remains of some of the gallant adventurers, they
+could not be identified.
+
+The exact reason for this disaster can never be known. Many have
+thought that Somers saw capture inevitable, and with his own hand
+fired the fatal charge; others believed the explosion to be purely
+accidental; while the last and most plausible theory is, that a shot
+from the enemy's batteries penetrated the magazine, and ended the
+career of the "Intrepid" and her gallant crew. But however vexed the
+controversy over the cause of the explosion, there has been no denial
+of the gallantry of its victims. The names of all are honored in naval
+annals, while that of Somers became a battle-cry, and has been borne
+by some of the most dashing vessels of the United States navy.
+
+It may be said that this episode terminated the war with Tripoli.
+Thereafter it was but a series of blockades and diplomatic
+negotiations. Commodore Barron relieved Preble, and maintained the
+blockade, without any offensive operations, until peace was signed in
+June, 1805. The conditions of that peace cannot be too harshly
+criticised. By it the United States paid sixty thousand dollars for
+American prisoners in the hands of the Bashaw, thus yielding to
+demands for ransom which no civilized nation should for a moment have
+considered. The concession was all the more unnecessary, because a
+native force of insurrectionists, re-enforced by a few Americans, was
+marching upon Tripoli from the rear, and would have soon brought the
+Bashaw to terms. But it was not the part of the navy to negotiate the
+treaty. That rested with the civilians. The duty of the blue-jackets
+had been to fight for their country's honor; and that they had
+discharged this duty well, no reader of these pages can deny.
+
+
+
+
+PART II
+
+
+
+
+BLUE-JACKETS OF 1812.
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+ THE GATHERING OF THE WAR-CLOUD. -- THE REVOLUTION ENDED, BUT
+ THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE YET UNFOUGHT. -- OUTRAGES UPON
+ AMERICAN SAILORS. -- THE RIGHT OF SEARCH. -- IMPRESSMENT. --
+ BOYHOOD OF COMMODORE PORTER. -- EARLY DAYS OF COMMODORES
+ PERRY AND BARNEY. -- BURNING A PRIVATEER. -- THE EMBARGO. --
+ WAR INEVITABLE.
+
+
+On a bright November afternoon in the year 1783, the streets of New
+York City, bordering on the bay, were crowded with excited people,
+pushing and elbowing each other rudely, and all pressing down to the
+water-side, where was collected a huge crowd, looking anxiously across
+the broad waters of the noble bay, to a spot where lay anchored a
+large squadron of ships. The taut cordage, the trimly squared yards,
+and the rows of cannon protruding from the open ports made it evident
+to the veriest landsman that many of the ships were men-of-war; while
+the scarlet flags crossed by the emblem of St. George, flaunting from
+the peak of every vessel, declared the allegiance of the fleet to the
+monarch of Great Britain, against whose rule the hardy Colonists had
+been for years waging a warfare, now to end in victory. Between the
+ships and the landing-place of old Fort George, that then stood where
+now extends the green sward of the Battery park, a fleet of long-boats
+was actively plying; the long, swinging strokes of the blue-clad
+sailors stamping them as men-o'-war's men beyond doubt. The
+landing-place was thronged with troops, whose glistening muskets,
+scarlet coats, gold trimmings, and waving plumes contrasted
+beautifully with the bright blue jackets of the sailors, as file after
+file of the soldiers boarded the boats, and were rowed away to the
+waiting ships. The troops drawn up on the shore formed long lines of
+scarlet against the green background of the bastions of Fort George.
+The men standing at rest talked loudly to each other of the coming
+voyage, and now and again shouted fiercely at some soberly clad
+citizen who strolled too near the warlike ranks; for had not all the
+sturdy citizens of New York come down to see the hated British
+evacuate the city, forced out by the troops of Gen. Washington (plain
+_Mr._ Washington, the British liked to call him)? The ragged gamins
+scurried here and there, yelling ribald jests at the departing
+soldiers; and the scarlet-coated troopers had hard work keeping down
+their rising anger, as suggestive cries of "boiled lobsters" rose on
+every side. Even the staid citizens could hardly conceal their
+exultation, as they thought that with those soldiers departed forever
+the rule of Great Britain over the Colonies. It was a quaint-looking
+crowd that had gathered that day, at the end of the little town. The
+sturdy mechanics and laborers, who were most numerous, were dressed in
+tight leather or yellow buckskin breeches, checked shirts, and flaming
+red flannel jackets. Their heads were covered with rusty felt hats,
+cocked up at the sides into a triangular shape, and decorated with
+feathers or bright buckles. On their feet were heavy leathern shoes,
+fastened with huge brass buckles that covered the entire instep. Here
+and there in the crowd stood a prosperous merchant or man of fashion,
+whose garb, if less rough than that of his humbler fellow-citizen, was
+no less odd and picturesque. At first sight, an observer might think
+that all the men of New York were white-haired; but a closer
+examination would show that the natural color of the hair was hid by
+dense layers of white powder. The hair was done up in a short cue tied
+by black ribbons, and on top of all rested a three-cornered cocked
+hat, heavily laced with gold or silver braid. The coat was
+light-colored, with a profusion of silver buttons, stamped with the
+wearer's monogram, decorating the front. Over the shoulders hung a
+short cape. The knee-breeches, marvellously tight, ended at the tops
+of gaudy striped stockings, which in turn disappeared in the recesses
+of pointed shoes adorned with gleaming buckles. The broad cuffs of the
+coat-sleeves were heavily laden with lead, to keep them in proper
+position.
+
+[Illustration: Derelict.]
+
+Such were the characteristics of the crowd that had assembled that day
+to witness the closing scene of British domination in America. Even as
+they stood there, they heard, faintly rising on the autumnal air, the
+sound of the fife and drum, as the American troops came marching down
+into the city, from their camp at the upper end of the island. And, as
+the last boat-load of grenadiers pushes off from the shore, the crowd,
+no longer restrained by the glittering bayonets, rushes down to the
+water's edge, and hurls taunts and gibes after the retreating boats,
+until the grizzled old soldiers curse the "Yankee rebels" fiercely,
+under their mustaches, and beg the officers to give them a volley.
+
+Now the advance guard of the little American army, with fifes
+shrilling out the notes of "Yankee Doodle," comes marching down to the
+fort. No gay trappings, scarlet or gold lace about these soldiers, but
+ragged suits of homespun and homely flint-lock muskets, whose barrels
+are better burnished within than without. They march quickly to the
+water-front, and halt. The captain looks at the British squadron, now
+getting under way, and then, with true soldierly instinct, flashes a
+glance to the top of the flagstaff in the centre of the fort. His brow
+contracts, he stamps his foot, and the soldiers and citizens who have
+followed his glance break out into a cry of rage that rings far out
+over the placid waters of the bay, and makes the tough old British
+veterans chuckle grimly over the success of their little joke upon the
+Yankees; for there, high above the heads of the wrathful crowd,
+flaunting its scarlet folds over the roofs of the liberated city,
+floats proudly the BRITISH FLAG.
+
+"Tear it down!" The cry rises hoarsely from a thousand throats; and
+the Colonial officer springs with glittering sword to cut the
+halliards, but finds them cut away already, and the flag nailed to the
+mast. Then a trim sailor-boy works his way through the crowd, and,
+grasping the pole firmly, attempts to climb up, but soon slides down
+ingloriously over the greasy surface, freshly slushed by the British
+before their departure. The crowd yells in wrathful impotence; and a
+few hot-headed youths spring forward, axe in hand, to bring down pole
+and all to the earth. But the firm hand of the commanding officer
+restrains them. He whispers a few words into their ears; and they
+start briskly away, followed by a dozen or two of the steadily growing
+crowd.
+
+"Gen. Washington will be here soon," says the captain; "we must get
+that rag down at once."
+
+[Illustration: Cutting Away The Flag.]
+
+In a few minutes the messengers return. They have been to a
+neighboring hardware store, and startled the gray-haired old merchant
+so that he stared vaguely at them through his spectacles, as they
+fiercely demanded hammers, nails, and wooden cleats. Loaded with
+these, they dash back to the scene of action; and again the sailor-boy
+becomes the hero of the moment. With his pockets filled with cleats,
+and his mouth stuffed with nails, he begins again his ascent of the
+slippery staff. He nails cleat after cleat upon the pole, and step by
+step mounts toward the top. At last he reaches the flag; and, with a
+few quick jerks, it is torn from the pole, and thrown contemptuously
+out into the air, to float down upon the crowd, and be torn to pieces
+by curiosity seekers. Then the halliards are lowered, and soon the
+flag of the young and struggling nation floats in the cool breeze;
+while from the neighboring heights the cannon of the forts speak in
+deep-mouthed salvos of applause, that mingle with the rejoicings of
+the people, and do not cease until the ships of the enemy have passed
+through the Narrows, and are out of sight and hearing. The British had
+evacuated New York, and America had won her independence.
+
+Not many years, however, had passed after this memorable event, when
+the citizens not only of New York, but the people of all the United
+States, began to find out that America had not won her true
+independence, but merely a slight relief from the oppressions of Great
+Britain. Already the nations of Europe were beginning to encroach upon
+the rights and liberties of the infant nation. For this the States
+were themselves greatly to blame. Nobly as they had fought in unison
+to throw off the yoke of Great Britain, they fell into strife among
+themselves as soon as the war was at an end, and by their quarrels and
+bickerings led all the European nations to believe that the
+contentious Colonies, like the Kilkenny cats, would end by destroying
+each other. Such a nation could command little respect, and the
+stronger powers were not slow to show their contempt for the United
+States. American vessels, coming back to port, would report that a
+British ship-of-war had halted them in mid-ocean, and seized American
+sailors as suspected British deserters. Other American ships, sailing
+full of hope from American ports, would never re-appear, and their
+fate would be a mystery, until, after many months, some sailor
+wandering home told of his ship's capture by a French privateer or
+Tripolitan war vessel. For years a debasing tribute was paid to the
+Bashaw of Tripoli, upon condition of his granting to American ships
+the privileges of the sea, that are the undoubted rights of every
+nation; yet even this compact was more often ignored than observed.
+Small wonder was it that the sage old statesman, Benjamin Franklin, on
+hearing a young man speak of the "glorious war for independence,"
+responded gravely, "Say rather the war of the revolution: the war for
+independence is yet to be fought."
+
+In the year 1789, the States, after much debate and bickering, finally
+ratified the document known as the Constitution of the United States.
+While the work of the American Revolution was thus being completed,
+and a new nation was being formed, events were transpiring on the
+other side of the Atlantic that were destined to affect gravely the
+growth of the new nation. The oppressed peasantry and laborers of
+France, smarting under the wrongs of centuries, rose in a mighty wave,
+and swept away the nobles, their masters. The royal head of King Louis
+fell a prey to the remorseless spirit of the guillotine, and the reign
+of terror in Paris began. Soon the roll of the drum was heard in every
+European city, and the armies of every nation were on the march for
+France. England was foremost in the fray; and the people of the United
+States, seeing their old enemy at war with the country of Lafayette,
+fired by generous enthusiasm, were ready to rush to the aid of their
+old ally. But the wise prudence of their rulers restrained them; and
+for the next twenty years the United States were neutrals, while all
+the nations of Europe were plunged in war.
+
+The first effect of this condition of affairs was most beneficial. As
+neutrals, the ships of the United States could trade with all the
+battling peoples; while any vessel flying a European flag was sure to
+find an enemy somewhere on the broad seas, and suffer confiscation.
+While France was giving her farmers and mechanics to follow in the
+glorious footsteps of Napoleon, the industrious citizens of the United
+States were reaping a rich reward in trade with the warring nation.
+The farmers received the highest prices for their grain, the ingenious
+mechanics of New England reaped fortunes from the sale of their wares,
+and the shipyards were filled to their greatest capacity with the
+graceful frames of fast clipper vessels destined for the trade with
+Europe. In 1780 the shipping of the United States was confined to a
+few coasting-vessels, and the American flag was seldom seen beyond the
+Atlantic. Fifteen years later, the white sails of American ships
+dotted every sea, and but few European ports did not show some trim
+clipper floating in the harbor, bearing at her peak the stars and
+stripes.
+
+From Maine to Georgia the people were building ships, and manning
+them. The vast forests resounded with the strokes of the woodman's
+axe, getting out the timber; and the seaport towns were given over to
+ship-wrights, who worked day and night at their craft. In New England
+there sprung up a race of hardy seamen. Boys of twelve or fourteen ran
+away to sea, made a coasting voyage or two, and, after a voyage to
+some European port, became captains of ocean-going ships,--often
+before they were twenty years of age. The people of the coastwise
+towns of New England can tell of hundreds of such cases. There was
+"Nat" Palmer of Stonington, who shipped when a boy of fourteen, and,
+after four years' coasting, was made second mate of the brig
+"Herselias," bound around Cape Horn, for seals. On his first voyage
+the young mate distinguished himself by discovering the South Shetland
+Islands, guided by the vague hints of a rival sealer, who knew of the
+islands, and wished them preserved for his own trade, as the seals
+swarm there by the hundred thousands. The discovery of these islands,
+and the cargo of ten thousand skins brought home by the "Herselias,"
+made young Palmer famous; and, at the age of twenty, he was put in
+command of a sloop, and sent to the South Seas again. One day he found
+his passage in the desired direction blocked by two long islands, with
+a narrow opening between them. To go around the islands would have
+been a long voyage; and the young captain headed his craft for the
+opening, but soon found himself on the rocks. Luckily, the vessel
+backed off, and the crew set about repairing damages. While thus
+engaged, the great, blunt head of a whale was seen in the narrow
+channel; and, after blowing a column of water high in the air, the
+monster swam lazily through the strait. "If a whale can go through
+that channel, I can," quoth "Cap'n Nat." And he forthwith did so.
+Quick of observation, and prompt of action, the sailors of the United
+States became the foremost seamen of the world, and guided their
+little vessels over every known sea.
+
+But the growing commerce of the United States was destined to meet a
+series of checks, that seemed for a time likely to destroy it forever.
+England, jealous of the encroachments of the Americans upon the broad
+seas of which she had long called herself the mistress, began a series
+of outrages upon American ships, and, not content with acting in open
+hostility, incited the piratical rulers of Tripoli and Algiers to make
+war upon American shipping. In this volume it is not my purpose to
+tell of the means adopted by England to let the swarming ships of the
+Barbary pirates out of the Mediterranean Sea, to prey upon the vessels
+of the United States; nor do I intend to tell how, after peaceful
+arguments had been exhausted, Decatur and Preble, with a fleet of
+American vessels and a handful of fighting jack-tars, crossed the
+ocean, and thrashed the pirates of the Mediterranean into subjection.
+That may well be left for future consideration, and this chapter
+devoted to a history of the acts of insolence and oppression on the
+part of England, that finally forced the United States to declare war
+against a power so vastly superior to them in wealth, population, and
+military and naval strength.
+
+The first great and crying outrage, protested against by the
+statesmen, the newspapers, and the people of the United States, was
+the so-called right of search. By this was meant the right claimed by
+every British man-of-war to stop an American vessel on the high seas,
+muster her crew on the forecastle, and seize and carry away any sailor
+thought to be a native of Great Britain. This outrageous act was
+committed time and time again by the commanders of British frigates,
+who knew no easier way of filling up a short-handed crew than by
+stopping some passing vessel flying the stars and stripes, and taking
+from her the best-looking sailors of her crew. Hardly a week passed
+without the arrival of a ship at New York, New London, or any of the
+shipping towns of New England, bringing some such tale. The
+merchant-vessel, skimming lightly over the ocean, at peace with all
+the world, and with nothing to fear save the terrors of the storms,
+against which the sturdy mariners knew so well how to guard, would be
+suddenly halted by a shot from a frigate of a nation with whom the
+United States had no quarrel. A hail from the frigate told the
+American to come up into the wind, while a boat was sent aboard. Soon
+a long-boat filled with man-o'-war's men, and with a beardless young
+midshipman in the stern-sheets, came dancing over the water; and in a
+minute or two a lieutenant, the middy, and a few sailors clambered
+aboard the wondering merchantman. There was small ceremony about the
+proceedings then.
+
+"Muster your men aft," quoth the middy peremptorily; "and you'd better
+be quick about it, too."
+
+Perhaps the American captain protested,--they generally did,--and
+talked about the peace between the nations, and the protection of his
+flag; but his talk was usually of little avail.
+
+"Get those man aft, and be quick about it," orders the British
+officer. "You've got deserters from his Majesty's service in your
+crew; and I'll have them. Do you want me to send the boat back for the
+marines?"
+
+The American crew came aft unwillingly, grumbling, and cursing his
+Majesty's service under their breath, and formed a line before the
+boarding officer. That worthy whispered a minute or two with the
+boatswain and sailors who came aboard with him, and then, pointing out
+one man, boldly claimed him as a British subject. American captains
+declared that the man so chosen was generally the most ship-shape
+sailor aboard; and indeed it seemed but natural that the English, in
+filling out their crew, should choose the best. Sometimes the American
+captain went on board the British ship, to protest against so summary
+a draft upon his crew. In such a case he was usually received with
+courtesy by the commander, but never did he regain his kidnapped
+sailors. The commander trusted in every thing to his first lieutenant,
+who boarded the merchantman; and that officer was thus made, in the
+words of an English journalist, "at once accuser, witness, judge, and
+captor."
+
+The men thus pressed were expected to serve with all the zeal and
+bravery of regularly enlisted sailors. The slightest sign of
+hesitation or unwillingness was met with blows. A pressed man who
+refused to serve was triced up, and lashed with the cat-o'-nine tails
+until his back was cut to ribbons, and the blood spurted at every
+blow. Few cared to endure such punishment twice. Yet the sailors taken
+from the American ships lost no opportunity for showing their desire
+to get out of the service into which they had been kidnapped.
+Desertions from ships lying near the coast were of weekly occurrence,
+although recaptured deserters were hanged summarily at the yard-arm.
+Sailors who found no chance to desert made piteous appeals to the
+American consuls in the ports at which they stopped, or wrote letters
+to their friends at home, begging that something should be done to
+release them from their enforced service. It was not the severity of
+man-o'-war discipline that so troubled the poor fellows; many of them
+were old man-o'-war's men, and all would have been glad of berths in
+the United States navy; but the sight of the red flag of Great Britain
+waving above their heads, and the thought that they were serving a
+nation with which their country had just fought a bloody war, were
+intolerable.
+
+One "pressed man," on a British ship lying in the West Indies, managed
+to write the following letter to a newspaper editor in New York, and,
+after much planning, succeeded in mailing it.
+
+ Port Royal, Jamaica, June 30, 1811.
+
+ Mr. Snowden,--I hope you will be so good as to publish these few
+ lines. I, Edwin Bouldin, was impressed out of the barque
+ "Columbus" of Elizabeth City, and was carried on board his
+ Britannic Majesty's brig "Rhodian," in Montego Bay, commanded by
+ Capt. Mowbary. He told me my protection was of no consequence,
+ and he would have me whether or not. I was born in Baltimore, and
+ served my time with Messrs. Smith & Buchanan. I hope my friends
+ will do something for me to get my clearance; for I do not like
+ to serve any other country but my own, which I am willing to
+ serve. I am now captain of the forecastle, and stationed captain
+ of a gun in the waist. I am treated very ill, because I will not
+ enter. They request of me to go on board my country's ships to
+ list men, which I refused to do, and was threatened to be
+ punished for it.
+
+ I remain a true citizen of the United States
+
+ EDWIN BOULDIN.
+
+Pathetic letters such as this appear often in the columns of the
+newspapers published in the early part of this century; and are
+usually accompanied by petitions from the relatives and friends of the
+pressed man, begging that Congress take some action to secure American
+sailors from such outrages. But year after year the practice went on,
+and higher and higher grew the enmity between England and the United
+States. Among the sailors who suffered impressment at the hands of the
+British were many who afterward in the naval battles of the ensuing
+war won ample revenge from the nation that had so abused their
+liberties.
+
+Most prominent of all these men was David Porter, who, from the humble
+station of a cabin boy on his father's ship in 1796, rose in twenty
+years to be commodore in the United States navy. The name of Porter is
+one famous in the naval annals of the United States; and probably
+there never existed a family in which the love for the life of a
+fighting jack-tar was so strong as among these representative American
+sailors. David Porter, sen., and Samuel Porter served the American
+Colonies dashingly upon the sea in the Revolution. Of David Porter,
+jun., we shall have much to say in this volume. Of his children the
+eldest, William D., rose to the post of commodore, United States navy,
+and died of wounds received in the civil war; Henry O. Porter was
+first lieutenant of the "Hatteras" when she sunk before the fire of
+the Confederate ship "Alabama;" Thomas Porter served in the Mexican
+navy; Hambleton Porter died of yellow-fever while a midshipman in the
+United States navy; Lieut. Theodoric Porter, U.S.A., was the first
+officer killed in the Mexican war; and Admiral David D. Porter,
+U.S.N., by virtue of his exploits on blue water and in the ditches and
+bayous back of Vicksburg during the civil war, now stands at the head
+of living naval officers.
+
+But to return to David Porter. He was sixteen years old, when, in
+1796, his father, having obtained command of a vessel in the West
+India trade, determined to take the lad to sea, that he might learn
+the profession of his ancestors. It was hardly a favorable time to
+inspire an independent boy with admiration for the life of an American
+merchant sailor. The United States had no navy to protect its merchant
+ships; and the British cruisers that scoured the ocean felt little
+hesitation about boarding the ships of the infant nation, and
+kidnapping such sailors as they might desire. Of this young Porter
+soon had evidence. While his ship, the "Eliza," was lying in the port
+of Jeremie in San Domingo, a British frigate came into the harbor, and
+dropped anchor near by. One morning the lookout on the "Eliza" saw a
+boat, manned by armed men, put off from the frigate, and steer for the
+American merchantman. The movement was quickly reported to Capt.
+Porter, who was too old a seaman not to know what it portended, and
+too plucky an American to submit willingly to any indignity. His
+preparations were quickly made; and by the time the frigate's boat
+came alongside, the crew of the "Eliza" were armed and ready to rush
+to the deck at the first alarm. Capt. Porter with his officers and
+son stood on the quarter-deck, and awaited with great dignity the
+arrival of the boat. Soon the British came alongside; and an officer
+in the stern-sheets announced that he was about to board the "Eliza,"
+and demanded to search the vessels for deserters from the British
+service.
+
+Capt. Porter replied that his was an American ship, and the British
+might board at their peril; for he was armed, and would resist the
+boarders to the last extremity. A great laugh went up from the boat
+alongside. A Yankee merchantman to resist British sailors, indeed! And
+the officer, without more ado, ordered his men to board. Hardly had
+the order passed his lips, than Porter's clear voice rang out, "Repel
+boarders!" and the crew of the "Eliza," armed with pikes and muskets,
+rushed upon their assailants, and drove them into the sea. Young
+Porter was not behindhand in the fight, but lent his boyish aid to
+the vindication of American sailors' rights. One man was shot down by
+his side; and Porter received his first baptism of blood in this
+encounter, which thus early rooted in his mind a detestation for the
+arrogance of the British, and a determination to devote his life to
+the cause of his seafaring countrymen.
+
+On his second voyage, a year later, young Porter was destined to
+experience still further the hardships and ignominy which American
+sailors only too often encountered at the hands of the British. Once
+again the boy, now a first officer, was walking the deck of his vessel
+in a San Domingo port, when a boat's-crew from a British frigate came
+on board on the usual errand of impressment. This time the sturdy,
+independent spirit of the elder Porter was absent; and the captain of
+the American vessel basely permitted a portion of his crew, among whom
+was Porter, to be carried aboard the frigate, where they were to be
+kept until they agreed to enlist. Loaded with irons, they were thrust
+into "the brig," or guard-room of the frigate; but, though the case
+seemed hopeless, Porter gallantly refused to enter the king's service,
+and ceaselessly exhorted his comrades to stand firm against the
+commands of the British. Days passed, and still the frigate's crew was
+in no wise increased from among the obstinate Americans. The British
+captain lost patience, and commanded that all the prisoners be brought
+out on deck, triced up, and publicly flogged with the cat-of-nine
+tails, for "the bad example they set the crew of his Majesty's ship."
+The order was duly put into execution. The prisoners, still ironed,
+were brought up under a heavy guard, and taken to the gratings; but
+when young Porter reached the deck, and saw the ignominious punishment
+in store for him, he fought desperately with his guards, and, finally
+breaking away, ran below, and hid in some corner of the hold, from
+which the most careful search failed to dislodge him. The captain
+finally gave orders to leave him alone, saying, "He'll come out fast
+enough when he gets hungry." But the lad did not wait for hunger to
+drive him from his hiding-place. That very night he came from the
+hold, crawled stealthily across the deck, and dropped into the water,
+regardless of the sharks that abound in those tropic seas. A short
+swim took him to a Danish vessel, by which he was carried across the
+Atlantic. Only after many months of voyaging as a common sailor did
+the lad succeed in working his way back to his home.
+
+Even this experience could not deter the young seaman from again
+seeking employment upon the billowy main, and for the third time he
+shipped upon an American merchantman. Again his course lay toward the
+West Indies, and again he was intercepted by the inevitable
+man-of-war. This time he was not so fortunate as to escape until after
+a month or more of captivity, during which time he was treated with
+the greatest cruelty on account of his persistent refusal to serve
+under any flag save that of his own country. At last he made his
+escape, and reached home. By this time he was naturally somewhat
+disgusted with the life of a sailor on an American merchant-vessel;
+and he cast about for an appointment to the navy, which he soon
+received. It is impossible to doubt that his three adventures with the
+British press-gang had much to do with the ardor and bravery with
+which in later days the young sailor, then elevated to the highest
+ranks, did battle with the enemies of his country. When, at the close
+of the War of 1812, the veteran naval officer looked back upon his
+record during that conflict, he could point to one captured British
+man-of-war and scores of captured British merchantmen as the measure
+of his retaliation for the wrongs done him as a defenceless American
+sailor-boy.
+
+Oliver Hazard Perry, of whose famous victory over the British on Lake
+Erie we shall speak later, also was brought into conflict with the
+British in the days of the "right of search." His father, Christopher
+Raymond Perry, in command of the United States ship "Gen. Greene," was
+escorting an American brig freighted with a valuable cargo. Near
+Gibraltar they were sighted by a British man-of-war, which bore down
+quickly upon the two ships. Perry was an old and cautious naval
+officer; and, though peace reigned between his country and Great
+Britain, he no sooner saw an armed vessel approaching, than he put his
+vessel in trim for action, and sent the crew to the guns. Nearer and
+nearer came the great English man-o'-war; and, as she came within
+range, a puff of smoke burst from her bow-port, and a ball skipped
+along the water before Perry's unarmed convoy, conveying a forcible
+invitation to heave to. Perry at once made signal to his convoy to pay
+no regard to the Englishman; and, setting the American flag, the two
+ships continued on their way. But at this moment the breeze died away,
+and all three ships lay becalmed within easy range of each other. The
+British captain was not slow to take advantage of this; and a boat
+soon put off from his ship, and made for the American brig. This move
+Perry promptly checked by a shot from the "Gen. Greene," which so
+narrowly missed the boat that the crew thought it well to run
+alongside the American man-o'-war, and arrange the matter peaceably.
+As the boat came alongside the "Gen. Greene," the gangway was manned,
+and the British officer escorted with the greatest formality to
+Perry's presence.
+
+He at once stated his purpose in attempting to board the merchantman;
+claiming that, by virtue of the right of search, he was entitled to
+visit the brig, and examine into the nationality of her crew.
+
+"I deny the existence of any right, on the part of British vessels, to
+search any American vessel, except with the consent of the American
+commander," responded Perry; "and my shot was intended to warn you
+that you had received no such permission."
+
+By this time the British vessel had come within hailing distance of
+the "Gen. Greene;" and the captain demanded why his boat had been
+fired upon, and was now detained. Perry responded in the same words
+with which he had answered the boarding-officer.
+
+"It's a most surprising thing," shouted the Englishman, losing his
+temper, "if a British seventy-four-gun ship cannot search a pitiful
+little Yankee merchantman."
+
+"By Heaven!" responded Perry. "If you were a ship of the first rate,
+you should not do it, to the dishonor of my flag." And in an instant
+the ports of the "Gen. Greene" were triced up, and the British captain
+saw that his adversary was prepared for battle. After a moment's
+thought, he abandoned all attempts at violence, and sent a courteous
+letter to Perry, begging leave to visit the brig in search of British
+deserters, which request Perry as courteously granted.
+
+To this list of American seamen who suffered indignities at the hands
+of the British, and afterwards won reparation from their enemies in
+the War of 1812, may be added the name of Joshua Barney. Few Americans
+have given to their country a longer service or more efficient aid
+than he. In the little Colonial navy of the Revolution, he held high
+rank, and won the plaudits of older sailors. At the close of the
+Revolution, he served for a time in the merchant-marine; then entered
+the naval service of France, and, at the first news of war between
+England and America, returned to his country, to enlist under the
+stars and stripes. It was while he was in command of a merchantman
+that he was brought into collision with the British in a way that well
+might make the doughty old sea-dog doubt if the Revolutionary days,
+when he suffered in the noisome confines of Mill Prison, had not come
+again.
+
+It was in the summer of 1793, that the good ship "Sampson," two days
+out from Cape Francois, West Indies, was slowly making her way
+northward, over the tropic seas, and under the glaring rays of the
+summer sun of the torrid zone. Capt. Barney and his crew were ever on
+the watch for danger; for, in addition to the hurricanes and typhoons
+common to the equatorial latitudes, much was to be feared from the
+lawless British privateers that then swarmed in the West Indies and
+Bermudas. That the "Sampson" was under the flag of a neutral power,
+was but little protection; for the commanders of the semi-piratical
+craft cared little for international law or for justice. War was
+raging between France and England; and a mere suspicion of traffic
+with French colonies was enough, in the eyes of these worthies, to
+condemn a vessel of any nationality.
+
+Knowing his danger, Capt. Barney strove to avoid the localities
+frequented by the privateers, but to no avail. One bright morning, the
+lookout reported three sail in sight from the masthead, and in a few
+hours Barney found himself hemmed in by privateers. Three officers
+boarded him, and began a rigid examination of the cargo and papers.
+Two finally expressed themselves as satisfied of the neutral character
+of the vessel; but the third exclaimed that he had discovered in the
+cabin an iron chest, full of money, which surely proved that the
+"Sampson" had something to do with the French, for "no blasted Yankee
+ever had iron chests or dollars on board his vessel!" Such conclusive
+proof as this could not be overlooked by the sapient privateers; and,
+after a little consultation, they informed Capt. Barney that they
+would let the ship go, if the money were given to them. As it amounted
+to eighteen thousand dollars, Capt. Barney looked upon this demand as
+nothing short of robbery, and indignantly refused to consider it;
+whereupon his captors took from the "Sampson" all her crew except the
+carpenter, boatswain, and cook, sent a prize-crew aboard, and ordered
+that she be taken to New Providence, a British naval station. The
+privateers were soon hull down on the horizon; and Barney found
+himself a prisoner on his own ship, exposed to ceaseless insolence
+from the British prize-master.
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Perry.]
+
+Several days passed, as the "Sampson" lay becalmed in the tropics.
+Barney, though too old a sailor to be cast down by misfortune,
+nevertheless chafed under his situation. From prize-master and
+prize-crew he received nothing but scurrilous epithets; and the
+oft-repeated murmurs of "Rebel rascal!" "Yankee traitor!" "Blow out
+his brains!" and "Throw him overboard!" made it hard for him to
+believe the Revolution over, and the United States and England at
+peace. Even while they thus abused the captain, the rogues were
+feasting upon his provisions and drinking his wines; and only his firm
+refusal to give up his keys prevented their rifling his iron chest,
+and filling their pockets with his dollars. At last he began to feel
+that his life was no longer safe in the hands of his captors; and,
+though he had by him but three men of his original crew, he determined
+to attempt to recapture the ship.
+
+One evening the captain managed to catch a few minutes' conversation
+with the carpenter and boatswain of his own crew, and broached to them
+the project for a recapture. No argument was needed to induce these
+bold men to embark in the perilous enterprise. Indeed, from the very
+moment of the capture, they must have cherished some such purpose; for
+each had hidden away in his bunk a gun and bayonet. Barney, on his
+part, had secreted a small brass blunderbuss and a broad-sword; and
+with this meagre armament the three determined to take the ship from
+its captors.
+
+The success of the project then depended upon a favorable opportunity,
+and the three conspirators watched eagerly for the decisive moment to
+arrive. At last there came a day so squally that all the prize-crew
+were kept busy with the sails all the morning. Much exhausted, the
+sailors sat down to their dinner on the forecastle at noon, while the
+three British officers spread their mess amidships. Barney saw that
+the moment had arrived; and, giving the signal to his men, the
+plotters went below for their weapons. Barney was the first to
+re-appear,--the blunderbuss, loaded and cocked, in his hand, and the
+naked cutlass under his arm. Hardly had he stepped on deck when one of
+the officers saw him, and, throwing down dishes and dinner, sprang at
+the American and grappled with him. Barney struggled violently, and
+soon managing to get the blunderbuss against his enemy's shoulder,
+fired it, filling the wretch's arm and side with buckshot. Freed from
+his adversary, the gallant captain cut down with a blow of his
+cutlass the second prize officer, who was advancing upon him; and the
+third, seeing his two companions lying, drenched with blood, upon the
+deck, ran below. In the mean time the crew, startled from their dinner
+by the report of the blunderbuss, had rushed below for their weapons;
+but the last man had hardly dived down the hatchway when the wily
+carpenter and boatswain rushed forward, clapped on the hatches, and in
+a trice had the British sailors nicely cooped up in the forecastle.
+The two wounded officers were quickly cared for, and the unhurt
+fugitive secured; and Barney found himself again in control of the
+ship.
+
+The victors then held a consultation as to their future action. They
+controlled the ship, it was true; but what were three men to do with a
+full-rigged ship on the stormy Atlantic? Clearly they must get aid
+from their captives, or all might go to the bottom together.
+Accordingly the three, with loaded weapons, went forward, and standing
+at the hatchway, proposed terms to the imprisoned sailors below. Capt.
+Barney acted as spokesman.
+
+"You shall be released from confinement," cried he to the captives,
+"and may now come on deck one at a time, each one bringing his weapons
+with him."
+
+The hatches were then thrown back, and the carpenter and boatswain
+stood with cutlasses and muskets ready to cut down the first who
+should make an offensive movement. The British saw the preparations
+for their reception, and came up one at a time as ordered. As each
+came up, his arms were seized and thrown overboard; and a gruff order
+given for him to go forward. Before long the crew, deprived of all
+means of resistance, were gathered on the forecastle. Barney then
+retired to the quarter-deck, and ordered that the crew be mustered
+before him.
+
+"You are now my prisoners," said he; "and I have not only the power,
+but the right, to hang every man jack of you. You seized this vessel
+without any just cause, and simply because you were the stronger; and
+you have further used that strength to abuse and ill-treat me and
+waste my property. I do not propose to execute you, but will give you
+the choice of two alternatives. You may either stay with me and work
+this ship to Baltimore, there to be discharged with wages; or I will
+give you a small boat with provisions, and set you adrift to shift for
+yourselves. One condition I attach to the first alternative. If one
+of you is seen talking with his former officers, or if one man steps
+abaft the main-mast, he shall be instantly shot."
+
+[Illustration: Barney Regains His Ship.]
+
+The crew wasted no time in deliberation, but decided to stay with the
+ship, and at once went forward on duty. Then began a fortnight of
+ceaseless watchfulness and grave anxiety for Capt. Barney. At night he
+never closed his eyes, but took his sleep by day in an armchair on
+deck, his blunderbuss and cutlass by his side, and a sentinel ready to
+awaken him at the slightest alarm. At last, however, he brought his
+ship safely to Baltimore, and discharged his crew. But the memory of
+that month of violence remained with him; and we shall hear of him
+again as a brave sailor in the service of the United States, and an
+uncompromising foe to England.
+
+Among the most adventurous of American merchant seamen in the days
+following the Revolution was Capt. Thomas Macdonough. Like others of
+his class, his daring and ability as a navigator gained him a
+commission in the very small American navy of that time. On one
+occasion the United States ship "Siren," of which he was first
+lieutenant, was lying at anchor in the harbor of Gibraltar, surrounded
+by a number of merchantmen, from the peak of one of which floated the
+stars and stripes. While pacing the deck one bright afternoon,
+Macdonough observed a boat manned with armed men put off from a
+British man-of-war that rode at anchor a mile away. At once his
+suspicions were aroused, and with a strong glass he watched the
+movements of the British. As he had expected, the boat steered
+straight for the American merchantman; and through his glass
+Macdonough could see the boarders scramble over the bulwarks of the
+vessel, and soon thereafter return to their boat, taking with them a
+man dressed in the garb of a merchant seaman, and tightly bound.
+
+The captain of the "Siren" was on shore; and Macdonough, as the
+officer in command, determined that so audacious an impressment should
+not succeed under the guns of an American war-vessel, small though she
+might be.
+
+"Clear away the long-boat," he shouted; and the boat quickly was
+lowered to the water, and a dozen jackies grasped the oars. Macdonough
+sprung into the stern-sheets, and grasped the tiller.
+
+"Let fall! Give way! Pull hard, men!" He gave the orders in quick
+succession, and laid his course straight for the British boat, which
+was soon overtaken. He laid his boat alongside the British cutter, and
+demanded that the captive be given up. The English officer began to
+protest, but Macdonough cut his protests short.
+
+"You have no right to that man. He is an American sailor.--Tumble in
+here, my man."
+
+The pressed man, delighted with the prospect of rescue, sprang into
+the American boat; and before the British officer had recovered from
+his amazement sufficiently to offer resistance, the blue-jackets were
+pulling away toward the "Siren," with the long, swinging, man-o'-war
+stroke. When he reached his vessel, Macdonough retired to his cabin to
+await further developments, which were not long in appearing.
+
+"Boat from the British frigate heading for the ship, sir," reported
+the officer of the deck, in a few minutes.
+
+"Very good, sir. Have the gangway manned," returned the lieutenant.
+
+The boat was soon alongside; and the British captain, white with rage,
+leaped to the gangway, and was shown to Lieut. Macdonough's cabin.
+
+"How dare you take a man from a boat of his Majesty's ship, sir?" was
+his salutation.
+
+"'Dare' is not a word to be spoken to an officer of the United States
+navy," responded Macdonough. "As for the man, he is a citizen of the
+United States; and I propose to protect him, at all hazards."
+
+"I'll bring my frigate alongside, and sink your beggarly little
+craft," shouted the visitor, with a volley of oaths.
+
+"That you may do," responded the American; "but while she swims, the
+man you shall not have."
+
+"You are a hair-brained young fellow, and will repent this rashness,"
+cried the irate Briton. "Do you mean to say, that, if I had been in
+that boat, you would have dared to commit such an act?"
+
+"I should have made the attempt, sir, at all hazards."
+
+"What, sir!" shouted the captain, greatly enraged, "would you venture
+to interfere, if I should now impress men from that brig?"
+
+"You have but to try it, sir," was the pithy response. And the British
+captain returned to his frigate, vowing all sorts of vengeance, but
+nevertheless did not again annoy the American ship.
+
+While the popular clamor against the hateful right of search was still
+at its height in America, Great Britain unwisely added yet another
+outrage to the already long list of grievances complained of by the
+Americans. Notwithstanding the danger of Barbary pirates and British
+impressment, the merchants of the United States were carrying on a
+thriving trade with France. England, then at war with the great
+Napoleon, looked upon this commerce at first with disfavor, and
+finally with such intense hatred that she determined to put an end to
+it altogether. Accordingly, she issued the celebrated "Orders in
+Council," forbidding all traffic with French ports. For such action
+the imperious nation had no authority by any principle of
+international law. Her blockade of the French ports was very
+imperfect, and easily evaded. It is a perfectly well-established
+principle of the common law of nations that a blockade, to be legal,
+must be complete and effective; otherwise, it is known as a "paper
+blockade," and neutral vessels are justified in attempting to evade
+it. Instead of posting blockading vessels at the entrances of French
+ports, to warn off all vessels, Great Britain contented herself with
+licensing hordes of privateers, that roamed the seas and snapped up
+vessels with little regard to law or justice. Hundreds of American
+vessels were thus captured; for our trade with France and the French
+West Indian colonies at that time was of vast proportions. The ocean
+soon became so infested with privateers that every American
+merchantman carried cannon, and an array of small-arms that would have
+done credit to a sloop-of-war. The New England sailors became able
+naval fighters, as well as experienced seamen; for a man shipping for
+a voyage knew well that, in addition to battling with the angry
+elements, he might be required to sight truly the great "long Tom," or
+beat back piratical boarders at the muzzle of the muskets. But even
+these heroic remedies could not save many a good ship.
+
+Occurrences such as these fanned into flaming fury the smouldering
+fires of the American hatred for Great Britain. The people saw their
+old oppressor and enemy engaged in war with their old ally France, and
+the popular cry went up for a union of France and the United States
+against England. Happily, the statesmen of the time--Washington,
+Hamilton, and Jay--were too firm of purpose, and too clear-sighted, to
+be led away by popular clamor; and they wisely kept the United States
+Government in a position of neutrality between the two nations. Deep
+and loud were the murmurs of the people at this action. Could
+true-hearted Americans desert their friends in such a manner? Never!
+And so, whatever might be the policy of the rulers, the many-headed
+people welcomed French ambassadors, feted the officers of visiting
+men-of-war, and hung the tricolor and the stars and stripes side by
+side on all public holidays.
+
+It was in 1795, while the popular affection for France was at its
+height, that a merchant-vessel flying the British flag sailed into
+Boston Harbor, and made fast to the Long Wharf. Under her stern
+appeared the legend, "The Betsy of St. Croix;" her decks were
+littered with poultry and domestic animals, her cordage flapped
+loosely in the breeze, and every thing about her bespoke the
+merchant-vessel. Her captain, being hailed by the dock-loafers, and
+made the victim of the proverbial Yankee inquisitiveness, stated that
+he had just come from the West Indies with a load of lignum-vitae,
+pineapples, and hides, which he hoped to sell in Boston. The
+self-constituted investigating committee seemed satisfied, and the
+captain strolled on into the city.
+
+But the French consul at Boston was far from satisfied, and he took
+care to let his suspicions become generally known. "That
+innocent-looking merchantman is a British privateer," quoth he; "and
+it's a shame to harbor her in the good port of Boston, amid
+French-loving people." The consul's words spread like wildfire; and
+his suspicions soon passed for facts, without any supporting proof. No
+one knows who was the writer, or who the printer; but in a few hours
+the people upon the streets had thrust into their hands the following
+handbill:--
+
+ THIS NIGHT
+
+ Will be performed at the steps bottom of
+ Long Wharf
+
+ A COMEDY
+
+ of stripping the
+
+ BERMUDIAN PRIVATEER.
+
+
+ CITIZENS. Remember there have been
+ near three hundred of our American vessels
+ taken by these Bermudians, and have received
+ the most barbarous treatment from those
+ Damn'd PIRATES!!!
+
+ Now, Americans, if you feel the spirit of
+ resentment or revenge kindling in your hearts,
+ let us be united in the cause.
+
+This was enough to rouse the turbulent people of Boston to action.
+They well remembered the winter's night, twenty-two years before, when
+their harbor was the scene of the first protest against the oppression
+of Great Britain. Then they threw overboard the tea, and spared the
+ships; this time ship and cargo alike should be destroyed. When night
+fell, small bodies of men could be seen marching down to the wharfs,
+through the narrow, crooked streets of the old town. Before eight
+o'clock Long Wharf was crowded with an angry mob. On the deck of the
+threatened vessel stood the captain, arguing and pleading with the
+crowd, and at times pointing to the scarlet flag above his head, and
+threatening his assailants with the wrath of mighty England. Argument,
+entreaty, and threats proved unavailing; and the crowd, gaining
+courage with numbers, rushed upon the vessel, and ordered captain and
+crew ashore. Leaving the scene, the captain rushed wildly into the
+city in search of the British consul; and, in his absence, the mob
+began to search his ship. An active and careful search soon brought to
+light in an out-of-the-way corner of the hold two swivel-guns, two
+three-pounders, forty charges of shot, fifteen pounds of powder, and
+eight muskets. All was piled upon the deck, and pointed out to the
+captain on his return, amid frantic yells from the enraged populace.
+He solemnly protested that the ordnance was only intended for purposes
+of defence against the pirates that infested the Bermudas. But the
+case was already judged. The people laughed at the captain's
+declarations; and in a few minutes the "Betsy," a mass of flame, was
+drifting across the harbor to the Charlestown beach. There she blazed
+away, while the crowd watched the bonfire from the dock, until the
+last timbers of the ship fell with a hiss into the black waters, and
+all was dark again.
+
+Popular sympathy is at best but an unstable sentiment, and so it
+proved with this unreasoning affection of the American people for
+France. Firmly the American authorities held to their policy of
+neutrality, refusing to be influenced in the slightest degree by the
+popular clamor of the people for an alliance with France. Then the
+French sympathizers made their fatal error. In the presidential chair
+of the United States sat Washington, the hero of the Revolution.
+Rashly the French minister and his following began an onslaught upon
+this great and wise man, because of his firm determination to keep the
+United States neutral. They accused him of being an "aristocrat;" of
+wishing to found an hereditary monarchy, with himself at the head. No
+epithet was too vile for them to apply to him: "liar" and "traitor"
+were terms freely applied to him whom we regard as the veritable
+founder of our free Republic. Such intemperate and unreasoning malice
+as this had a very different effect from what was intended by the
+French sympathizers, or Republicans as the party was then termed. The
+party supporting the President gained strength and influence, even
+while the actions of Napoleon and the French Chamber of Deputies were
+giving American seamen the same grounds of complaint as those which
+Great Britain had so long forced upon them.
+
+It was during the last year of the administration of Washington, that
+the French Directory issued secret orders to the commanders of all
+French men-of-war, directing them to treat neutral vessels in the same
+manner as they had suffered the English to treat them. The cunning
+intent of this order is apparent by its wording: "Treat American
+vessels as they suffer themselves to be treated by the British." What
+course does that leave open to the Americans, save to resist the
+British, thereby become involved in a war, and so aid France? But
+there was one other alternative; and, much to the surprise and chagrin
+of the French, the Americans adopted it. And the only effect of the
+diplomatic secret order was to embroil France in a naval war with the
+United States.
+
+The condition of American commerce, after the promulgation of the
+French decree, became deplorable indeed. A merchant-vessel flying the
+American flag was never safe unless under the guns of an American
+war-vessel; and the reduction of the navy had made these few indeed.
+Should the brig "Nancy" or "Sarah Jane" put out from the little port
+of Salem or New London, she was certain to be overhauled by some
+British frigate, whose boarding officer would pick from the brig's
+crew a few able sailors, and leave her to make her way short-handed as
+best she might. Next would come along some French frigate or
+privateer,--some "Terreur," "Incroyable," or "Insurgente,"--whose
+astute officers would quickly notice the gaps in the American crew,
+and, finding out that the brig had been boarded by the English, would
+declare her a prize for having given aid to the enemies of _la belle
+France_. Should the little brig be so fortunate as to escape the
+civilized belligerents, there were still the pirates of Tripoli, the
+picaroons of the French West Indies, and the unauthorized and
+irresponsible pirates, who, with forged commissions and flying the
+Spanish or Portuguese colors, ravaged the seas in all directions. The
+career of an American merchantman at that time is admirably told by
+our great novelist Fenimore Cooper in his sea-tale of "Miles
+Wallingford." The fate of the good brig "Dawn" was the fate of too
+many an American vessel in those turbulent times; and the wondrous
+literary art with which the novelist has expanded the meagre records
+of the times into an historical novel of surpassing interest makes an
+acquaintance with the book essential to a proper knowledge of American
+naval history.
+
+The first act of retaliation on the part of the United States was the
+embargo ordered by Congress, which prohibited any vessel from leaving
+American ports. This action had two effects. It quickly brought about
+great distress in European countries, which even then relied much on
+the United States for food. This was the chief object of the embargo.
+The second effect was inevitable. The sudden check upon all foreign
+commerce plunged business in all parts of the United States into
+stagnation. Sailors out of work thronged the streets of the seaport
+towns. Farmers trudged weary miles beside their ox-teams, only to
+find, when they had hauled their produce to town, that there was no
+market for it. Along the docks the ships lay idly tugging at their
+cables, or stranded on the flats as the tide went out. Merchants
+discharged their clerks, and great warehouses were locked up and
+deserted. For nearly a year the ports were closed, and commerce thus
+languished. Then Congress substituted for the embargo the
+Non-intercourse Act, which simply prohibited commerce with France and
+England; and again the American flag appeared upon the ocean. But the
+two warring nations had learned neither wisdom nor justice, and began
+again their depredations upon the unoffending Americans. Envoys were
+sent to France to protest against the outrageous action of that
+nation; but they were told that no audience could be granted them,
+unless they paid into the French treasury two hundred and forty
+thousand dollars. This last insult was too great. The envoys returned
+home, told of their treatment, and the war party in the United States
+rallied to the defence of their nation's honor, shouting Pinckney's
+noble sentiment, "_Millions for defence, but not one cent for
+tribute_."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+ WAR WITH FRANCE. -- THE BUILDING OF A NAVY. -- FIRST SUCCESS
+ FOR THE AMERICANS. -- CUTTING OUT THE "SANDWICH." -- THE
+ "CONSTELLATION" AND "L'INSURGENTE." -- THE "CONSTELLATION"
+ AND "LA VENGEANCE."
+
+
+While France and England were waging a desperate and bloody war, the
+United States was like a shuttlecock, being struck repeatedly by the
+diplomatic battledores of each nation. Between the British "Orders in
+Council" and the French "Milan Decree," American commerce was in a
+fair way of being obliterated. To declare war against both nations,
+would have been absurd in so young a people; and for months, and even
+years, the fierce contests of political parties in the United States
+made a declaration of war against either aggressor impracticable. Now
+the Franco-maniacs were in the ascendency, and the country rang with
+praises of France,--the nation which had cast off aristocrats, and,
+like America, was devoted to republican principles; the nation which
+had aided the Colonies in their war for freedom. What though a French
+privateer did occasionally seize an American ship? The Americans alone
+were to blame for that; for was not their attitude toward England,
+their natural foe, enough to inflame the French? And were not the
+British aggressions more oppressive than those of France? War there
+must be, but let it be declared against the hated British.
+
+Such were the sentiments of the French sympathizers, or Democrats as
+they were then termed in political parlance. But the English
+sympathizers, or Federalists, held very different opinions. They made
+no attempt to excuse the offensive attitude assumed by England, but
+claimed that so soon as her war with France was over she would admit
+the injustice of her actions, and make due reparation for the injuries
+she had heaped upon American commerce. But they pointed out that for
+one vessel taken by England, ten were seized by French privateers, or
+piratical vessels of nondescript nationality, but bearing French
+papers. As for France loving republican principles, her republicanism
+was founded upon blood and the guillotine. She was no longer the
+nation that had aided the struggling Colonies. She was the nation that
+had foully murdered the kind king who had lent that aid two decades
+before. Besides these arguments, the Federalists did not scruple to
+hint, that, in a second war with England, the United States might lose
+the independence so recently won, while the navy of France was not so
+greatly to be dreaded.
+
+Indeed, the American people of that day might well be excused for
+lethargy in resenting the insults of any first-class naval power. It
+is not too strong a statement, to say that at this time, when the need
+was greatest, the United States had no navy. At the close of the
+Revolution, the navy had been disbanded, the ships sold, and the
+officers dispersed among the vessels of the merchant marine. This fact
+alone is enough to account for the depredations of French, English,
+Portuguese, Tripolitans, and the hordes of pirates without a country.
+Is there no lesson in this? From this lesson of history cannot we
+deduce the rule that a nation with 6,000 miles of seacoast, a republic
+hated by all monarchies, must maintain its sea-power if it would
+maintain its honor? The naval regeneration begun in 1893 ought not to
+be checked until the United States ranks next to Great Britain as a
+naval power.
+
+But the depredations of the enemies of American commerce at last
+reached such a point that Congress could no longer overlook the
+necessity for an American navy. In March, 1794, Congress, after
+listening to a message from the President detailing the depredations
+of the Algerines, passed an Act authorizing the construction or
+purchase of six frigates, or an equivalent naval force. This was the
+beginning of the present United States navy; for some of the frigates
+built under that law are still afloat, although no longer exposed to
+the rude shocks of battle or the still more violent onslaughts of the
+mighty ocean.
+
+In accordance with the law, the frames of six frigates were quickly
+laid upon the stocks at six different shipyards; and even while the
+ribs were yet uncovered, commanders were selected for the unbuilt
+ships. The names of ships and officers alike are famous in American
+annals, and may well be mentioned here. The "Constitution,"
+"President," "United States," "Chesapeake," "Constellation," and
+"Congress" were the vessels begun at this time; and the rolls of no
+navy of the world ever bore six more famous names. The captains chosen
+were John Barry, Samuel Nicholson, Silas Talbot, Joshua Barney,
+Richard Dale, and Thomas Truxton. Of these, all save Truxton had
+served the Colonies in the Revolution. Barney narrowly escaped being
+totally disowned by his country, because while holding a commission in
+the French navy he had once accidentally hoisted the American flag
+upside down. A cry went up from his enemies, that it was an
+intentional insult to the country; but his friends, with justice,
+pleaded that the flag had been wet, and a sailor, running it up to
+dry, had thus carelessly inverted it.
+
+In the mean time the building of the ships went merrily on, until,
+when they were nearly finished, a disgraceful treaty was made with
+Algiers, and work on the new navy was neglected, and three of the
+unfinished ships sold. But in 1797 the French depredations became so
+unbearable that work was hastened; and cities and towns, not satisfied
+with the three frigates provided for, began collecting subscriptions
+for the purchase of ships, to be presented to the Government. The
+first of the frigates building by the Government to reach the water
+was the "United States." As the first vessel built by the United
+States under the Constitution, her launch was an event to be
+celebrated. At noon on the bright May afternoon chosen, the streets of
+Philadelphia leading to the ship-yard, where the hull of the great
+frigate lay upon the stocks, were thronged with holiday-making people.
+The sun had hardly risen, when anxious spectators began to seize upon
+the best points of observation about the ship-yard. The hour of the
+launch was set at one P.M.; and for hours before the crowd of watchers
+sung patriotic songs, cheered for Congress and the new navy, and
+anxiously debated the chances of a successful launch. The river was
+covered with pleasure-craft, decked with flags, and bright with the
+gay dresses of ladies. The great frigate, too, was a mass of bunting
+from stem to stern. At one precisely, the blows of many hammers were
+heard knocking out the blocks; and, after a moment's trembling pause,
+the first United States frigate glided swiftly into the water, and,
+after a graceful dip, rode buoyantly on the placid surface of the
+Delaware.
+
+[Illustration: Toasting The Wooden Walls Of Columbia.]
+
+While the ships were building, the war-feeling against France was
+steadily growing, and the enthusiasm of the people over the infant
+navy knew no bounds. Toasts to the "wooden walls of Columbia," and the
+"rising navy of America," were drunk with cheers at stately public
+banquets, and by bands of jolly roisterers at tap-houses. The
+patriotic song writer invaded the columns of the newspapers; and, as
+these could not afford space for all the poetic effusions, they were
+printed on broadsides, and hawked about the streets. At Harvard
+College the students made the chapel walls ring with the ode written
+by Joseph Story:--
+
+ "Shall Gallia's clan our coast invade,
+ With hellish outrage scourge the main,
+ Insult our nation's neutral trade,
+ And we not dare our rights maintain?
+ Rise, united Harvard's band,
+ Rise, the bulwark of our land."
+
+Admirable as may be the patriotism of this ode, the poetry is not
+above criticism; but it is classic in comparison with many others. The
+following stanza and chorus will show the character of one of the most
+popular street-songs of the day:--
+
+ "Americans, then fly to arms,
+ And learn the way to use 'em.
+ If each man fights to 'fend his rights,
+ The French can't long abuse 'em.
+
+ Yankee Doodle (mind the tune),
+ Yankee Doodle Dandy;
+ For the French there's trouble brewin':
+ We'll spank 'em, hand and handy."
+
+From Maine to Georgia the mania for writing such doggerel spread with
+a rapidity only equalled by the avidity with which the people seized
+upon the songs, and sung them. A complete collection of these
+remarkable efforts of poetic art would form an amusing volume, and
+from it alone a history of political movements in the United States
+might be written. That even such wretched doggerel had its effect upon
+popular sentiment, cannot be doubted; for has it not been said, "I
+care not who makes the laws of a nation, let me but write its songs"?
+
+But the manifestation of the growing ill-feeling towards France was
+not confined to poor but harmless poetizing. The first open rupture
+took place at Savannah. In the port of that city were lying two long,
+rakish schooners flying the French tricolor. Their decks were crowded
+with men, whose rough actions and brutal countenances showed them to
+be no respecters of law or order. It did not need the rows of cannon
+protruding from the ports, nor the carefully covered "long Toms"
+amidships, to indicate to the good people of Savannah that their
+harbor sheltered two French privateers. Among the seafaring people of
+the city, the sight of these two vessels aroused the greatest anger.
+Were they not representatives of the nation whose ships were seizing
+and burning American vessels in the West Indies almost daily? Perhaps
+these very vessels were then fresh from an action with some American
+ship. Who could tell that the holds of the privateers did not at that
+very minute contain the best part of the cargo of some captured
+American vessel? Probably the last shot fired from that "long Tom" had
+crashed into the side of some little brig flying the stars and
+stripes, and perhaps ended the career of many an American sailor. From
+suspicions and conjectures, positive statements soon grew. It was
+whispered about that the two privateers had recently plundered and
+burned a Yankee ship returning from the West Indies with a goodly
+store of specie in exchange for her cargo. Those cut-throat-looking
+Frenchmen were even then stained with the blood of true Americans. The
+money they threw on the bars of water-side dram-shops, in exchange for
+the vile rum which was the worst enemy of too many a good jack-tar,
+was looked upon with suspicion. "What Yankee's pockets did Johnny
+Crapaud pick to get all that money?" growled the American sailors.
+
+The Frenchmen were not slow in discovering the dislike manifested by
+the people of Savannah; and like true soldiers of fortune, as they
+were, they did nothing to make friends of their enemies. They came
+ashore in troops instead of singly. Cutlasses hung at their sides.
+Their tight leather belts held many a knife or clumsy pistol. Their
+walk on the street was a reckless swagger; and a listener who could
+understand French could catch in their loud conversation many a
+scornful sneer or braggart defiance of the Americans.
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Macdonough.]
+
+Such a state of affairs could not long continue. Each party was ready
+and waiting to fight, and it was not hard to find an excuse. How the
+fighting began, no one ever knew; but one night the streets of the
+little city resounded with cries of rage and groans of agony. Soon
+crowds began to gather; and sailors rushed up and down the streets,
+crying that the French desperadoes had killed three Americans. The
+rage of the populace, and particularly of the seafaring community, had
+no bounds. "Arm! arm! and take bloody vengeance upon the murderers,"
+was the cry in all quarters. The mob blocked all the roadways
+leading to the water-front. With cutlasses and guns they attacked the
+sailors on "L'Agile," which lay at a wharf, and drove them overboard.
+Once in possession of the ship, the enraged rioters vented their fury
+by cutting away the masts and rigging, tearing to pieces the woodwork
+of the cabin, and finally putting the torch to the battered bulk, and
+sending her drifting helplessly down the river. This summary vengeance
+did not satisfy their anger. They looked about them for the other
+vessel, "La Vengeance," and discovered that she had been towed away
+from the shore, and was being warped up stream to a place of safety.
+Boats were secured, and the irresistible mob set out in mad pursuit. A
+militia company, hastily sent to the scene of action by the
+authorities of the town, failed to check the riot; and, after a futile
+struggle on the part of her crew, "La Vengeance" shared the fate of
+her consort. Sympathy for France was well rooted out of Savannah then,
+and the cry of the city was for war.
+
+Before the news of the uprising at Savannah was known in New England,
+the navy had struck the first blow against French oppression, and the
+victory had rested with the sailors of the United States. Congress had
+at last been aroused to a sense of the situation, and had issued
+orders to captains of American war-vessels, directing them to capture
+French cruisers wherever found. A number of large merchant-vessels and
+Indiamen had been armed hastily, and sent out; and at last the country
+had a navy on the seas. One of the first vessels to get away was the
+"Delaware," a twenty-gun ship, commanded by Stephen Decatur the elder.
+Decatur had been out but a few days when a merchantman, the "Alexander
+Hamilton," was sighted, from the halliards of which a flag of distress
+was flying. The "Delaware" ran toward the vessel, and sent a boat
+aboard, which returned, bringing the captain of the distressed craft.
+To Decatur the captain related the old story of French aggression,
+which had become so hateful. Only the day before, he said, his ship
+had been boarded by boats'-crews from a French privateer of twenty
+guns. The assailants, once on board, had eaten his provisions, and
+plundered his cargo without scruple. He gave careful directions as to
+the course of the privateer after leaving the "Alexander Hamilton,"
+and returned to his ship happy in the thought, that, though he could
+not regain his plundered property, the thieves at least would be
+punished.
+
+Decatur crowded on all sail, and set off in pursuit of the oppressor.
+Four hours later, the lookout forward reported four schooners in sight
+off the bow. For a moment the captain was puzzled, as he had no means
+of knowing which was the guilty privateer; but, after brief
+deliberation, he determined to adopt strategy. The rigging of his
+vessel was slackened, the yards slewed round, and every attempt made
+to transform the trim man-o'-war into a shiftless merchantman. Then
+the helmsman was instructed to carefully avoid running near the
+suspected schooners. The ruse succeeded admirably. The lookouts in the
+tops of the schooners reported an American merchantman in sight, but
+making attempts to escape. The cupidity of the Frenchmen was aroused.
+In the "Delaware" they saw only a defenceless ship, from which, by
+virtue of their strength, they could take whatever plunder they
+desired. From the decks of the "Delaware," the sailors could see the
+Frenchmen shaking out sail after sail; and soon one schooner, a
+perfect cloud of canvas, took the lead, and left her consorts far in
+the rear. It was the privateer they were after. The jackies of the
+"Delaware" clambered into the rigging, and set all sail, with the
+clumsiness of merchant-sailors; but, though the ship spread a large
+expanse of canvas, she was making but little progress, for two long
+cables dragged in the water astern, holding her back. The Frenchman
+came up gallantly, but suddenly discovered the ports along the side of
+the "Delaware," and concluded he had caught a Tartar. It was too late
+to escape then; for the "Delaware," coming about, had the schooner
+directly under her guns, and the Frenchman had no course left but to
+surrender. The privateer proved to be "Le Croyable," of fourteen guns
+and seventy men. Her captain was vastly astounded to hear that the
+United States had at last sent out cruisers against the French, who
+had come to look upon Americans as their legitimate prey. Keeping "Le
+Croyable" alongside, Decatur ran for Philadelphia, where he was
+received with unbounded enthusiasm. The captured ship was taken into
+the United States navy, under the name of the "Retaliation," and sent,
+under command of Lieut. Bainbridge, to cruise in search of other
+privateers.
+
+But the career of the "Retaliation" under the American flag was
+neither long nor glorious. Ill luck seemed to attend the vessel in all
+her cruises, and Bainbridge wandered up and down the high seas without
+getting within range of a French cruiser or privateer. In November,
+1798, the "Retaliation" was cruising, with two other men-of-war, in
+the West Indies, not far from Guadaloupe. One day three sails were
+made out to the eastward, and two more to the westward. Bainbridge
+thought that at last his opportunity had arrived; and the
+"Retaliation" set off to reconnoitre the strangers on the eastward,
+while the two other American ships made after the three sails in the
+opposite direction. As Bainbridge gained upon his chase, he concluded
+from their appearance that they were two English ships, and
+accordingly threw aside all caution, and sailed boldly alongside.
+Unluckily, they proved to be hostile French cruisers; and, when the
+discovery was made, the "Retaliation" was well within range. Every
+sail was set, and the ship put before the wind, to escape from the
+enemy, but too late. The leading ship of the enemy was a fine frigate;
+and she rushed through the water after the fugitive, like a dolphin
+after a flying-fish. Soon a heavy shot from one of the frigate's
+bow-chasers came whizzing by the "Retaliation," unpleasantly reminding
+the Americans that they were still within range, and their adversaries
+carried heavy metal. The second frigate soon opened fire, and the
+position of the "Retaliation" became hopeless. Her flag was
+unwillingly hauled down, and the vessel became again the property of
+its original owners. It is a strange coincidence, that this ship
+should have thus been the first prize of both Americans and French in
+the war.
+
+The Frenchmen were not content with their success in capturing the
+"Retaliation:" so, while one frigate stopped to secure the prize, the
+other passed on in hot chase after "The Retaliation's" two former
+consorts, the "Montezuma" and "Norfolk." Bainbridge was taken aboard
+the French frigate "Volontaire," which then continued her course in
+the wake of her consort, the "Insurgente." For the captured American
+captain on the deck of the "Volontaire," the chase was one of great
+excitement. He well knew that the two stately French frigates were
+much more than a match for the flying Americans; and, should they
+overhaul the chase, the "Montezuma" and the "Norfolk" would join the
+"Retaliation" in French captivity. Racked with anxiety he paced the
+deck, trying in vain not to perceive that the pursuers were steadily
+gaining, and chafing under the position of helplessness in which he
+found himself. But an opportunity to help did unexpectedly present
+itself. The French captain, after a long look through his
+marine-glasses at the flying craft, turned to Bainbridge, and
+inquired,--
+
+"What may be the force of your consorts, captain?"
+
+Without a moment's hesitation, Bainbridge responded,--
+
+"The ship carries twenty-eight twelve-pounders, and the brig twenty
+nines."
+
+The Frenchman was astounded, as well he might be; for Bainbridge's
+answer was a most preposterous falsehood, nearly doubling the actual
+armament of the two vessels. An eager consultation was immediately
+held by the officers on the quarter-deck. Bainbridge looked on
+anxiously, and was delighted with the success of his ruse, when he
+heard orders for the hoisting of a signal which should call back the
+frigate leading in the chase. The signal was hoisted; and the
+"Insurgente," obeying, abandoned the chase, and returned. Her captain
+was indignant at his recall, and curious to know the cause of it. When
+told of Bainbridge's statement, he was furious; for his ship had been
+close enough to the chase to see that the Americans were small craft,
+utterly unable to cope with the two pursuing frigates. For his
+falsehood, Bainbridge was roundly abused, and many a French oath was
+hurled at his head. His action was indeed inexcusable by the rules of
+honor; and the utmost that can be said of it by the most patriotic
+American is, that by his falsehood he saved two good ships for the
+infant navy of the United States. From a military point of view,
+however, his conduct was commendable; and in recognition thereof, on
+his release from captivity, he was made commander of the "Norfolk,"
+one of the vessels he had saved.
+
+France and the United States were now actually at war, although no
+definite declaration of war had been made by either party. This fact
+made many French privateers assume an injured air, on being captured
+by United States ships, and complain that they had never heard of any
+declaration of war. With a Frenchman of this sort, Stephen Decatur the
+younger had an experience early in his naval career.
+
+This occurred in February, 1799. The frigate "United States" was
+cruising near Martinique in that year, and to her young Decatur was
+attached as a sub-lieutenant. One morning a French privateer was
+sighted, and the frigate set out in hot pursuit. The privateer took
+the alarm quickly, and crowded on all sail, until her long, narrow
+hull slipped through the waves like a fish. The breeze was fresh, and
+the chase an exciting one; but gradually the immense spread of the
+frigate's canvas began to tell, and she rapidly overhauled the
+fugitive. The French captain was plucky, and even desperate, in his
+attempt to escape; for, seeing that he was about to be overhauled, he
+resorted to the expedient of a fox chased by hounds, and doubled,
+turning short to windward, and running right under the guns of the
+frigate. The move was a bold one, and might well have succeeded, had
+it not been for the good marksmanship of a gunner on the frigate, who
+promptly sent a twenty-four-pound shot (the only one fired in the
+affair) straight through the hull of the privateer, between wind and
+water. In an instant all was confusion on the French vessel. The water
+poured into her hold through the hole cut by the shot; and the hasty
+lowering of her sails, and the frantic howls for succor from the crew,
+told the people of the "United States" that their chase was at an end.
+The boats of the frigate were quickly lowered, and Decatur went in one
+as officer in command. When he reached the sinking ship, he found a
+scene too ludicrous to be pathetic. Along the rail of the vessel, from
+bow to stern, the Frenchmen were perched like birds. Many had stripped
+off all their clothes, in order to be prepared to swim; and from all
+arose a medley of plaintive cries for help, and curses on that unlucky
+shot. By skilful management of the boats, all were saved; and it
+happened that Decatur pulled into his own boat the captain of the
+sinking vessel.
+
+Brushing the salt water out of his eyes, this worthy expressed great
+surprise that he had been fired upon by a vessel bearing the United
+States flag.
+
+"Ees eet that that ees a sheep of les Etats-Unis?" he inquired, in the
+broken English that four years of cruising against Americans had
+enabled him to pick up.
+
+"It is," responded Decatur.
+
+"I am indeed sairprised. I had not thought that les Etats-Unis had the
+war with La Republique Francaise."
+
+"No, sir," responded Decatur, thoroughly provoked; "but you knew that
+the French Republic was at war with the United States, that you were
+taking our merchant-vessels every day, and crowding our countrymen
+into prison at Basseterre to die like sheep."
+
+This was more than the Frenchman could deny, and he was constrained to
+accept his capture with the best grace possible.
+
+An audacious, but clearly illegal, exploit of the blue-jackets in this
+war, was the cutting out and capture of the French letter-of-marque
+vessel "Sandwich," as she lay in Port Platte, a small harbor on the
+Spanish side of St. Domingo. Commodore Talbot, who won a reputation
+for daring and recklessness in the Revolution, was cruising about on
+the San Domingo station, and had spent some weeks in monotonous
+voyaging, without an opportunity to capture a single prize. Word was
+brought to the squadron, that in the little harbor of Port Platte a
+vessel was taking in a cargo of coffee. From the description of the
+vessel, Commodore Talbot recognized her as a former British packet,
+the "Sandwich," now sailing under French letters of marque. Her known
+speed and seaworthy qualities made her too valuable a prize to be left
+in the hands of the enemy; and Talbot, without more ado, determined to
+capture her. The first difficulty that lay in the way was the fact
+that the vessel was under the protection of Spain, a neutral power.
+Talbot was no man to notice so purely formal an obstacle. He growled
+out a decided negative to all hints about respecting a neutral flag.
+Spain neutral, indeed! She might claim to be neutral, but her
+Picaroons were too often to be found among the French pirates to leave
+any respect for Spain's neutrality in the mind of a man of sense; and
+the "Sandwich" he was going to take, and on his own responsibility.
+This silenced all opposition.
+
+Having arrived at the determination to take the "Sandwich," the next
+problem to be solved was, how shall she be taken? Obviously the first
+step was to make a careful reconnoissance of the ship and her
+defences. To Lieut. Hull of the "Constitution," this duty was
+assigned. One dark and stormy night Mr. Hull took one of the frigate's
+cutters, and, pulling into the harbor, carefully examined the
+situation. On his return, he reported that the "Sandwich" was stripped
+of her rigging, and lay directly under the guns of a small battery,
+built on shore for her protection. To sail in with the frigate, and
+capture the enemy by mere force of arms, would have been simple
+enough; but the object of the Americans was to take the ship without
+injuring her, in order that she might at once join the United States
+squadron. Strategy was therefore necessary.
+
+It was accordingly determined to secure an American merchant-vessel,
+that could enter the port, and run alongside the "Sandwich," without
+arousing suspicion. Luckily at that very moment a craft turned up that
+filled the need precisely. This was the American sloop "Sally," a
+battered, weather-beaten little craft, that had for some time been
+trading in the West Indies, and by her very insignificance had escaped
+capture by the French. She had often entered and cleared from Port
+Platte, and therefore her appearance there would create no suspicion.
+
+[Illustration: Hull Makes A Reconnoissance.]
+
+The "Sally" was accordingly chosen to bear the sailors on their
+audacious expedition. A rendezvous having been appointed, the sloop
+met the "Constitution" far out at sea; and a large body of
+blue-jackets and marines left the frigate, and took quarters on the
+clumsy little merchantman, which then laid her course for Port Platte.
+About midnight the lookouts on the "Sally" saw a vessel's lights near
+at hand; but, beyond reporting to the officer of the deck, they paid
+no heed to their neighbor. Suddenly, however, out of the darkness came
+a bright flash; and the hum of a heavy shot in the air above the
+"Sally" was followed by the dull report of a cannon. At the same time
+a blue light burned on the deck of the vessel from which the shot
+proceeded, showed her to be a powerful frigate. Then ensued a few
+moments of intense suspense for the little band on the "Sally." Should
+the stranger prove to be a French frigate, all was lost; but in that
+latitude English vessels were common, and possibly this might be one.
+Soon the regular thumping of oars in the tholepins, and the splashing
+of the waves against an approaching boat, could be heard; and in a few
+minutes a hail came from the black water alongside, and the dark
+figure of a man standing in the stern-sheets of a boat was seen. A
+rope was thrown him, by the aid of which he nimbly clambered aboard.
+An involuntary murmur of relief arose from the party on the "Sally,"
+as by the dim light of the lanterns they saw that the officer wore a
+British uniform. The officer himself could not repress a start and
+exclamation of surprise as he saw a band of officers in naval uniform,
+and a large body of blue-jackets and marines, on the vessel which he
+expected to find manned by a half-dozen lanky Yankees, commanded by a
+down-east "skipper."
+
+"Why, what ship's this?" he exclaimed in surprise, as he looked upon
+the armed men about him. Lieut. Hull, who was in command, explained to
+him the situation, and told him of the adventure that was being
+attempted. The officer seemed much disappointed, and told Mr. Hull
+that the British frigate was standing about outside the harbor, to
+capture the "Sandwich" as she came out; but the idea of so boldly
+setting at naught the principles of neutrality had not occurred to
+them. After a few minutes' conversation, the visitor returned to his
+ship, and the "Sally" proceeded on her errand. She reached the
+entrance to the harbor of Port Platte in the morning, and sailed
+boldly in. Most of the crew and the marines were hidden beneath the
+bulwarks, or sent below; so that the people on the "Sandwich" gave but
+a glance to the approaching vessel, until she ran so close to their
+vessel's bows that they feared an accident.
+
+"Look out there, or you'll run foul of us!" shouted a mate from the
+deck of the "Sandwich"; and, as if his cry was a signal, the helm of
+the "Sally" was put down, the vessel ranged up alongside, and in an
+instant a torrent of armed men poured over the sides of the surprised
+Frenchman, and drove the crew below. There was no resistance. The ship
+was captured in five minutes. The marines of the expedition had been
+sent ashore to spike the guns of the battery, and their work was
+performed with equal promptitude. Then all hands set to work rigging
+the captured vessel, and getting her ready for sea. On the shore the
+people were in the greatest excitement, beating drums, parading the
+few militia, and threatening dire revenge in the name of outraged
+Spain. But the captors of the vessel paid but little attention to
+their enemies; and by sunset the "Sandwich," with all sails set, left
+the harbor, and joined the United States squadron.
+
+The news of this achievement, lawless as it was, evoked great
+enthusiasm in the United States. A nation's conscience is elastic; and
+the people praised the heroes of the "Sandwich" episode, much as
+sixty-five years later they commended the commander of the "Wachuset"
+for running down and capturing the Confederate ship "Florida," which
+was relying upon the protection of a neutral port in Brazil. Yet in
+1814, when two British frigates attacked and captured the "Essex" in
+the harbor of Rio Janeiro, the good people of the United States were
+loud in their denunciations of the treachery of a commander who would
+so abuse the protection of a neutral nation. Such inconsistencies are
+only too common in the history of nations. In the end, however, the
+affair of the "Sandwich" terminated disastrously for the bold
+adventurers; for the protests of Spain were too forcible to be
+disregarded, and the prize-money of all concerned in the exploit was
+confiscated to pay the damages awarded the injured party.
+
+Not all the successes of the United States navy in the war with France
+were, like those we have related, dependent upon the speed rather than
+the fighting qualities of our ships. Not many months had passed, when
+two representative ships of the warring nations met, and tried
+conclusions at the mouths of their cannon. It was on the 9th of
+February that the "Constellation," one of the new American frigates,
+was cruising on her station in the West Indies, when her lookout
+reported a large ship some miles to leeward. The frigate at once ran
+down the stranger, which hoisted American colors. Among ships of the
+same navy it is customary to have private signals of recognition; and
+Commodore Truxton, who commanded the "Constellation," set his signal,
+and awaited the answer. But no answer came; and the stranger,
+evidently considering further disguise impossible, boldly set French
+colors, and fired a gun to windward by way of a challenge.
+
+On the "Constellation" the challenge aroused universal enthusiasm. For
+the first time since the Revolution, the gallant defenders of the
+stars and stripes were to have an opportunity to try their strength
+with a hostile man-of-war. The enemy seemed no less ready for the
+conflict, and waited gallantly for the "Constellation" to come down to
+closer quarters. From both ships came the roll of the drums and the
+shrill pipings of the bo's'n's whistle, as the men were called to
+quarters. Then all became still, and the two frigates bore down upon
+each other. Neither antagonist was hasty about opening fire, and the
+report of the first gun came from the Yankee when she had come into
+point-blank range. Then began the thunderous broadsides, that soon
+enveloped the hulls of the two ships in dense gray smoke; so that, to
+an observer at a little distance, all that could be seen of the fight
+was the tapering masts and yard-arms, above the smoke, crowded with
+sailors repairing damages, and nimble young midshipmen shrilly
+ordering about the grizzled seamen, and now and again taking a crack
+at the enemy with pistol or musket, by way of recreation. In the
+foretop of the "Constellation" was stationed young David Porter, who
+in that trying moment showed the result of his hard schooling in the
+merchant-service, of which we have spoken. By the rapid fire of the
+enemy, the fore-topmast was badly cut, and there was great danger that
+it might go by the board. Porter hailed the deck several times for
+instructions, but, finding that his voice could not be heard above the
+roar of battle, determined to act upon his own responsibility, and
+accordingly cut away the sails, lowered the yards, and, by relieving
+the injured spar of all strain, prevented its falling. In the mean
+time the battle raged fiercely below. The American frigate was more
+powerful in her armament, and better handled, than the Frenchman. Her
+guns were handled with deliberation, and the aim of the gunners was
+sure and deadly; while the shot from the enemy went hurtling through
+the rigging of the "Constellation," doing but little damage. The
+decks of the Frenchman were covered with dead and wounded, and at
+last two raking broadsides from the American frigate ended the
+conflict. When the vanquished ship was boarded, she proved to be the
+"Insurgente," the same frigate that had captured the "Retaliation"
+some months before. Her loss in this engagement amounted to
+twenty-nine killed and forty-one wounded, while the cock-pit of the
+"Constellation" was tenanted by but three wounded men; and but one
+American had lost his life, he having been killed by an officer, for
+cowardice. Both ships were badly cut up in the engagement.
+
+The news of this victory was received with great rejoicing in the
+United States, and was celebrated with cannon-firing and the ringing
+of bells. At Boston, the fourth Sunday in March was set for a day of
+general rejoicing; and on that day huge crowds gathered in State
+Street, and after salutes had been fired, and the city's bells pealed,
+the people, at a given signal, joined in three mighty cheers, that
+fairly shook the surrounding houses, for Truxton, the "Constellation,"
+the blue-jackets, and the success of the wooden walls of America.
+
+Even after the "Insurgente" had struck her flag, the tars of the
+"Constellation" found they had an elephant on their hands. The work of
+transferring the prisoners was begun, and actively prosecuted; but,
+when night fell, there were still nearly two hundred Frenchmen on the
+prize. The wind was rising fast, and the long rollers of the Atlantic
+were being lashed into foaming breakers by the rising gale. It was
+hazardous for the two vessels to continue near each other; and
+Lieutenant Rodgers, with Midshipman Porter and eleven men, was
+detailed to take charge of the prize, and bring her into port. When
+the officers boarded the prize, they found that they had indeed a
+desperate undertaking before them. It was difficult enough for
+thirteen men to handle the great ship, without having to keep in
+subjection one hundred and seventy-three captives. To add to the
+clanger, the gratings had been thrown overboard, and there was no way
+of confining the captives in the hold. A careful search for handcuffs
+resulted only in failure. But Rodgers was a man of decision, and
+Porter, though but a boy, was bold and determined; and between them
+they solved the problem. The prisoners were ordered below; and a
+sentinel was placed at each hatchway, with orders to shoot the first
+man who should attempt to come on deck. Howitzers loaded with grape
+were trained upon the hatchway, for use in case of an organized
+movement of the prisoners. For three days the officers sustained this
+fearful strain, without a moment's sleep; but their labors were
+finally crowned by successfully bringing the ship and prisoners into
+St. Kitts.
+
+In the second pitched battle of the war, the "Constellation" was again
+the American combatant; but this time, though the fight was a glorious
+one, it did not terminate so fortunately for the American ship. It was
+on the 1st of February, 1800, that the gallant frigate, under the same
+commander, was cruising about her old hunting-grounds, near
+Guadaloupe. A sail was sighted, which, after a careful examination
+through his marine-glass, Commodore Truxton pronounced to be an
+English merchantman. As an invitation to the stranger to approach,
+English colors were hoisted on the "Constellation," but had only the
+effect of causing the stranger to sheer off; for she was, indeed, a
+French war-vessel. Perplexed by the actions of the mysterious ship,
+the "Constellation" gave chase, and soon came near enough to see that
+she had caught a Tartar; for the vessel was the French frigate "La
+Vengeance," mounting fifty-two guns. Although a more powerful vessel
+than the American, she continued her flight; while the gallant
+Truxton, caring nothing for the odds against him, kept on in hot
+pursuit. All the remainder of that day, and until noon of the next,
+the chase continued, with but little change in the position of the
+ships. "A stern chase is a long chase," thought the jackies on the
+"Constellation;" but they were not discouraged, and only crowded on
+the more sail. On the afternoon of the second day, the American began
+to gain rapidly; and by eight at night the two ships were within
+speaking distance of each other. Truxton mounted the rail, and shouted
+through a speaking-trumpet, "What ship is that?" The only answer was a
+shot from the stern-port of the Frenchman, and the fight was opened.
+
+It was then growing dark, though the faint glow of the long tropic
+twilight still lingered on the western horizon. Above the towering
+masts of the two great frigates, the stars gleamed with a brilliancy
+seldom seen in more northern latitudes. As the ships rushed through
+the water, the waves broke against the bows, and fell back in masses
+of phosphorescent light; while the wakes of the vessels could be
+traced far back into the darkness,--two parallel paths of light, that
+glowed and sparkled like the milky way that spanned the starry sky
+above.
+
+Side by side the two frigates ploughed through the water. The creaking
+of their cordage, and the rushing of the wind through the rigging,
+mingled with the thunder of the cannonade, which, though slow, and
+made up of single reports, when the "Constellation" was confined to
+the use of her bow-chasers, soon rose to thunderous broadsides as the
+two ships came side to side. As the twilight died away, the two
+contestants were enveloped in almost total darkness, save for the
+fitful flashes of the cannon, and the red glare of the battle-lanterns
+that hung from the shrouds. The gunners had for a target nothing but a
+black, shapeless mass, that could be seen rushing through the waves
+some hundreds of yards away. But this did not prevent fearful
+execution being done on both sides. For five hours the two ships kept
+up the running fight. The ponderous eighteen and forty-two pound shot
+of the enemy crashed into the "Constellation," or swept her decks,
+doing dreadful damage. The deck was strewn with dead and dying men,
+and the surgeons down in the cock-pit soon had their tables full of
+moaning sufferers. No one could tell what might be the condition of
+"La Vengeance;" but her regular fire told that she was in no wise
+disabled. At one o'clock in the morning, the sound of her guns seemed
+to be more distant; and by the flash of the cannon it was seen that
+she was drawing out of the fight. The Americans cheered lustily, and
+Truxton ordered that his ship be braced up in chase.
+
+But the fire of the enemy had been rapid and well directed; and now,
+at this critical moment, its results were to rob the "Constellation"
+of her victory. As the ships were brought about, to follow in the
+track of the flying "Vengeance," an officer came rushing to the
+quarter-deck, and reported that all the shrouds and braces of the
+foremast had been shot away, and the mast was in momentary danger of
+falling. The rigging had been so literally cut in pieces by the fire
+of the enemy, that splicing was out of the question; but Truxton, in
+the hope of saving his mast, called all hands from the guns, and the
+fire of the "Constellation" stopped.
+
+Up in the foretop was stationed Midshipman Jarvis, with a dozen or
+more of jackies, whose duty it was to mend the cordage of the topmast,
+and to keep up a musketry fire upon the enemy. Long before the officer
+of the deck had reported the danger of the foremast, one of the topmen
+had told Jarvis, who was but a lad, that the mast was likely to fall.
+
+"Ay, ay, my lad," responded the plucky young officer; "but our place
+is here, and we must go with it."
+
+The sailors on the deck below worked manfully: but, notwithstanding
+all their efforts, the mast soon went by the board; and Jarvis and his
+brave comrades were thrown far out into the black water, never to be
+seen again.
+
+The fall of the foremast ended the battle for the "Constellation."
+Helpless, and cumbered by the wreck, she tossed about on the water
+while her foe made good her escape. What might have been the outcome
+of the conflict, had it continued, it is impossible to tell. "La
+Vengeance" carried heavier metal and a larger crew than the American
+frigate; and Truxton, with all his dash, found no mean adversary in
+Capt. Pitot. Yet the condition of the French ship when she came into
+port at Curacoa showed that the fire of the Yankee gunners had been
+rapid and accurate. Fifty of the enemy were killed, and one hundred
+and ten wounded; while, of the Americans, only thirty-nine appeared on
+the lists of killed and wounded. It was said at the time, that Capt.
+Pitot reported having struck his flag three times; hoisting it again,
+on finding that in the darkness the "Constellation" took no notice of
+the surrender. But this seems, on the face of it, improbable; and the
+action can hardly be awarded to either ship, although the gallantry
+shown on either side was enough to win a victory.
+
+It may well be imagined that this brilliant action, together with the
+capture of "L'Insurgente," made the "Constellation" the most popular
+ship of the navy; a place which she held until the stirring events of
+the war with England pushed the "Constitution" so far to the front,
+that even now, when she lies dismantled and rotting at the Brooklyn
+navy-yard, Americans still think of "Old Ironsides" as the typical
+ship of our once glorious navy.
+
+The actions between the "Constellation" and the "Vengeance" and
+"Insurgente" were the chief contests between regularly commissioned
+ships of the two nations in the war with France. But the West Indies
+were filled with privateers and semi-piratical craft, with which the
+navy waged a ceaseless warfare, which well prepared the blue-jackets
+for the graver struggle which was yet to come with Great Britain. The
+half-savage population of the French islands was a fruitful source of
+trouble to the American seaman. These gentry, known as Picaroons,
+seemed to have a natural inclination for piracy; and the unlucky
+merchant-captain who should come to anchor, or be becalmed, near one
+of the islands, was sure to see his vessel boarded, and his cargo
+plundered, by a lawless horde of Frenchmen and mulattoes, whose
+dialect was an unmusical combination of French and African tongues.
+The custom of the Picaroons was to do their cruising in huge barges
+propelled by sweeps. With these they would often cut out a
+merchant-vessel from beneath the guns of a protecting man-of-war, and
+tow her off to be plundered at leisure. Occasionally, however, their
+well-laid plans failed in the execution.
+
+One of the most noted of these occasions was the repulse of ten
+Picaroon barges that attacked the United States topsail schooner
+"Experiment," and a fleet of merchantmen under her charge. The
+"Experiment," with her convoy, was lying becalmed in the Bight of
+Leogane, in the island of San Domingo. Not a breath of air was
+stirring; and the vessels, drifting about at the mercy of the
+currents, soon became widely separated, and were an easy prey for the
+hordes of Picaroons that swarmed in that region. In no way could the
+"Experiment" secure a position which would enable her to protect all
+the merchantmen. In this dilemma it was determined to disguise the
+war-vessel, in the hopes that the pirates, taking her for a
+merchantman, would attack her first. This was done; and, as luck would
+have it, the Picaroons fell into the trap.
+
+Although not the captain of the ship, Lieut. David Porter was in
+command on this occasion; and, on hearing that ten Picaroon barges
+with swivels in the bows, and crews of forty men each, were
+approaching, he sent his crew to quarters, and prepared for a
+desperate resistance. Onward over the smooth waters came the huge
+barges, each with its twenty-six oars, looking like a mighty
+centipede. On the ship every thing was quiet, as the jackies stood to
+their guns, with the prospect of a deadly struggle before them. Should
+the barges get to close quarters, and surround the schooner, no
+earthly power could prevent their boarding, when their numbers would
+surely bring them success. But the painful pause before the battle was
+not long. Suddenly Porter, ever on the alert, cried out to fire. From
+every gun that could be brought to bear, a storm of grape and canister
+was rained upon the advancing boats; and the yells that went up from
+the astounded Picaroons told of the deadly work done in the crowded
+boats. For a moment, the fleet of barges fell into confusion; some
+retreating, some advancing, and others drifting about helpless.
+Although the murderous fire was kept up, the pirates formed again, and
+attempted to get alongside, but were repeatedly beaten back. With
+musketry and swivels they attempted to answer the fire of the
+Americans; but with little effect, for the crew of the "Experiment"
+kept close under the bulwarks. Men were precious then, and Porter
+would not let one expose himself unnecessarily; but he himself, from
+his prominent post of observation, was an easy mark, and a Picaroon's
+bullet soon lodged in his shoulder. Notwithstanding the painful wound
+he never left his post. The unexpected opposition only maddened the
+Picaroons, and they made desperate attempts to get alongside; but to
+no avail. Now the stern and now the bow of the "Experiment" was chosen
+as the point of attack; but still the rapid fire of the jackies beat
+the pirates back.
+
+On the low-lying shores of the islands, some hundreds more of the
+Picaroons had gathered to watch the conflict; and, as the boats became
+short-handed from the carnage, they put back to the shore, and
+returned to the fight fully re-enforced. The bodies of the dead were
+thrown overboard without ceremony, and soon attracted great schools of
+the fierce sharks that abound in the waters of the tropics. Then a new
+horror was added to the scene. At a moment when the barges wavered and
+floated for a moment without motion, Porter ordered his gunners to
+load with solid shot. Two or three broadsides rang out; and, when the
+smoke cleared away, two barges were seen to be sinking. The affrighted
+crews bent to their oars, and strained every muscle to reach the
+shore; but, while yet in deep water, the barges sunk, and the
+Picaroons were left floundering in the sea. All struck out manfully
+for the shore; but suddenly one sprung half from the water, and with a
+horrid yell sunk from sight. One after another disappeared in the same
+way; for the sharks had tasted blood, and were not to be appeased. For
+seven hours the conflict raged fiercely; but at last the Picaroons
+confessed themselves beaten, and sullenly relinquished their attacks
+upon the "Experiment." But they were not to be wholly robbed of their
+plunder; and two merchant-vessels fell a prey to their piratical
+violence, before a breeze, springing up, enabled the squadron to
+escape.
+
+Before the year was over, the Picaroons had another serious defeat to
+mourn over; and on this second occasion they were well punished for
+their many piracies. The "Boston," a twenty-eight-gun ship, was
+convoying a merchant-brig to Port au Prince, when the lookout
+discovered nine large barges skulking along the shore, ready to pounce
+upon the two vessels when a favorable moment should arrive. Porter was
+again in command. His tactics were at once determined upon; and the
+ports of the "Boston" were closed, and the ship thoroughly disguised.
+The Picaroons were deceived sufficiently to make a dash upon the two
+ships, and approach boldly within easy gunshot; then, discovering
+their mistake, they turned and fled in panic. This time no calm
+hampered the ship-of-war; and, making all sail, she dashed into their
+midst. For two hours she kept within easy range of the barges; and her
+gunners, working deliberately, did fearful execution in the ranks of
+the enemy, and sunk three barges before the wretched fugitives could
+reach the shore. After dealing out this summary justice, the "Boston"
+continued her voyage, and, after leaving her convoy in the port of her
+destination, began a cruise about the islands and the Spanish Main. In
+the course of this cruise she met the French corvette "Le Berceau,"
+which struck after a plucky action of two hours. The Frenchman was
+badly cut up in hull and rigging, and shortly after the surrender her
+fore and main masts went by the board. The "Boston" was but little
+injured, and took her prize safely into port.
+
+After this the fighting was chiefly confined to short, sharp affrays
+between the smaller United States ships and the French privateers,
+which were generally good sailers and well manned, although deficient
+in metal. The great frigates like the "Constellation" found no more
+adversaries worthy of their fighting qualities, and only the sloops
+and topsail-schooners gave their crews a chance to smell gunpowder.
+Some of these smaller actions, however, were sharp and gallant,
+although their details have not been preserved like those of the
+famous naval duels.
+
+The "Experiment," after her adventure with the Picaroons, fought two
+gallant battles, and was successful in each, although the second for a
+time threatened to lead to international difficulties. While cruising
+on her station, the vessel made two sail, which, as they came nearer,
+proved to be a brig of eighteen guns and a three-masted schooner of
+twenty guns, both flying the French tricolor, and both intent on
+mischief. The American fled, but laid her course in such a way as to
+separate the two pursuers. When night had fallen, Lieut.-Commander
+Stewart, who commanded the "Experiment," saw that the enemy's forces
+were divided by about a league of green water, and at once determined
+to strike a blow. Doubling on his course, he ran his vessel alongside
+the schooner, and poured in two or three broadsides with such rapidity
+and haste that the Frenchman struck before his consort could come to
+his aid. Hastily throwing Lieut. Porter and a prize-crew aboard the
+prize, Stewart dashed off after the brig, which fled incontinently,
+and proved too good a sailer to be overtaken. Pure audacity had
+carried the day for the "Experiment," for the brig was powerful enough
+to have blown her pursuer to bits in a short engagement.
+
+The second exploit of the "Experiment" was no less gallant than this,
+but in the end proved far less satisfactory. Late in a summer's
+afternoon a suspicious sail was made; and the chase, begun at once,
+had continued until nightfall. When darkness settled over the ocean,
+Stewart calculated the course laid by the stranger, and ordered his
+helmsman to keep the ship on that course until midnight, when, if the
+fugitive was not overhauled, the chase would be abandoned. Just before
+midnight a sail was seen near by and to windward. The men were sent to
+quarters; and with guns shotted, and battle-lanterns burning, the
+"Experiment" ran up under the stranger's lee, and hailed. No answer
+was returned. Perplexed and irritated, Stewart ordered a shot fired
+into the stranger, which was no sooner done than a broadside was
+returned, which made the schooner reel. Both vessels were then plunged
+into conflict, though neither knew the name or nationality of the
+opponent. For a time the "Experiment" was handicapped by the heavy
+wind, which laid her over so far that her guns were elevated skyward,
+and her shot whistled through the enemy's tops. To obviate this,
+planks were thrust under the breeches of the guns, until at last the
+proper range was secured, when an active cannonade soon forced the
+stranger to strike. Lieut. Porter was sent to take possession of the
+prize; but the report he brought back put all thought of prize-money
+out of the minds of the victors, for the stranger was a Bermudian
+privateer, flying the British flag, and under the protection of a
+nation with which the United States was at peace. The fault lay with
+the privateers for not responding to the hail, but the Americans did
+all in their power to repair the damage done. All the next day they
+lay by their vanquished adversary, and the sailors of two ships worked
+side by side in patching up the injuries done by the shot. By night
+the privateer was able to continue her cruise, resolving, doubtless,
+to avoid future conflicts with the ships of the American navy.
+
+But to enter into the details of each of the naval duels of the French
+war of 1798, would require a volume devoted exclusively to its
+consideration. Although there was never a declaration of war between
+the two countries, yet the warfare on the ocean was earnest, and even
+desperate. Both nations went to work with a will, and the results were
+of incalculable benefit to the then pygmy navy of the United States.
+In their newspapers the Americans read with wonder and pride of the
+successes of their new vessels and young sailors, against the trained
+seamen and best frigates of France. When the war closed, the country
+rang with the praises of the blue-jackets. Indeed, a record of
+sixty-four French vessels captured, besides many American vessels
+which were recaptured from their captors, was enough to arouse
+feelings of pride throughout the nation; and the celerity with which
+France seized upon the proposal for peace showed well the reputation
+which our navy had gained beyond the ocean. For months after the peace
+was signed, the names of Bainbridge, Truxton, Stewart, and Talbot were
+household words throughout the nation; and the deeds of the gallant
+ships along the Spanish Main were the favorite stories of the boys of
+the land. Three of the oaken veterans, however, never came home; but
+against their names must be put the saddest of all naval records:
+foundered at sea. The captured "Insurgente," the "Saratoga," and the
+"Pickering" simply vanished from the ocean. Over fourscore years have
+passed; and of them, and the gallant lads that manned them, nothing
+has ever been known. Whether they perished by the fury of the tropical
+typhoon, whether a midnight collision sent them suddenly to the
+bottom, or whether the ships were destroyed and the crews murdered by
+the piratical desperadoes of the West Indies, can never be known.
+Somewhere on the coral-strewn bed of the blue seas of the tropics lie
+the mouldering hulks of those good ships, and the bones of their
+gallant crews. There will they lie, unknown and unsought, until
+earthly warfare is over for all men, and the sea gives up its dead.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+ PROPOSED REDUCTION OF THE NAVY. -- RENEWAL OF BRITISH
+ OUTRAGES. -- THE AFFAIR OF THE "BALTIMORE." -- ATTACK ON THE
+ "LEANDER." -- ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE "CHESAPEAKE" AND
+ "LEOPARD."
+
+
+Not many months had elapsed after the close of the war between the
+United States and France, when the pride of the nation in the navy
+that had won such laurels in that conflict began to wane. In the place
+of poems and editorials singing the praises and pointing out the value
+of the navy, the newspapers began to be filled with demands for its
+reduction. It was an unwarrantable expense, exclaimed the critics of
+the press, for a nation so young, and so far from the warring peoples
+of Europe, to maintain a navy at all. A few gunboats to guard the
+coast would be enough. All the consequences of the reduction of the
+navy at the close of the Revolution were forgotten in an instant. A
+penny-wise and pound-foolish spirit came over all the political
+leaders; and the Democratic party, then newly come into power,
+determined to endear itself to the hearts of the people by cutting
+down the expenses of the Government, and to this end they attacked
+first the appropriations for the navy. A gallant fight was made
+against the total abolition of the navy; and finally it was decided to
+retain thirteen of the ships-of-war on the list, while the others
+should be sold. With these thirteen vessels, of which the most noted
+were the "Constitution," the "Constellation," and the "United States,"
+the navy was placed upon a peace footing. Even this moderate squadron,
+however, brought out much opposition from economically minded
+statesmen; but the aggressions of the Barbary pirates, and the war
+with Tripoli which opened in 1801, gave the sailor lads active
+employment, and for the time the outcry of the economists against the
+navy ceased.
+
+Of the various wars with Tripoli and the other states of Barbary, we
+have already given some account. The political bearing of the
+Tripolitan war upon the war which afterwards followed with Great
+Britain was slight; but, as discipline for the sterner reality of
+naval warfare with the nation long reputed to be "mistress of the
+seas," the experience of the Yankee tars with the turbaned infidels
+was invaluable.
+
+Let us, then, return to the shameful recountal of the injuries
+committed by the British upon the American flag on the high seas. Even
+while the United States was at war with France, and thus aiding the
+British, the outrages never ceased. American sailors were still
+impressed. American vessels were boarded, and often seized, on the
+slightest pretexts. Even the ships of the Government were not exempt,
+for the British respected no right save that of greater power.
+
+It was in November, 1798, that the United States sloop-of-war
+"Baltimore," of twenty guns, and under command of Capt. Phillips, was
+in charge of a convoy of merchantmen bound to Havana. On the morning
+of the 16th of that month, the sloop, with her convoy, were in sight
+of their destination, and could even see the solid, towering walls of
+the Moro, rising high above the low-lying shores about Havana. The
+breeze was fresh and fair; and all hands expected to cast anchor
+before night in the beautiful bay, oh the shores of which stands the
+chief city of the island of fruits and spices. On the "Baltimore" the
+jackies were busily at work holystoning the decks, until they
+glistened with the milky whiteness dear to the eye of the sailor of
+the days before the era of yellow pine or black, unsightly iron ships.
+The shrouds and standing rigging had been pulled taut with many a "Yo,
+heave ho!" until the wind hummed plaintively through the taut cordage,
+as through the resounding strings of an AEolian harp. The brasswork and
+polished breeches of the guns were polished by the vigorous rubbing by
+muscular sailors, until they shone again. All told of a coming season
+in a friendly port.
+
+While the work of preparation for port was thus going busily on, the
+lookout hailed the deck, and reported a squadron in sight. A moment's
+glance convinced Capt. Phillips that the strangers were British
+war-vessels; and, as they were still accustomed to annoy American
+merchantmen, he hastily signalled his convoy to carry sail hard, and
+make port before the British came up, while the "Baltimore" bore up to
+speak to the British commodore.
+
+Before the merchantmen could escape, however, the British cut off
+three of them, under some peculiar and mistaken ideas of the law of
+blockades. More than this, when Capt. Phillips paid his visit to the
+English commodore in the latter's cabin, he was calmly informed that
+it was intended to take from the "Baltimore" into the British service
+every sailor who had not a regular American protection; this under the
+new English doctrine, that every sailor was an Englishman unless
+proved to be otherwise. The avowal by the British captain of this
+intention filled Phillips with indignation, and he warmly protested
+against any such action.
+
+[Illustration: The British Squadron.]
+
+It would, he insisted, be an outrage on the dignity of the nation
+which he served; and, as the overpowering force of the British
+rendered resistance impossible, he should insist upon surrendering his
+ship should they persist in their undertaking, which was no more nor
+less than open warfare. With this he arose from his seat, and leaving
+the cabin, to which he had been invited as the guest of a friendly
+nation, returned to his own ship.
+
+Here he found a state of affairs that still further added to his
+indignation. At the foot of the gangway of the "Baltimore" floated a
+boat from one of the British ships, and on the deck of the sloop was a
+lieutenant in British uniform in the act of mustering the American
+crew. Capt. Phillips at once seized the muster-roll, and ordered the
+officious Briton to walk to leeward, while the crew of the "Baltimore"
+were sent to their quarters.
+
+But, having done this, he became doubtful as to the course for him to
+pursue. Successful resistance was out of the question; for he was
+surrounded by five British vessels, one of which carried ninety-eight
+guns, while the smallest mounted thirty-two, or twelve more than the
+"Baltimore." Even had the odds against him been less great, Capt.
+Phillips felt grave doubts as to his authority to resist any armed
+vessel. He had sailed under instructions that "the vessels of every
+other nation (France excepted) are on no account to be molested; and I
+wish particularly to impress upon your mind," wrote the Secretary of
+the Navy, "that should you ever see an American vessel captured by the
+armed ship of any nation at war, with whom we are at peace, you cannot
+lawfully interfere, for it is to be taken for granted that such nation
+will compensate for such capture, if it should prove to have been
+illegally made." After some deliberation over this clause in his
+instructions, Capt. Phillips concluded that for him to make even a
+formal resistance would be illegal; and accordingly the flag of the
+"Baltimore" was lowered, and the British were told that the ship was
+at their disposal. They immediately seized upon fifty-five men from
+the American crew, who were taken away to the British fleet. But in
+this wholesale impressment they did not persist. Fifty of the men were
+sent back; and the squadron set sail, carrying away the five pressed
+men, and leaving the men of the "Baltimore," from the captain down to
+the smallest cabin-boy, smarting under the sense of an indignity and
+insult offered to the flag under which they served.
+
+Capt. Phillips hoisted his flag again, and continued his cruise. News
+travelled slowly in those days; and the tidings of this latest
+British insult did not reach the United States until the "Baltimore,"
+returning home, brought it herself. Hardly had the ship reached port,
+when Capt. Phillips hastened to Philadelphia, then the national
+capital, and laid his report of the affair before the Government. In a
+week's time, without even the formality of a trial, he was dismissed
+from the navy.
+
+After the lapse of more than eighty years it is impossible to look
+back upon this affair without indignation, mortification, and regret.
+That the naval officers of Great Britain should have been able, by the
+mere force of arms, to inflict so cruel an insult upon our flag, can
+but arouse indignation in the breast of every true American. And the
+humiliation was great enough, without having added to it the obviously
+hasty and unjust action of the authorities, in dismissing, without a
+trial, an officer who had faithfully served his country. It is indeed
+possible that Capt. Phillips erred gravely in his course; but justice
+alone demanded for him a fair trial, and the nature of his
+instructions certainly afforded him some justification for his action.
+
+The years that opened the nineteenth century were full of events that
+exerted the greatest influence over the growth of the United States.
+The continuance of the Napoleonic wars in Europe, our own war with the
+Barbary powers, the acquisition of Louisiana,--all these had their
+effect on the growth of the young Republic of the West. But, at the
+same time, England was continuing her policy of oppression. Her
+cruisers and privateers swarmed upon the ocean; and impressment of
+seamen and seizure of vessels became so common, that in 1806 memorials
+and petitions from seamen and merchants of the seaport towns poured in
+upon Congress, begging that body to take some action to save American
+commerce from total destruction. Congress directed the American
+minister in London to protest; but to no avail. Even while the
+correspondence on the subject was being carried on, the British gave
+renewed evidence of their hostility to their former Colonies, and
+their scorn for the military or naval power of the United States. From
+the far-off shores of the Mediterranean came the news that boats from
+the fleet of the British Admiral Collingwood had boarded the United
+States gunboat No. 7, and taken from her three sailors, under the
+pretence that they were Englishmen. But an occurrence that shortly
+followed, nearer home, threw this affair into oblivion, and still
+further inflamed the national hatred of the English.
+
+A small coasting sloop, one of hundreds that made voyages along the
+American coast from Portland to Savannah, was running past Sandy Hook
+into New York Bay, when she was hailed by the British ship "Leander,"
+and ordered to heave to. The captain of the coaster paid no attention
+to the order, and continued on his way, until a shot from the cruiser
+crashed into the sloop, and took off the head of the captain, John
+Pearce of New York. This was murder, and the action of the British in
+firing upon the sloop was gross piracy. Such an outrage, occurring so
+near the chief city of the United States, aroused a storm of
+indignation. The merchants of New York held meetings at the old
+Tontine Coffee-House, and denounced not only the action of the British
+cruiser, but even impeached the Government of the United States;
+declaring that an administration which suffered foreign armed ships to
+"impress, wound, and murder citizens was not entitled to the
+confidence of a brave and free people." The fact that the captain of
+the offending cruiser, on being brought to trial in England, was
+honorably acquitted, did not tend to soothe the irritation of the
+Americans.
+
+Occurrences such as this kept alive the American dislike for the
+English, and a year later an event happened which even the most ardent
+peace-lover could not but condemn and resent with spirit.
+
+In 1807 the United States frigate "Chesapeake," then lying at the
+navy-yard at Washington, was put in commission, and ordered to the
+Mediterranean, to relieve the "Constitution." Nearly a month was
+consumed in making necessary repairs to hull and cordage, taking in
+stores, shipping a crew, and attending to the thousand and one details
+of preparation for sea that a long time out of commission makes
+necessary to a man-of-war. While the preparations for service were
+actively proceeding, the British minister informed the naval
+authorities that three deserters from His British Majesty's ship
+"Melampus" had joined the crew of the "Chesapeake;" and it was
+requested that they should be given up. The request was made with due
+courtesy; and, although there is no principle of international law
+which directs the surrender of deserters, yet the United States, as a
+friendly nation, was inclined to grant the request, and an inquiry was
+made into the case. The facts elicited put the surrender of the men
+out of the question; for though they frankly confessed to have
+deserted from the "Melampus," yet they claimed to have been impressed
+into the British service, and proved conclusively that they were free
+Americans. This was reported to the British minister; and, as he made
+no further protests, it was assumed that he was satisfied.
+
+Some weeks later the vessel left the navy-yard, and dropped down the
+river to Hampton Roads. Even with the long period occupied in
+preparation for sea, the armament of the ship was far from being in
+order; a fact first discovered as she passed Mount Vernon, as she was
+unable to fire the salute with which at that time all passing
+war-vessels did honor to the tomb of Washington. After some days stay
+at Hampton Roads, during which time additional guns and stores were
+taken on, and the crew increased to three hundred and seventy-five
+men, the ship got under way, and started on her voyage.
+
+It was on a breezy morning of June that the "Chesapeake" left the
+broad harbor of Hampton Roads, the scene of so many of our naval
+glories. From the masthead of the frigate floated the broad pennant of
+Commodore Barron, who went out in command of the ship. The decks were
+littered with ropes, lumber, and stores, which had arrived too late to
+be properly stowed away. Some confusion is but natural on a ship
+starting on a cruise which may continue for years, but the condition
+of the "Chesapeake" was beyond all excuse; a fact for which the
+fitting-out officers, not her commander, were responsible.
+
+As the American ship passed out into the open ocean, there was a great
+stir on the decks of four English cruisers that lay quietly at anchor
+in Lynn Haven Bay; and almost immediately one of these vessels hoisted
+her anchor, set her sails, and started out in the track of the
+frigate. A stiff head-wind blowing, the American was forced to tack
+frequently, in order to get ahead; and her officers noticed that the
+British ship (the "Leopard," of fifty guns) tacked at the same time,
+and was evidently following doggedly in the wake of the "Chesapeake."
+No suspicion that the pursuer had other than peaceful motives in view
+entered the minds of the American officers; and the ship kept on her
+course, while the sailors set about putting the decks in order, and
+getting the vessel in trim for her long voyage. While all hands were
+thus busily engaged, the "Leopard" bore down rapidly, and soon hailed,
+saying that she had a despatch for Commodore Barron. The "Chesapeake"
+accordingly hove to, and waited for a boat to be sent aboard.
+
+The two ships now lay broadside to broadside, and only about a half
+pistol-shot apart. No idea that the Englishman had any hostile designs
+seems to have occurred to Commodore Barren; but some of the younger
+officers noticed that the ports of the "Leopard" were triced up, and
+the tompions taken out of the muzzles of the cannon. The latter fact
+was of the gravest import, and should have been reported at once to
+the commander; but it appears that this was not done.
+
+In a few moments a boat put off from the "Leopard," and pulled to the
+American ship, where an officer stood waiting at the gangway, and
+conducted the visitor to Barron's cabin. Here the English lieutenant
+produced an order, signed by the British Admiral Berkeley, commanding
+all British ships to watch for the "Chesapeake," and search her for
+deserters. Commodore Barron immediately responded, that the
+"Chesapeake" harbored no deserters, and he could not permit his crew
+to be mustered by the officer of any foreign power. Hardly had this
+response been made, when a signal from the "Leopard" recalled the
+boarding officer to his ship.
+
+The officers of the "Chesapeake" were now fully aroused to the dangers
+of the situation, and began the attempt to get the ship in readiness
+for action. Commodore Barron, coming out of his cabin for the first
+time, was forcibly struck by the air of preparation for action
+presented by the "Leopard." Capt. Gordon, the second in command, was
+ordered to hasten the work on the gun-deck, and call the crew to
+quarters. The drummers began to beat the call to quarters, but hasty
+orders soon stopped them; and the men went to their places quietly,
+hoping that the threatening attitude of the "Leopard" was mere
+bravado.
+
+The most painful suspense was felt by all on board the American ship.
+The attitude of the "Leopard" left little doubt of her hostile
+intentions, while a glance about the decks of the "Chesapeake" told
+how little fitted she was to enter into action. Her crew was a new
+one, never exercised at the guns, and had been mustered to quarters
+only three times. On the gun-deck lay great piles of cumbrous cables,
+from the coiling of which the men had been summoned by the call to
+quarters. On the after-deck were piles of furniture, trunks, and some
+temporary pantries. What little semblance of order there was, was due
+to the efforts of one of the lieutenants, who, suspecting trouble when
+the "Leopard" first came up, had made great exertions toward getting
+the ship clear. While the captain stood looking ruefully at the
+confusion, still more serious troubles were reported. The guns were
+loaded; but no rammers, powder-flasks, matches, wads, or gun-locks
+could be found. While search was being made for these necessary
+articles, a hail came from the "Leopard." Commodore Barron shouted
+back that he did not understand.
+
+"Commodore Barron must be aware that the orders of the vice-admiral
+must be obeyed," came the hail again.
+
+Barron again responded that he did not understand. After one or two
+repetitions, the British determined to waste no more time in talking;
+and a single shot fired from the bow of the "Leopard" was quickly
+followed by a full broadside. The heavy shot crashed into the sides of
+the "Chesapeake," wounding many of the men, and adding to the
+confusion on the gun-deck. No answer came from the American frigate;
+for, though the guns were loaded, there was no way of firing them.
+Matches, locks, or loggerheads were nowhere to be found. Mad with rage
+at the helpless condition in which they found themselves, the officers
+made every effort to fire at least one volley. Pokers were heated
+red-hot in the galley-fire, and carried hastily to the guns, but
+cooled too rapidly in the rush across the deck. In the mean time, the
+"Leopard," none too chivalric to take advantage of an unresisting foe,
+had chosen her position, and was pouring in a deliberate fire. For
+nearly eighteen minutes the fire was continued, when the flag of the
+"Chesapeake" was hauled down. Just as it came fluttering from the
+masthead, Lieut. Allen, crying, "I'll have one shot at those rascals,
+anyhow," ran to the galley, picked up a live coal in his fingers, and
+carried it, regardless of the pain, to the nearest gun, which was
+successfully discharged. This was the only shot that the "Chesapeake"
+fired during the affair,--battle it cannot be called.
+
+A boat with two British lieutenants and several midshipmen on board
+speedily boarded the "Chesapeake," and the demand for the deserters
+was renewed. Four seamen were seized, and borne away in triumph; but
+the British commander refused to receive the ship as a prize, and even
+went so far as to express his regret at the loss of life, and proffer
+his aid in repairing the damages. Both sympathy and assistance were
+indignantly rejected; and the disgraced ship went sullenly back to
+Norfolk, bearing a sorely mortified body of officers and seamen. Of
+the four kidnapped sailors, it may be stated here, that one was
+hanged, and the other three forced to enter the British service, in
+which one died. His comrades, five years later, were restored to the
+deck of the ship from which they had been taken.
+
+[Illustration: Lieut. Allen Fires A Shot.]
+
+The news of this event spread like wildfire over the country, and
+caused rage and resentment wherever it was known. Cities, towns, and
+villages called for revenge. The President issued a proclamation,
+complaining of the habitual insolence of British cruisers, and
+ordering all such vessels to leave American waters forthwith. As in
+the reduced state of the navy it was impossible to enforce this order,
+he forbade all citizens of the United States to give aid to, or have
+any intercourse with, any such vessels or their crews. War measures
+were taken both by the Federal and State Governments. As usual, the
+popular wrath was vented upon the least culpable of the people
+responsible for the condition of the "Chesapeake." Commodore Barren
+was tried by court-martial, and sentenced to five years' suspension
+from the service, without pay. The cool judgment of later years
+perceives the unjustness of this sentence, but its execution cast a
+deep shadow over the remainder of the unhappy officer's life.
+
+For some years after this episode, little occurred to change the
+relations of the two nations. The war spirit grew slowly, and was kept
+alive by the occasional reports of impressments, or the seizure of
+American ships by British privateers. The navy held its place amid the
+national defences, although a plan devised by President Jefferson came
+near putting an end to the old organization. This plan provided for
+the construction of great numbers of small gunboats, which should be
+stationed along the coast, to be called out only in case of attack by
+an armed enemy. A contemporary writer, describing the beauties of this
+system, wrote, "Whenever danger shall menace any harbor, or any
+foreign ship shall insult us, somebody is to inform the governor, and
+the governor is to desire the marshal to call upon the captains of
+militia to call upon the drummers to beat to arms, and call the
+militia men together, from whom are to be _drafted_ (not impressed) a
+sufficient number to go on board the gunboats, and drive the hostile
+stranger away, unless during this long ceremonial he should have taken
+himself off." Fortunately the gunboat system did not work the total
+extinction of the old navy.
+
+In 1811 the British aggressions began again, and the situation became
+more and more warlike. So bold had the privateers become, that they
+captured a richly laden vessel within thirty miles of New York.
+Shortly after, the British frigate "Guerriere" stopped an American
+brig eighteen miles from New York, and took from her a young sailor.
+The sea was running very rough, and a stiff breeze blowing, when the
+"Spitfire" was halted by the frigate; but the American captain went
+with the captured lad to the war-vessel, and assured the commander
+that he had known the young man as a native of Maine from his boyhood.
+The reply was, "All that may be so; but he has no protection, and that
+is enough for me." With these memories fresh, it is not surprising
+that Americans rejoiced when the news of an encounter terminating in
+favor of the United States ship was received.
+
+On May 7, 1811, the United States frigate "President" was lying
+quietly at anchor off Fort Severn, Annapolis. Every thing betokened a
+state of perfect peace. The muzzles of the great guns were stopped by
+tompions. The ports were down. In the rigging of the vessel hung
+garments drying in the sun. At the side floated half a dozen boats.
+Many of the crew were ashore on leave. The sailing-master was at
+Baltimore, and the chaplain and purser were at Washington. From the
+masthead floated the broad pennant of Commodore Rodgers, but he was
+with his family at Havre de Grace; and the executive officer, Capt.
+Ludlow, was dining on the sloop-of-war "Argus," lying near at hand.
+But the captain's dinner was destined to be interrupted that bright
+May afternoon; for in the midst of the repast a midshipman entered,
+and reported that the commodore's gig was coming up rapidly, with
+Rodgers himself on board. The dinner party was hastily broken up, and
+the captain returned to his ship to receive his superior officer. On
+his arrival, Commodore Rodgers said that he had received orders to
+chase the frigate that had impressed the sailor from the "Spitfire,"
+and insist upon the man's being liberated, if he could prove his
+citizenship. This was good news for every man on the frigate. At last,
+then, the United States was going to protect its sailors.
+
+Three days were spent in getting the crew together and preparing for
+sea; then the stately frigate, with all sails set and colors flying,
+weighed anchor, and stood down the Chesapeake with the intention of
+cruising near New York. She had been out on the open ocean only a day,
+when the lookout, from his perch in the cross-trees, reported a
+strange sail on the horizon. The two vessels approached each other
+rapidly; and, as the stranger drew near, Rodgers saw, by the
+squareness of her yards and the general trim, symmetrical cut of her
+sails, that she was a war-vessel. Perhaps she may be the offender,
+thought he, and watched eagerly her approach.
+
+As the stranger came up, the "President" set her broad pennant and
+ensign; on seeing which the stranger hoisted several signal flags, the
+significance of which was not understood by the Americans. Finding her
+signals unanswered, the stranger wore ship, and bore away to the
+southward, hotly followed by the "President." During all these
+manoeuvres, Rodgers's suspicion of the strange vessel had increased;
+and her apparent flight only convinced him the more of the hostile
+character of the stranger. It was a stern chase and a long one, for at
+the outset the stranger was hull down on the horizon. After an hour it
+became evident that the "President" was gaining, for the hull of the
+fugitive was plainly seen. The breeze then died away, so that night
+had fallen over the waters before the ships were within hailing
+distance.
+
+A little after eight in the evening the "President" was within a
+hundred yards of the chase, which could be seen, a dark mass with
+bright lights shining through the rows of open ports, rushing through
+the water directly ahead. Rodgers sprang upon the taffrail, and
+putting a speaking-trumpet to his lips, shouted, "What ship is that?"
+A dead silence followed. Those on the "President" listened intently
+for the answer; but no sound was heard save the sigh of the wind
+through the cordage, the creaking of the spars, and the rush of the
+water alongside. Rodgers hailed again; and, before the sound of his
+words had died away, a quick flash of fire leaped from the stern-ports
+of the chase, and a shot whizzed through the rigging of the
+"President," doing some slight damage. Rodgers sprang to the deck to
+order a shot in return; but, before he could do so, a too eager gunner
+pulled the lanyard of his piece in the second division of the
+"President's" battery. The enemy promptly answered with three guns,
+and then let fly a whole broadside, with discharges of musketry from
+the deck and the tops. This exhausted Rodgers's patience. "Equally
+determined," said he afterwards, "not to be the aggressor, or to
+suffer the flag of my country to be insulted with impunity, I gave a
+general order to fire." This time there was no defect in the ordnance
+or the gunnery of the American ship. The thunderous broadsides rang
+out at regular intervals, and the aim of the gunners was deliberate
+and deadly. It was too dark to see what effect the fire was having on
+the enemy, but in five minutes her responses began to come slowly and
+feebly. Unwilling to continue his attack on a ship evidently much his
+inferior in size and armament, Rodgers ordered the gunners to cease
+firing; but this had hardly been done when the stranger opened again.
+A second time the guns of the "President" were run out, and again they
+began their cannonade. The stranger was soon silenced again; and
+Commodore Rodgers hailed, that he might learn the name of his
+adversary. In answer came a voice from the other vessel,--
+
+"We are his Majesty's ship ----." A gust of wind carried away the
+name, and Rodgers was still in doubt as to whom he had been fighting.
+Hoisting a number of bright lights in her rigging, that the stranger
+might know her whereabouts, the "President" stood off and on during
+the night, ready to give aid to the disabled ship in case of need.
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Rodgers Hails.]
+
+At early dawn every officer was on deck, anxious to learn the fate of
+their foe of the night before. Far in the distance they could see a
+ship, whose broken cordage and evident disorder showed her to have
+been the other party to the fight. A boat from the "President" visited
+the stranger, to learn her name and to proffer aid in repairing the
+damages received in the action. The ship proved to be the British
+sloop-of-war "Little Belt;" and her captain stated that she was much
+damaged in her masts, sails, rigging, and hull, and had been cut
+several times between wind and water. He declined the proffered aid,
+however, and sailed away to Halifax, the nearest British naval
+station. Commodore Rodgers took the "President" to the nearest
+American port.
+
+When the "President" reached home, and the news of her exploit became
+known, the exultation of the people was great, and their commendations
+of Rodgers loud. "At last," they cried, "we have taught England a
+lesson. The insult to the 'Chesapeake' is now avenged." Rodgers
+protested that he had been forced unwillingly into the combat, but his
+admirers insisted that he had left port with the intention of humbling
+the pride of some British ship. Indeed, the letter of an officer on
+the "President," printed in "The New York Herald" at the time, rather
+supported this theory. "By the officers who came from Washington,"
+wrote this gentleman, "we learn that we are sent in pursuit of a
+British frigate, who had impressed a passenger from a coaster.
+Yesterday, while beating down the bay, we spoke a brig coming up, who
+informed us that she saw the British frigate the day before off the
+very place where we now are; but she is not now in sight. We have made
+the most complete preparations for battle. Every one wishes it. She is
+exactly our force; but we have the "Argus" with us, which none of us
+are pleased with, as we wish a fair trial of courage and skill. Should
+we see her, I have not the least doubt of an engagement. The commodore
+will demand the person impressed; the demand will doubtless be
+refused, and the battle will instantly commence.... The commodore has
+called in the boatswain, gunner, and carpenter, informed them of all
+circumstances, and asked if they were ready for action. Ready, was the
+reply of each."
+
+No consequences beyond an intensifying of the war spirit in America
+followed this rencounter. Before dismissing the subject, however, it
+is but fair to state that the account as given here is in substance
+Commodore Rodgers's version of the matter. The British captain's
+report was quite different. He insisted that the "President" fired
+the first shot, that the action continued nearly an hour, that it was
+his hail to which no attention was paid, and finally he intimated that
+the "President" had rather the worse of the encounter. The last
+statement is easily disproved, for the "President" was almost
+unscathed, and the only injury to her people was the slight wounding
+of a boy, in the hand. On the "Little Belt," thirty-one were killed or
+wounded. The other points led to a simple question of veracity between
+the two officers. Each government naturally accepted the report of its
+officer; and, so far as the governments were concerned, the matter
+soon passed into oblivion.
+
+Not long after this episode, a somewhat similar occurrence took place,
+but was happily attended with no such serious consequences. The
+frigate "United States," cruising under the broad pennant of Commodore
+Decatur, fell in with two British ships near New York. While the
+commanders of the vessels were amicably hailing, a gun was suddenly
+fired from the battery of the "United States," owing to the
+carelessness of a gunner in handling the lanyard. It was a critical
+moment, for the British would have been justified in responding to the
+fire with broadsides. Happily, they were cool and discreet, and
+Decatur made such explanations as showed that no attack or insult was
+intended. This little incident is interesting, as showing the distrust
+of the British which led an American captain to keep his guns primed
+and cocked, while conversing with English men-of-war.
+
+Another incident showed that the hatred of the British service that
+prevailed among seamen was a matter of deep-seated conviction. While
+the United States ship "Essex" was lying in an English port, it became
+known that one of her crew was a deserter from the British navy, and
+his surrender was immediately demanded. Although the man stoutly
+protested that he was an American, yet no proof could be shown; and,
+as the ship was in British waters, it was determined to surrender him.
+A British officer and squad of marines boarded the "Essex" and waited
+on the deck while the sailor went below to get his kit. Bitterly
+complaining of the hardness of his fate, the poor fellow went along
+the gun-decks until he passed the carpenter's bench. His eye fell upon
+an axe; and after a minute's hesitation he stepped to the bench,
+seized the axe in his right hand, and with one blow cut off the left.
+Carrying the severed member in his hand, he again sought the deck and
+presented himself, maimed, bleeding, and forever useless as a sailor,
+to the British officer. Astonished and horrified, that worthy left the
+ship, and the wounded man was sent to the sick-bay. The incident was a
+forcible commentary on the state of the British service at that time,
+and left a deep impression on the minds of all beholders.
+
+In the next contest over deserters, however, the Americans rather
+secured the best of the argument. The "Constitution" was lying at
+anchor in Portsmouth roads, when one of the crew slily slipped
+overboard and swam down with the tide to the British ship "Madagascar"
+that lay at anchor near by. When he had reached the Englishman, he was
+too exhausted to speak; and the officers, supposing that he had fallen
+overboard accidentally, sent word to the "Constitution" that her man
+had been saved, and awaited the orders of his commander. The next
+morning a boat was sent down to the "Madagascar" to fetch the man
+back; but, to the astonishment of the visiting officer, he was told
+that the sailor claimed to be a British subject and wished to escape
+from the American service.
+
+"Have you any evidence," asked the American officer of the British
+admiral, "beyond the man's own word, that he is an Englishman?"
+
+"None whatever, sir," was the response, "but we are obliged to take
+his declaration to that effect."
+
+The American officer returned to his ship, vowing vengeance on the
+harborers of the deserter. His opportunity came that very night.
+
+In the dead watches of the night, when all was still on deck save the
+monotonous tramp of the sentries, there suddenly rang out on the still
+air the sharp crack of a musket. The officer of the deck rushed to see
+what was the matter, and was shown a dark object floating near the
+ship, at which a sentry had fired. A boat was lowered and soon came
+back, bringing in it a sailor who had deserted from the "Madagascar,"
+and reached the "Constitution" by swimming. Capt. Hull asked the
+fellow his nationality.
+
+"Sure, O'im a 'Merricun, your honor," he answered in a rich brogue
+that would have branded him as a Paddy in any part of the world. With
+a twinkle in his eye, Hull sent the Irishman below, and told the
+sailors to take good care of him.
+
+Early in the morning, a boat came from the "Madagascar;" and a trim
+young lieutenant, clambering aboard the American frigate, politely
+requested that the deserter be given up. With great dignity, Capt.
+Hull responded that the man was a citizen of the United States, and
+should have protection. The visiting officer fairly gasped for breath.
+"An American!" he exclaimed. "Why, the man has never been out of
+Ireland except on a British man-of-war."
+
+"Indeed!" responded Hull blandly. "But we have his statement that he
+is an American, and we are obliged to take his declaration to that
+effect." And the man was never given up.
+
+During the day, two British frigates cast anchor so near the
+"Constitution" that Capt. Hull suspected them of hostile intentions,
+and moved his ship to a new anchorage. A frigate followed closely in
+her wake. At eight in the evening, Capt. Hull determined to meet the
+show of force with force. The drums beat, and the men were called to
+quarters. The battle-lanterns were lighted fore and aft. The tops were
+crowded with sailors, armed with short carbines, to pick off the men
+on the enemy's decks. Along the gun-deck stood the men at the guns;
+and an officer, describing the scene, says they took hold of the ropes
+as if they were about to jerk the guns through the ship's sides. All
+were enthusiastic over the prospect of the coming action.
+
+"Now, then, my lads," said an officer to a group of sailors, "if a
+fight comes of this, it will be in the cause of you sailors; and I
+expect you to fight like men."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," was the response. "Let the quarter-deck look out for
+the colors, and we'll keep the guns going."
+
+All the preparations for battle were made openly, and the attitude
+taken by the "Constitution" was an open challenge. No notice of it was
+taken by the British ship; and, after maintaining her hostile attitude
+for some time, the "Constitution" hoisted her anchor, and left the
+harbor.
+
+The time of the formal declaration of war was now rapidly approaching.
+The long diplomatic correspondence between the two nations had failed
+to lead to any amicable solution of the difficulties that were fast
+urging them to war. Great Britain still adhered to her doctrine that a
+man once an Englishman was always an English subject. No action of
+his own could absolve him from allegiance to the flag under which he
+was born. Upon the trade of the United States with France, the English
+looked with much the sentiments with which, during our civil war, we
+regarded the thriving trade driven with the Confederacy by the British
+blockade-runners. Upon these two theories rested the hateful "right of
+search" and the custom of impressment.
+
+It is needless to say that the views of the United States on these
+questions were exactly contrary to those of the English. Such vital
+differences could, then, only be settled by war; and war was
+accordingly declared in June, 1812. It was a bold step for the young
+nation, but there was enough of plausibility in the English claims to
+make it evident that they could never be set aside by diplomacy; and
+so, with hardly a thought of the odds against her, the United States
+dashed in to win justice at the muzzles of her cannon.
+
+That the odds were tremendous, is not to be denied. Of the military
+strength of the two nations, it is not the purpose of this book to
+treat. Indeed, a recountal of the land battles of the war of 1812
+would hardly be pleasant reading for Americans. It was on the sea that
+our laurels were chiefly won. Yet, at the time of the declaration of
+war, the navy of the United States consisted of twenty vessels, of
+which the largest carried forty-four guns, and the majority rated
+under thirty. For years this navy had been a butt of ridicule for all
+the European naval powers. The frigate "Constitution" was scornfully
+termed by an English newspaper "a bunch of pine boards sailing under a
+bit of striped bunting." Not long after the publication of this
+insolent jeer, the "Constitution" sailed into an American port with a
+captured British frigate in tow. Right merrily then did the Americans
+boast of their "bunch of pine boards."
+
+This miniature navy of the United States was about to be pitted
+against the greatest naval power of the world. The rolls of the navy
+of Great Britain bore at this time the names of over one thousand
+ships. Of these, no less than two hundred and fifty-four were
+ships-of-the-line, mounting over seventy-four guns each. Behind this
+great navy were the memories of long years of conquests, of an almost
+undisputed supremacy upon the ocean. Small wonder was it, then, that
+the British laughed at the idea of the Americans giving battle to
+their hitherto unconquered ships.
+
+What, then, was the secret of the success which, as we shall see,
+attended the American arms on the sea? The answer is, that men, not
+ships, carried the day. Yet Great Britain had the more sailors on her
+muster-rolls. True, but they were only too often unwilling slaves.
+Instead of enlisting, like free men, they were hunted down like brutes
+and forced to enter the service. No sailor was safe from the
+press-gang, and even sober citizens were often kidnapped to serve the
+'King' on the ocean. From the ships of other nations, from their homes
+and from taverns, the unlucky sailors were dragged away. Even in the
+streets of populous cities, they were not safe; and it was no uncommon
+sight to see pitched battles being fought between the press-gangs and
+sailors whom they were trying to capture. Generally, the inhabitants
+and landsmen sided with the victims; and a sailor running through the
+streets of the town would be given every assistance by people, who
+filled with obstacles the path of his pursuers. Could he reach the
+water-side, the fugitive would find every boat at his service; while
+his pursuers, on coming up, found every water-man very busy and very
+gruff. But the wonder is, that, with this unjust and repulsive system
+of impressments, the British sailors were so loyal, and fought with
+the dogged courage that they invariably showed.
+
+In the American navy, on the contrary, the enlistments were voluntary.
+The service was popular, and the seamen entered it without the feeling
+of outraged liberty inspired by the British system. Officers were
+readily obtained from the ranks of the adventurous American
+navigators. Officers and men alike often brought into the service
+personal memories of British oppression; and this, with their free and
+independent spirit, enabled them to wage an unequal war with glorious
+results for the supporters of the stars and stripes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+ THE WAR ON THE OCEAN. -- COMMODORE RODGERS'S CRUISE. -- THE
+ LOSS OF THE "NAUTILUS." -- FIRST SUCCESS FOR THE BRITISH. --
+ THE ESCAPE OF THE "CONSTITUTION." -- THE "ESSEX" TAKES THE
+ "ALERT." -- THE "CONSTITUTION AND THE "GUERRIERE."
+
+
+At the time when the declaration of war was made public, a small
+squadron of United States vessels was lying in the port of New York,
+under the command of Commodore Rodgers. The warlike tendency of the
+popular mind had long been evident, and the captain of every
+war-vessel had been for some time making active preparations for
+service. Some apprehension was felt in naval circles, lest the small
+size of the navy should lead the authorities to lay up the vessels in
+port during the continuance of the war. This apprehension was well
+founded; for not only had such a course been debated in the cabinet,
+but orders had been prepared, directing Commodore Rodgers to hold his
+vessels in port. This decision was actively opposed by the officers
+of the navy, who felt that, though inconsiderable in numbers, the
+United States navy could make a brave fight for the honor of the
+nation; and with one accord all protested against the action
+contemplated. Two officers, Capt. Bainbridge and Capt. Stewart, went
+to Washington and sought an interview with the Secretary of the Navy,
+Paul Hamilton, who assured them that the plans of the Government were
+well matured and would not be changed. The United States could not
+afford, said the secretary, that its few frigates and men-of-war
+should be snapped up by the enormous fleets of the British, as would
+surely be the case, if they ventured upon the ocean. But it was not
+intended to materially reduce the lists of naval officers. The
+frigates, with all their loose spars and top-hamper taken down, were
+to be anchored at the entrances of the principal harbors of the
+country, and operated as stationary batteries.
+
+This prospect was far from agreeable to the two officers. It was
+intolerable for them to imagine the graceful frigates, with towering
+masts and snowy canvas, reduced to mere shapeless hulks, and left to
+guard the entrance of a placid harbor. Finding the secretary
+inexorable, they went to the President and put the case before him.
+They assured him, that, small though the list of American ships was,
+it bore the names of vessels able to cope with any thing of their
+class in the British navy. Both officers and seamen were proud of the
+service, and burned to strike a blow for its honor. President Madison
+seemed much impressed by their representations, and agreed to take the
+matter into consideration; and, if it seemed wise, to change the plan.
+But, before any definite action was taken by him, war was declared.
+
+Within an hour after he had received news of the declaration of war,
+Commodore Rodgers had his squadron under way, and dropped down New
+York Bay to the ocean. Under his command were the flag-ship
+"President" of forty-four guns, the "Essex" thirty-two, and the
+"Hornet" eighteen. In the lower bay these vessels were joined by the
+"United States" forty-four, the "Congress" thirty-eight, and the
+"Argus" sixteen. On June 21, 1812, three days after the declaration of
+war, the whole squadron passed Sandy Hook, and stood out into the
+ocean.
+
+It is probable that the remarkable celerity of Commodore Rodgers's
+departure was due, in part, to the fear that the authorities would
+revive the obnoxious order laying up the ships in port. His chief
+object, however, was to overhaul a large fleet of British merchantmen
+that had recently left the West Indies, and, according to all
+calculations, should have been in the vicinity of New York at that
+time. All sail was accordingly crowded upon the ships, and the
+squadron set out in hot pursuit.
+
+For two days the monotony of the horizon was broken by no sail; but on
+the third a ship was espied in the distance, which was made out to be
+an enemy's frigate, after which chase was made by the whole squadron.
+A fresh breeze was blowing, and both chase and pursuers were running
+free before the wind. As sail after sail was crowded upon the ships,
+the smaller vessels, with their lesser expanse of canvas, began to
+fall behind; and in a few hours the frigate "President" had gradually
+drawn away from the fleet, and was rapidly gaining on the enemy. The
+sail had been spied at six o'clock in the morning, and at four P.M.
+the flag-ship had come within gunshot of the chase. The wind then
+fell; and the chase, being long out of port and light, began to gain
+on her heavier adversary. Both vessels now began to prepare for a
+little gunnery. On the English vessel, which proved to be the
+"Belvidera," thirty-six, the sailors were busily engaged in shifting
+long eighteens and carronades to the stern, making a battery of
+stern-chasers mounting four guns.
+
+The action was opened by a gun from the bow of the "President,"
+sighted and fired by Commodore Rodgers himself; so that this officer
+may be said to have fired the first gun of the war. His shot was a
+good one, hulling the enemy. A second shot from one of the guns of the
+first division broke off the muzzle of one of the "Belvidera's"
+stern-chasers; and a third shot, fired by Commodore Rodgers, crashed
+into the stern of the chase, killing two men, and wounding several
+others. Certainly in their first action the Yankees showed no lack of
+skill in gunnery.
+
+The chase was slow in responding to the fire; and although her
+commander, Capt. Byron, sighted the guns for the first few discharges
+himself, his aim was by no means so good as that of the Americans. The
+British showed great energy, however, in defending their ship. Not
+content with the stern guns already mounted, they shifted to the stern
+ports two long eighteen-pounders on the main deck, and two
+thirty-two-pound carronades on the quarter-deck. With these they kept
+up a brisk fire, which soon became effective, many shots cutting the
+rigging of the "President," while one plunged down upon the deck,
+killing a midshipman and two or three men. But the superiority of the
+American gunnery was beginning to tell, when, at a critical moment, a
+main-deck gun, on the "President," burst with a stunning report; and
+the flying fragments killed or wounded sixteen men. The force of the
+explosion shattered the forecastle deck. Commodore Rodgers was thrown
+high into the air, and, falling heavily on the deck, suffered a
+painful fracture of the leg. The crew was at once thrown into
+confusion and almost panic. Every gun was looked upon with suspicion.
+Encouraged by this confusion, the enemy worked his stern guns with
+renewed vigor, and at the same time lightened his ship by cutting away
+boats and anchors, and starting fourteen tons of water. Thus
+lightened, she began to draw away from the "President;" perceiving
+which, the latter ship yawed several times, and let fly full
+broadsides at the escaping chase. The shot rattled among the spars of
+the "Belvidera," but the nimble topmen quickly repaired all damages;
+and the British ship slowly but steadily forged ahead. Seeing no hope
+of overtaking her, Rodgers ordered the chase abandoned; and the
+American squadron again took up its search for the fleet of British
+merchantmen.
+
+But this, the first cruise of the United States navy in the war was
+destined to be a disappointment to all concerned. The key-note set by
+the affair just related--in which the "President" lost twenty-two men,
+and permitted her adversary to escape--was continued throughout the
+voyage. Always finding traces of the enemy they were seeking, the
+Americans never succeeded in overhauling him. One day great quantities
+of orange-peel, cocoanut-shells, and similar fragments of tropical
+fruits gave the jackies assurance of the proximity of the long-sought
+enemy, and urged them on to renewed energy and watchfulness. Then the
+master of an English letter-of-marque, captured by the "Hornet,"
+reported that the day before he had passed a fleet of eighty-five
+sail, of which four were men-of-war. That night there was no room in
+the minds of the sailors for any thoughts other than those of big
+prize-money. But their golden dreams were never to be fulfilled; for,
+although the chase was continued until within a day's run of the
+English Channel, no sight of the Jamaica fleet was ever gained.
+Abandoning this chase, the squadron returned to Boston by a Southern
+route; and, although constantly in the very highway of commerce, few
+sails were sighted. When port was reached, the results of a cruise
+that had occupied seventy days amounted only to the capture of one
+letter-of-marque, seven merchantmen, and the recapture of one American
+ship. But Rodgers heard, that, while he had been scouring the ocean
+with such meagre results, events of more importance had occurred
+nearer home.
+
+[Illustration: Explosion On The "President."]
+
+The British ship "Belvidera," after her lucky escape from the
+"President," had made her way to Halifax, the chief naval station of
+Great Britain on the American coast. Her report was the first news of
+the declaration of war, for at that day news travelled slowly. Once
+alarmed, the British were prompt to act; and in a few days a squadron
+left Halifax in search of Commodore Rodgers. The force thus hurriedly
+gathered was quite formidable. The "Africa" of sixty-four guns, the
+"Shannon," thirty-eight, the "Guerriere," thirty-eight, the
+"Belvidera," thirty-six, and the "AEolus," thirty-two, made up the
+fleet despatched to chastise the headstrong Americans for their
+attempt to dispute with Great Britain the mastery of the ocean. Early
+in July, this force made its appearance off New York, and quickly made
+captures enough to convince the American merchantmen that a season in
+port was preferable to the dangers of the high seas in war-times. To
+this same fleet belongs the honor of the first capture of a war-vessel
+during the war; for the American brig "Nautilus," fourteen guns, was
+suddenly overhauled by the entire fleet, and captured after a plucky
+but unavailing attempt at flight.
+
+Fourteen-gun brigs, however, were rather small game for a squadron
+like that of the British; and it is probable that His Britannic
+Majesty's officers were heartily glad, when, some days, later the
+United States frigate "Constitution" hove in sight, under
+circumstances which seemed certain to make her an easy prey to the
+five British ships.
+
+It was on the 17th of July, 1812, that the "Constitution," after
+receiving a new crew at Annapolis, was standing northward under easy
+sail on her way to New York. About noon four sails were sighted on the
+horizon, and an hour later the appearance of a fifth sail was duly
+reported. A careful scrutiny of the strangers convinced Capt. Hull
+that they were men-of-war, although their nationality could not be
+determined. Night fell before the ships could come within hailing
+distance; and, though Hull set private signals, no answer was
+returned. When day broke, Hull found himself fairly surrounded by
+British frigates. In addition to the squadron which has been described
+as leaving Halifax, there was the captured "Nautilus" with her guns
+turned against her own nation, and a captured American schooner which
+had been likewise pressed into the service. Clearly the "Constitution"
+was outnumbered, and nothing was left for her but flight.
+
+The events of that three days' chase are told with great minuteness in
+the log-book of the "Constitution" to which many of those on board
+have, in later publications, added more interesting personal
+reminiscences. When the rising mists showed how completely the
+American frigate was hemmed in, hardly a breath of air was stirring.
+Although every sail was set on the ship, yet she had not steerage way;
+and Hull ordered out the boats, to pull the ship's head around and tow
+her out of range of her enemies. At the same time, gangs of sailors
+with axes cut away the woodwork about the cabin windows, and mounted
+two stern guns in the cabin and one on the upper deck. The enemy, in
+the mean time, were keeping up a vigorous fire, but without effect.
+Their ships were rapidly gaining, as they were enabled to set the
+boats of the whole squadron to towing the two foremost vessels. Hull
+saw that some new means of getting ahead must be devised.
+
+Soundings were taken, and the ship found to be in twenty-six fathoms
+of water. All the available rope in the ship was then bent on to a
+kedge and carried far ahead, when the kedge was lowered to the bottom.
+The sailors then shipped their capstan-bars, and tramped about the
+capstan, until the ship was dragged up to the kedge, which was then
+hoisted and again carried ahead and let fall. This manoeuvre was
+repeated several times with marked success; for the "Constitution" was
+rapidly drawing away from her pursuers, who could not discover her
+means of propulsion. Out of sight of land as they were, the British
+did not for some time suspect the true cause of the sudden speed of
+the fugitive. When, after long scrutiny through their marine-glasses,
+they finally did discover the stratagem, the "Constitution" was far
+ahead; and though the pursuers adopted the same device, yet their
+awkwardness was so great, that even the superior force they were
+enabled to employ did not bring them up to their chase.
+
+While the ships were thus being urged on by towing, kedging, and
+occasionally by sweeps, an intermittent fire was kept up by the
+British, and responded to by the "Constitution" from her stern ports.
+The guns which had been mounted by the Americans in the cabin, they
+were soon forced to abandon, as the explosions threatened to blow out
+the whole stern frame. With the stern-chasers on the gun-deck,
+however, a constant fire was maintained, in the hopes of crippling the
+enemy by a lucky shot.
+
+For more than forty-eight hours the chase maintained this aspect of
+monotony. A dead calm prevailed the greater part of the time.
+Occasionally, light breezes filled the sails, and wafted the ships
+ahead for a few minutes; then, dying away, left the sea unruffled,
+and the sails flapping idly against the masts. British historians
+concur with those of our own country, in saying that the
+"Constitution," in seizing the advantages of the breeze, showed far
+better seamanship than did her enemies. While the British vessels lay
+to, to pick up their boats, the "Constitution" forged ahead, picking
+up her boats while under way. Later in the chase, the British totally
+abandoned their boats, and, when the American frigate had fairly
+escaped them, went about for some days picking up such boats as were
+found drifting on the broad ocean.
+
+The morning of the second day of the chase dawned with a light breeze
+ruffling the water, and filling out the sails of the ships. Before the
+breeze died away, which it did in a few hours, the "Constitution" had
+gained on her pursuers so that she led them by more than four miles.
+Then the calm again held the ships quiet; and again the Americans saw
+their enemies closing in upon them by the aid of sweeps, and towing
+with their boats. There was little rest for the crew of the American
+frigate. On the gun-deck, about the carriages of the great cannon, lay
+such of the men as were not assigned to duty in the boats or at the
+capstan. Wearied with the constant strain, they fell asleep as soon as
+relieved from active duty; though they knew that from that sleep they
+might be awakened to plunge into the fierce excitement of desperate
+battle. Exhausted as the men were, their officers were forced to
+endure a still more fearful strain. No sleep came to the eyelids of
+Capt. Hull, throughout the chase. Now encouraging the men, now
+planning a new ruse to deceive the enemy, ever watchful of the
+pursuing ships, and ready to take advantage of the slightest breath of
+air, Capt. Hull and his able first lieutenant Morris showed such
+seamanship as extorted admiration even from the British, who were
+being baffled by their nautical skill.
+
+By skilful manoeuvring, the Americans managed to keep to the windward
+of their enemies throughout the chase; and to this fact the success of
+Capt. Hull's most astute stratagem was due. Ever alert for any sign of
+a coming breeze, he saw on the water far to windward that rippling
+appearance that betokens the coming of a puff. Hull determined to
+utilize it for himself, and, if possible, trick the British so that
+they would lose all benefit of the breeze. The clouds that were coming
+up to windward seemed to threaten a squall, and driving sheets of
+rain were rapidly advancing toward the ship. With great ostentation,
+the "Constitution" was made ready for a severe gale. The enemy could
+see the nimble sailors taking in sail, and furling all the lighter
+canvas. Then the driving rain swept over the ship, and she was shut
+out of sight. Immediately all was activity in the tops of the British
+frigates. Reefs were rapidly taken in the larger sails, while many
+were closely furled. All forsook their course, and steered in
+different directions in preparation for the coming squall, which,
+indeed, was far less violent than the action of the "Constitution"
+seemed to indicate. But the shrewd Yankees on that craft, protected
+from spying British eyes by the heavy rain, were now shaking out the
+reefs they had just set; and under full sail the ship was soon flying
+away towards home. After an hour of driving thunder-shower, the clouds
+passed by; and the wall-like edge of the shower could be seen moving
+rapidly away before the wind. The tars on the "Constitution" watched
+eagerly to see the British fleet appear. Farther and farther receded
+the gray curtain, and yet no ships could be seen. "Where are they?"
+was the thought of every eager watcher on the deck of the
+"Constitution." At last they appeared, so far in the distance as to be
+practically out of the chase. Two were even hull down; while one was
+barely visible, a mere speck on the horizon.
+
+Though now hopelessly distanced, the British did not give up the
+pursuit, but held valiantly on after the American frigate. She had so
+long been within their very grasp that it was a bitter disappointment
+for them to be balked of their prey. But, as the wind now held, the
+American gained on them so rapidly that at last they unwillingly
+abandoned the chase; and, disbanding the fleet, each ship set off on
+an individual cruise, in the hopes that the enemy which had shown such
+ability in flight when overpowered would not deign to fly if
+encountered by a single hostile ship. This expectation was fully
+realized some weeks later, when the "Constitution" fell in with the
+British frigate "Guerriere."
+
+Thus, after a chase of more than sixty-four hours, the "Constitution"
+evaded her pursuers, and made her way to Boston. Although they reaped
+no glory by their labors, the British did not come out of the chase
+altogether empty-handed. As the course of the vessels was along the
+New England coast, they were in the direct path of American commerce;
+and more than one wretched coaster fell into their clutches. At one
+time, a fine, full-rigged ship, flying the stars and stripes, came
+within sight; and the British, to lure her to her destruction, hoisted
+the American flag over all their vessels. But Hull was a match for
+them at strategy; and he promptly set the British colors at his
+masthead, and began so vigorous a cannonade that the stranger
+concluded that a merchantman had no business in that quarter, even
+though the Americans did appear to be rather in the majority.
+
+By his able seamanship in this chase Capt. Hull gained for himself a
+national reputation. The newspapers of the day vied with each other in
+pointing out the manoeuvres in which he had excelled his enemies,--how
+he had picked up his boats while under way, though the enemy were
+forced to cut theirs adrift; how he had come out of the chase without
+injury, and after parting with only a few gallons of water, though a
+less cool-headed commander would have thrown overboard guns,
+ammunition, and every thing movable, in the face of so great a danger.
+A modest sailor, as well as a skilful one, Capt. Hull showed himself
+to be; for, while the popular adulation was at its height, he inserted
+a card in the books of the Exchange Coffee-House at Boston, begging
+his friends to "make a transfer of a great part of their good wishes
+to Lieut. Morris and the other brave officers and crew under his
+command, for their very great exertions and prompt attention to orders
+while the enemy were in chase."
+
+Leaving the "Constitution" thus snugly in port at Boston, we will turn
+aside to follow the fortunes of a ship, which, though belated in
+getting out to sea, yet won the honor of capturing the first British
+war-vessel taken during the war.
+
+When Commodore Rodgers set sail from New York with his squadron, in
+the fruitless pursuit of the fleet of Jamaica men, he left in the
+harbor the small frigate "Essex," under the command of Capt. David
+Porter. The ship was thoroughly dismantled,--stripped of her rigging,
+her hold broken out, and provided neither with armament, ammunition,
+nor crew. Her captain, however, was a man of indomitable energy; and
+by dint of much hard work, and constant appeals to the authorities at
+Washington, he managed to get his ship in order, and leave the harbor
+within a fortnight after the departure of the squadron under Rodgers's
+command.
+
+The "Essex" was a small frigate, lightly sparred, rating as a
+thirty-two-gun ship, but mounting twenty-six guns only, of which six
+were twelve-pounders, and the remainder carronades of thirty-two
+pounds. A carronade is a short cannon of large calibre, but of very
+short range. Capt. Porter protested vigorously against being furnished
+with a battery so useless except at close quarters: but his protests
+were unheeded; and the "Essex" put to sea, trusting to her ability to
+get alongside the enemy, where her carronades would be of some use.
+
+Among the midshipmen who bunked, messed, and skylarked together in the
+steerage of the "Essex," was one lad whose name in later days was to
+be inscribed on the roll of the greatest naval heroes of history.
+David Glasgow Farragut was a child of seven years of age when he was
+adopted by Capt. Porter, and began his training for a naval career. In
+1810 the boy secured his appointment of midshipman; and now, in 1812,
+we find him enrolled among the "young gentlemen" who followed the
+fortunes of the "Essex." In those days the midshipmen were often mere
+boys. Farragut himself was then but eleven years old. But, boys as
+they were, they ordered the hardy old tars about, and strutted the
+streets when on shore-leave with all the dignity of veterans.
+
+That the discipline of the "Essex" was of the strictest, and that the
+efficiency of her crew was above criticism, we have the testimony of
+Farragut himself to prove. "Every day," he writes, "the crew were
+exercised at the great guns, small arms, and single stick; and I may
+here mention the fact, that I have never been on a ship where the crew
+of the old "Essex" was represented, but that I found them to be the
+best swordsmen on board. They had been so thoroughly trained as
+boarders, that every man was prepared for such an emergency, with his
+cutlass as sharp as a razor, a dirk made by the ship's armorer out of
+a file, and a pistol."
+
+Hardly were the Highlands of Navesink lost to sight below the horizon,
+when Porter began to receive evidences that his cruise was to be a
+lucky one. Several brigs were captured, and sent into New York; but
+the tars of the "Essex" were beginning to grow weary of small game,
+and hoped, each time a sail was sighted, that it might be a British
+man-of-war. At last a small squadron hove into sight, the appearance
+of which seemed to indicate that the jackies might smell gunpowder to
+their hearts content before the next day.
+
+It was late at night when the strange fleet was sighted; and the
+"Essex" was soon running down upon them, before a fresh breeze.
+Although the moon was out, its light was obscured by dense masses of
+cloud, that were driven rapidly across the sky; while over the water
+hung a light haze, that made difficult the discovery of objects at any
+distance. The "Essex" soon came near enough to the squadron to
+ascertain that it was a fleet of British merchantmen and transports
+convoyed by a frigate and bomb-vessel. The frigate was at the head of
+the line; and the "Essex," carefully concealing her hostile character,
+clapped on all sail and pressed forward, in the hopes of bringing on
+an action. After passing the hindermost transport, however, the
+American ship was hailed by a second transport, which soon suspected
+her hostile character and threatened to give the alarm. Instantly the
+ports of the "Essex" were knocked out, the guns trained on the enemy,
+and the transport was ordered to haul out of the line at once, and
+silently, under penalty of being fired into. The defenceless ship
+complied, and was at once taken possession of, and the soldiers on
+board were transferred to the "Essex." This operation took so much
+time, that, by the time it was concluded, day dawned over the ocean;
+and the attack upon the British frigate was abandoned.
+
+Again the "Essex" continued her cruise in search of an enemy worthy of
+her metal. For two or three days she beat about the ocean in the usual
+track of ships, without sighting a single sail. The ship had been so
+disguised, that the keenest-eyed lookout would never have taken her
+for a ship-of-war. The top-gallant masts were housed, the ports of the
+gun-deck closed in, and her usually trim cordage and nicely squared
+yards were now set in a way that only the most shiftless of merchant
+skippers would tolerate. Not many days passed before the enemy fell
+into the trap thus set for him.
+
+When on the 13th of August Capt. Porter learned that a sail to
+windward, apparently a British man-of-war, was bearing down upon the
+"Essex," he carried his little bit of acting still further. Instead of
+the great crowd of agile sailors that spring into the rigging of a
+man-of-war, at the order to make sail, only a handful, in obedience to
+Porter's orders, awkwardly set on the "Essex" all the sail she would
+carry. Two long, heavy cables dragging in the water astern so retarded
+the ship, that the stranger, coming down gallantly, thought he had
+fallen in with a lumbering old American merchantman, which was making
+frantic, but futile, efforts to escape.
+
+Had the British captain been able to look behind the closed ports of
+the "Essex," he would have formed a very different idea of the
+character of his chase. He would have seen a roomy gun-deck,
+glistening with that whiteness seen only on the decks of well-kept
+men-of-war. Down either side of the deck stretched a row of heavy
+carronades, each with its crew of gunners grouped about the breech,
+and each shotted and primed ready for the opening volley. From the
+magazine amidships, to the gun-deck, reached a line of stewards,
+waiters, and cooks, ready to pass up cartridges; for on a man-of-war,
+in action, no one is an idler. Active boys were skurrying about the
+deck, barefooted, and stripped to the waist. These were the "powder
+monkeys," whose duty it would be, when the action opened, to take the
+cartridges from the line of powder-passers and carry it to the guns.
+On the spar-deck, only a few sailors and officers were visible to the
+enemy; but under the taffrail lay crouched scores of blue-uniformed
+jackies, with smooth-faced middies and veteran lieutenants, ready to
+spring into the rigging at the word of command, or to swarm over the
+side and board the enemy, should the gunwales of the vessels touch.
+
+All this preparation, however, was unknown to the "Englishman," who
+came boldly on, doubting nothing that the "Essex" would that day be
+added to his list of prizes. As he drew nearer, the American sailors
+could see that their foe was much their inferior in size and armament;
+and the old tars who had seen service before growled out their
+dissatisfaction, that the action should be nothing but a scrimmage
+after all. In a few minutes, the bold Britons gave three ringing
+cheers, and let fly a broadside at the "Essex." In an instant the
+ports of the sham merchantman were knocked out; and, with a warlike
+thunder, the heavy carronades hurled their ponderous missiles against
+the side of the assailant. The astonished Englishmen replied feebly,
+but were quickly driven from their posts by the rapidity of the
+American fire; and, in eight minutes after the action was opened, the
+British hauled down their flag. The captured ship proved to be the
+sloop-of-war "Alert," mounting twenty eighteen-pounder carronades. The
+boarding officer found her badly cut up, and seven feet of water in
+the hold. The officers were transferred to the "Essex," and the
+"Alert" taken in tow. Circumstances, however, forced the Americans to
+part in a very few days.
+
+The chief cause which led to the separation of the two vessels was an
+incipient mutiny, which was discovered by Midshipman Farragut, and was
+only averted by the perfect discipline of the American crew. An
+exercise to which the greatest attention was given was the
+"fire-drill." When the cry of fire was raised on the ship, every man
+seized his cutlass and blanket, and went to quarters as though the
+ship were about to go into action. Capt. Porter was accustomed, that
+his men might be well prepared for any emergency, to raise this cry of
+fire at all hours of the night; and often he caused a slight smoke to
+be created in the hold, further to try the nerves of his men. Shortly
+after the "Alert" was captured, and while the "Essex" was crowded with
+prisoners, some of the captives conspired to seize the ship, and carry
+her to England. One night, as Farragut was sleeping in his hammock, a
+strange feeling of fear came over him; and he opened his eyes to find
+the coxswain of the captain's gig of the "Alert" standing over him
+with a pistol in his hand. The boy knew him to be a prisoner, and,
+seeing him armed, was convinced that something was wrong. Expecting
+every moment to be killed, he lay still in his hammock, until the man
+turned on his heel and walked away. Then Farragut slipped out, and ran
+to the captain's cabin to report the incident. Porter rushed upon the
+berth-deck in an instant. "Fire! fire!" shouted he at the top of his
+voice; and in an instant the crew were at their quarters, in perfect
+order. The mutineers thought that a bad time for their project, and it
+was abandoned. The next day the prisoners were sent on board the
+"Alert," and that vessel sent into St. Johns as a cartel.
+
+The capture of the "Alert" reflected no great glory upon the
+Americans, for the immense superiority of the "Essex" rendered her
+success certain. It is, however, of interest as being the first
+capture of a British war-vessel. The action made the honors easy
+between the two nations; for while the Americans had the "Alert," the
+British were captors of the brig "Nautilus." This equality was not of
+long duration, however; for an action soon followed which set all
+America wild with exultation.
+
+After her escape from the British fleet, the "Constitution" remained
+at Boston only a few days, and then set out on a cruise to the
+eastward along the New England coast. Bad luck seemed to follow her,
+and she had reached a point off Cape Sable before she made a prize.
+Here two or three prizes of little value were taken; and an English
+sloop-of-war was forced to relinquish an American brig, which had been
+recently captured. Shortly afterwards, a Salem privateer was
+overhauled, the captain of which reported an English frigate cruising
+in the neighborhood; and Capt. Hull straightway set out to discover
+the enemy.
+
+The frigate which had been sighted by the Salem privateer, and for
+which Hull was so eagerly seeking, was the "Guerriere," a
+thirty-eight-gun ship commanded by Capt. Dacres. With both ship and
+captain, Capt. Hull had previously had some little experience. The
+"Guerriere" was one of the ships in the squadron from which the
+"Constitution" had so narrowly escaped a few weeks before, while Capt.
+Dacres was an old acquaintance. A story current at the time relates,
+that, before the war, the "Guerriere" and the "Constitution" were
+lying in the Delaware; and the two captains, happening to meet at some
+entertainment on shore, fell into a discussion over the merits of
+their respective navies. Although even then the cloud of war was
+rising on the horizon, each was pleasant and good-natured; and the
+discussion assumed no more serious form than lively banter.
+
+"Well," said Hull at last, "you may just take good care of that ship
+of yours, if ever I catch her in the 'Constitution.'"
+
+Capt. Dacres laughed good-humoredly, and offered to bet a sum of
+money, that in the event of a conflict his confident friend would find
+himself the loser.
+
+"No," said Hull, "I'll bet no money on it; but I will stake you a hat,
+that the 'Constitution' comes out victorious."
+
+"Done," responded Dacres; and the bet was made. War was soon declared;
+and, as it happened, the two friends were pitted against each other
+early in the hostilities.
+
+It was not long after the American frigate parted from the privateer
+when the long-drawn hail of "Sail ho-o-o!" from the lookout aloft
+announced the discovery of another vessel. The course of the
+"Constitution" was at once shaped toward the stranger. In half an hour
+she was made out to be a frigate, and from her actions was evidently
+anxious to come alongside the American ship. As more than an hour must
+elapse before the ships could come together, Capt. Hull made his
+preparations for action with the greatest deliberation. The
+top-gallant sails were furled, and the lighter spars lowered to the
+deck. Through their glasses, the officers could see the enemy making
+similar preparations, and waiting deliberately for the "Constitution"
+to come down.
+
+At five o'clock in the afternoon the two ships were rapidly nearing,
+and the drums on the American frigate beat to quarters. Then followed
+the rush of barefooted men along the deck, as they ran hastily, but in
+perfect order, to their stations. As the roll of the drums died away,
+the shrill voices of the boyish midshipmen arose, calling off the
+quarter-bills, and answered by the gruff responses of the men at their
+posts. Every man, from the cook to the captain, knew his place, and
+hurried to it. The surgeon, with his assistants, descended to the
+cock-pit. The carpenter and his mates made ready their felt-covered
+plugs, for stopping holes made by the enemy's shot. The topmen
+clambered to their posts in the rigging, led by the midshipmen who
+were to command them. The line of powder-passers was formed; and the
+powder-monkeys gave up skylarking, and began to look sober at the
+thought of the business in hand.
+
+The "Guerriere" was not behindhand in her preparations for action.
+Capt. Dacres had suspected the character of the American vessel, from
+the first moment she had been sighted. On board the English frigate
+was Capt. William B. Orne, a Marblehead sailor who had been captured
+by the "Guerriere" some days before. "Capt. Dacres seemed anxious to
+ascertain her character," wrote Capt. Orne, shortly after the battle,
+"and after looking at her for that purpose, handed me his spy-glass,
+requesting me to give him my opinion of the stranger. I soon saw, from
+the peculiarity of her sails and her general appearance, that she was
+without doubt an American frigate, and communicated the same to Capt.
+Dacres. He immediately replied, that he thought she came down too
+boldly for an American; but soon after added, 'The better he behaves,
+the more credit we shall gain by taking him.'
+
+"The two ships were rapidly approaching each other, when the
+'Guerriere' backed her main topsail, and waited for her opponent to
+come down and commence the action. He then set an English flag at each
+masthead, beat to quarters, and made ready for the fight.
+
+"When the strange frigate came down to within two or three miles
+distant, he hauled upon the wind, took in all his light sails, reefed
+his topsails, and deliberately prepared for action. It was now about
+five in the afternoon, when he filled away and ran down for the
+'Guerriere.' At this moment Capt. Dacres said politely to me, 'Capt.
+Orne, as I suppose you do not wish to fight against your own
+countrymen, you are at liberty to retire below the water-line,' It was
+not long after this, before I retired from the quarter-deck to the
+cock-pit." It may be well here to supplement Capt. Orne's narrative by
+the statement that Capt. Dacres, with a chivalric sense of justice not
+common in the British navy of that day, allowed ten American sailors
+who had been impressed into his crew to leave their quarters and go
+below, that they might not fight against their country. Though an
+enemy, he was both gallant and generous.
+
+The action was opened by the "Guerriere" with her weather broadside;
+the shot of which all falling short, she wore around, and let fly her
+port broadside, sending most of the shot through her enemy's rigging,
+though two took effect in the hull. In response to this, the
+"Constitution" yawed a little, and fired two or three of her bow-guns;
+after which the "Guerriere" again opened with broadsides. In this way
+the battle continued for about an hour; the American ship saving her
+fire, and responding to the heavy broadsides with an occasional shot.
+
+During this ineffectual firing, the two ships were continually drawing
+nearer together, and the gunners on the "Constitution" were becoming
+more and more restive under their inaction. Capt. Hull was pacing the
+quarter-deck with short, quick steps, trying to look cool, but
+inwardly on fire with excitement. As the shot of the enemy began to
+take effect, and the impatience of the gunners grew more intense,
+Lieut. Morris, the second in command, asked leave to respond with a
+broadside.
+
+"Not yet," responded Capt. Hull with cool decision. Some minutes
+later, the request was repeated, and met with the same response, while
+the captain never ceased his pacing of the deck. When within about
+half pistol-shot, another broadside came from the "Guerriere." Then
+the smothered excitement in Hull's breast broke out.
+
+"Now, boys, pour it into them!" he shouted at the top of his lungs,
+gesticulating with such violence that the tight breeches of his naval
+uniform split clear down the side. Lieut. Morris seconded the captain
+in cheering on the crew.
+
+"Hull her, boys! Hull her!" he shouted; and the crew, catching up the
+cry, made the decks ring with shouts of "Hull her!" as they rapidly
+loaded and let fly again.
+
+[Illustration: "Hull Her, Boys!"]
+
+The effect of their first broadside was terrific. Deep down in the
+cock-pit of the "Guerriere," Capt. Orne, who had been listening to the
+muffled thunder of the cannonade at long range, suddenly "heard a
+tremendous explosion from the opposing frigate. The effect of her shot
+seemed to make the 'Guerriere' reel and tremble, as though she had
+received the shock of an earthquake. Immediately after this, I heard a
+tremendous shock on deck, and was told that the mizzen-mast was shot
+away. In a few moments afterward, the cock-pit was filled with wounded
+men."
+
+Though in his retreat in the cock-pit the captive American could hear
+the roar of the cannon, and see the ghastly effects of the flying
+missiles, he could form but a small idea of the fury of the conflict
+which was raging over his head. Stripped to the waist, and covered
+with the stains of powder and of blood, the gunners on the two ships
+pulled fiercely at the gun-tackle, and wielded the rammers with
+frantic energy; then let fly the death-dealing bolt into the hull of
+an enemy only a few yards distant. The ships were broadside to
+broadside, when the Englishman's mizzen-mast was shot away, and fell,
+throwing the topmen far out into the sea. The force of the great spar
+falling upon the deck made a great breach in the quarter of the ship;
+and, while the sailors were clearing away the wreck, the
+"Constitution" drew slowly ahead, pouring in several destructive
+broadsides, and then luffed slowly, until she lay right athwart the
+enemy's bow. While in this position, the long bowsprit of the
+"Guerriere" stretched far across the quarter-deck of the American
+ship, and was soon fouled in the mizzen-rigging of the latter vessel.
+Then the two ships swung helplessly around, so that the bow of the
+Englishman lay snugly against the port-quarter of the Yankee craft.
+Instantly, from the deck of each ship rang out the short, sharp blare
+of the bugle, calling away the boarders, who sprang from their guns,
+seized their heavy boarding caps and cutlasses, and rushed to the
+side. But a heavy sea was rolling and tossing the two frigates, so
+that boarding seemed impossible; and, as Dacres saw the crowd of men
+ready to receive his boarders, he called them back to the guns.
+Although each party stuck to its own ship, the fighting was almost
+hand to hand. Pistols were freely used; and from the tops rained down
+a ceaseless hail of leaden missiles, one of which wounded Capt. Dacres
+slightly. So near to each other were the combatants, that the commands
+and the cries of rage and pain could be heard above the deep-toned
+thunder of the great guns and the ceaseless rattle of the musketry.
+The protruding muzzles of the guns often touched the sides of the
+opposing ship; and when the cannon were drawn in for loading, the
+sailors on either side thrust muskets and pistols through the ports,
+and tried to pick off the enemy at his guns.
+
+While the fight was thus raging, a cry of "Fire!" horrified every one
+on the "Constitution." Flames were seen coming from the windows of the
+cabin, which lay directly beneath the bow-guns of the "Guerriere." The
+fire had been set by the flash from the enemy's cannon, so close were
+the two ships together. By the strenuous exertions of the men on duty
+in the cabin, the flames were extinguished, and this, the greatest of
+all dangers, averted. Shortly after, the gun which had caused the
+trouble was disabled by a skilful shot from one of the Yankee's guns.
+
+While the flames in the cabin were being extinguished, the Americans
+were making a valiant attempt to board and Lieut. Morris with his own
+hands was attempting to lash the two ships together. Abandoning this
+attempt, he leaped upon the taffrail, and called upon his men to
+follow him. Lieut. Bush of the marines, and Mr. Alwyn, were soon at
+the side of the intrepid officer, when, at a sudden volley of musketry
+from the British, all three fell back, poor Bush dead, and the two
+others badly wounded. The ships then drifted asunder; and the
+"Guerriere's" foremast was shot away, and dragged down the main-mast
+with it in its fall. The shattered ship now lay a shapeless hulk,
+tossing on the waves, but still keeping a British ensign defiantly
+flying from the stump of her fallen mizzen-mast.
+
+The "Constitution" drew away, firing continually, and soon secured a
+raking position; seeing which, the British hauled down their colors.
+Lieut. Read was sent on board the prize, and, on the appearance of
+Capt. Dacres, said,--
+
+"Capt. Hull presents his compliments, sir, and wishes to know if you
+have struck your flag."
+
+Dacres looked significantly at the shattered masts of his ship, and
+responded dryly,--
+
+"Well, I don't know. Our mizzen-mast is gone, our main-mast is gone;
+and I think, on the whole, you may say that we have struck our flag."
+
+After looking about the ship, the boarding officer stepped to the
+side, to return to his own vessel. Before leaving, he said to Capt.
+Dacres,--
+
+"Would you like the assistance of a surgeon, or surgeon's mate, in
+caring for your wounded?"
+
+Dacres looked surprised, and responded,--
+
+"Well, I should suppose you had on board your own ship business enough
+for all your medical officers."
+
+"Oh, no!" answered Read. "We have only seven wounded, and they have
+been dressed long ago."
+
+Dacres was astounded, as well he might be; for on the decks of his
+ship lay twenty-three dead or mortally wounded men, while the surgeons
+were doing their best to alleviate the sufferings of fifty-six
+wounded, among whom were several officers. Indeed, the ship looked
+like a charnel-house. When Capt. Orne, freed by the result of the
+battle, came on deck, he saw a sight that he thus describes: "At
+about half-past seven o'clock, I went on deck, and there beheld a
+scene which it would be difficult to describe. All the 'Guerriere's'
+masts were shot away; and, as she had no sails to steady her, she was
+rolling like a log in the trough of the sea. Many of the men were
+employed in throwing the dead overboard The decks were covered with
+blood, and had the appearance of a ship's slaughter-house. The
+gun-tackles were not made fast; and several of the guns got loose, and
+were surging from one side to the other. Some of the petty officers
+and seamen got liquor, and were intoxicated; and what with the groans
+of the wounded, the noise and confusion of the enraged survivors on
+board of the ill-fated ship, rendered the whole scene a perfect hell."
+
+For some time after the "Guerriere" had been formally taken possession
+of, it seemed as though the "Constitution" would have to fight a
+second battle, to keep possession of her prize. A strange sail was
+seen upon the horizon, bearing down upon the "Constitution" in a way
+that seemed to threaten hostilities. Again the drums beat to quarters,
+and once again the tired crew went to their stations at the guns. But
+the strange ship sheered off, and the gallant crew were not forced to
+fight a second battle. All hands then set to work to remove the
+prisoners from the "Guerriere," which was evidently in a sinking
+condition.
+
+In the first boat-load from the sinking ship came Capt. Dacres, who
+was politely shown into Capt. Hull's cabin. Unclasping his sword from
+its place at his hip, the conquered seaman handed it silently to Capt.
+Hull. The victor put it gently back, saying,--
+
+"No, no, captain: I'll not take a sword from one who knows so well how
+to use it. But I will trouble you for that hat."
+
+For a moment a shade of perplexity passed over the brow of the British
+captain; then he recollected the wager of a year or two before, and
+all was clear again. Unfortunately, the veracious chronicler who has
+handed this anecdote down to modern times has failed to state whether
+the debt was duly paid.
+
+After some hours of hard work with the boats, the last of the
+prisoners, with their effects, were brought on board the
+"Constitution." Torches were then set to the abandoned frigate; and
+the sailors watched her blaze, until the fire reached her magazine,
+and she vanished in the midst of a tremendous explosion. Then,
+leaving behind her the floating mass of ruin, the "Constitution"
+headed for Boston, where she arrived after a few days of sailing.
+
+Great was the excitement and exultation aroused among the people by
+the arrival of the noble ship with her prisoners. She had, indeed,
+come at a time when the public mind required cheering; for from the
+interior came the reports of British successes by land, along the
+Canadian frontier about Detroit, and for weeks the papers had been
+unable to record any success for the American arms. But the report of
+the engagement with the "Guerriere" changed wholly the tide of popular
+feeling. Boston--the city which at the declaration of war had hung its
+flags at half-mast, in token of mourning and humiliation--Boston
+welcomed the conquerors with an ovation like to a triumph in the days
+of imperial Rome.
+
+When the ship came up the harbor, she was met and surrounded by a
+great flotilla of gayly decorated boats; while the flags on the
+surrounding vessels were dipped in salutation as the war-scarred
+veteran made her stately way to the wharf. Here a volunteer artillery
+company was assembled; and, as the ship came up, they fired a national
+salute, which was returned from the guns so lately employed in
+defending the national honor. Quarters had been prepared for Capt.
+Hull in the city; and, as he landed, he found the streets through
+which he must pass decked with bright bunting, and crowded with
+people. His progress was accompanied by a great wave of cheers; for,
+as the people saw him coming, they set up a shout, which was not ended
+until he had passed from sight. At night came a grand banquet to the
+officers of the ship, at which six hundred sat down to the feast. The
+freedom of the city was presented to the captain; and at a later date
+came the news of sword presentations from citizens of New York, plate
+from the people of Philadelphia, and gold medals from Congress. Amid
+all the exultation, the rash arrogance of the British writers was not
+forgotten; and many a bumper was emptied to the success of the frigate
+described by British journalists as "a bunch of pine boards under a
+bit of striped bunting."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+ AN INTERNATIONAL DEBATE. -- THE "WASP" AND THE "FROLIC." --
+ THE "UNITED STATES" AND THE "MACEDONIAN." -- OVATIONS TO THE
+ VICTORS.
+
+
+The rejoicing over the success of the "Constitution" had not died away
+in the United States when the English newspapers began to appear with
+elaborate articles, showing just why the battle had terminated as it
+did. "The 'Constitution' is the crack frigate of the American navy,"
+cried the apologists; but to this the Americans retorted by quoting
+the British description of the ship as "a bunch of pine boards." The
+"Guerriere" was an "old worn-out frigate," responded the English,
+returning to the charge. "She was on her way to Halifax to refit, when
+attacked." Again they were refuted by their own statements; for, but a
+month before, the "Guerriere" was said to be "able to drive the
+insolent striped bunting from the seas." Throughout the discussion,
+the shrewdness of the Americans enabled them to meet the arguments of
+the British at every point; but not until the charge was made, that
+the "Constitution" was chiefly manned by British sailors, did the
+people become thoroughly in earnest in the war of words.
+
+Such a charge as this was adding insult to injury. Was not the British
+navy full of Americans who were forced against their will to serve
+against their own country, while the few Englishmen on the
+"Constitution" were enlisted with their own consent? For Capt. Dacres
+to say that his ship was weakened by allowing the ten Americans to go
+below, and then beaten by the efforts of the Englishmen on the
+"Constitution," was merely tantamount to saying that the victory
+hinged on the fact that Americans would not fight against their own
+country, while Englishmen did so willingly. But for Great Britain to
+exclaim against the American navy because it harbored a few
+Englishmen, was the rankest hypocrisy. So said the American
+journalists of the day; and, in support of their statement, they
+printed long letters from American seamen impressed into and held in
+the British naval service. One writes that he was impressed into his
+British Majesty's ship "Peacock," in 1810, and after serving two years
+he heard of the declaration of war. After a consultation with two
+fellow-seamen, both Americans, all decided to refuse to serve longer,
+claiming to be prisoners of war. But the captain under whom they were
+enrolled looked upon the matter in a different light. He heard their
+claim, pronounced it a bit of "confounded insolence," and straightway
+ordered that they be put in irons. After some hours for meditation in
+"the brig," the three sailors were taken to the gangway, stripped
+naked, and tied up, while a sturdy boatswain's mate laid on a dozen
+and a half blows of the cat. Later, when the ship went into action
+with a United States vessel, the three sailors asked to be sent below,
+that they might not fight against their own countrymen; but the
+captain's sole response was to call up a midshipman, and order him to
+do his duty. This duty proved to consist in standing over the three
+malcontents with a loaded pistol, threatening to blow out the brains
+of the first who should flinch from his work.
+
+Three sailors were impressed after the war had begun. Learning that
+the ship on which they found themselves was to cruise upon the
+American station, they with one accord refused to serve. The response
+to this was "five dozen lashes well laid on." Being still mutinous,
+they received four dozen lashes two days later, and after the lapse of
+two more days were flogged with two dozen more. But all the beating to
+which they were subjected could not compel them to serve against their
+country; and they were accordingly ironed and thrown into "the brig,"
+where they lay for three months. When released from "the brig," they
+found the ship at London. Here they heard of the glorious victory of
+the "Constitution," and determined to celebrate it. By ripping up
+their clothing into strips, and sewing the strips together, a rude
+American flag was made; and with the most astonishing audacity the
+three sailors hung this emblem over a gun, and gave three cheers for
+the stars and stripes. This naturally brought them another flogging.
+
+Flogging, however, could not always be resorted to in order to bring
+American sailors into subjection. It is estimated, that, when war was
+declared, there were five times as many American seamen in the British
+navy as were in the whole navy of the United States. To attempt to
+keep this immense body of disaffected seamen in order by the lash,
+would have been impracticable; and soon the custom arose of sending
+the more refractory tars into confinement at some English prison.
+Dartmoor prison was for a time the principal place of detention for
+pressed men; but, as it soon became crowded, it was given over to
+prisoners of war, and the hapless seamen were sent to languish in
+dismantled ships, known as "hulks." These hulks were generally old
+naval vessels, dismasted and stripped of all their fittings. Anchored
+midstream in tidal rivers, the rotting hulks tugged at their rusty
+chains, as the tide rose and fell, groaning in their bondage, and
+seeming as much imprisoned as the wretched sailors by whom they were
+tenanted. The captives lived in misery and squalor. Crowded together
+in stifling quarters between decks, they were the prey of vermin of
+all kinds. Their miserable diet, and lack of proper exercise, caused
+the scurvy in its most repulsive forms to break out among them. The
+only breath of fresh air they could obtain was when, in gangs, they
+were allowed to go on deck, and pace up and down under the watchful
+eyes of soldiery; then back to the crowded quarters below, to swelter
+in summer or freeze in winter. Such was their punishment for the crime
+of being loyal to their country.
+
+[Illustration: Engagement Of The Frigates "United States" And
+"Macedonian," Christmas Day, 1812. Copyright, 1892, by C. Klackner]
+
+Careful estimates show that at this time there were at least twenty
+thousand American sailors in the British navy, each one of whom was
+liable at any moment to be ordered into this inhuman captivity. A
+British official document of 1812 reported that 2,548 American seamen
+had been imprisoned for refusing to serve against their country.
+Hundreds of these were sent to the living death in the hulks. Was it
+any wonder that, with such facts, before their eyes, Americans grew
+indignant at hearing that the victory of the "Constitution" had been
+won by the prowess of British seamen? But before many days had passed,
+a victory was recorded for the stars and stripes, which not even the
+acuteness of an English naval historian could ascribe to any cause
+other than the naval superiority of the victor.
+
+This was the capture, by the United States sloop-of-war "Wasp," of the
+British sloop-of-war "Frolic," after a battle ever memorable for the
+extraordinary dash and bravery shown by each combatant. In size, the
+"Wasp" was one of the inferior vessels of the United States navy. In
+her architecture and appointments, however, she was the pride of the
+navy, and was often cited as a model ship of her class. Her armament
+consisted of sixteen thirty-two-pounder carronades, and two "long
+twelves."
+
+When the war broke out, the "Wasp" had just left the coast of Europe,
+bearing despatches from the foreign diplomatic representatives of the
+United States to the Government. It was accordingly near the middle of
+October before the sloop had been refitted, and, with a crew of one
+hundred and thirty-five men, left the Delaware, on her first cruise
+against the English. Her commander was Capt. Jacob Jones, who had
+served in the war with Tripoli, and had himself been a captive among
+the barbarians of Northern Africa.
+
+After a few days' cruising, with one or two unimportant captures, a
+bunch of sails was sighted at some distance. The most careful
+examination failed to reveal the character of the strangers, and Jones
+determined to run down cautiously toward the squadron, to reconnoitre.
+The wind was blowing fiercely at the time, and a heavy sea was
+running, from the effects of a gale of the day before, in which the
+"Wasp" lost her jib-boom, together with two sailors who were upon it.
+As the vessel bore down upon the strangers, Jones could see through
+his marine glasses that they were a convoy of merchantmen, under the
+protection of a British sloop-of-war. The merchantmen were evidently
+armed, and some seemed to carry as many as twelve guns. Deeming it
+unwise to attack at that moment, Capt. Jones kept on a course parallel
+with that of the enemy, during the remainder of that day and through
+the night. With the break of day, every officer of the "Wasp" was on
+deck, and all eyes were turned towards the quarter in which the
+Englishmen should be found. There, sure enough, they were. Six
+merchant ships and a bluff little brig, the port-holes in the sides of
+which showed her to be a war-vessel rating as a sloop. Signs of
+activity on board made it evident that the Englishmen had caught sight
+of the vessel which had been dogging them for the last day, and were
+making ready to give her battle. The British, too, had suffered in the
+gale, and the sailors could be seen shipping a new main-yard, and
+setting new topsails. On the "Wasp," the jackies were hard at work,
+getting in a spar to take the place of the jib-boom, which had been
+lost in the storm. Both ships were under short canvas, for the wind
+was still high. Instead of the English ensign, a Spanish flag
+fluttered from the halliards of the Englishman,--an unnecessary ruse
+to draw on an adversary already seeking a conflict.
+
+[Illustration: Loading.]
+
+It was half-past eleven in the morning when the action began. The day
+was an ideal October morning at sea,--cool, clear, and a breeze
+blowing fresh and constantly stiffening. The two vessels were running
+on the starboard tack, not sixty yards apart. As they ploughed
+through the waves, great clouds of spray dashed over the bows; and
+every now and then a wave would sweep over the forecastle, drenching
+the jackies as they stood at their quarters. As they sped along, the
+two ships exchanged broadsides, the "Frolic" firing three to the
+"Wasp's" two. After every broadside, the gunners cheered as they saw
+the damage done by their fire. When the state of the sea is
+considered, it seems marvellous that the broadsides should have done
+any execution whatever. The vessels were rolling terribly, now
+wallowing in the trough of the sea, and again tossed high on the crest
+of some enormous wave. At one instant the muzzles of the guns would be
+pointed toward the skies, then actually submerged under the waves,
+from which they rose dripping, to be loaded and fired before another
+dip should soak the charge. Yet, with all this rolling to spoil their
+aim, the gunners of both ships pointed their pieces with most
+destructive effect. Within five minutes from the time of opening fire,
+the main topmast of the "Wasp" was shot away, and hung tangled in the
+rigging, despite the active efforts of the topmen, headed by the
+nimble midshipmen, to clear away the wreck. This greatly hampered the
+movements of the American vessel; and when, a few minutes later, the
+gaff and the main top-gallant mast fell, the chances of the American
+ship seemed poor indeed. The effects of the "Wasp's" fire were chiefly
+to be seen in the hull of her antagonist; but the first twenty minutes
+of the fight seemed to give the Englishman every chance of victory,
+since his fire had so cut away the rigging of the "Wasp" that she
+became unmanageable. It is said that the difference between the
+execution done by the two batteries was due to the fact that the
+British fired as their ship was rising on the crest of the wave, while
+the Americans fired from the trough of the sea, sending their shot
+into the hull of the enemy.
+
+While the fight was raging, the two ships were constantly drawing
+nearer together; and just as it seemed as though the destruction
+wrought in the "Wasp's" rigging would inevitably lead to her defeat,
+the two vessels fouled. For an instant they lay yard-arm to yard-arm,
+and at that very moment the American gunners poured in a terrific
+broadside. So close were the two vessels to each other, that, in
+loading, the rammers were shoved up against the sides of the "Frolic."
+Before the gunners of the "Frolic" could respond to this broadside,
+their ship swung round so that her bow lay against the "Wasp's"
+quarter; and her bowsprit passed over the heads of Capt. Jones and
+his officers as they stood on the quarter-deck. That was the moment
+for a raking volley; and with deadly aim the Americans poured it in,
+and the heavy iron bolts swept the decks of the "Frolic" from stem to
+stern.
+
+This turn in the tide of battle fairly crazed with excitement the
+sailors of the "Wasp." With ringing cheers they applauded the success
+of the last volley, and, springing into the hammock-nettings, called
+loudly for their officers to lead them on board the English ship. From
+the quarter-deck, Capt. Jones, with shouts and gestures, strove to
+hold back the excited men until another broadside could be given the
+enemy. But the enthusiasm of the sailors was beyond all control. All
+at once, they saw a sailor from New Jersey, named Jack Lang, spring on
+a gun, cutlass in hand, ready to board. All were about to follow him,
+when Capt. Jones called him down. Only for a minute did Jack's sense
+of duty overcome his enthusiasm; and then, remembering that he had
+once been impressed on the "Frolic," his rage blazed up, and in an
+instant he was clambering over the nettings, calling for followers.
+Capt. Jones saw that the ardor of his crew was beyond his control, and
+ordered the bugler to call away the boarders. Headed by their
+officers, the bold tars swarmed over the nettings, and through the
+tangled rigging, to the deck of the enemy's ship. Each man clutched
+his cutlass viciously, for he felt that a desperate conflict was
+imminent. But when they dropped upon the deck of the "Frolic," a most
+unexpected spectacle met their eyes.
+
+The broad deck stretched out before them, untenanted save by a few
+wounded officers near the stern, and a grim old British seaman at the
+wheel. Instead of the host of armed men with whom the boarders
+expected to dispute the possession of the ship, they saw before them
+only heaps of dead sailors lying about the guns which they had been
+serving. On the quarter-deck lay Capt. Whinyates and Lieut. Wintle,
+desperately wounded. All who were unhurt had fled below, to escape the
+pitiless fire of the American guns, and the unerring aim of the
+sailors stationed in the "Wasp's" tops. Only the old helmsman stood
+undaunted at his post, and held the ship on her course, even while the
+Americans were swarming over the nettings and clambering down the
+bowsprit. The colors were still flying above the ship; but there was
+no one left, either to defend them or to haul them down, and they were
+finally lowered by the hands of Lieut. Biddle, who led the boarding
+party.
+
+No action of the war was so sanguinary as this short conflict between
+two sloops-of-war. The "Frolic" went into action with a crew of one
+hundred and ten men, fully officered. When the colors were hauled
+down, only twenty men were uninjured. Every officer was wounded, and
+of the crew thirty lost their lives. They had stood to their guns with
+the dogged courage of the English sailor at his best, and had been
+fairly mowed down by the destructive fire of the Americans. On the
+"Wasp," the loss of life was slight. The shot of the enemy took effect
+in the rigging chiefly. The three sailors who were killed were topmen
+at their posts, and the five wounded were almost all stationed in the
+rigging.
+
+[Illustration: Ready To Board.]
+
+The Americans were not destined to enjoy their triumph long. Shattered
+though the "Frolic" was, Lieut. Biddle, with a prize-crew, took
+charge of her, and was in hopes of taking her safely to port; but his
+plan was rudely shattered by the appearance of an English frigate,
+only a few hours after the action ceased. For the "Frolic" to escape,
+was out of the question. Both her masts had gone by the board shortly
+after her flag was struck; and, when the new enemy hove in sight, the
+prize-crew was working hard to clear from her decks the tangled mass
+of rigging, wreckage, and dead bodies, that made the tasks of
+navigation impossible. The ship was rolling like a log, in the trough
+of the sea, and was an easy prize for an enemy of even less strength
+than the man-of-war which was then bearing down upon her.
+
+The vessel which came rapidly down before the wind was the
+"Poictiers," a British seventy-four-gun ship, which would have been
+more than a match for the little "Wasp," even though the latter had
+been fresh and ready for battle, instead of shattered by desperate
+fight. Seeing no chance for a successful resistance, Capt. Jones
+determined upon flight, and ordered all hands aloft, to make sail. But
+the sails when shaken out were found to have been cut to pieces by the
+"Frolic's" shot; and the "Poictiers" soon came alongside, and changed
+the triumph of the Americans to defeat.
+
+Though Capt. Jones and his gallant crew were thus deprived of their
+hard-won conquest, they received their full meed of praise from their
+countrymen. They were soon exchanged, voted twenty-five thousand
+dollars prize-money by Congress, and lauded by every newspaper and
+legislative orator in the country. The song-writers of the day
+undertook to celebrate in verse the famous victory, and produced
+dozens of songs, of which the following stanza may be taken for a fair
+sample:--
+
+ "Like the fierce bird of Jove the 'Wasp' darted forth,
+ And he the tale told, with amazement and wonder.
+ She hurled on the foe from her flame-spreading arms,
+ The fire-brands of death and the red bolts of thunder.
+ And, oh! it was glorious and strange to behold
+ What torrents of fire from her red mouth she threw;
+ And how from her broad wings and sulphurous sides,
+ Hot showers of grape-shot and rifle-balls flew!"
+
+Let us now turn to Commodore John Rodgers, whose unlucky cruise at the
+opening of the war we have already noted. Having refitted his squadron
+in the port of New York, he set sail on a second cruise, leaving
+behind him the "Hornet." Again he seemed to have fallen upon
+unprofitable times, for his ships beat up and down in the highway of
+commerce without sighting a single sail. After several days of
+inaction, it was determined to scatter the squadron; and to this end
+the frigate "United States," Commodore Decatur, and the sixteen-gun
+brig "Argus," Capt. Sinclair, left the main body of ships and started
+off on a cruise in company. After the two ships left the main body,
+Commodore Rodgers met with better success, capturing a Jamaica packet
+with two hundred thousand dollars in her hold, and chasing a British
+frigate for two hours, but without overhauling her.
+
+In the mean time, the "Argus" had parted from her consort, and was
+cruising to the eastward on her own account, meeting with fair
+success. During her cruise she captured six merchantmen, and was
+herself chased by a British squadron. This chase was almost as
+memorable as that of the "Constitution;" for the little brig was hotly
+pursued for three days and nights, and, to escape her pursuers, was
+obliged to cut away her boats and anchors, and part with every thing
+movable save her guns. She escaped at last, however, and was for many
+months thereafter a source of continual annoyance to the commerce of
+the enemy.
+
+After parting with the "Argus," the "United States" had made her
+course toward the south-east, in the hopes of intercepting some of the
+British West-Indiamen. But what the plucky sailors would consider
+better luck fell to the lot of the frigate.
+
+At dawn on a bright Sunday morning, the lookout of the "United States"
+descried a sail about twelve miles away, on the weather-beam. Sail was
+crowded on the American frigate, and, urged along by a rattling
+breeze, she made towards the stranger. As the distance between the
+ships lessened, and the rigging of the stranger showed her to be a
+frigate, the enthusiasm among the gallant tars of the "United States"
+grew apace. Visions of battle, of glory, and, above all, of resultant
+prize-money, arose in their minds; and their shouts could be heard by
+the crew of the distant frigate before the two vessels came within
+range of each other.
+
+The vessel toward which the "United States" was advancing was the
+"Macedonian," a British frigate rating thirty-eight guns, but said to
+have been carrying forty-nine at this time. She had for some time been
+reckoned a crack ship of her class in the British navy, and her crew
+was in admirable training. From her quarter-deck and forecastle groups
+of officers and seamen were watching the on-coming of the American
+frigate. One of the powder monkeys, named Samuel Leech, of the British
+ship, told graphically and simply the story of that day's doings on
+the "Macedonian."
+
+"Sunday (Dec. 25, 1812) came, and it brought with it a stiff breeze,"
+so runs the powder-monkey's tale. "We usually made a sort of holiday
+of this sacred day. After breakfast it was common to muster the entire
+crew on the spar-deck, dressed as the fancy of the captain might
+dictate,--sometimes in blue jackets and white trousers, or blue
+jackets and blue trousers; at other times in blue jackets, scarlet
+vests, and blue or white trousers; with our bright anchor-buttons
+glancing in the sun, and our black, glossy hats ornamented with black
+ribbons, and the name of our ship painted on them. After muster we
+frequently had church-service read by the captain; the rest of the day
+was devoted to idleness. But we were destined to spend the rest of the
+sabbath just introduced to the reader in a very different manner.
+
+"We had scarcely finished breakfast before the man at the masthead
+shouted 'Sail, ho!'
+
+"The captain rushed upon deck, exclaiming, 'Masthead, there!'
+
+"'Sir?'
+
+"'Where away is the sail?'
+
+"The precise answer to this question I do not recollect; but the
+captain proceeded to ask, 'What does she look like?'
+
+"'A square-rigged vessel, sir,' was the reply of the lookout.
+
+"After a few minutes, the captain shouted again, 'Masthead, there!'
+
+"'Sir?'
+
+"'What does she look like?'
+
+"'A large ship, sir, standing toward us.'
+
+"By this time, most of the crew were on deck, eagerly straining their
+eyes to obtain a glimpse of the approaching ship, and murmuring their
+opinions to each other on her probable character.
+
+"Then came the voice of the captain, shouting, 'Keep silence, fore and
+aft!'
+
+"Silence being secured, he hailed the lookout, who to his question of
+'What does she look like?' replied, "A large frigate bearing down upon
+us, sir.'
+
+"A whisper ran along the crew, that the stranger ship was a Yankee
+frigate. The thought was confirmed by the command of 'All hands clear
+the ship for action, ahoy!' The drum and fife beat to quarters,
+bulkheads were knocked away, the guns were released from their
+confinement, the whole dread paraphernalia of battle was produced;
+and, after the lapse of a few minutes of hurry and confusion, every
+man and boy was at his post ready to do his best service for his
+country, except the band, who, claiming exemption from the affray,
+safely stowed themselves away in the cable tier. We had only one sick
+man on the list; and he, at the cry of battle, hurried from his cot,
+feeble as he was, to take his post of danger. A few of the junior
+midshipmen were stationed below on the berth-deck, with orders, given
+in our hearing, to shoot any man who attempted to move from his
+quarters.
+
+"As the approaching ship showed American colors, all doubt of her
+character was at an end. 'We must fight her,' was the conviction of
+every breast. Every possible arrangement that could insure success was
+accordingly made. The guns were shotted, the matches lighted; for,
+although our guns were all furnished with first-class locks, they were
+also furnished with matches, attached by lanyards, in case the lock
+should miss fire. A lieutenant then passed through the ship, directing
+the marines and boarders--who were furnished with pikes, cutlasses,
+and pistols--how to proceed if it should be necessary to board the
+enemy. He was followed by the captain, who exhorted the men to
+fidelity and courage, urging upon their consideration the well-known
+motto of the brave Nelson, _'England expects every man to do his
+duty.'_ In addition to all these preparations on deck, some men were
+stationed in the tops with small-arms, whose duty it was to attend to
+trimming the sails, and to use their muskets, provided we came to
+close action. There were others, also, below, called sail-trimmers, to
+assist in working the ship, should it be necessary to shift her
+position during the battle."
+
+Thus, with her men at their quarters, her guns primed, and matches
+lighted, the "Macedonian" bore down to open the action. On the "United
+States," very similar scenes were being enacted. In some respects,
+the American frigate was a more formidable ship than the adversary she
+was about to engage. Her battery consisted of fifty-four guns, and
+some were of heavier calibre than those of the "Macedonian." Her crew,
+too, was rather larger than that of her adversary. But, in most
+respects, the ships were well matched. Indeed, the commanders of the
+two ships had met before the opening of the war, and, in conversation,
+agreed that their vessels were well fitted to test the comparative
+valor of Yankee and English sailors. Capt. Carden of the "Macedonian"
+had asked Decatur what would be the probable result, if the two ships
+were to meet in battle.
+
+"Why, sir," responded the American captain, "if we meet with forces
+that might be fairly called equal, the conflict would be severe; but
+the flag of my country on the ship I command shall never leave the
+staff on which it waves, as long as there is a hull to support it."
+
+Such sentiments as this were ever in the heart of the gallant Decatur,
+whose service in the war of 1812 was but the continuation of his
+dashing career during the war with Tripoli. A captain of such ardent
+bravery could not fail to inspire his crew with the same enthusiasm
+and confidence.
+
+In the crew of the "United States" were many young boys, of ages
+ranging from twelve to fourteen years. At that time many a lad
+received his warrant as midshipman while still in his tenth year; and
+youngsters who wished to join the navy as "ship's boys," were always
+received, although sometimes their extreme youth made it illegal for
+their names to be formally enrolled upon the roster of the crew. Such
+was the station of little Jack Creamer, a ten-year-old boy, who had
+been serving on the ship for some weeks, although under the age at
+which he could be legally enlisted. When Jack saw the English frigate
+looming up in the distance, a troubled look came over his face, and he
+seemed to be revolving some grave problem in his mind. His comrades
+noticed his look of care, and rallied him on what they supposed to be
+his fear of the coming conflict. Jack stoutly denied this charge, but
+said he was anxious to speak to the captain before going into action.
+An old quartermaster marched him up to the quarter-deck, and stood
+waiting for Capt. Decatur's attention. In a moment the captain noticed
+the two, and said cheerily,--
+
+"Well, Jack, what's wanting now?"
+
+Touching his hat, the lad replied, "Commodore, will you please to have
+my name put down on the muster-roll?"
+
+"Why, what for, my lad?"
+
+"So that I can draw my share of the prize-money, when we take that
+Britisher, sir."
+
+Amused and pleased with the lad's confidence in the success of the
+"United States" in the coming battle, Decatur gave the necessary
+order; and Jack went back to his post with a prouder step, for he was
+now regularly enrolled.
+
+The two ships were now coming within range of each other, and a slow,
+long-distance cannonade was begun, with but little effect; for a long
+ground-swell was on, and the ships were rolling in a manner fatal to
+the aim of the gunners. After half an hour of this playing at long
+bowls, the Englishman's mizzen topmast was shot away; and the
+cannon-balls from the "States" whizzed through the rigging, and
+splashed into the water about the "Macedonian," in a way that proved
+the American gunners had the range, and were utilizing it. Capt.
+Carden soon saw that at long range the American gunners were more than
+a match for his men, and he resolved to throw prudence to the winds;
+and, disdaining all manoeuvring, bore straight down on the American
+ship that lay almost stationary on the water, pouring in rapid and
+well-aimed broadsides.
+
+Though a gallant and dashing movement, this course led to the defeat
+of the English ship. The fire of the Americans was deadly in its aim,
+and marvellous in rapidity. So continuous was the flashing of the
+discharges from the broadside ports, that the sailors on the
+"Macedonian" thought their adversary was on fire, and cheered lustily.
+But the next instant their exultation was turned to sorrow; for a
+well-directed shot cut away the mizzen-mast, which fell alongside,
+suspended by the cordage.
+
+"Huzza, Jack!" cried the captain of a gun on the "United States."
+"We've made a brig of her."
+
+"Ay, ay, my lad," said Decatur, who stood near by; "now aim well at
+the main-mast, and she'll be a sloop soon."
+
+A few minutes later, the captain shouted to the nearest gunner, "Aim
+at the yellow streak. Her spars and rigging are going fast enough. She
+must have a little more hulling."
+
+This order was immediately passed along the gun-deck, until every
+gunner was striving his utmost to plant his shot in the hull of the
+enemy. The effect was terrible. The great missiles crashed through the
+wooden sides of the English frigate, and swept the decks clear of men.
+She was coming down on the American bravely, and with manifest
+intention of boarding; but so skilfully was the "United States"
+manoeuvred, and so accurate and rapid was her fire, that the
+"Macedonian" was unable to close, and was fairly cut to pieces, while
+still more than a pistol-shot distant. The "United States," in the
+mean time, was almost unscathed. The aim of the English gunners was
+usually too high, and such shots as took effect were mainly in the
+rigging. After pounding away at the "Macedonian" until the chocks of
+the forecastle guns on that ship were cut away, her boats cut to
+pieces, and her hull shattered with more than one hundred shot-holes,
+the American ship drew away slightly. The British thought she was in
+retreat, and cheered lustily, but were soon undeceived; for, after a
+little manoeuvring, the "United States" ranged up under her
+adversary's lee, securing a raking position. Before a broadside could
+be fired, the British hauled down their flag; and the action was
+ended, after just an hour and a half of fighting.
+
+The slaughter on the British frigate had been appalling. From the
+official accounts, we glean the cold reports of the numbers of the
+killed and wounded; but for any picture of the scene on the decks of
+the defeated man-of-war, we must turn to such descriptions as have
+been left by eye-witnesses. Sailors are not much given to the habit of
+jotting down the descriptions of the many stirring scenes in which
+they play parts in their adventurous careers; and much that is
+romantic, much that is picturesque, and much that is of historic
+value, has thus been lost to history. But of the details of the action
+between the "Macedonian" and "United States," the sailor-lad already
+quoted has left an account, probably as trustworthy as should be
+expected of a witness in his situation. He was stationed at one of the
+guns on the main-deck; and it was his duty, as powder-boy, to run to
+the magazine for powder for his gun. Before the entrance to the
+magazine was a heavy wooden screen, pierced with a hole through which
+the cartridges were passed out to the fleet-footed powder-monkeys, as
+they rushed up for more powder. Each boy, on getting his cartridge,
+wrapped it in his jacket, that no stray spark might touch it, and
+dashed off at full speed for his gun, quickly returning for further
+supplies.
+
+With the men all standing pale and silent at the guns, the
+"Macedonian" came on doggedly towards her foe. Three guns fired from
+the larboard side of the gun-deck opened the action; but the fire was
+quickly stopped by the gruff order from the quarter-deck, "Cease
+firing: you are throwing away your shot!" Then came the roar of the
+opening volley from the American frigate.
+
+"A strange noise such as I had never heard before next arrested my
+attention," wrote the English sailor-lad. "It sounded like the tearing
+of sails just over our heads. This I soon ascertained to be the wind
+of the enemy's shot. The firing, after a few minutes' cessation,
+recommenced. The roaring of cannon could now be heard from all parts
+of our trembling ship; and, mingling as it did with that of our foes,
+it made a most hideous noise. By and by I heard the shot strike the
+sides of our ship. The whole scene grew indescribably confused and
+horrible. It was like some awfully tremendous thunderstorm, whose
+deafening roar is attended by incessant streaks of lightning, carrying
+death in every flash, and strewing the ground with the victims of its
+wrath; only in our case the scene was rendered more horrible than that
+by the presence of torrents of blood, which dyed our decks. Though the
+recital may be painful, yet, as it will reveal the horrors of war, and
+show at what a fearful price the victory is won or lost, I will
+present the reader with things as they met my eye during the progress
+of this dreadful fight. I was busily supplying my gun with powder,
+when I saw blood suddenly fly from the arm of a man stationed at our
+gun. I saw nothing strike him: the effect alone was visible; and in an
+instant the third lieutenant tied his handkerchief round the wounded
+arm, and sent the poor fellow below to the surgeon.
+
+"The cries of the wounded now rang through all parts of the ship.
+These were carried to the cock-pit as fast as they fell, while those
+more fortunate men who were killed outright were immediately thrown
+overboard. As I was stationed but a short distance from the main
+hatchway, I could catch a glance at all who were carried below. A
+glance was all I could indulge in; for the boys belonging to the guns
+next to mine were wounded in the early part of the action, and I had
+to spring with all my might to keep three or four guns supplied with
+cartridges. I saw two of these lads fall nearly together. One of them
+was struck in the leg by a large shot; he had to suffer amputation
+above the wound. The other had a grape or canister sent through his
+ankle. A stout Yorkshire man lifted him in his arms, and hurried with
+him to the cock-pit. He had his foot cut off, and was thus made lame
+for life. Two of the boys stationed on the quarter-deck were killed.
+They were both Portuguese. A man who saw one killed afterwards told me
+that his powder caught fire, and burnt the flesh almost off his face.
+In this pitiable situation the agonized boy lifted up both hands, as
+if imploring relief, when a passing shot instantly cut him in two."
+
+But the narrative of this young sailor, a boy in years, is almost too
+horrible for reproduction. He tells of men struck by three or four
+missiles at once, and hacked to pieces; of mangled sailors, mortally
+wounded, but still living, thrown overboard to end their sufferings;
+of the monotonous drip of the blood on the deck, as desperately
+wounded men were carried past. The brave seaman who left his bed of
+sickness for the post of duty had his head carried away by a
+cannon-ball. The schoolmaster who looked after the education of the
+midshipmen was killed. Even a poor goat, kept by the officers for her
+milk, was cut down by a cannon-ball, and, after hobbling piteously
+about the deck, was mercifully thrown overboard. And this was Sunday,
+Christmas Day!
+
+The spot amidships where our sailor-lad was stationed must have been
+the hottest station in the whole ship. Many years later, as Herman
+Melville, the author of several exciting sea-tales, was walking the
+deck of a man-of-war with an old negro, "Tawney," who had served on
+the "Macedonian," the veteran stopped at a point abreast the
+main-mast. "This part of the ship," said he, "we called the
+slaughter-house, on board the 'Macedonian.' Here the men fell, five
+and six at a time. An enemy always directs its shot here, in order to
+hurl over the mast, if possible. The beams and carlines overhead in
+the 'Macedonian' slaughter-house were spattered with blood and brains.
+About the hatchways it looked like a butcher's stall. A shot entering
+at one of the port-holes dashed dead two-thirds of a gun's crew. The
+captain of the next gun, dropping his lock-string, which he had just
+pulled, turned over the heap of bodies, to see who they were; when,
+perceiving an old messmate who had sailed with him in many cruises, he
+burst into tears, and taking the corpse up in his arms, and going to
+the side with it, held it over the water a moment, and eying it,
+cried, 'O God! Tom'--'Hang your prayers over that thing! Overboard
+with it, and down to your gun!' The order was obeyed, and the
+heart-stricken sailor returned to his post."
+
+Amid such scenes of terror, the British tars fought on doggedly,
+cheering loudly as they worked their guns, but not knowing why they
+cheered; for the officers, at least, could see how surely the battle
+was going against them. When the "United States" drew away to repair
+damages, the British officers held a consultation on the quarter-deck.
+They could not but see that their position was hopeless; and, knowing
+all further resistance to be folly, the flag was hauled down. To the
+pride of the officers, the surrender was doubtless a severe blow. But
+Sam Leech remarks pithily, that to him "it was a pleasing sight; for
+he had seen fighting enough for one Sabbath,--more, indeed, than he
+wished to see again on a week-day."
+
+Decatur at once hailed, to learn the name of his prize, and then sent
+off a boat with Lieut. Allen to take possession. He found the decks of
+the ship in a fearful state. Many of the crew had found liquor, and
+were drinking heavily. Others were throwing the dead into the sea,
+carrying the wounded below, and sprinkling the deck with hot vinegar,
+to remove the stains and odor of blood. The dead numbered forty-three,
+and sixty-one were wounded. An eye-witness of the terrible spectacle
+writes of it: "Fragments of the dead were distributed in every
+direction, the decks covered with blood,--one continued, agonizing yell
+of the unhappy wounded. A scene so horrible of my fellow-creatures, I
+assure you, deprived me very much of the pleasure of victory." Yet,
+with all this terrific destruction and loss of life on the
+"Macedonian," the "United States" was but little injured; and her loss
+amounted to but seven killed, and five wounded. Indeed, so slight was
+the damage done to the American ship, that an hour's active work by
+her sailors put her in trim for a second battle.
+
+While Lieut. Allen was examining the muster-rolls of the "Macedonian,"
+a sailor pushed his way toward the quarter-deck, and cried out that he
+was an impressed American, and that he had seven mates aboard, all
+pressed into the British service. They had all been forced to serve
+against their country, and in the battle three had been killed. Just
+before the battle began, they had begged to be sent below, but were
+peremptorily ordered to stand by their guns, or expect to be treated
+as mutineers. Now that the battle was over, the five who were left
+alive begged to be taken into the crew of the "United States," which
+was accordingly done.
+
+After the "Macedonian" had been formally taken possession of by
+Lieut. Allen, the British officers were removed to the American ship.
+Some of them were inclined to be very surly over their defeat, and by
+words and actions showed their contempt for the Americans, whose
+prisoners they were. In the first boat which went from the prize to
+the victor was the first lieutenant of the "Macedonian." As he
+clambered down the side of his vessel, he noticed that his baggage had
+not been put in the boat which was to bear him to the American
+frigate. Turning to Lieut. Allen, he said surlily,--
+
+"You do not intend to send me away without my baggage?"
+
+"I hope," responded Allen courteously, "that you do not take us for
+privateersmen."
+
+"I am sure I don't know by whom I have been taken," was the rude
+reply, which so angered Allen that he peremptorily ordered the fellow
+to take his place in the boat, and be silent.
+
+Whatever may have been the demeanor of the British captives, they met
+with nothing but the most considerate treatment from the American
+officers. Capt. Carden, on his arrival upon the deck of the victorious
+frigate, was received with the consideration due his rank and the
+brave defence of his vessel. He was conducted at once to Decatur's
+cabin, on entering which he took off his sword, and mutely held it out
+for Decatur's acceptance. Decatur courteously refused to accept it,
+saying, "Sir, I cannot take the sword of a man who has defended his
+ship so bravely; but I will take your hand." As long as Carden and his
+officers remained on the ship, they were treated with the greatest
+consideration, and were allowed to retain all their personal property.
+Every attempt was made to take away from them the bitter remembrance
+of their defeat. The innate nobility of Decatur's nature is well shown
+in a letter written to his wife a few days after the action. "One-half
+of the satisfaction," he says, "a-rising from this victory is
+destroyed in seeing the mortification of poor Carden, who deserved
+success as much as we did who had the good fortune to obtain it." When
+Carden left the ship, he thanked Decatur for his consideration, and
+expressed a desire to do likewise by the Americans, should he ever be
+able to turn the tables.
+
+Amid the heat of battle and the excitement of success, Decatur did not
+forget little Jack Creamer, the lately enrolled ship's boy. Shortly
+after the close of the conflict, he sent for Jack to come to his
+cabin. Soon a much abashed small boy stood before the captain.
+
+"Well, Jack," said the great man, "we did take her, after all."
+
+"Yes, your Honor," responded Jack. "I knew we would, before we gave
+her the first broadside."
+
+"And your share of the prize-money," continued Decatur, "may amount to
+two hundred dollars, if we get her safe into port. Now, what are you
+going to do with so much money?"
+
+Jack's eyes had lighted up at the thought of such great wealth.
+
+"Please, sir," he cried, "I'll send half of it to my mother; and the
+rest will get me a bit of schooling."
+
+"Well said, Jack," said Decatur warmly; and the interview closed for
+the time. But the captain's interest in the boy was aroused, and for
+years he showed an almost fatherly regard for the lad. Jack had his
+"bit of schooling," then received a midshipman's warrant, and for
+years served with Decatur, giving promise of becoming an able officer.
+At last, however, his career was ended by the accidental upsetting of
+a boat when on a pleasure excursion in the Mediterranean.
+
+After putting in for a short time at New London, the two ships, captor
+and captive, proceeded down the Sound to New York. Here they arrived
+on the 1st of January, 1813; and the news-writers of the day
+straightway hailed the "Macedonian" as "a New Year's gift, with the
+compliments of old Neptune." However, the news of the victory had
+spread throughout the land before the ships came up to New York; for
+Decatur had sent out a courier from New London to bear the tidings to
+Washington. A curious coincidence made the delivery of the despatch as
+impressive as a studied dramatic scene.
+
+It so happened that the people of Washington had chosen the night of
+Dec. 28 for a grand ball, to be tendered to the officers of the navy,
+and particularly to Capt. Stewart of the "Constellation." A brilliant
+company was gathered, in honor of the occasion. The Secretary of the
+Navy, and other cabinet officers, lent their presence to the
+festivities. Capt. Hull of the victorious "Constitution" was present;
+and, to make the affair even more of a triumph, the captured colors of
+the "Alert" and the "Guerriere" were draped on the wall of the hall.
+Near midnight, the revelry was at its height. The brilliant toilets of
+the ladies; the men, gorgeous in the uniforms of the army, navy, or
+diplomatic corps; the light of a thousand wax-candles flashing from a
+myriad of sconces,--made the scene one of the utmost splendor. All at
+once, in the midst or the stately measures of the old-fashioned
+minuet, a murmur rose near the entrance to the hall, and spread until
+every one was whispering, that news had come of a great naval battle,
+a victory. Word was brought to the Secretary of the Navy. He directed
+that the bearer of the despatches should be at once admitted; and,
+amid cheers and clapping of hands, Lieut. Hamilton entered the hall,
+and delivered his despatches to his father, the Secretary of the Navy.
+The tenor of the despatch was soon known to all; and Lieut. Hamilton
+turned from the greetings of his mother and sisters, who were present,
+to receive the congratulations of his brother-officers. He had brought
+the colors of the captured ship with him to the city; and Capts.
+Stewart and Hull immediately went in search of them, and soon
+returned, bearing the flag between them. The two veteran sailors
+marched the length of the hall, amid the plaudits of the gay company,
+and laid the colors before Mrs. Madison,--the Dolly Madison who is
+still remembered as the most popular of the "ladies of the White
+House." Then the company proceeded to the banquet-hall, where, to the
+list of toasts already prepared, was added, "The health of Commodore
+Decatur and the officers and crew of the 'United States.'"
+
+Two weeks later, Capt. Decatur and his officers and the crew of the
+"United States" were sumptuously entertained by the citizens of New
+York. The officers were tendered a banquet in the great assembly-room
+of the City Hotel, which was decked with laurel and ship's spars and
+sails. The chief table at the head of the room, at which sat Mayor De
+Witt Clinton and Capts. Hull and Decatur, was a marvel of decoration.
+Its centre was taken up by a sheet of water with grassy banks, bearing
+on its placid surface a miniature frigate floating at her moorings.
+Each of the smaller tables bore a small frigate on a pedestal in the
+centre of the board. On the wall at the end of the room hung a heavy
+sail, on which was printed the motto,--
+
+ "OUR CHILDREN ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR COUNTRY."
+
+After the dinner was ended and the toasts were begun, the health of
+the navy was proposed. At the word, the great sail began to ascend,
+and, being drawn to the ceiling, disclosed an illuminated transparent
+painting, showing vividly the scenes of the three great actions won
+by the "Constitution," the "United States," and the "Wasp." The whole
+company rose and cheered, until the walls of the hall fairly rung.
+
+Three days later, the jackies from the forecastle of the "United
+States" were entertained. They were landed at the Battery, and marched
+in procession to the hotel, headed by a brass band which had been
+captured with the "Macedonian." Four hundred of the fine fellows were
+in the line, clad in the dress uniform of the navy of that time.
+Glazed canvas hats with stiff rims, decked with streamers of ribbon;
+blue jackets buttoned loosely over red waistcoats; and blue trousers
+with bell-buttons,--made up the toggery of the tar of 1812. As they
+marched, two by two, through the narrow streets that led to the City
+Hotel, the populace assembled on the sidewalks and in the windows
+along the route, greeting the jackies with cheers. The rear was
+brought up by the usual band of street-urchins, each of whom that day
+was firm in his determination to be a sailor.
+
+After the banquet at the hotel, the sailors were marched to the
+theatre, where the pit had been set aside for them. The orchestra
+opened with "Yankee Doodle;" but the first bar had hardly been played,
+when the cheers of the blue-jackets fairly drowned the music, and the
+musicians were fain to stop. The programme had been arranged with
+special regard to the seafaring audience. Little children bounded upon
+the stage, bearing huge letters in their hands, and, after lightly
+whirling through the mazes of the dance, grouped themselves so that
+the letters formed the words,--
+
+ HULL, JONES, DECATUR.
+
+Then came more cheers from the pit; and more than one glazed hat
+soared over the heads of the audience, and fell on the stage,--a
+purely nautical substitute for a bouquet. Late at night, the sailors
+returned to their ship, elated with an ovation the like of which has
+never since been tendered to the humble heroes of the forecastle or
+the ranks.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+ BAINBRIDGE TAKES COMMAND OF THE "CONSTITUTION." -- THE
+ DEFEAT OF THE "JAVA." -- CLOSE OF THE YEAR'S HOSTILITIES ON
+ THE OCEAN.
+
+
+As Hull and Decatur sat in the gayly decorated banquet-hall at New
+York, and, amid the plaudits of the brilliant assembly, drank bumpers
+to the success of the navy, they little thought that thousands of
+miles away the guns of an American frigate were thundering, and the
+stout-hearted blue-jackets laying down their lives for the honor and
+glory of the United States. But so it was. The opening year of the war
+was not destined to close without yet a fourth naval victory for the
+Americans; and, at the very moment when they were so joyfully
+celebrating the glories already won, Capt. Bainbridge in the good ship
+"Constitution" was valiantly giving battle to a British frigate far
+south of the equator.
+
+Before considering the details of this last action of the year 1812,
+let us recount briefly the movements of some American vessels in
+commission at this time. After sending the "Guerriere" to the bottom
+of the sea, and bringing her officers and crew in triumph into Boston,
+Capt. Hull had voluntarily relinquished the command of the
+"Constitution," in order that some other officer might win laurels
+with the noble frigate. In his place was appointed Capt. Bainbridge,
+who had served in the wars with France and Tripoli. After a short time
+spent in refitting, Bainbridge sailed from Boston, accompanied by the
+"Hornet," eighteen guns. The "Essex," thirty-two, Capt. Porter, was
+lying in the Delaware at the time Bainbridge left Boston, and her
+captain was ordered to cruise in the track of British West-Indiamen.
+After spending some time in this service, he was to turn southward and
+visit several South American ports, with a view to joining Bainbridge.
+Should he fail to find the "Constitution," he was free to act at his
+own discretion. This permission gave Porter an opportunity to make a
+cruise seldom equalled in naval annals, and which will form the
+subject of a subsequent chapter.
+
+The "Constitution" and "Hornet" left Boston on the 26th of October,
+and shaped their course at once for the south. They put in at two or
+three ports which had been named to Capt. Porter as meeting-places,
+but, finding no trace of the "Essex," continued their cruise. At Port
+Praya in the island of St. Jago, and at Fernando Noronha, the two
+ships assumed the character of British men-of-war. Officers from whose
+uniform every trace of the American eagle had been carefully removed
+went ashore, and, after paying formal visits to the governors of the
+two islands, requested permission to leave letters for Sir James Yeo
+of His Majesty's service. Though directed to this prominent British
+naval officer, the letters were intended for Capt. Porter, and
+contained directions for his cruise, written in sympathetic ink. After
+the letters were deposited, the two vessels left; and we may be sure
+that the British colors came down from the masthead as soon as the
+ships were out of sight.
+
+The next point at which the American ships stopped was San Salvador,
+on the coast of Brazil. Here Bainbridge lay-to outside the harbor, and
+sent in Capt. Lawrence with the "Hornet" to communicate with the
+American consul. Lawrence returned greatly excited. In the harbor he
+had found the British sloop-of-war "Bonne Citoyenne," of twenty guns,
+which was on the point of sailing for England. A more evenly matched
+adversary for the "Hornet" could not have been found, and the Yankee
+sailors longed for an engagement. A formal challenge was sent, through
+the American consul, to the captain of the British ship, requesting
+him to come out and try conclusions with the "Hornet." Every assurance
+was offered that the "Constitution" would remain in the offing, and
+take no part in the battle, which was to test the strength of the two
+equally matched ships only. Some days later, this challenge was
+reduced to writing, and sent to the English captain. But that officer
+declined the challenge, giving as his reason the fact that he had in
+his ship over half a million pounds in specie, which it was his duty
+to convey to England. For him to give battle to the "Hornet," would
+therefore be unwise, as he would put in jeopardy this money which it
+was his duty to guard. This response was conclusive, and the
+Englishman must be admitted to have acted wisely; but the knowledge of
+the valuable cargo of the "Bonne Citoyenne" only increased the desire
+of the Americans to capture her. The "Hornet" accordingly remained
+outside the harbor, as a blockader, while the "Constitution" continued
+her cruise alone.
+
+[Illustration: Assuming To Be British Men-of-war.]
+
+She had not far to go in order to meet an enemy well worthy of her
+metal. Three days after parting with the "Hornet," two sail were made,
+well in shore. One of the vessels so sighted seemed to make for the
+land, as though anxious to avoid meeting the American ship; while the
+other came about, and made her course boldly toward the
+"Constitution."
+
+It was about nine o'clock on a bright December morning that the
+"Constitution" encountered the strange vessel, which bore down upon
+her. A light breeze, of sufficient force to enable the vessels to
+manoeuvre, was blowing; but the surface of the ocean was as placid as
+a lake in summer. The build of the stranger left no doubt of her
+warlike character, and the bold manner in which she sought a meeting
+with the American ship convinced Bainbridge that he had fallen in with
+an enemy. The "Constitution" did not for a time meet the enemy's
+advances in kind. Back of the advancing frigate could be seen the low,
+dark coast-line of Brazil, into whose neutral waters the Englishman
+could retreat, and thus gain protection, if the conflict seemed to go
+against him. Bainbridge determined that the coming battle should be
+fought beyond the possibility of escape for the vanquished, and
+therefore drew away gradually as the stranger came on. By noon the two
+ships were near enough together for flags to be visible, when
+Bainbridge set his colors, and displayed private signals. The enemy
+did the same; and, though his signals were unintelligible, the flag
+that fluttered at the masthead was clearly the flag of Great Britain.
+Bainbridge continued his retreat for an hour longer, then, being far
+enough from land, took in his main-sail and royals, and tacked toward
+the Englishman.
+
+By this time the strange sail which had been sighted in company with
+the English ship had disappeared. The low-lying coast of Brazil had
+sunk below the horizon. From the deck of the "Constitution," nothing
+could be seen but the vast circle of placid ocean, and the English
+frigate about a mile to the windward, bearing down to open the fight.
+The drums beat, and the crew went quietly and in perfect order to
+their quarters. They were no longer the raw, untrained crew that had
+joined the ship some months before. They were veterans, with the
+glorious victory over the "Guerriere" fresh in their remembrance, and
+now animated with a desire to add to their trophies the strange vessel
+then in sight.
+
+As the enemy, which proved to be the "Java," thirty-eight, Capt.
+Lambert, came nearer, she hauled down her colors, leaving only a jack
+flying. A jack is a small flag hoisted at the bowsprit cap. The Union
+jack of the United States navy is a blue flag dotted with stars, but
+without the stripes of the national flag; the jack of Great Britain
+has the scarlet cross of St. George on a blue field. The Englishman's
+action in hauling down his ensigns puzzled Bainbridge, who sent a shot
+as an order that they be raised again. The response to this reminder
+came in the form of a heavy broadside, and the action opened.
+
+In the light wind that was blowing, the enemy proved the better
+sailer, and soon forged ahead. His object was to cross the bows of the
+American ship, and get in a raking broadside,--the end and aim of most
+of the naval manoeuvring in those days of wooden ships and heavy
+batteries. By skilful seamanship, Bainbridge warded off the danger;
+and the fight continued broadside to broadside. The firing on both
+sides was rapid and well directed. After half an hour of fighting, the
+"Constitution" was seriously crippled by a round shot, which carried
+away her wheel, and wounded Bainbridge by driving a small copper bolt
+deep into his thigh. For a moment it seemed as though the American
+ship was lost. Having no control over the rudder, her head fell off,
+her sails flapped idly against the spars, and the enemy was fast
+coming into an advantageous position. But, though wounded, the
+indomitable Yankee captain was equal to the occasion. Tackle was
+rigged upon the rudder-post between decks, and a crew of jackies
+detailed to work the improvised helm. The helmsmen were far out of
+earshot of the quarter-deck: so a line of midshipmen was formed from
+the quarter-deck to the spot where the sailors tugged at the
+steering-lines.
+
+"Hard-a-port!" Bainbridge would shout from his station on the
+quarter-deck.
+
+[Illustration: Marines Picking Off The Enemy.]
+
+"Hard-a-port! Hard-a-port!" came the quick responses, as the
+midshipmen passed the word along. And so the ship was steered; and,
+notwithstanding the loss of her wheel, fairly out-manoeuvred her
+antagonist. The first raking broadside was delivered by the
+"Constitution," and did terrible execution along the gun-deck of the
+English ship. The two ships then ran before the wind, exchanging
+broadsides at a distance of half pistol-shot. At this game the
+American was clearly winning: so the Englishman determined to close
+and board, in the dashing, fearless way that had made the tars of
+Great Britain the terror of all maritime peoples. The frigate bore
+down on the "Constitution," and struck her on the quarter; the long
+jib-boom tearing its way through the rigging of the American ship.
+But, while this movement was being executed, the American gunners had
+not been idle; and the results of their labors were very evident, in
+the rigging of the "Java." Her jib-boom and bowsprit were so shattered
+by shot, that they were on the point of giving way; and, as the ships
+met, the mizzen-mast fell, crashing through forecastle and main-deck,
+crushing officers and sailors beneath it in the fall, and hurling the
+topmen into the ocean to drown. The "Constitution" shot ahead, but
+soon wore and lay yard-arm to yard-arm with her foe. For some minutes
+the battle raged with desperation. A dense sulphurous smoke hung about
+the hulls of the two ships, making any extended vision impossible.
+Once in a while a fresher puff of wind, or a change in the position of
+the ships, would give the jackies a glimpse of their enemy, and show
+fierce faces glaring from the open ports, as the great guns were drawn
+in for loading. Then the gray pall of smoke fell, and nothing was to
+be seen but the carnage near at hand. The officers on the quarter-deck
+could better judge of the progress of the fray; and, the marines
+stationed there took advantage of every clear moment to pick off some
+enemy with a shot from one of their muskets. High up in the tops of
+the "Constitution" were two small howitzers, with which crews of
+topmen, under the command of midshipmen, made lively play with grape
+and canister upon the crowded decks of the enemy. From the cavernous
+submarine depths of the cock-pit and magazine, to the tops of each
+ship, not an idler was to be found. Chaplains, surgeons, clerks,
+cooks, and waiters--all were working or fighting for the honor of the
+flag under which they served.
+
+Again the British determined to board; and the quick, sharp notes of
+the bugle calling up the boarders gave warning of their intentions.
+The men in the tops of the American frigate, looking down from their
+lofty station, could see the crowd of boarders and marines gathered on
+the forecastle and in the gang-ways, and could hear the shrill notes
+of the boatswain's whistle cheering them on. At that moment, however,
+the American fire raked the enemy with fearful effect, and the volleys
+of musketry from the marines and topmen made such havoc among the
+crowded boarders that the attempt was abandoned. The deadly fire of
+the Americans was not slackened. Capt. Lambert was struck down,
+mortally wounded; and the command fell upon Lieut. Chads, who, though
+himself badly wounded, continued the fight with true British courage.
+Over the side of the "Java" hung the wreck of her top-hamper, which
+every broadside set on fire. Yet the British tars fought on, cheering
+lustily, and not once thinking of surrender, though they saw their
+foremast gone, their mizzen-mast shivered, even the last flag shot
+away, and the last gun silenced.
+
+When affairs had reached this stage, the "Constitution," seeing no
+flag flying on the enemy, hauled away, and set about repairing her
+own damages. While thus engaged, the main-mast of the "Java" was seen
+to go by the board, and the ship lay a hopeless wreck upon the water.
+After making some slight repairs, Bainbridge returned to take
+possession of his prize, but, to his surprise, found a jack still
+floating over the helpless hulk. It was merely a bit of bravado,
+however; for, as the "Constitution" ranged up alongside, the jack was
+hauled down.
+
+[Illustration: In The Cross-trees.]
+
+The "Java" proved to be a rich prize. She was one of the best of the
+English frigates, and had just been especially fitted up for the
+accommodation of the governor-general of Bombay and his staff, all of
+whom were then on board. This added to the regular number of officers
+and crew more than one hundred prisoners, mostly of high rank in
+British military and social circles.
+
+The boarding officer found the ship so badly cut up that to save her
+was impossible. Her loss in men, including her captain Henry Lambert,
+and five midshipmen, was forty-eight, together with one hundred and
+five wounded, among whom were many officers. The "Constitution" had
+suffered much less severely, having but twelve killed and twenty
+wounded. The ship herself was but little damaged; her chief injury
+being the loss of her wheel, which was immediately replaced by that of
+the "Java."
+
+Capt. Bainbridge now found himself a great distance from home, with a
+disabled ship filled with prisoners, many of whom were wounded. Even
+had the wreck of the "Java" been less complete, it would have been
+hazardous to attempt to take her back to the United States through the
+West India waters that swarmed with British vessels. No course was
+open save to take the prisoners aboard the "Constitution," and set the
+torch to the disabled hulk.
+
+To do this was a work of no little difficulty. The storm of lead and
+iron that had swept across the decks of the British frigate had left
+intact not one of the boats that hung from the davits. The
+"Constitution" had fared better; but, even with her, the case was
+desperate, for the British cannonade had left her but two serviceable
+boats. To transfer from the sinking ship to the victorious frigate
+nearly five hundred men, over a hundred of whom were wounded, was a
+serious task when the means of transfer were thus limited.
+
+Three days the "Constitution" lay by her defeated enemy, and hour
+after hour the boats plied between the two ships. The first to be
+moved were the wounded. Tackle was rigged over the side of the "Java;"
+and the mangled sufferers, securely lashed in their hammocks, were
+gently lowered into the waiting boat, and soon found themselves in the
+sick-bay of the American ship, where they received the gentlest
+treatment from those who a few hours before sought only to slay them.
+The transfer of the wounded once accomplished, the work proceeded with
+great rapidity: and in the afternoon of the third day the
+"Constitution" was filled with prisoners; and the "Java," a deserted,
+shattered hulk, was ready for the last scene in the drama of her
+career.
+
+The last boat left the desolate wreck, and, reaching the
+"Constitution," was hauled up to the davits. The side of the American
+frigate next to the abandoned ship was crowded with men, who looked
+eagerly across the water. Through the open port-holes of the "Java," a
+flickering gleam could be seen, playing fitfully upon the decks and
+gun-carriages. The light grew brighter, and sharp-tongued flames
+licked the outside of the hull, and set the tangled cordage in a
+blaze. With this the whole ship seemed to burst into fire, and lay
+tossing, a huge ball of flame, on the rising sea. When the fire was
+raging most fiercely, there came a terrific explosion, and the great
+hull was lifted bodily from the water, falling back shattered into
+countless bits. Guns, anchors, and ironwork dragged the greater part
+of the wreckage to the bottom; and when the "Constitution," with all
+sail set, left the spot, the captive Englishmen, looking sadly back,
+could see only a patch of charred woodwork and cordage floating upon
+the ocean to mark the burial-place of the sturdy frigate "Java."
+
+The "Constitution" made sail for San Salvador, where the prisoners
+were landed; first giving their paroles not to serve against the
+"United States" until regularly exchanged. Bainbridge then took his
+ship to Boston, where she arrived in February, 1813.
+
+The substitution of the wheel of the "Java" for that of the
+"Constitution," shot away in battle, has been alluded to. In his
+biography of Capt. Bainbridge, Fenimore Cooper relates a story of
+interest regarding this trophy. It was a year or two after peace was
+made with England, in 1815, that a British naval officer visited the
+"Constitution," then lying at the Boston navy-yard. The frigate had
+been newly fitted out for a cruise to the Mediterranean; and an
+American officer, with some pride, showed the Englishman over the
+ship, which was then undoubtedly the finest of American naval vessels.
+After the tour of the ship had been made, the host said, as they stood
+chatting on the quarter-deck,--
+
+"Well, what do you think of her?"
+
+"She is one of the finest frigates, if not the very finest, I ever put
+my foot aboard of," responded the Englishman; "but, as I must find
+some fault, I'll just say that your wheel is one of the clumsiest
+things I ever saw, and is unworthy of the vessel."
+
+The American officer laughed.
+
+"Well, you see," said he, "when the 'Constitution' took the 'Java,'
+the former's wheel was shot out of her. The 'Java's' wheel was fitted
+on the victorious frigate, to steer by; and, although we think it as
+ugly as you do, we keep it as a trophy."
+
+All criticisms on the wheel ended then and there.
+
+The defeat of the "Java" closed the warfare on the ocean during 1812.
+The year ended with the honors largely in the possession of the United
+States navy. The British could boast of the capture of but two armed
+vessels,--the "Nautilus," whose capture by an overwhelming force we
+have already noted; and the little brig "Vixen," twelve guns, which
+Sir James Yeo, with the "Southampton," thirty-two, had overhauled and
+captured in the latter part of November. The capture of the "Wasp" by
+the "Poictiers," when the American sloop-of-war was cut up by her
+action with the "Frolic," was an occurrence, which, however
+unfortunate for the Americans, reflected no particular honor upon the
+British arms.
+
+In opposition to this record, the Americans could boast of victory in
+four hard-fought battles. In no case had they won through any lack of
+valor on the part of their antagonists; for the Englishmen had not
+sought to avoid the battle, and had fought with the dogged valor
+characteristic of their nation. In one or two instances, it is true
+that the Americans were more powerful than the foe whom they engaged;
+but, in such cases, the injury inflicted was out of all proportion to
+the disparity in size of the combatants. The four great actions
+resulting in the defeat of the "Guerriere," the "Frolic," the
+"Macedonian," and the "Java," showed conclusively that the American
+blue-jackets were equal in courage to their British opponents, and far
+their superiors in coolness, skill, discipline, and self-reliance; and
+these qualities may be said to have won the laurels for the American
+navy that were conceded to it by all impartial observers.
+
+Besides the victories over the four British ships enumerated, the
+Americans had captured the "Alert," and a British transport bearing a
+considerable detachment of troops. These achievements, as involving no
+bloodshed, may be set off against the captures of the "Nautilus" and
+"Vixen" by the British. Of the number of British merchant-vessels
+captured, the records are so incomplete that no accurate estimate can
+be made. To the naval vessels are accredited forty-six captures among
+the enemy's merchant-marine, and this estimate is probably very nearly
+accurate. But with the declaration of war, Portsmouth, Salem, New
+London, New York, Baltimore, and, indeed, every American seaport,
+fitted out fleet privateers to prey upon the enemy's commerce. The
+sails of this private armed navy fairly whitened the sea, and few
+nights were not illuminated by the flames of some burning prize. As
+their chief object was plunder, the aim of the privateers was to get
+their prize safely into port; but, when this was impossible, they were
+not slow in applying the torch to the captured vessel. The injury they
+inflicted upon the enemy was enormous, and the record of their
+exploits might well engage the industry of painstaking historians. As
+an adjunct to the regular navy, they were of great service in bringing
+the war to a happy conclusion.
+
+It is not to be supposed that the British men-of-war and privateers
+were idle while the Americans were thus sweeping the seas. More than
+one American vessel set sail boldly from some little New England port,
+freighted with the ventures of all classes of tradesmen, only to be
+snapped up by a rapacious cruiser. But the mercantile marine of the
+United States was but small, and offered no such rewards to
+enterprising privateers as did the goodly fleets of West-Indiamen that
+bore the flag of Great Britain. And so, while the American privateers
+were thriving and reaping rich rewards of gold and glory, those of the
+British were gradually abandoning privateering in disgust. The
+American prize-lists grew so large, that the newspapers commenced the
+practice of publishing weekly a list of the enemy's ships taken during
+the week past. In Baltimore, Henry Niles, in his paper "The Weekly
+Register," robbed "The London Naval Chronicle" of its vainglorious
+motto,--
+
+ "The winds and seas are Britain's broad domain,
+ And not a sail but by permission spreads."
+
+This sentiment Niles printed at the head of his weekly list of British
+vessels captured by United States vessels,--a bit of satire not often
+equalled in the columns of newspapers of to-day.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+ THE WAR ON THE LAKES. -- THE ATTACK ON SACKETT'S HARBOR. --
+ OLIVER HAZARD PERRY ORDERED TO LAKE ERIE. -- THE BATTLE OF
+ PUT-IN-BAY.
+
+
+Let us now abandon for a time our consideration of the progress of the
+great naval war on the ocean, and turn our attention to a humbler
+theatre, in which the drama of battle was proceeding with no less
+credit to the American participants, though with less grand and
+inspiring accessories. On the great fresh-water lakes which skirt the
+northern frontier of the United States, the two warring powers
+contended fiercely for the mastery. But there were no desperate duels
+between well-matched frigates; nor, indeed, did either the British or
+American squadron of the lake station boast a craft of sufficient
+armament to be termed a frigate, until the war was nearly at an end.
+Barges, gunboats, sloops, schooners, and brigs made up the squadrons
+that fought for the possession of the fresh-water seas; and few either
+of the jackies of the forecastle or the officers of the quarter-deck
+were bred to the regular service. With such forces it could only
+happen that the encounters of the foes should be little more than
+skirmishes, and that neither in immediate loss of life nor in direct
+results should these skirmishes be important. Such, in fact, was the
+general character of the hostilities on the lakes, with two noteworthy
+exceptions,--Perry's victory at Put-in-Bay, and McDonough's successful
+resistance of the British on Lake Champlain.
+
+That the war should invade the usually peaceful waters of Ontario,
+Erie, and Champlain, was inevitable from the physical characteristics
+of the northern frontier of the United States. Great Britain held
+Canada; and an invasion of her enemy's territory from that province
+was a military measure, the advisability of which was evident to the
+most untaught soldier. No overland expedition could hope to make its
+way through the dense forests of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, or the
+Adirondack region of New York. But the lakes offered a tempting
+opening for invasion. Particularly did the placid, navigable waters of
+Lake Champlain, stretching, from the Canada line far into the heart of
+New York, invite the invader; while Lakes Erie and Ontario afforded an
+opportunity for attacking the Americans on what was then, practically,
+their western frontier.
+
+The Americans were not slow in perceiving the dangers that threatened
+their north-western frontier, and began to prepare for its defence
+most energetically at the first declaration of war. It was a work that
+taxed to the utmost the resources of the young country. The shores of
+the lakes as far west as Detroit were open to the attacks of the
+enemy, and, although part of the territory of the United States, were
+really more accessible to the invaders than to the American defenders.
+The population was sparse, and the means of transportation very
+primitive. Before the days of railroads, canals, or even well-kept
+turnpikes, troops, seamen, ordnance, and all munitions of war could
+only be transported from the cities on the seacoast by the most
+laborious hauling over roads hardly worthy of the name. Nor was the
+transportation problem solved during the continuance of the war. When
+in May, 1814, the new United States frigate "Superior" lay at her dock
+at Sackett's Harbor, her ordnance, stores, and cordage had to be
+brought from Oswego Falls, some fifty miles away. A clear water-route
+by the Oswego River and the lake offered itself; but Sir James Yeo,
+with his squadron, was blockading the mouth of the harbor, and the
+chance for blockade-runners was small indeed. To carry the heavy
+ordnance and cables overland, was out of the question. The dilemma was
+most perplexing, but Yankee ingenuity finally enabled the "Superior"
+to get her outfit. The equipment was loaded upon a small fleet of
+barges and scows, which a veteran lake captain took to a point sixteen
+miles from the blockaded harbor. By sailing by night, and skulking up
+creeks and inland water-ways, the transports reached this point
+without attracting the attention of the blockading fleet. They had,
+however, hardly arrived when news of the enterprise came to the ears
+of the British, and an expedition was sent to intercept the Americans,
+which expedition the Yankees successfully resisted. The question then
+arose as to how the stores were to be taken across the sixteen miles
+of marsh and forest that lay between the boats and the navy-yard at
+Sackett's Harbor. The cannon and lighter stores were transported on
+heavy carts with great difficulty, but there still remained the great
+cable. How to move this was a serious question. No cart could bear its
+ponderous weight of ninety-six hundred pounds. Again Yankee ingenuity
+and pluck came to the rescue. Two hundred men volunteered to carry the
+great rope on their shoulders, and in this way it actually was
+transported. Along the shore of the little creek the great cable was
+stretched out with prodigious labor, and lay there looking like a
+gigantic serpent. The two hundred men ranged themselves along the line
+at regular intervals, and at a given signal hoisted the burden to
+their shoulders. At the word of command, all stepped off briskly
+together, and the long line wound along the narrow path through the
+forests. They started out cheerily enough, enlivening the work with
+songs and jests; but at the end of the first mile all were glad enough
+to throw down the load, and loiter a while by the roadside. A few
+minutes' rest, and up and on again. Now arms began to ache, and
+shoulders to chafe, under the unusual burden; but the march continued
+until noon of the next day, when the footsore and weary carriers
+marched proudly into Sackett's Harbor, to find sailors and soldiers
+assembled to greet them with bands and cannon-firing. In accordance
+with the custom of the time, these demonstrations of honor were
+supplemented by the opening of a barrel of whiskey, in honor of the
+arrival of the cable.
+
+This incident, trivial in itself, is typical of that ingenuity and
+fertility of resource, which, more than any thing else, contributed
+to the success of the Americans, not only in the lake operations of
+the war of 1812, but in every war the nation has since undertaken. But
+the advantages gained by Yankee enterprise and ingenuity were,
+perhaps, more evident in the operations on Lake Ontario and Lake Erie
+than in the operations of the armies, or of the fleets upon the ocean.
+The great contest lay more in the rapid building of ships than in
+fighting them. At the outset the enemy were better equipped for the
+struggle than were the Americans. The Canadian frontier had been
+longer settled, and could lend more men to the needs of the nation.
+More than this, the route to the ocean by the St. Lawrence River made
+it really easier to transport naval stores from far-off Liverpool to
+the British naval station on the shores of Lake Ontario, than to carry
+like goods across the wooded hills of New York. Nor were the British
+altogether without naval resources upon the lakes at the hour when war
+was declared. On Lake Erie the English flag waved over the "Royal
+George," twenty-two; "Prince Regent," sixteen; "Earl of Moira,"
+fourteen; "Gloucester," ten; "Seneca," eight; and "Simcoe," eight.
+Opposed to this squadron was but one United States vessel,--the
+"Oneida," a man-of-war brig carrying sixteen twenty-four-pound
+carronades. On Lake Erie the British had a squadron of six vessels,
+carrying in all forty-six guns.
+
+Hostilities opened early on Lake Ontario. For some time before the
+formal declaration of war, a desultory warfare had been waged by the
+Americans and Canadians about Niagara. Canadian schooners had been
+seized on account of alleged violations of the revenue and embargo
+regulations of the United States. The resentment of the sufferers was
+aroused, and they only awaited a suitable opportunity to retaliate.
+The opportunity soon came, in the form of the declaration of war; and
+a body of Canadian volunteers attacked eight American schooners, near
+the Thousand Isles, and burned two of them.
+
+With the opening of the war, the United States authorities had fixed
+upon Sackett's Harbor as the naval station for Lake Ontario. In the
+harbor, on the 19th of July, 1812, lay the "Oneida," which had lately
+come into port after a short cruise in search of British schooners. At
+early dawn of the day mentioned, the lookout reported five ships in
+the offing, and a few minutes later hailed the deck, to report them to
+be British ships-of-war. The alarm quickly spread over the little
+town. Puny though the British fleet would have appeared upon the
+ocean, it was of ample power to take the "Oneida" and destroy the
+village. Before the villagers fairly understood their peril, a small
+boat came scudding into the harbor before the wind. It bore a message
+from the British commander, demanding that the "Oneida" and the "Lord
+Nelson" (a captured Canadian vessel) be surrendered. Should the
+squadron be resisted, he warned the inhabitants that their town should
+be burned to the ground.
+
+Commander Woolsey, who commanded the "Oneida," was a United States
+officer of the regular service, and a man of courage and fertility of
+resource. Unable to take his vessel out into the lake, he moored her
+at the entrance of the harbor in such a way that her broadside of nine
+guns might be brought to bear on the enemy. All hands then set to work
+getting the other broadside battery ashore; and, by the aid of the
+villagers, these guns were mounted on a hastily thrown up redoubt on
+the shore. At the foot of the main street of the village was planted a
+queerly assorted battery. The great gun, on which the hopes of the
+Americans centred, was an iron thirty-two-pounder, which had lain for
+years deeply embedded in the muddy ooze of the lake-shore, gaining
+thereby the derisive name of the "Old Sow." This redoubtable piece of
+ordnance was flanked on either side by a brass six-pounder; a pair of
+cannon that the Yankee sailors had, with infinite pains and
+indomitable perseverance, dredged up from the sunken hulk of a British
+war-vessel that had filled a watery grave some years. Two brass
+nine-pounders completed this novel armament.
+
+It was about eight o'clock in the morning when the British vessels
+came up within range. Alarm guns had been firing from the shore all
+the morning; and by that time the village was filled with militiamen,
+who flocked to the scene of action. Woolsey, who had taken charge of
+the shore-batteries, ordered a shot from the thirty-two pounder. The
+"old sow" spoke out bravely, but the shot missing, only roused the
+enemy to laughter, which could be heard on shore. The British vessels
+then began a vigorous cannonade, keeping well out of range of the
+small guns on shore; although so weak were the American defences, that
+a vigorous onslaught by the enemy would have quickly reduced the town
+to submission. As it was, a harmless fire was kept up for about two
+hours. Not a shot took effect, and nothing save the noise and
+excitement of the cannonading need have deterred the good people of
+Sackett's Harbor from observing that Sunday morning in accordance with
+their usual sabbath customs. It was reserved for one shot to put an
+end to this strange engagement. Just as the artillerists who served
+the iron thirty-two pounder were loading the gun, a cannon-ball struck
+the ground near the battery. One of the Americans ran, and, picking up
+the spent ball, brought it into the battery, saying, "I've been
+playing ball with the redcoats, and have caught them out. Let's see
+now if they can catch back again." So saying, he rammed the missile
+down the muzzle of the long thirty-two, and sent it back with deadly
+aim. The captured ball crashed into the stern of the "Royal George,"
+raked her from stem to stern, killing fourteen men, and wounding
+eighteen in its course. The marksman, watching the course of his shot,
+saw the splinters fly from the deck of the British ship; and the
+Americans cheered loudly for the "old sow" as the British squadron put
+about, and left the Sackett's Harbor people to celebrate their easily
+won victory.
+
+Insignificant though this engagement was, it was the chief battle of
+the year on Lake Ontario. The Americans strained every nerve to put
+more armed vessels afloat, and, being left unmolested by the British,
+managed to have quite a flotilla in commission before winter set its
+icy seal upon the lake. In September, Capt. Isaac Chauncey was
+appointed commander-in-chief of the lake navy; and, on his arrival, he
+proved himself the very man for the place. He rushed ahead the
+building of new ships, arranged for the transportation of seamen from
+the seacoast to man the vessels on the lakes, and then, not content
+with attending only to the building of the ships, took command of the
+squadron in commission, and fairly swept the lake clear of the enemy's
+vessels. He met with little opposition as the British retired to their
+naval station at Kingston, remaining there until all further naval
+operations were checked by the ice.
+
+Winter, which seriously impeded the work of the British by putting an
+end to navigation upon the St. Lawrence, did away with many of the
+difficulties of transportation which had so hampered the Americans.
+The roads to the seacoast grew hard, and were soon covered with snow,
+over which long teams of oxen plodded to and fro until the path was
+well broken. Then began the hauling of supplies from the seaboard.
+From his post at Sackett's Harbor, Chauncey sent out requisitions for
+ship-timber, cordage, ordnance, and ship-carpenters. Long trains of
+heavily laden wagons and sledges wound their way across the State from
+New York or Albany to the station at Sackett's Harbor. Agents were
+appointed in the seacoast towns to enlist seamen for service on the
+lakes,--a work that required no small powers of persuasion; for the
+true salt-water jack looks with great disfavor upon the "fish-ponds"
+of fresh water. But, by dint of munificent offers of bounties and
+prize-money, several hundred sailors were induced to leave their ships
+on the ocean, and take service in the infant navy of the lakes.
+
+Most of the sailors were sent across the State in the dead of winter.
+The trip was made in huge sleds, drawn by several pairs of horses, and
+carrying a score or more men each. The jackies enlivened the journey
+with rollicking songs and stories as the sleds sped over the
+well-packed roads through the sparsely settled country. One of the
+largest parties was accompanied by a brass band, with the aid of which
+the sailors made their entrance to the villages along the road in
+truly royal style. The sleighs and horses were gayly decked with the
+national colors. The band led in the first sleigh, closely followed by
+three other sledges, filled with blue-coated men. Before the little
+tavern of the town the _cortege_ usually came to a halt; and the tars,
+descending, followed up their regulation cheers with demands for grog
+and provender. After a halt of an hour or two, the party continued its
+way, followed by the admiration of every villager, and the envy of
+every boy large enough to have seafaring ambitions.
+
+With all his energy and unswerving fidelity to the cause of his
+country, Chauncey probably did nothing of more direct benefit to the
+United States than writing a letter to a young naval officer, then
+stationed at Newport, asking him to come West and take charge of the
+naval operations on Lake Erie. The name of this young officer was
+Oliver Hazard Perry, and a year later no name in American history
+carried with it more fame.
+
+Hostilities on Lake Erie had been unimportant up to the time that
+Chauncey sent for Perry. The Americans had no naval vessel to oppose
+to the fleet of Canadian craft that held the lake. One war-vessel
+only had shown the American flag on the lake; and she had been fitted
+out by the army, and had fallen into the hands of the enemy at the
+surrender of Detroit. But this prize was not destined to remain long
+in the hands of the Canadians. Early in the autumn of 1812, Chauncey
+had sent Lieut. Elliott to Lake Erie, with instructions to begin at
+once the creation of a fleet by building or purchasing vessels.
+Elliott chose as the site of his improvised navy-yard Black Rock, a
+point two miles below Buffalo; and there pushed ahead his work in a
+way that soon convinced the enemy, that, unless the young officer's
+energy received a check, British supremacy on Lake Erie would soon be
+at an end. Accordingly, two armed brigs, the "Caledonia" and the
+"Detroit," recently captured by the British, came down to put an end
+to the Yankee ship-building. Like most of the enemy's vessels on the
+lakes, these two brigs were manned by Canadians, and had not even the
+advantage of a regular naval commander.
+
+On the morning of the 8th of October, the sentries on the river-side
+at Black Rock discovered the two British vessels lying at anchor under
+the guns of Fort Erie, a British work on the opposite side of the
+Niagara River, that there flows placidly along, a stream more than a
+mile wide. Zealous for distinction, and determined to checkmate the
+enemy in their design, Elliott resolved to undertake the task of
+cutting out the two vessels from beneath the guns of the British fort.
+Fortune favored his enterprise. It happened that on that very day a
+detachment of sailors from the ocean had arrived at Black Rock. Though
+wearied by their long overland journey, the jackies were ready for the
+adventure, but had no weapons. In this dilemma Elliott was forced to
+turn for aid to the military authorities, from whom he obtained
+pistols, swords, and sabres enough to fit out his sailors for the
+fray. With the arms came a number of soldiers and a small party of
+adventurous citizens, all of whom enlisted under the leadership of the
+adventurous Elliott. In planning the expedition, the great difficulty
+lay in getting rid of the too numerous volunteers.
+
+By nightfall, the preparations for the expedition were completed. In
+the underbrush that hung over the banks of the river, two large boats
+were concealed, ready for the embarkation. At midnight fifty men,
+armed to the teeth, silently took their places in each of the great
+barges, and pushed out upon the black surface of the river. All along
+the bank were crowds of eager watchers, who discussed the chances of
+success with bated breath, lest the merest whisper should alarm the
+British sentries on the farther shore. With steady strokes of the
+muffled oars, the two boats made their way toward the two brigs that
+could just be seen outlined against the sky. Elliott, in the first
+boat, directed the movements of his men, and restrained the too
+enthusiastic. So stealthy was the approach, that the foremost boat was
+fairly alongside of the "Detroit" before the British took the alarm.
+Then the quick hail of the sentry brought an answering pistol-shot
+from Elliott; and, amid volleys of musketry, the assailants clambered
+up the sides of the brigs, and with pistol and cutlass drove the
+startled crew below. So complete was the surprise, that the British
+made but little resistance; and the cables of the brigs were cut,
+sails spread, and the vessels under way, before the thunder of a gun
+from Fort Erie told that the British on shore had taken the alarm.
+
+At the report of the first shot fired, the dark line of the American
+shore suddenly blazed bright with huge beacon fires, while lanterns
+and torches were waved from commanding points to guide the adventurous
+sailors in their navigation of the captured brigs. But the victors
+were not to escape unscathed with their booty. The noise of the
+conflict, and the shouts of the Americans on the distant bank of the
+river, roused the British officers in the fort, and the guns were soon
+trained on the receding vessels. Some field-batteries galloped along
+the bank, and soon had their guns in a position whence they could pour
+a deadly fire upon the Americans. Nor did the spectators on the New
+York side of the river escape unharmed; for the first shot, fired by
+the field-battery missed the brigs, but crossed the river and struck
+down an American officer. Almost unmanageable in the swift current and
+light wind, the two brigs seemed for a time in danger of recapture.
+The "Caledonia" was run ashore under the guns of an American battery;
+but the "Detroit," after being relieved of the prisoners, and deserted
+by her captors, was beached at a point within range of the enemy's
+fire. The British made several determined attempts to recapture her,
+but were beaten off; and, after a day's fighting around the vessel,
+she was set on fire and burned to the water's edge. The "Caledonia,"
+however, remained to the Americans, and some months later did good
+service against her former owners.
+
+It was shortly after this occurrence that Lieut. Perry offered his
+services for the lakes; and four months later he received a letter
+from Chauncey, saying, "You are the very person that I want for a
+particular service, in which you may gain reputation for yourself, and
+honor for your country." This letter was quickly followed by orders
+from the Secretary of the Navy to report at once for duty to Chauncey
+at Sackett's Harbor. Perry was overjoyed. The dull monotony of his
+duties at Newport suited little his ardent nature. He longed for
+active service, and an opportunity to win distinction. His opportunity
+had at last come; and twenty hours after the receipt of his orders, he
+and his thirteen-year-old brother were seated in a sleigh and fairly
+started on the long drive across the country. Travelling was a serious
+matter in those days, and the journey from Newport to Sackett's Harbor
+required twelve days.
+
+On his arrival, Perry found that the special service for which he was
+needed was the command of a naval force on Lake Erie. He stopped but a
+short time at Sackett's Harbor, and then pressed on to Erie, the base
+of the naval operations on the lake of the same name. It was late in
+March when Perry arrived; and the signs of spring already showed that
+soon the lake would be clear of ice, and the struggle for its control
+recommence. The young lieutenant was indefatigable in the labor of
+preparation. He urged on the building of vessels already begun. He
+arranged for the purchase of merchant schooners, and their conversion
+into gunboats. He went to Pittsburg for supplies, and made a flying
+trip to Buffalo to join Chauncey in an attack upon Fort George at the
+mouth of the Niagara River. All the time, he managed to keep up a
+constant fire of letters to the Secretary of the Navy and to Chauncey,
+begging for more sailors. By summertime, he had five vessels ready for
+service, but no men to man them. The enemy blockaded him, and he dared
+not accept the challenge. In July he wrote to Chauncey: "The enemy's
+fleet of six sail are now off the bar of this harbor. What a golden
+opportunity if we had men!... Give me men, sir, and I will acquire
+both for you and myself honor and glory on this lake, or perish in the
+attempt." Again he wrote: "For God's sake, and yours and mine, send me
+men and officers; and I will have them all [the British squadron] in a
+day or two." When the men finally did arrive, he was much disgusted
+with their appearance, pronouncing them to be "a motley set,--blacks,
+soldiers, and boys." Nevertheless, this same motley crew, headed by
+the critical young officer, won a victory that effectually crushed the
+pretensions of the enemy to the control of Lake Erie.
+
+[Illustration: Perry's Recruits.]
+
+His crews having arrived, Perry was anxious to get out upon the lake,
+and engage the enemy at once. But this course of action was for a long
+time impossible. The flotilla lay snugly anchored within the harbor of
+Erie, the entrance to which was closed by a bar. To cross this bar,
+the ships would have been obliged to send all heavy ordnance ashore;
+and, as the enemy kept close watch outside the harbor, the American
+fleet was practically blockaded. For several weeks the Americans were
+thus kept prisoners, grumbling mightily at their enforced inaction,
+and longing for a chance to get at the enemy. One morning in August
+word was brought to Perry that the blockading fleet had disappeared.
+Instantly all was life and bustle in the harbor. The crews of all the
+vessels were ordered aboard; and the flotilla dropped down to the bar,
+intending to cross early in the morning. At dawn the movement was
+begun. The schooners and other small craft were easily taken outside;
+but, when it came to the turn of the two gun-brigs, "Lawrence" and
+"Niagara," it became evident that mechanical assistance was required.
+Accordingly, a powerful "camel" was hastily improvised, by the aid of
+which the two vessels were dragged across the bar. Hardly had the
+second brig made the passage in safety, when the British fleet
+appeared in the offing. Tradition says that the opportune absence of
+the enemy's fleet was caused by a public banquet to which the citizens
+of Port Dover had invited Commodore Barclay and his officers. While
+the dinner was going merrily on, the Americans were hard at work,
+escaping from the trap in which the British had left them. In
+responding to a toast at the banquet, Barclay said, "I expect to find
+the Yankee brigs hard and fast on the bar at Erie when I return, in
+which predicament it will be but a small job to destroy them." His
+anticipations were not realized; for, on his arrival, he found the
+entire squadron safely floating in the deep water outside the bar.
+
+Had Barclay but known it, he would even then have found it "but a
+small job to destroy them;" for the two brigs, having been stripped of
+their ordnance, would have been easy prey for the British squadron.
+But Perry's bold action in sending forward two schooners to engage the
+enemy seemed to alarm the too prudent commodore; and the British bore
+away, and were soon out of sight.
+
+By night Perry's flotilla was in readiness for cruising, and set out
+immediately in pursuit of the foe. Barclay seemed to avoid the
+conflict; and, after some weeks' cruising, the Americans cast anchor
+at Put-in-Bay, and awaited there the appearance of the enemy.
+
+The little flotilla that lay anchored on the placid waters of the
+picturesque bay consisted of nine vessels, ranging in size from the
+"Trippe," a puny sloop carrying one gun, to the "Lawrence" and
+"Niagara," brigs carrying each two long twelves and eighteen short
+thirty-twos. No very formidable armada was that of a handful of pygmy
+vessels, commanded by a young officer who had never heard the
+thunderous cannonade of a naval battle, or seen the decks of his ships
+stained with the blood of friends and daily companions. Yet the work
+of the little squadron saved the United States from invasion, won for
+the young commander a never-dying fame, and clothed the vine-clad
+hills, the pebbly beaches, and the crystal waters of Put-in-Bay with a
+wealth of proud, historical associations.
+
+[Illustration: Drilling The Raw Recruits.]
+
+Day after day the vessels lay idly at their anchorage, and the sailors
+grew restless at the long inactivity. Perry alone was patient; for to
+him had come the knowledge that the hostile fleet was getting short of
+supplies, and would soon be starved out of its retreat at Malden.
+Knowing this, he spared no pains to get his men into training for the
+coming conflict. They were exercised daily at the great guns, and put
+through severe drills in the use of the cutlass, in boarding, and
+repelling boarders. By constant drill and severe discipline, Perry had
+made of the motley crew sent him a well-drilled body of seamen, every
+man of whom had become fired with the enthusiasm of his commander.
+
+As the time passed, and the day of battle drew nearer, Perry's
+confidence in his men increased; and he looked upon the coming
+conflict as one certain to bring glory to his country. At early dawn
+the jackies on the ships could see the slender form of their commander
+perched upon the craggy heights of one of the islands, called to this
+day "Perry's Lookout," eagerly scanning the horizon in the direction
+of Malden. On the night of Sept. 9, 1813, the commodore felt convinced
+that on the next day the British would come out to battle.
+Accordingly, a conference of captains was called in the cabin of the
+flag-ship, and each received directions as to his course of action
+during the fight. They were urged to force the fighting to close
+quarters. Said Perry, "Nelson has expressed my idea in the words, 'If
+you lay your enemy alongside, you cannot be out of your place.'" As
+the officers were about to depart, Perry drew from a locker a large,
+square blue flag, on which appeared, in white letters, the dying words
+of the gallant Lawrence, "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP!" "This," said Perry,
+"shall be the signal for action; and when it appears at the masthead,
+remember your instructions." The conference then ended; and the
+captains returned to their ships across the bay, silvered by the light
+of the moon, to spend the greater part of the night in preparations
+for the great danger of the coming day.
+
+Morning dawned bright and clear, with a light breeze blowing, that
+broke into ripples the surface of the land-locked bay. The rosy light
+of the rising sun was just reddening the eastern horizon, when, from
+the lookout in the foretop of the "Lawrence," came the long-drawn hail
+of "Sail, ho!" quickly repeated from the other vessels.
+
+Perry was already on deck. "What does it look like?" he shouted to the
+lookout.
+
+"A clump of square rigged, and fore and afters, sir," was the
+response.
+
+In a few minutes the signals "Enemy in sight," and "Get under way,"
+were flying from the masthead of the flag-ship; and the merry piping
+of the boatswains' whistles, and the measured tramp of the sailors
+around the capstans, told that signals were observed, and were being
+obeyed.
+
+The fleet was soon threading its way through the narrow channels,
+filled with islands, at the entrance to the bay, and finally came into
+line on the open lake. Not a cloud was in the sky. The lake was calm,
+with enough wind blowing to admit of manoeuvring, yet gentle enough to
+be of advantage to the schooners that made up the greater part of each
+fleet.
+
+For some time the Americans held back, manoeuvring to get the
+weather-gauge; but Perry's impatience for the fray got the better of
+his caution, and he determined to close at once. His first officer
+remonstrated, saying, "Then you'll have to engage the enemy to
+leeward."
+
+"I don't care," responded the commodore. "Leeward or windward, they
+shall fight to-day." Then, turning to the quartermaster, he called for
+the battle-flag, which being brought, he mustered the crew aft, and
+addressed them briefly, telling them of the task before them, and
+urging them to fight bravely for the victory. "My brave lads," he
+concluded, "this flag bears the last words of Capt. Lawrence. Shall I
+hoist it?"
+
+"Ay, ay, sir!" cried the jackies, in unison; and, as the flag was
+swiftly run to the masthead, the cheers of the sailors on the deck of
+the "Lawrence" were echoed from the neighboring vessels, as the white
+letters showed boldly against the blue flag, bearing to each commander
+the exhortation, "Don't give up the ship!"
+
+The battle-signal being thus displayed, the vessels moved onward to
+the attack. As the crew of the "Lawrence" stood at their guns, the
+cooks passed along the decks, handing to each man a bit of food, that
+his strength might not leave him in the coming struggle. Then followed
+boys with boxes of sand, which they strewed upon the decks, to afford
+a firm foothold for the men at the guns. The hammocks were stowed
+along the nettings, to serve as some little protection against flying
+shot. The men stood silent and pale at their quarters, each occupied
+with his own grave thoughts, but all determined to fight like brave
+men and true for the honor of the flag. By Perry's side stood his
+brother, a boy thirteen years old, armed and ready to do his duty as
+well as the older men.
+
+The British came on gallantly. Barclay had lost all his diffidence,
+and brought up his vessels like a veteran. His ships were kept close
+together; the ship "Detroit" under short sail, that the pygmy sloop
+"Little Belt" might not be left in the rear. The Americans came down
+in single file, headed by the schooner "Scorpion." Suddenly through
+the still air rang out the sharp notes of a bugle-call on the enemy's
+flag-ship. It was the signal for action; and, as the last notes died
+away, the bands struck up "Rule, Britannia." The Americans answered
+with cheers; and in the midst of the cheering, a jet of smoke and fire
+spurted from the side of the "Detroit," and a heavy shot splashed into
+the water near the "Lawrence," while a dull, heavy report came booming
+over the water.
+
+The battle was opened, but five minutes elapsed before a second shot
+was fired. When it did come, it crashed through the bulwarks of the
+"Lawrence," and sped across her deck, doing no great damage. "Steady,
+lads, steady," cried Perry, from his post on the quarter-deck, as he
+saw an uneasy stir among his men, who longed to return the fire. The
+commodore was determined to fight at close quarters, and hung out
+signals for each ship to choose its antagonist, and fight the fight
+out for itself.
+
+It was then high noon, and the battle soon became general. The little
+schooners "Scorpion" and "Ariel" pluckily kept their place in the van
+of the American line, but the fire of the enemy fell most fiercely
+upon the flag-ship "Lawrence." No less than four vessels at one time
+were grouped about the "Lawrence," pouring in a destructive fire, and
+bent upon destroying the flag-ship and her brave commander; then
+taking the smaller vessels in detail. The "Lawrence" fought bravely,
+but the odds were too great. The carronades with which she was armed
+were no match for the long guns of her adversaries. For two hours the
+unequal combat raged, and no American vessel came to the aid of the
+sorely smitten flag-ship. Amid the hail of cannon-balls and bullets,
+Perry seemed to bear a charmed life. He saw his officers and men
+falling all about him. John Brooks, the lieutenant of marines, fought
+by the commodore's side. While speaking cheerfully to the commodore, a
+cannon-ball struck the young lieutenant on the hip, dashing him across
+the deck against the bulwark, and mutilating him so, that he plead
+piteously with Perry, imploring that he might be put out of his misery
+with a pistol-shot. From this awful spectacle Perry turned to speak to
+the captain of a gun, when the conversation was abruptly cut short by
+a shot which killed the seaman instantly. Perry returned to the
+quarter-deck. The first lieutenant came rushing up, his face bloody,
+and his nose swelled to an enormous size from a splinter which had
+perforated it. "All the officers in my division are killed," he cried.
+"For God's sake, give me more!" Perry sent some men to his aid; but
+they soon fell, and the cry for more men arose again. One of the
+surgeons who served in the cock-pit on that dreadful day states, that,
+in the midst of the roar of battle, Perry's voice was heard calling
+down the hatchway, and asking any surgeon's mates who could be spared,
+to come on deck and help work the guns. Several went up; but the
+appeal was soon repeated, and more responded. When no more men could
+be obtained, the voice of the commodore took a pleading tone. "Can any
+of the wounded pull a rope?" said he; and such was his ascendency over
+the men, that several poor mangled fellows dragged themselves on deck,
+and lent their feeble strength to the working of the guns.
+
+[Illustration: Commodore Perry At The Battle Of Lake Erie.]
+
+Amid all the carnage, the sailors were quick to notice the lighter
+incidents of the fray. Even the cock-pit, filled with the wounded, and
+reeking with blood that dripped through the cracks in the deck above,
+once resounded with laughter as hearty as ever greeted a middy's
+after-dinner joke in the steerage. Lieut. Yarnall received a bad
+scalp-wound, which fairly drenched his face with blood. As he groped
+his way towards the cock-pit he passed a lot of hammocks stuffed with
+"cat-tails" which had been stowed on the bulwarks. The feathery down
+of the "cat-tails" filled the air, and settled thick upon the head and
+face of the officer, robbing his countenance of all semblance to a
+human face. As he descended the ladder to the cock-pit, his owl-like
+air roused the wounded to great shouts of laughter. "The Devil has
+come among us," they cried.
+
+[Illustration: Perry's Victory--the Battle Of Lake Erie. September 10,
+1813 Copyright, 1893, By C. Klackner.]
+
+While talking to his little brother, Perry to his horror saw the lad
+fall at his feet, dashed to the deck by an unseen missile. The
+commodore's agony may be imagined; but it was soon assuaged, for the
+boy was only stunned, and was soon fighting again at his post. The
+second lieutenant was struck by a spent grape-shot, and fell stunned
+upon the deck. He lay there for a time, unnoticed. Perry raised him
+up, telling him he was not hurt, as no blood could be seen. The
+lieutenant put his hand to his clothing, at the point where the blow
+had fallen, and discovered the shot lodged in his coat. Coolly putting
+it in his pocket, he remarked, "You are right: I am not hurt. But this
+is my shot," and forthwith returned to his duty.
+
+It was a strange-looking body of men that fought at the guns of the
+"Lawrence." Lean, angular Yankee sailors from the seafaring
+communities of New England stood by the side of swarthy negroes, who,
+with their half-naked black bodies, in the dense powder-smoke, seemed
+like fiends in pandemonium. In the rigging were stationed a number of
+Kentucky riflemen, who had volunteered to serve during the battle. The
+buckskin shirts and leggings gave an air of incongruity to their
+presence on a man-of-war. Their unerring rifles, however, did brave
+service for the cause of the stars and stripes. At the opening of the
+action, two tall Indians, decked in all the savage finery of war-paint
+and feathers, strode the deck proudly. But water is not the Indian's
+element, and the battle had hardly begun when one fled below in
+terror; the other remained on deck, and was killed early in the
+action.
+
+[Illustration: Making Ready To Leave The "Lawrence."]
+
+Courageous and self-confident though the American commander was, the
+moment came when he could no longer disguise the fact that his gallant
+flag-ship was doomed to destruction before the continuous and deadly
+fire of her adversaries. There was but one course of action open, and
+upon this he determined at once. He would transfer his flag to the
+"Niagara," and from the deck of that vessel direct the movements of
+his fleet. Accordingly, the only uninjured boat of the "Lawrence" was
+lowered; and Perry sprang into the stern, followed by his little
+brother. Before the boat pushed off, the battle-flag was thrown into
+her; and, wrapping it about him, Perry took a standing position in the
+stern, and ordered the oarsmen to give way. He steered straight for
+the "Niagara," through the very centre of the fight. The enemy quickly
+grasped the purpose of the movement, and great guns and muskets were
+trained on the little boat. Shot of all sizes splashed in the water
+about the boat, splintered the oars, and buried themselves in the
+gunwale. The crew begged their commander to sit down, and make himself
+a less conspicuous target for the fire of the enemy; but Perry paid
+but little attention to their entreaties. Suddenly the men rested on
+the oars, and the boat stopped. Angrily the commodore demanded the
+cause of the stoppage, and was told that the men refused to row unless
+he sat down. With a smile he yielded, and soon the boat was alongside
+the "Niagara." Perry sprang to the deck, followed by his boat's crew
+and a plucky sailor who had swum just behind the boat across the long
+stretch of water. Hardly a glance did the commodore cast at the ship
+which he had left, but bent all his faculties to taking the new
+flag-ship into the battle.
+
+The "Niagara" was practically a fresh ship; for, up to this time, she
+had held strangely aloof from the battle. Now all was to be changed.
+The battle-flag went to her masthead; and she plunged into the thick
+of the fight, striking thunderous blows at every ship she encountered.
+As she passed the American lines, the sailors greeted with cheers
+their gallant commander. The crippled "Lawrence," an almost helpless
+hulk, left far behind, was forced to strike her flag; although her
+crew protested loudly, crying out, "Sink the ship, and let us go down
+with her." But the conquered vessel was not destined to fall into the
+hands of her enemies. Already the sight of their commodore on a fresh
+vessel stimulated the American tars; so that in half an hour the
+British line was broken, their ships cut to pieces, and the "Detroit,"
+their flag-ship, a prize to the "Niagara." A white handkerchief was
+waved at the end of a pike by one of the crew of the "Princess
+Charlotte." The firing stopped, the flag was again run up to the
+masthead of the "Lawrence," while a few feeble cheers came faintly
+over the water from the remnant of her crew.
+
+The dense clouds of smoke blowing away, Perry saw, by the disposition
+of his squadron, that the victory was secure. Hastily catching off his
+navy-cap, he laid upon it a sheet of paper torn from an old letter,
+and wrote to Gen. Harrison the famous despatch, "_We have met the
+enemy, and they are ours,--two ships, two brigs, one schooner, and one
+sloop._"
+
+Then, with true chivalry, he determined that to his flag-ship
+"Lawrence," that had so stoutly borne the brunt of battle, should
+belong the honor of receiving the British captains, when they came to
+surrender their vessels. He returned to the "Lawrence;" but the scene
+there was such that even the excitement of victory could raise no
+feelings of exultation in his breast. He saw on every side the bodies
+of officers with whom, but the night before, he had dined in perfect
+health. The decks were red with blood, and from the cock-pit arose
+the groans of the wounded.
+
+After the formal surrender, to make which the officers picked their
+way over the deck covered with slain to the quarter-deck, the work of
+burying the dead of both squadrons was begun. It was about sundown
+that the sad ceremonies were held; and, as the deep tones of the
+chaplains reading the burial service arose upon the evening air, the
+dull, mournful splashing of heavy bodies in the water told that the
+last scene in the great victory was drawing to an end.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+ ON THE OCEAN. -- THE "HORNET" SINKS THE "PEACOCK." -- THE
+ BLOCKADE. -- ADVENTURES OF THE "SALLY." -- HOSTILITIES ON
+ CHESAPEAKE BAY. -- THE CRUISE OF THE "PRESIDENT."
+
+
+The year 1813, that brought to American sailors upon the lakes such
+well-earned laurels, opened auspiciously for the stars and stripes
+upon the ocean. It will be remembered that the "Constitution," while
+on the cruise in the South Atlantic that ended with the destruction of
+the "Java," had left the "Hornet" off San Salvador, blockading the
+British ship "Bonne Citoyenne." For eighteen days the "Hornet"
+remained at her post. Her captain continually urged the enemy to come
+out and give him battle, but to no avail. The remembrance of his
+valuable cargo deterred the Englishman, and he remained snug in his
+harbor. Months after, when the occurrence became known in the United
+States, an unreasoning outcry was raised against the commander of the
+"Bonne Citoyenne" for thus avoiding the conflict; but naval men have
+always agreed that his action was wise and commendable.
+
+After eighteen days' service on this blockade, the "Hornet" saw a
+British seventy-four bearing down upon her, bent upon releasing the
+treasure-ship. Against such odds it would have been folly to contend;
+and the Americans, taking advantage of a dark night, slipped away,
+and were soon beyond pursuit. The vessel continued her cruise in the
+waters south of the equator, meeting with good fortune, and taking
+many valuable prizes, from one of which twenty-three thousand dollars
+in specie were taken. But her cruise was not destined to proceed
+without serious opposition.
+
+On the 24th of February, as the "Hornet" was giving close chase to a
+suspicious brig near the mouth of the Demarara River, a second
+stranger was sighted in the offing. Giving no heed to the newly
+sighted vessel, the "Hornet" continued her chase until the rapidly
+approaching vessel was clearly made out to be a brig, flying the
+British flag, and evidently a man-of-war. The "Hornet" was immediately
+cleared for action; and the two hostile vessels began manoeuvring for
+the weather-gage, as two scientific pugilists spar cautiously for an
+opening. In this contest of seamanship, Capt. Lawrence of the "Hornet"
+proved the victor; and a little after five o'clock in the afternoon,
+the two enemies stood for each other upon the wind, the "Hornet"
+having the weather-gage. As they rapidly neared each other, no sound
+was heard save the creaking of the cordage, and the dashing of the
+waves against the vessels' hulls. Not a shot was fired until the
+enemies were dashing past each other, going in opposite directions.
+The first broadsides were exchanged at half pistol-shot, with very
+unequal effects. The shot of the "Hornet" penetrated the hull of her
+antagonist, doing terrible execution; while the broadside let fly by
+the "Peacock" whistled through the rigging of the American ship,
+cutting away the pennant, and killing a topman, who was struck by a
+round shot, and dashed from his station in the mizzen-top, to fall
+mangled and lifeless into the sea.
+
+Hardly were the ships clear, when the British captain put his helm
+hard up,--a manoeuvre executed with the intention of securing a raking
+position. But the plan was balked by the cool seamanship of Capt.
+Lawrence, who quickly followed up the British vessel, and, getting a
+position on his quarter, poured in so rapid and accurate a fire that
+the enemy was fain to haul down his colors and confess defeat. The
+British ensign had hardly touched the deck, when it was run up again,
+with the union down, as a token of distress. At this sight, the Yankee
+tars, who had been cheering lustily over their quickly won victory,
+stopped their rejoicings, and set about giving assistance to the
+injured Britons with as hearty good-will as they had lately shown in
+their vigorous cannonade.
+
+With all possible despatch, a boat was lowered, and Lieut. Shubrick
+proceeded on board the prize. He found the "Peacock" a complete wreck.
+Shortly after the surrender her main-mast had gone by the board, and
+her hull was fairly honeycombed with shot-holes. Returning to his
+ship, Shubrick reported the condition of the prize. He was immediately
+ordered to return to the "Peacock," and make every effort to save her.
+Accompanied by three boats' crews of American sailors, he again
+boarded the sinking ship, and bent every energy to the attempt for her
+salvation. Bulwarks were cut away, and the heavy guns were rolled out
+of the gaps thus made, and cast into the sea. Deep down in the hold,
+and swinging like spiders over the sides of the vessels, sailors tried
+to stop up with felt-covered blocks of wood the great holes through
+which the water was pouring. All the time boats were plying between
+the sinking vessel and the "Hornet," transferring the wounded and the
+prisoners. Twilight fell before the work was ended, and it became
+evident to all that the "Peacock" must sink during the night. But the
+end came even quicker than had been expected. Some new rent must have
+opened in the brig's side; for, with a sudden lurch, she commenced to
+sink rapidly, bow foremost. Several of the English crew were below,
+searching for liquor; and, caught by the inpouring flood, they found a
+watery grave in the sinking hulk. Three Americans were also ingulfed;
+and five narrowly escaped death by climbing up the rigging to the
+foretop, which remained above water when the hull rested upon the
+bottom. In the midst of the excitement and confusion, four British
+seamen slyly clambered out of the cabin-windows, and, dropping into a
+boat that was made fast to the stern, made off in the darkness. The
+Americans, eagerly watching the sinking ship, did not detect the
+fugitives until the boat was far beyond the possibility of recapture.
+
+The vessel so quickly destroyed by the "Hornet" was the British
+man-of-war brig "Peacock," mounting ten guns, and carrying a crew of
+two hundred and ten men. In one respect, she was a model ship. Among
+naval men, she had long been known as "the yacht," on account of the
+appearance of exquisite neatness she always presented. Her decks were
+as white as lime-juice and constant holystoning could keep them. The
+brasswork about the cabins and the breeches of the guns was dazzling
+in its brilliancy. White canvas lined the breechings of the
+carronades. Her decks everywhere showed signs of constant toil in the
+cause of cleanliness. The result of the battle, however, seemed to
+indicate that Capt. Peakes had erred, in that, while his ship was
+perfect, his men were bad marksmen, and poorly disciplined. While
+their shot were harmlessly passing through the rigging of the
+"Hornet," the Americans were pouring in well-directed broadsides, that
+killed and wounded thirty-eight men, and ended the action in fifteen
+minutes. The Americans lost but one man in the fight, though three
+more went down in the sinking prize.
+
+Capt. Lawrence now found himself far from home, short of water, and
+crowded with prisoners. For a time, he feared that to these evils was
+to be added a second action, while his crew was still fatigued with
+the labors of the first. During the battle with the "Peacock," a
+second British man-of-war brig, the "Espiegle," lay quietly at anchor
+only four miles away. Why she had not joined in the strife, has never
+been explained. She was clearly visible from the tops of the "Hornet"
+throughout the action, and Lawrence expected every moment to see her
+bear down to the assistance of her consort. But she made no movement;
+and even after the fight ended, and the "Peacock" lay on the bottom of
+the ocean, the mysterious stranger awoke not from her lethargy. Not
+wishing to engage a second adversary while his ship was crowded with
+prisoners, Lawrence immediately left the scene of action, and laid his
+course for home. The homeward voyage was rapid and uneventful. No
+pains were spared to secure the comfort of the prisoners who crowded
+the ship. The British officers were treated with the greatest
+consideration; so that, as one said on quitting the ship, they "ceased
+to consider themselves as captives." The tars, who were consigned to
+the care of the blue-jackets in the forecastle, were met with less
+courtesy, but certainly with no less good feeling. They were not
+spared an occasional taunt or triumphant joke; but when it was learned
+that by the sinking of their ship the Britons had lost all their
+"toggery," the "Hornet's" lads turned to, and soon collected clothing
+enough to fit out each prisoner with a respectable kit.
+
+It was the middle of March before the long, homeward voyage was
+ended, and the anchor was dropped in the snug harbor of Holmes's Hole
+in the island of Martha's Vineyard. The usual rejoicings followed the
+news of the victory. Lawrence was the hero of the hour; and songs
+innumerable appeared in the newspapers, extolling the courage and
+devotion of the brave lads of the "Hornet."
+
+Indeed, the arrival of the "Hornet" with her glorious news came at an
+opportune moment, to cheer the spirits of the American people. The war
+had begun to assume a serious aspect. Continued reverses on the ocean
+had roused the British ministry to the fact that they were dealing
+with no contemptible enemy, and the word had gone forth that the
+Americans must be crushed into submission. Troops were hurriedly sent
+to Canada, and all the vessels that could be spared were ordered to
+the coast of the United States. The English had determined upon that
+most effective of all hostile measures,--a rigorous blockade of their
+enemy's coast. Up and down the coast from New Jersey to the Carolinas,
+British frigates and sloops kept up a constant patrol. Chesapeake Bay
+was their chief rendezvous; and the exploits of the blockading
+squadron stationed there, under Admiral Cockburn, led often to scenes
+more befitting savage warfare then the hostilities of two enlightened
+and civilized peoples. On the New England coast, the blockade was less
+severely enforced. The people of that section had been loud in their
+denunciations of the war; and the British hoped, by a display of
+moderation, to seduce the New Englanders from their allegiance to the
+United States,--a hope that failed utterly of fulfilment. Even had the
+British desired to enforce the blockade along the New England shore,
+the character of the coast, and the skill and shrewdness of the Yankee
+skippers, would have made the task of the blockaders a most difficult
+one.
+
+The annals of the little seafaring-villages along the coast of Maine
+and Massachusetts abound in anecdotes of hardy skippers who outwitted
+the watchful British, and ran their little schooners or sloops into
+port under the very guns of a blockading man-of-war.
+
+Among the blockade-runners of the New England coast, Capt. Dan Fernald
+of Portsmouth stood foremost. When a shipload of Maine timber was
+needed at the Portsmouth navy-yard, to be converted into a new
+man-of-war, to Capt. Fernald was assigned the task of bringing it down
+from Portland past the British frigates, that were ever on the watch
+for just such cargoes. When the preparations for the building of the
+seventy-four-gun ship "Washington" were making at the navy-yard, Capt.
+Fernald was sent to Portsmouth for a load of ship's-timber. His cargo
+was to consist of forty-eight "knees" and the breast-hook of the
+seventy-four. Loaded down with this burden, the schooner "Sally" left
+Portland, and headed for her destination. Caution led her captain to
+keep his craft close to the shore, and for a day or two she crept
+along the coast without being discovered. But head-winds and calms
+delayed the "Sally," and on her fourth day out she was sighted by the
+British frigate "Tenedos." The "Sally" was not an imposing craft, and
+under ordinary circumstances she might have been allowed to proceed
+unmolested; but on this occasion a number of the oaken knees for the
+new war-vessel were piled on the deck, and the British captain could
+clearly make out, through his glasses, that the "Sally" was laden with
+contraband of war. Accordingly, he set out in hot pursuit, in the full
+expectation of overhauling the audacious coaster. Capt. Fernald,
+however, had no idea of letting his schooner fall into the hands of
+the British. He was a wily old skipper, and knew every nook and corner
+of the Maine and New Hampshire coasts better than he knew the streets
+of his native village. Apparently unmoved by the pursuit of the
+man-of-war, he stood at the tiller, and, beyond ordering his crew to
+shake out the reefs in the sails, seemed to make no great attempt to
+elude the enemy. But soon the crew noticed that the skipper was taking
+his schooner rather dangerously close to the shore; and a cry came
+from a sailor on the bow, that the "Sally" was ploughing through the
+kelp, and would soon be on the rocks.
+
+"No matter," sung out the captain; "just heave over a few of them
+knees, and I guess she'll float clear."
+
+Overboard went a dozen heavy timbers, and the "Sally" sailed smoothly
+on over the rocks. Then the captain glanced back over his shoulder,
+and chuckled slyly as the majestic frigate, following closely in his
+track, brought up all of a sudden on the rocks, and was quickly left a
+fixture by the receding tide. The exasperated Englishman sent two
+eighteen-pound shot skipping over the water after the "Sally," but
+without effect. One shot buried itself in the sand of the beach; and
+Capt. Fernald, after picking up the knees that had been thrown
+overboard, coolly went ashore, dug up the ball, and carried it away as
+a trophy. He reached his moorings at the navy-yard safely, and was
+warmly greeted by Commodore Hull, who asked if the "Sally" had been
+fired upon; and, on being presented with the eighteen-pound shot for a
+token, exclaimed, "You are a good fellow, and stand fire well."
+
+The "Tenedos" came not so luckily out of the adventure. By the time a
+flood tide lifted her clear of the reef, the jagged points of the
+rocks had pierced her hull, so that she leaked badly, and was forced
+to go to Halifax for repairs.
+
+One more adventure in which the "Sally" and her wily captain figured
+is worth recounting. Again the dingy schooner was edging her way along
+the rugged shore, bound for the Portsmouth navy-yard. No vessel could
+have seemed more harmless. Her patched and dirty canvas was held in
+place by oft-spliced ropes and rigging none too taut. Her bluff bows
+butted away the waves in clouds of spray, that dashed over the decks,
+which seldom received other washing. Her cargo seemed to be cord-wood,
+neatly split, and piled high on deck. While off Casco, the wind
+dropped down, and the "Sally" was left floating idly upon the glassy
+ocean. Far in the distance lay an English man-o'-war, also becalmed;
+but from which a long-boat, stoutly manned, soon put out, and made for
+the becalmed schooner. The boat was soon within hail, and a trim young
+officer in the stern-sheets sung out,--
+
+"What craft's that?"
+
+"Schooner 'Sally' of Portsmouth," came the answer, in the drawling
+tones of a down-east skipper.
+
+"Where from?"
+
+"Portland."
+
+"Where bound?"
+
+"Portsmouth."
+
+"What's your cargo."
+
+"Firewood," responded Capt. Fernald with a carelessness he was far
+from feeling; for deep down in the hold, under the cord-wood, were two
+twenty-four-pounder cannon, thirteen thousand pounds of powder, and
+about one hundred boarding pikes and cutlasses.
+
+The British officer hesitated a moment, as if the little coaster was
+of too little importance for further examination.
+
+"Well, I think I'll come aboard," said he carelessly, and soon stood
+with three or four of his men on the deck of the "Sally."
+
+After glancing contemptuously about the ill-kept decks, he turned to
+his men with the sharp order: "Clear away some of that wood from the
+hatchways, and see what's in the hold."
+
+The men set to work, passing the cord-wood away from the hatch ways,
+and piling it upon the after-deck. Soon they had worked their way into
+the hold, and were going deeper and deeper down toward the munitions
+of war. Capt. Fernald's blood seemed to stop coursing in his veins. He
+knew that but one layer of cord-wood then lay above the cannon, and he
+expected every instant to see the black iron uncovered. But the
+British officer grew impatient.
+
+"That's enough of that work," said he; "there's nothing but wood
+there. Captain, you can proceed on your course."
+
+A momentary murmur arose from the English sailors. The "Sally" was
+theirs by right of capture, and they saw no reason for her liberation.
+"Why, lads," said the officer, "it would cost just as much to get this
+poor fellow's wood-schooner condemned as it would a large ship. As for
+the prize-money, it would not make a penny apiece." So, tumbling into
+their boat, the jackies pulled away; shouting to the captain of the
+"Sally" to stow his cargo again, or his old tub would capsize. Capt.
+Fernald took their jeers good-naturedly, for he was the victor in that
+encounter.
+
+The occurrence had been observed from the shore; and, when the British
+sailors were seen swarming over the side of the "Sally," a horse-man
+set off for Portsmouth to notify Commodore Hull that the schooner was
+captured. It was a sore blow; for the guns and powder were thought to
+be lost, and munitions of war were hard to be had at that time. But
+Hull soon threw aside the disappointment, and was busily engaged with
+plans for the vessels then building, when a sentry came in, and
+reported the "Sally" in sight. Hull rushed to the water-side. Sure
+enough, there came the battered old schooner, butting her way through
+the waves of the channel; and, before long, the two cannon were safe
+in the storehouses, while Capt. Fernald found himself vested with a
+reputation for almost superhuman sagacity and luck.
+
+Not all the encounters between the blockaders and the blockade-runners
+terminated so happily for the Americans. Many a coasting-vessel was
+sent to Halifax to swell the coffers of the British prize-courts, or,
+after being set on fire, was left to lie charred and ruined upon the
+rocky shore, as a warning to all who violated the blockade.
+
+The capture of one United States war-vessel graced the English naval
+annals of January, 1813; for the little brig "Viper," carrying twelve
+guns, fell in the way of the British, thirty-two, "Narcissus," and
+straightway surrendered to the overwhelming force of her enemy.
+
+Among the United States war-vessels caught and held in port by the
+blockade was the frigate "Constellation." She was at the opening of
+the war the favorite ship of the American navy; her exploits in the
+war with France having endeared her to the American people, and won
+for her among Frenchmen the name of "the Yankee race-horse."
+Notwithstanding her reputation for speed, she is said to have been
+very crank, and had an awkward way of getting on her beam-ends without
+much provocation. An almost incredible tale is told of her getting
+"knocked down" by a squall while chasing a French privateer, and,
+notwithstanding the delay, finally overhauling and capturing the
+chase.
+
+When war was declared with England, the "Constellation" was so
+thoroughly dismantled, that some months were occupied in refitting
+before she was ready to put to sea. In January, 1813, she dropped
+anchor in Hampton Roads, expecting to set out on an extended cruise
+the next morning. Had she been a day earlier, her career in the War of
+1812 might have added new lustre to her glorious record in the war
+with France; but the lack of that day condemned her to inglorious
+inactivity throughout the war: for on that very night a British
+squadron of line-of-battle ships and frigates dropped anchor a few
+miles down the bay, and the "Constellation" was fairly trapped.
+
+When, by the gray light of early morning, the lookout on the
+"Constellation" saw the British fleet lying quietly at their anchorage
+down the bay, he reported to Capt. Stewart; and the latter saw that,
+for a time, he must be content to remain in port. Stewart's reputation
+for bravery and devotion to his country leaves no doubt that the
+prospect of prolonged idleness was most distasteful to him. But he had
+little time to mourn over his disappointment. The position of the
+frigate was one of great danger. At any moment she might be exposed to
+attack by the hostile fleet. Accordingly, she dropped down abreast of
+Craney Island, where she was secure from attack by the British
+vessels, but still open to the assaults of their boats.
+
+To meet this danger, Capt. Stewart took the most elaborate
+precautions. His ship was anchored in the middle of the narrow
+channel; and on either side were anchored seven gunboats, officered
+and manned by the men of the frigate. Around the gunboats and frigate
+extended a vast circle of floating logs, linked together by heavy
+chains, that no boarders might come alongside the vessels. The great
+frigate towered high above the surrounding gunboats, her black sides
+unbroken by an open port; for the gun-deck ports were lashed down, and
+the guns housed. Not a rope's end was permitted to hang over the side;
+the stern ladders were removed, and the gangway cleats knocked off. An
+enemy might as well hope to scale the unbroken front of a massive wall
+of masonry, as that dark, forbidding hull. From the bulwarks rose on
+all sides, to the ends of the yards, a huge net made of ratlin stuff,
+boiled in pitch until it would turn the edge of a cutlass, and further
+strengthened by nail-rods and small chains. The upper part of the
+netting was weighted with kentledge, the pigs of iron used for
+ballast; so that, should the hardy assailants succeed in coming
+alongside and scaling the side, a few blows of an axe would let fall
+the heavily weighted nettings, sweeping the boarders into the sea, and
+covering boats and men with an impenetrable mesh, under which they
+would be at the mercy of the sailors on the frigate's decks. The
+carronades and howitzers were loaded with grape; and the officers and
+men felt that only bravery on their part was essential to the defeat
+of any force that Great Britain could send against the ship.
+
+Heedless of these formidable preparations for their reception, the
+enemy set under way two expeditions for the capture of the
+"Constellation." In neither case did the antagonists actually come to
+blows, for the approach of the British was discovered before they came
+within pistol-shot; and, as their only chance lay in surprising the
+Americans, they retired without striking a blow. The coming of the
+first expedition was known upon the "Constellation" the day before it
+actually set out. A Portuguese merchantman, trying to beat out of the
+bay, had been stopped by the British, and anchored a few miles below
+the American frigate. A guard and lookout from the English fleet were
+stationed on the Portuguese to watch the "Constellation." In an
+unguarded moment, these men let fall a hint of the movement under way;
+and an American passenger on the Portuguese vessel quickly carried the
+news to Capt. Stewart, and volunteered to remain and aid in the
+defence. The next night was dark and drizzly; and the British, to the
+number of two thousand, set out in boats for the "Constellation."
+Hardly were they within gunshot, when two lanterns gleamed from the
+side of a watchful guard-boat; and the roll of drums and sound of
+hurrying feet aboard the frigate told that the alarm was given. The
+assailants thereupon abandoned the adventure, and returned to their
+ship. The next night they returned, but again retreated discomfited.
+Several nights later, a third expedition came up. This time the
+guard-boat was far down the bay; and, seeing the huge procession of
+boats, the Americans calmly edged in among them, and for some time
+rowed along, listening to the conversation of the British, who never
+dreamed that an enemy could be in their midst. Suddenly a sailor, more
+sharp-eyed than the rest, caught sight of the interlopers; and the cry
+was raised, "A stranger!" The Americans tugged at their oars, and were
+soon lost to sight; but, not being pursued, returned, and accompanied
+their foes up the bay, and even anchored with the flotilla at a point
+above the "Constellation." The enemy, finding the Americans constantly
+on the watch, abandoned their designs on the ship, and vowed that
+Capt. Stewart must be a Scotchman, as he could never be caught
+napping. Some days later, an officer, sent with a flag of truce to the
+British fleet, vastly chagrined the officers there by repeating their
+remarks overheard by the guard-boat officers who joined the British
+flotilla in the dark. These three escapes confirmed the reputation
+borne by the "Constellation," as a "lucky ship;" and although she
+remained pent up in port throughout the war, doing nothing for her
+country, her luck was unquestioned in the minds of the sailors. With
+her they classed the "Constitution" and "Enterprise," while the
+"Chesapeake" and "President" were branded as unlucky. Certainly the
+career of these ships in the War of 1812 went far to confirm the
+superstitious belief of the sailors.
+
+In the course of the next two months, Chesapeake Bay was the scene of
+two gallant adventures, in which American privateersmen were opposed
+to the British sailors. On Feb. 8, the privateer schooner "Lottery"
+was standing down the bay under easy sail, out-bound on a voyage to
+Bombay. The schooner was one of the clipper-built craft, for which
+Baltimore ship-builders were famous the world over. Her battery
+consisted of six twelve-pounder carronades, and her crew numbered
+twenty-five men. Near the point at which the noble bay opens into the
+Atlantic ocean, a narrow sheet of water extends into the Virginia
+shore, winding in sinuous courses several miles inland. This is known
+as Lynnhaven Bay; and on its placid surface there lay, on the morning
+of the "Lottery's" appearance, four powerful frigates flying the
+British flag. From their tops the approaching schooner could be seen
+across the low-lying neck of land that separated the smaller bay from
+the main body of water. The cry of "Sail, ho!" roused the fleet to
+sudden activity; and an expedition of two hundred men was quickly
+organized to proceed against the privateer. Fortune seemed to favor
+the British; for hardly had the boats left the fleet, when the fresh
+breeze died away, and the schooner was left at the mercy of the boats,
+which, propelled by the long, swinging strokes of man-o'-war oarsmen,
+bore down rapidly upon her. Capt. Southcomb of the "Lottery" was an
+American sailor, who had smelt powder before; and he had no idea of
+yielding up his ship without a struggle. The formidable force sent
+against him merely moved him to more desperate resistance. When the
+boats came within range, the guns of the "Lottery" opened upon them
+with a hail of grape and round shot. Still the assailants pressed on,
+and soon came beneath the schooner's lee. Dropping their oars, the
+plucky British tars sprang into the chains, swarmed up the bobstay and
+over the bow, and used each other's backs as ladders to aid them to
+reach the schooner's deck. The little crew of privateersmen fought
+viciously, guarding the side with cutlasses and pistols, hurling the
+boarders back into the sea, or cutting them down as they reached the
+deck. Cold shot and kentledge were dashed upon the boats, in the hopes
+of sinking them; while the carronades poured a destructive fire upon
+such boats as could be reached by their shot. But the conflict was too
+unequal to last long. The English sailors swarmed over the gunwale on
+all sides, and, cheering lustily, drove the small remnant of defenders
+below. Capt. Southcomb was cut down, and lay mortally wounded upon the
+deck when the enemy took possession of the ship. When the victors came
+to look about the captured vessel, they found such proofs of a
+desperate resistance, that their admiration was open and pronounced.
+Five only of the schooner's crew were unhurt, while the British paid
+for their success with the loss of thirteen men. Capt. Southcomb, in a
+dying condition, was taken aboard the frigate "Belvidera," where he
+received the tenderest treatment, and was shown marked respect on
+account of his bravery.
+
+[Illustration: Awaiting The Boarders.]
+
+In the next encounter between the blockaders and a privateer, the
+British bore away the palm for gallantry. This time the privateersmen
+had every advantage, while the British carried the day by pure
+courage. The captured vessels were the privateer schooner "Dolphin,"
+of twelve guns, and the letters-of-marque "Racer," "Arab," and "Lynx,"
+of six guns each. The crews of the four vessels aggregated one hundred
+and sixty men. Against this force came five boats manned by one
+hundred and five British sailors, who pulled fifteen miles in order to
+attack their foes. Wearied though they were by the long pull, the
+sight of the privateers seemed to arouse new strength in the plucky
+tars; and, without a thought of the odds against them, they dashed
+forward, cheering, and calling upon the Americans to surrender. Had
+the four schooners been manned by such brave men as those who defended
+the "Lottery," the assailants might have been beaten off. As it was,
+two vessels surrendered without firing a shot. The crew of the "Racer"
+fought pluckily for a time, but were soon overpowered, and the
+vessel's guns turned upon the "Dolphin." When fire was opened upon
+this last vessel, her crew, affrighted, leaped overboard from every
+side; and the "Dolphin" was soon in the hands of her enemies, who had
+lost but thirteen men in the whole action.
+
+Many a gallant adventure, such as this, is to be laid to the credit of
+the British tars on the American station during the continuance of the
+blockade. Right dashing fellows were they, at cutting out a
+coasting-schooner as she lay under the guns of some American
+earthworks. The lads that have won for England her supremacy upon the
+seas have never been behindhand at swarming up the sides of an enemy,
+leaping his taffrail, and meeting him on his own deck with the cold
+steel. And as the year rolled on, and the blockade along the American
+coast was made more strict, the meetings between the enemies became
+more frequent. From every seaport town, Yankee privateers were waiting
+to escape to sea; and they seldom won clear without a brush with the
+watchful enemy. The British, too, had begun to fit out privateers,
+though American commerce offered but little enticement for these
+mercenary gentry. Between the ships of the two private armed navies,
+encounters were common; and the battles were often fought with courage
+and seamanship worthy of the regular navy.
+
+Little glory was won by the navy of the United States during the
+opening months of the year. Many ships were laid up in port; while
+some, like the "Constellation," were blockaded by the enemy. The
+"President" and the "Congress" managed to get to sea from Boston in
+April, and entered upon a protracted cruise, in which the bad luck of
+the former ship seemed to pursue her with malevolent persistence. The
+two ships parted after cruising in company for a month, and scoured
+the ocean until the following December, when they returned home,
+experiencing little but continual disappointments. The "Congress"
+could report only the capture of four British merchantmen, as the
+result of her eight months' cruise; while the long service had so
+seriously injured her hull, that she was condemned as unseaworthy, and
+ended her career, a dismantled hulk reduced to the ignoble service of
+store-ship at a navy-yard.
+
+The "President" was little more fortunate in her search for prizes.
+After parting with her consort, she beat about in the vicinity of the
+Gulf Stream, in the hopes of getting a ship or two returning from the
+West Indies. But day after day passed, and no ship appeared. Changing
+his plan, Commodore Rodgers made for the North Sea, feeling sure that
+there he would find in plenty the marine game for which he was
+seeking. But, to his astonishment, not an English ship was to be
+found. It was then the middle of summer, and the frigate had been at
+sea for nearly three months. The jackies on the forecastle were weary
+of the long voyage, and fairly at the end of their occupations for
+"teasing time." The officers, well knowing the effect of long idleness
+upon the sailors, were tireless in devising means of employment. The
+rigging was set up weekly, so that the shrouds and stays were like
+lines drawn with a ruler. Enough rope-yarn was pulled, and spun-yarn
+spun, to supply a navy-yard for months. Laggards were set to scrubbing
+the rust off the chain cables, and sharpening with files the flukes of
+the anchors. When such work failed, the men were drilled in the use of
+cutlasses and single sticks; forming long lines down the gun-deck, and
+slashing away with right good will at the word of the instructor. But
+the monotony of a long cruise without a prize cannot long be beguiled
+by such makeshifts; and it was with the heartiest pleasure that the
+sailors heard that the commodore had determined to put into port for a
+time, and take on board stores.
+
+It was North Bergen, Norway, that Rodgers chose for this purpose; and
+an unfortunate choice it proved to be, for a famine prevailed in the
+country, and only water could be obtained for the ship. Leaving the
+inhospitable port, the "President" was soon again upon the ocean. She
+quickly took two British merchantmen, from which she replenished her
+stores. Shortly after, two hostile frigates hove in sight, and the
+"President" fled for her life before them for more than eighty hours.
+At that season, in those high latitudes, no friendly darkness settled
+over the ocean to give the fugitive a chance to escape. Bright
+daylight persisted throughout the chase, and the sun never dipped
+below the horizon. Sheer good sailing saved the American frigate, and
+enabled her to leave her pursuers far in her wake.
+
+For some days thereafter, better luck seemed to attend the frigate
+that so pluckily kept up her operations in seas thousands of miles
+from a friendly port. With true Yankee audacity, she extended her
+cruise even into the Irish Channel, and there preyed upon British
+commerce until the enemy was moved to send a squadron to rout out the
+audacious intruder. Then Rodgers set sail for home.
+
+On the voyage to the United States, the "President" captured a British
+armed schooner by a stratagem which taught at least one British
+officer to respect "Yankee cuteness."
+
+It was near the last of September that the frigate was flying along
+before a fresh breeze. Her yards were spread with a cloud of snowy
+canvas, and the wind sung through the straining cordage a melody sweet
+to the ears of the sailor homeward bound. Towards evening, a small
+sail was made out in the distance; and, as time wore on, it was seen
+that she was rapidly approaching the "President." Rodgers surmised
+that the stranger might be a British vessel, and determined to lure
+her within range by strategy. In some way he had obtained knowledge of
+some of the private signals of the British navy; and in a few minutes
+from the masthead of the American frigate, there fluttered a row of
+flags which announced her as the British frigate "Sea-Horse." The
+stranger promptly responded, and was made out to be the schooner
+"Highflyer," a little craft noted for her sailing qualities.
+Unsuspectingly the "Highflyer" came under the stern of the American
+frigate, and waited for a boat to be sent aboard. Soon the boat came;
+and one of Rodgers's lieutenants, clad in British uniform, clambered
+up the side, and was received with due honor. He was the bearer of a
+message from Commodore Rodgers, requesting that the signal-books of
+the "Highflyer" be sent on board the fictitious "Sea-Horse" for
+comparison and revision. This the British captain hastened to do, and
+soon followed his books to the deck of the frigate, where a
+lieutenant met him, clothed in full British uniform. A file of
+marines, dressed in the scarlet coats of the British service, stood on
+the deck; and the duped Englishman greatly admired the appearance of
+the frigate, remarking to the officer who escorted him to Rodgers's
+cabin, that so trim a craft could only be found in His Majesty's
+service.
+
+On entering the cabin, the English officer greeted Commodore Rodgers
+with deference, and proceeded at once to tell of naval matters.
+
+"I have here," said he, placing a bundle of papers in the commodore's
+hands, "a numbers of despatches for Admiral Warren, who is on this
+station. You may not know that one of the principal objects of our
+squadron cruising here is the capture of the Yankee frigate
+'President,' which has been greatly annoying British commerce."
+
+Rodgers was naturally much interested in this statement, and asked the
+visitor if he knew much about the commander of the "President."
+
+"I hear he is an odd fish," was the response; "and certainly he is
+devilish hard to catch."
+
+Rodgers started. He had hardly expected so frank an expression of
+opinion.
+
+"Sir," said he emphatically, "do you know what vessel you are on board
+of?"
+
+"Why, certainly,--on board of His Majesty's ship 'Sea-Horse.'"
+
+"No, sir, you are mistaken," was the startling response. "You are on
+board of the United States frigate 'President,' and I am Commodore
+Rodgers."
+
+The astounded Englishman sprang to his feet, and rushed to the deck.
+The sight he saw there was still more startling. The quarter-deck was
+crowded with officers in United States uniform. The scarlet coats of
+the marines had vanished, and were replaced by Yankee blue. Even as he
+looked, the British flag came fluttering down, the American ensign
+went up, and the band struck up "Yankee Doodle."
+
+Nothing was left to the Englishman but to submit; and, with the best
+grace possible, he surrendered his vessel and himself to the "odd
+fish," who had so cleverly trapped him.
+
+[Illustration: "I Am Commodore Rodgers."]
+
+Three days later, the "President," with her prize, and crowded with
+prisoners, dropped anchor in the harbor of Newport, after a cruise of
+one hundred and forty-eight days. In actual results, the cruise was
+far from satisfactory, for but eleven vessels had been taken. But the
+service rendered the country by annoying the enemy's merchantmen, and
+drawing the British war-vessels away in chase, was vast. At one time
+more than twenty British men-of-war were searching for the roving
+American frigate; and the seafaring people of the United States were
+thus greatly benefited by the "President's" prolonged cruise.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+ DECATUR BLOCKADED AT NEW YORK. -- ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE THROUGH
+ LONG ISLAND SOUND. -- THE FLAG-SHIP STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. --
+ TORPEDOES. -- FULTON'S STEAM FRIGATE. -- ACTION BETWEEN THE
+ "CHESAPEAKE" AND "SHANNON."
+
+
+While the "President" was thus roaming the seas, almost within sight
+of the shores of the British Isles, events were occurring along the
+American coast which were little likely to raise the spirits of the
+people of the United States. From the "President," the "Congress," the
+"Essex," and the smaller vessels that were upholding the honor of the
+flag upon the ocean, they could hear nothing. But worse than this was
+it for the good people of New York or Boston to go down to the
+water-side and see stanch United States frigates kept in port by the
+overwhelming forces of the enemy, that lay watchfully outside the
+harbor's mouth.
+
+For there was no doubt about it: the blockade was daily becoming
+closer; and in the months of April and May a ship would have found it
+a hard task to run out of New York Harbor without falling into the
+hands of the British fleet stationed there. But, at that very time,
+three stout men-of-war floated on the waves of that noble bay, under
+the command of an officer little used to staying quietly in port in
+time of war. The officer was Stephen Decatur: and the ships were the
+flag-ship "United States;" the captured "Macedonian," repaired, and
+flying the stars and stripes, under the command of the gallant Capt.
+Jacob Jones; and the sloop-of-war "Hornet," Capt. Biddle.
+
+With this force under his command, Decatur burned with the desire to
+get to sea. The watchfulness of the British at the Narrows made it
+useless to think of escaping that way: therefore, he determined to
+pass up the sound, and reach the ocean by way of the opening between
+Montauk Point and Block Island. At the very outset of this voyage,
+however, was a serious obstacle. Through the narrow channel of the
+East River, between Ward's Island and the Long Island shore, the tides
+rushed with a mad speed and turbulence, that had won for the strait
+the significant name of Hell Gate. The United States Government had
+not then bent its energies to undermining and blowing into bits the
+jagged rocks that at low tide reared their crests above the swirling
+eddies. With its tides like mill races, and rocks hidden beneath the
+treacherous water, Hell Gate was a fearful place for any ship to make
+its way through with the uncertain aid of sails alone. Still greater
+were its dangers for the ponderous and deep-laden men-of-war, that
+required deep water and plenty of sea-room for their movements. Such
+considerations, however, had no weight with Decatur, who had seen his
+ships lying idly at their anchorage off Staten Island long enough. In
+the night of May 24, he accordingly got up anchors and started for the
+sound.
+
+Hell Gate was passed safely, thanks to a skilful pilot, whom neither
+the darkness of the night, nor the perils of the narrow channel, could
+daunt. Once past this danger, the three vessels made their way up the
+sound, with the flag-ship leading. They had gone but a little way when
+black clouds to the westward told of a coming storm. The cloud-bank
+came rolling up rapidly; and soon, with a burst of rain, the three
+vessels were enveloped in the thunder-shower. The lightning flashed
+through the black clouds, the thunder crashed and roared, and the wind
+shrieked fiercely through the cordage. The "United States" held her
+place at the head of the squadron; while behind, at the distance of
+half a cable's-length, came the "Macedonian." Suddenly the men on the
+deck of the latter vessel were horrified to see a jagged flash of
+lightning cut its zigzag course through the clouds, then dart,
+straight as an arrow, at the main-mast of the "United States." Hoarse
+cries were heard from the deck of the stricken frigate; and the
+captain of the "Macedonian," fearing lest the "States" should blow up,
+threw all aback on his ship, to escape the explosion. But happily the
+thunderbolt had done little serious injury. In its course it had cut
+away the pendant; shot into the doctor's cabin, extinguishing that
+worthy's candle, to his vast astonishment; then, gliding away, broke
+through the ship's hull near the water-line, and plunged into the sea,
+after ripping off a few sheets of copper from the ship's bottom. No
+delay was caused by the accident; though the superstitious sailors
+pronounced it an evil omen, and dismally predicted all sorts of
+disasters.
+
+On the 29th of May the squadron reached the strait through which
+Decatur hoped to gain the ocean; but, to the intense disappointment of
+all on board, a formidable British fleet barred all egress. Three days
+later the Americans made an attempt to slip out unseen; but, failing
+in this, they returned to New London harbor, where the two frigates
+were kept rotting in the mud until the war was ended. The "Hornet"
+luckily managed to run the blockade, and of her exploits we shall hear
+later.
+
+Upon the arrival of the three American ships at New London, the enemy
+guarded the coast with renewed vigilance. The inhabitants made every
+attempt to drive away the blockaders; and in the course of this
+prolonged struggle there appeared, for almost the first time in the
+history of warfare, that most terrible of offensive weapons, the
+submarine torpedo.
+
+During the Revolution, two attempts had been made to blow up British
+men-of-war by means of torpedoes, invented by a Saybrook mechanic
+named Bushnell. Though the attempts failed, yet the torpedoes
+demonstrated their tremendous power. Before the declaration of the
+second war with England, Robert Fulton, the inventor of the steamboat,
+had made many improvements upon Bushnell's designs, and had so
+thoroughly spread the knowledge of torpedo warfare that it suggested
+itself to many New Englanders as a means of driving the enemy from
+their coast.
+
+The first attempt was well planned, but failed through an entirely
+accidental combination of circumstances. Certain private citizens (for
+in that day it was thought ignoble for a government to embark in
+torpedo warfare) fitted out in New York a schooner, the "Eagle," in
+the hold of which ten kegs of powder, together with sulphur and piles
+of heavy stones, were placed. In the head of one of the casks were two
+gun-locks, primed, and held in place by two barrels of flour. Should
+either of the barrels be moved, the lock would spring, and the
+terrible mine would explode with tremendous force. With this dreadful
+engine of destruction, carefully covered by a cargo of flour and naval
+stores, the "Eagle" left New York, and made her way up the bay, until,
+near New London, she was overhauled and captured by the British
+frigate "Ramillies." Boats were sent out by the English to take
+possession of the prize; but the crew of the "Eagle," seeing the enemy
+coming, took to their small boats, and succeeded in safely reaching
+the shore. The captors, on boarding the vessel, were vastly pleased to
+find that its cargo consisted largely of flour, of which the
+"Ramillies" stood in great need. They at once attempted to get the
+frigate alongside the prize, that the captured cargo might be readily
+transferred. But a calm had fallen, and two hours' constant work with
+sweeps and towing was unavailing. Accordingly, this plan of action was
+abandoned, and the boats were ordered to lighter the cargo from the
+"Eagle" to the frigate. Hardly had the first barrel been moved, when,
+with a roar, and rush of flame and smoke as from a volcano, the
+schooner blew up. Huge timbers, stones, and barrels were sent flying
+high into the air. The lieutenant and ten men from the frigate, who
+were on the "Eagle" at the time, were blown to atoms; and the timbers
+and missiles, falling on all sides, seriously injured many men in the
+boats near by. Had the frigate been alongside, where her commander had
+endeavored to place her, she would have gone to the bottom, with all
+her crew.
+
+An attempt so nearly successful as this could not be long in leading
+others to make similar ventures. Sir Thomas Hardy, the commander of
+the "Ramillies," was kept in a constant fever of apprehension, lest
+some night his ship should be suddenly sent to the bottom by one of
+the insidious torpedoes. Several times the ship was attacked; and her
+escapes were so purely matters of accident, that she seemed almost to
+be under the protection of some sailors' deity. A Norwich mechanic,
+who had invented a submarine boat with a speed of three miles an hour,
+succeeded in getting under the bottom of the blockader three times,
+but was each time foiled in his attempt to attach a torpedo to the
+ship's hull. Another American, a fisherman, succeeded in getting
+alongside in a whale-boat, unobserved, but was driven away before he
+could get his torpedo in position. Such constant attacks so alarmed
+Hardy, that at last he gave up bringing his ship to anchor, keeping
+her continually under way, and, as a further precaution, causing her
+bottom to be swept every two hours throughout the day and night.
+
+The use of torpedoes was not confined to the people of New England.
+New York Harbor was closed with a row of them. The British
+seventy-four "Plantagenet," lying off Cape Henry, Virginia, was nearly
+sunk by one in the charge of Mr. Mix, an American naval officer. The
+attack was made near ten o'clock, on an unusually dark night. Mix and
+his associates pulled in a heavy boat to a point near the bow of the
+menaced vessel. The torpedo was then slipped into the water, with the
+clockwork which was to discharge it set in motion. The rushing tide
+carried the destructive engine down toward the frigate; and the
+Americans pulled away into the darkness, to await the explosion. But
+the clockwork had been badly adjusted, and the torpedo exploded just
+before it reached the ship. A huge column of water, gleaming with a
+ghostly sulphurous light, was thrown high in the air, falling with
+terrific force on the deck of the frigate, which was almost capsized
+by the shock.
+
+A veritable storm of abuse and condemnation followed the introduction
+of torpedo warfare. All countries and all peoples pronounced it
+treacherous and cowardly, and the English press was particularly loud
+in its denunciations. Yet the torpedo had won its place in the
+armaments of nations; and to-day we see all the nations of Europe
+vieing with each other in the invention and construction of powerful
+and accurate torpedoes and swift torpedo-boats.
+
+The germ of another feature of modern naval organization is to be
+found in the annals of the War of 1812. The first war-vessel propelled
+by steam was launched by the Americans for service in this war. She
+was designed by Robert Fulton, and bore the name of "Fulton the
+First." In model she was a queer craft, with two hulls like a
+catamaran, with the single propelling-wheel mounted between them
+amidships. Her armament was to consist of thirty thirty-two-pounder
+guns, and two one-hundred-pounder columbiads. A secondary engine was
+designed to throw floods of water upon the decks and through the
+port-holes of an enemy. While the vessel was building, reports
+concerning her reached England; and soon the most ludicrously
+exaggerated accounts of her power were current in that country. "She
+mounts forty-four guns," said an English paper, "four of which are
+one-hundred-pounders, mounted in bomb proofs, and defended by
+thousands of boarding-pikes and cutlasses wielded by steam; while
+showers of boiling water are poured over those boarders who might
+escape death from the rapidly whirling steel." Unfortunately for the
+American cause, this much dreaded vessel did not get into the water in
+time to take any active part in the war.
+
+In June, 1813, while the British blockaders in the Sound were
+exercising all their ingenuity to keep off the torpedoes, there was
+fought off the Massachusetts coast, near Boston, an engagement which
+must go down to history as one of the most brilliant naval duels of
+the age of sails. The United States frigate "Chesapeake" was refitting
+at Boston, after a cruise of four months, during which she had more
+than justified her reputation as an unlucky ship. Though she sailed
+the waters most frequented by British merchantmen, she returned to
+port having captured only four vessels. Three men-of-war were sighted,
+but could not be spoken. Strangely enough, the frigate sailed over the
+spot where lay the sunken "Peacock" the very day after the "Hornet"
+had fought her famous fight. Ill-luck pursued the hapless ship even to
+her home port; for, as she was entering the port of Boston, a sudden
+squall carried away the topmast, with several men who were aloft at
+the time.
+
+When the "Hornet" reached port, after her victory over the "Peacock,"
+her gallant captain, James Lawrence, was appointed to the command of
+the "Chesapeake." On reaching his ship, he found affairs in a
+desperate condition. The sailors who had sailed on the long and
+unproductive cruise were firmly convinced that the frigate's bad luck
+was beyond remedy. The term of enlistment of many had expired, and
+they were daily leaving the ship. Those who remained were sullen, and
+smarting under fancied ill-treatment in the matter of the prize-money.
+To get fresh seamen was no easy task. Great fleets of privateers were
+being fitted out; and sailors generally preferred to sail in these
+vessels, in which the discipline was light, and the gains usually
+great. Some sailors from the "Constitution" were induced to join the
+"Chesapeake;" and these, with the remnant of the frigate's old crew,
+formed the nucleus of a crew which was filled up with merchant-sailors
+and foreigners of all nations. Before the lists were fairly filled,
+the ship put to sea, to give battle to an adversary that proved to be
+her superior.
+
+The events leading to the action were simple, and succeeded each other
+hurriedly. The port of Boston was blockaded by two British frigates,
+the "Tenedos" thirty-eight, and the "Shannon" thirty-eight. The latter
+vessel was under the command of Capt. Philip Bowes Vere Broke, a naval
+officer of courage, skill, and judgment. His crew was thoroughly
+disciplined, and his ship a model of efficiency. No officer in the
+service understood better than he the difference between the
+discipline of a martinet and the discipline of a prudent and sagacious
+commander. His ship might not, like the "Peacock," merit the title of
+"the yacht;" but for active service she was always prepared. James, an
+English naval historian, turns from his usual occupation of explaining
+the American naval victories by belittling the British ships, and
+enormously magnifying the power of the victors, to speak as follows of
+the "Shannon:"--
+
+"From the day on which he [Capt. Broke] joined her, the 14th of
+September, 1806, the 'Shannon' began to feel the effect of her
+captain's proficiency as a gunner, and zeal for the service. The
+laying of the ship's ordnance so that it may be correctly fired in a
+horizontal direction is justly deemed a most important operation, as
+upon it depends, in a great measure, the true aim and destructive
+effect of the shot; this was attended to by Capt. Broke in person. By
+drafts from other ships, and the usual means to which a British
+man-of-war is obliged to resort, the 'Shannon' got together a crew;
+and in the course of a year or two, by the paternal care and excellent
+regulations of Capt. Broke, the ship's company became as pleasant to
+command as it was dangerous to meet." Moreover, the historian goes on
+to relate that the ship's guns were carefully sighted, and her
+ammunition frequently overhauled. Often a cask would be thrown
+overboard, and a gun's crew suddenly called to sink it as it bobbed
+about on the waves astern. Practice with the great guns was of daily
+occurrence. "Every day for about an hour and a half in the forenoon,
+when not prevented by chase or the state of the weather, the men were
+exercised at training the guns; and for the same time in the
+afternoon in the use of the broad-sword, musket, pike, etc. Twice a
+week the crew fired at targets, both with great guns and musketry; and
+Capt. Broke, as an additional stimulus beyond the emulation excited,
+gave a pound of tobacco to every man that put a shot through the
+bull's-eye."
+
+Such was the vessel that in June appeared alone off the entrance to
+Boston Harbor, and by her actions seemed to challenge the "Chesapeake"
+to give her battle. Indeed, Broke's wish to test the strength of the
+two vessels was so great, that he sent in, by the hands of an American
+prisoner, a written challenge, the terms and spirit of which showed
+the writer to be a courageous and chivalric officer and gentleman. "As
+the 'Chesapeake' now appears ready for sea," he wrote, "I request you
+will do me the honor to meet the 'Shannon' with her, ship to ship, to
+try the fortunes of our respective flags. To an officer of your
+character, it requires some apology for proceeding to further
+particulars. Be assured, sir, it is not from any doubt I can entertain
+of your wishing to close with my proposal, but merely to provide an
+answer to any objection which might be made, and very reasonably, upon
+the chance of our receiving any unfair support." Capt. Broke then
+proceeds to assure Lawrence that the other British ships in the
+neighborhood would be sent away before the day of combat. To the
+challenge was appended a careful statement of the strength of the
+"Shannon," that Lawrence might understand that the ships were fairly
+matched.
+
+But before this challenge reached Boston, Lawrence had set out to seek
+the enemy. He had seen the "Shannon" lying off the entrance to the
+port; and, finding out that she was alone, he knew that her presence
+was in itself a challenge that he could not honorably ignore. Nor did
+he desire to avoid the battle thus offered. He had confidence in his
+crew, his frigate, and himself, and looked for nothing but victory. To
+the Secretary of the Navy, he wrote, "An English frigate is now in
+sight from my deck. I have sent a pilot-boat out to reconnoitre; and,
+should she be alone, I am in hopes to give a good account of her
+before night. My crew appear to be in fine spirits, and I hope will do
+their duty."
+
+In truth, however, the condition of this same crew was such that the
+captain would have been justified in refusing the challenge. An
+unusual number of foreign sailors were enrolled, among whom was a
+Portuguese, who, in the ensuing battle, did incalculable injury to the
+cause of the "Chesapeake." The crew had never drilled together; many
+of the sailors came on board only a few hours before the ship sailed
+out to battle. All the old sailors were sullen over the delay in the
+payment of the prize-money of their last cruise. Lawrence attempted to
+allay their discontent by giving them checks for the prize-money; but
+the sense of injury still lingered in the minds of the men, and they
+were ill-fitted to do battle for the honor of the flag. Added to this
+evil was the fact that the first and second lieutenants and two acting
+lieutenants were away on sick-leave, and the ship was thus left short
+of officers on the eve of battle.
+
+Regardless of the disadvantages under which he labored, Lawrence
+weighed anchor on the 1st of June, and started down the harbor. As he
+approached the ocean, Lawrence mustered his crew aft, and eloquently
+urged them to fight bravely, and do their duty to the country, which
+had entered upon this war in defence of seamen and their rights. Three
+ensigns were run up; and at the fore was unfurled a broad white flag,
+bearing the motto, "FREE TRADE AND SAILORS' RIGHTS." When Lawrence
+closed his speech, and pointed out the flag floating at the fore, the
+men cheered and went forward, leaving the captain convinced that he
+could depend upon their loyalty.
+
+The morning was bright and cool, with a fresh breeze blowing, before
+which the "Chesapeake" rapidly bore down upon the foe that awaited
+her. Following cautiously in her track came a number of small
+craft,--pilot-boats, sloops, fishing-smacks, and pleasure-boats,--that
+had come down the bay to see the outcome of the battle. Hundreds of
+people of Boston rode along the coast, in hopes of gaining an outlook
+from which the progress of the fight might be viewed.
+
+At noon the ship rounded Boston Light, and made out into the open sea.
+The "Shannon" went ahead, under easy sail, making up the coast toward
+Salem. Towards five o'clock the "Chesapeake" luffed up for a moment;
+while the pilot clambered down the side, and put off in a small boat.
+A gun was then fired, as a signal that the Americans were ready for
+action.
+
+The "Shannon" evidently understood the purport of the signal; for she
+quickly hove to, and troops of agile jackies clambered up her rigging,
+and began to take in sail. The "Chesapeake" followed suit, and was
+soon under only topsails and jib. She then laid her course straight
+for the enemy.
+
+[Illustration: Beating To Quarters.]
+
+A ship preparing for action in that day was a scene of hurry and
+confusion that cannot be equalled in this era of machinery and few
+guns. At the short, broken, rolling beat of the drums, calling the men
+to quarters, the hurried rush of hundreds of feet began, as the men
+came pouring from all parts of the ship to their posts. Some clambered
+aloft to their stations in the tops; others invaded the sanctity of
+the quarter-deck and captain's cabin, where several guns are always
+mounted. But the most stirring scene is on the long gun-deck where the
+men gradually fall into their places at the two long rows of great
+guns that peer through the open ports on either side. All are stripped
+to the waist; and at many a gun the fair skin of the American sailor
+gleams white by the side of some swarthy Spaniard, or still darker
+negro.
+
+[Illustration: The Only Shot Of The "Chesapeake".]
+
+All quiet down on reaching their stations; and, five minutes after the
+drum-beats, no sound is heard, save perhaps the steps of the black
+boys, taking rations of grog around, that the men may "splice the
+main brace" before going into the fight.
+
+Thus silently did the "Chesapeake" bear down upon her adversary. There
+was no long-range firing; for the two commanders were veterans, whose
+chief desire was to settle the dispute yard-arm to yard-arm. Gradually
+the American ship ranged alongside the "Shannon," at a distance of
+half pistol-shot; and, as her foremast came in a line with the
+"Shannon's" mizzen-mast, the latter opened fire with her cabin-guns.
+For a moment the "Chesapeake" was silent, waiting for her guns to
+bear; then, with sulphuric flashes and a thunderous roar, she let fly
+her whole broadside. Then followed a duel with great guns. The two
+ships, lying side by side, dealt and received staggering blows. The
+spectators in small boats, who kept a safe distance, and the crowds of
+eager watchers on the far-off heights of Salem, saw through their
+spy-glasses the flash of the first broadsides, and the flying
+splinters that followed the course of the deadly shot. Then a heavy
+cloud of yellow smoke settled over the warring leviathans, and all
+further incidents of the battle were shut out from view. Only the
+top-masts of the ships, with the half-furled sails and the opposing
+ensigns flying, could be seen above the smoke.
+
+Under this vaporous pall, the fighting was sharp and desperate. The
+first broadside of the "Shannon" so swept the decks of the American
+frigate, that, of one hundred and fifty men quartered on the upper
+deck, not fifty were upon their legs when the terrible rush of the
+shot was over. The sailors in the tops of the British frigate, looking
+down upon the decks of their enemy, could see nothing but a cloud of
+hammocks, splinters, and wreckage of all kinds, driven fiercely across
+the deck. Both men at the wheel fell dead, but their places were soon
+filled; while fresh gunners rushed down to work the guns that had been
+silenced by the enemy's fearful broadside. In a moment the
+"Chesapeake" responded with spirit, and for some time broadsides were
+exchanged with inconceivable rapidity. The men encouraged each other
+with cheers and friendly cries. They had named the guns of the
+frigate, and with each telling shot they cheered the iron-throated
+monster which had hurled the bolt. "Wilful Murder," "Spitfire,"
+"Revenge," "Bull Dog," "Mad Anthony," "Defiance," "Raging Eagle," and
+"Viper" were some of the titles born by the great guns; and well the
+weapons bore out the names thus bestowed upon them. The gunnery of the
+Americans was good, their shot doing much damage to the enemy's
+rigging. But the effect of the "Shannon's" broadsides was such that no
+men, however brave, could stand before them. They swept the decks,
+mowing down brave fellows by the score. Officers fell on every side.
+At a critical moment the two ships fouled, exposing the "Chesapeake"
+to a raking broadside, which beat in her stern-ports, and drove the
+gunners from the after-port. At this moment, Lawrence was wounded in
+the leg, but remained at his post and ordered that the boarders be
+called up. Unhappily a negro bugler had been detailed for the duty
+usually performed by drummers; and, at this important moment, he could
+not be found. Midshipmen and lieutenants ran about the ship, striving
+to call up the boarders by word of mouth. In the confusion, the bugler
+was found skulking under the stem of the launch, and so paralyzed by
+fear that he could only give a feeble blast upon his instrument. In
+the din and confusion of battle, the oral orders of the officers only
+perplexed the men; and the moment for boarding was lost. At that very
+moment, the turning-point of the conflict, Capt. Lawrence was struck
+by a musket-ball, and fell mortally wounded to the deck. His officers
+rushed to his side, and, raising him gently, were carrying him below,
+when in a firm voice he cried,--
+
+"Tell the men to fire faster, and not give up the ship. Fight her till
+she sinks."
+
+With these words on his lips, he was carried to the wardroom.
+
+At this moment, the upper deck was left without an officer above the
+rank of midshipman. The men, seeing their captain carried below, fell
+into a panic, which was increased by the explosion of an arm-chest,
+into which a hand-grenade, hurled by a sailor lying out on the
+yard-arm of the "Shannon," had fallen. Seeing that the fire of the
+Americans had slackened, Capt. Broke left his quarter-deck, and,
+running hastily forward, gained a position on the bow of his ship from
+which he could look down upon the decks of the "Chesapeake." His
+practised eye quickly perceived the confusion on the deck of the
+American frigate; and he instantly ordered that the ships be lashed
+together, and the boarders called up. An old quartermaster, a veteran
+in the British navy, set about lashing the ships together, and
+accomplished his task, although his right arm was actually hacked off
+by the cutlass of an American sailor. The boarders were slow in coming
+up, and but twenty men followed Broke as he climbed to the deck of
+the "Chesapeake." Broke led his men straight for the quarter-deck of
+the frigate. The Americans offered but little resistance. Not an
+officer was in sight to guide the men, and the newly enlisted sailors
+and foreigners fled like sheep before the advance of the boarders.
+
+[Illustration: On Board The "Chesapeake."]
+
+The British reached the quarter-deck with hardly the loss of a man.
+Here stood Mr. Livermore, the chaplain of the "Chesapeake," who had
+cruised long with Lawrence, and bitterly mourned the captain's fate.
+Determined to avenge the fallen captain, he fired a pistol at Broke's
+head, but missed him. Broke sprang forward, and dealt a mighty stroke
+of his keen cutlass at the chaplain's head, who saved himself by
+taking the blow on his arm. While the boarders were thus traversing
+the upper deck, the sailors in the tops of the "Chesapeake" were
+keeping up a well-directed fire, before which many of the Englishmen
+fell. But this resistance was not of long duration; for one of the
+"Shannon's" long nines, loaded with grape, swept clean the
+"Chesapeake's" tops. With this, the British were in full control of
+the upper deck.
+
+Up to this time, the Americans on the gun-deck had known nothing of
+the events occurring on the deck above them. When the news of the
+British assault spread, Lieut. Budd called upon the men to follow him,
+and drive the boarders back to their own ship. A number of the marines
+(who behaved splendidly throughout the fight) and some twenty veteran
+sailors were all that responded to the call. Broke had in the mean
+time summoned the marines of the "Shannon" to his aid; and the
+British, led by their dashing commander, were pouring in a dense
+column down the companion-ways to the gun-deck. Budd and his handful
+of followers attacked them fiercely; and, by the very desperation of
+the onset, the British were forced back a few paces. Broke threw
+himself upon the Americans. With his cutlass he cut down the first man
+who attacked him, and bore down upon the others, dealing deadly blows
+right and left. His followers came close behind him. The Americans
+fell on every side, and began to retreat before the overwhelming force
+of their foes. Up from the wardroom came Lieut. Ludlow, already
+suffering from two dangerous wounds. He placed himself beside the
+younger officer, and the two strove in every way to encourage their
+men. But Ludlow soon fell, with a gaping wound across his forehead.
+Budd was cut down, and fell through the hatchway to the deck beneath.
+The sailors, seeing both officers fall, gave way in confusion; and the
+ship was in the hands of the British. A few marines kept up a fire
+through the hatchway, but soon were silenced.
+
+An English officer, Lieut. Watts, ran to the halliards to haul down
+the American flag. But it would seem that the good genius which had
+watched over that starry banner throughout the war was loath to see it
+disgraced; for the officer had hardly finished his work, when a
+grape-shot from his own ship struck him, and he fell dead.
+
+The noise of the battle had by this time died away, and the fresh
+breezes soon carried off the smoke that enveloped the combatants. It
+was an awful scene thus exposed to view. On the "Chesapeake" were
+sixty-one killed, and eighty-five wounded men. On the "Shannon" were
+thirty-three dead, and fifty wounded. On a cot in the wardroom lay
+Capt. Lawrence, his mortal wound having mercifully rendered him
+unconscious, so that he knew nothing of the loss of his ship. Broke
+had been made delirious by the fevered throbbing of the wound he had
+so long neglected. Everywhere were evidences of carnage and
+desolation.
+
+Little time was lost in getting the ships in order after the
+surrender. The noise of the hammer and saw was heard in every quarter.
+The wounded were taken to the sick-bay, and the bodies of the dead
+were committed to the ocean. Floods of water and the heavy holystones
+took from the decks the stains of blood. The galley cooks marched up
+and down the decks, sprinkling hot vinegar with a lavish hand. The
+British prize-crew took possession of the captured ship, and in a few
+hours the captor and captive were well on their way toward Halifax.
+
+They reached port on the 7th of June; and the sight of the "Shannon,"
+followed by the "Chesapeake" with the British ensign flying proudly
+over the stars and stripes, stirred the little city to the utmost
+enthusiasm. As the two ships pursued their stately course up the
+harbor, the British men-of-war on all sides manned their yards, and
+fired salutes in honor of the victory. The thunders of the cannon
+brought the town's-people to the water-side, and their cheers rang out
+lustily to welcome their conquering countrymen to port.
+
+Capt. Lawrence had died the day before; and his body, wrapped in an
+American flag, lay on the quarter-deck of his frigate. Three days
+later, his body, with that of his gallant lieutenant Ludlow, was laid
+to rest with imposing naval honors, in the churchyard of Halifax. But
+his country, honoring him even in the day of his defeat, was not
+content that his body should lie in the soil of an enemy's country.
+Two months after the battle, an American vessel, the "Henry" of Salem,
+entered the harbor of Halifax, under cover of a flag of truce, and
+took on board the bodies of Lawrence and Ludlow. They were conveyed
+first to Salem and later to New York, where they now lie under a
+massive monument of sandstone, in a corner of Trinity churchyard. A
+few feet away, the ceaseless tide of human life rolls on its course up
+and down Broadway; few of the busy men and women pausing to remember
+that in the ancient churchyard lies the body of the man whose dying
+words, "Don't give up the ship," were for years the watchword and
+motto of the United States navy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+ CRUISE OF THE "ESSEX." -- A RICH PRIZE. -- THE MYSTERIOUS
+ LETTER. -- CAPE HORN ROUNDED. -- CAPTURE OF A PERUVIAN
+ PRIVATEER. -- AMONG THE BRITISH WHALERS. -- PORTER IN
+ COMMAND OF A SQUADRON. -- A BOY COMMANDER. -- THE SQUADRON
+ LAYS UP AT NOOKAHEEVAH.
+
+
+While the events related in the two preceding chapters were occurring
+along the American coast, a few gallant vessels were upholding the
+honor of the stars and stripes in far distant lands. To cruise in
+waters frequented by an enemy's merchantmen, and capture, burn, sink,
+and destroy, is always a legitimate occupation for the navy of a
+belligerent nation. Yet the nation suffering at the hands of the
+cruisers invariably raises the cry of "wanton vandalism and cruelty,"
+and brands the officers to whom falls so unpleasant a duty with the
+name of pirates. Such was the outcry raised against Paul Jones in the
+Revolutionary war; so it was the British described the brilliant
+service of the little brig "Argus" in 1813; and so the people of the
+North regarded the career of the "Alabama" and other Confederate
+cruisers in the great war for the Union. But perhaps no ship had
+ever a more adventurous career, or wrought more damage to the enemy's
+commerce, than the United States frigate "Essex," under the command of
+the able officer David Porter.
+
+Of the circumstances which led to the famous cruise of the "Essex,"
+some account has already been given. With a full crew, and stores
+enough to enable her to keep the sea for some months, the ship set
+sail from the Delaware in the autumn of 1812, and headed to the
+southward with the intention of joining the "Constitution" and
+"Hornet" at some point in the tropics. Her first point of call was at
+Porto Praya, a harbor in the Cape Verd Islands. To the captain's
+disappointment, he could learn nothing of Bainbridge at this place;
+and he soon departed, after scrupulously exchanging salutes with a
+rickety little fort, over which floated the flag of Portugal.
+Continuing her southward way, the "Essex" crossed the equator, on
+which occasion the jolly tars enjoyed the usual ceremonies attendant
+upon crossing the line. Father Neptune and his faithful spouse, with
+their attendant suite, came aboard and superintended the operation of
+shaving and dowsing the green hands, whose voyages had never called
+them before into the Southern seas. Capt. Porter looked upon the
+frolic indulgently. He was well known as a captain who never
+unnecessarily repressed the light-heartedness of his crew. Two hours
+daily were set aside during which the crew were free to amuse
+themselves in any reasonable way. At four o'clock every afternoon, the
+shrill piping of the boatswain's whistle rang through the ship,
+followed by the cry, "D'ye hear there, fore and aft? All hands
+skylark!" No order ever brought a quicker response, and in a minute
+the decks became a perfect pandemonium. The sailors rushed here and
+there, clad in all sorts of clothes; boxed, fenced, wrestled; ran
+short foot-races; played at leap-frog, and generally comported
+themselves like children at play. Fights were of common occurrence;
+and the two combatants soon became the centre of an interested ring of
+spectators, who cheered on their favorites with loud cries of "Go it,
+Bill. Now, Jack, lively with yer left." But a sailor has no better
+friend to-day than the man he fought yesterday; and the fights, like
+the play, only kept the crew in good spirits and contentment.
+
+The day after crossing the equator, the "Essex" sighted a sail and
+gave chase. Towards evening the frigate had gained greatly upon the
+stranger, and Porter displayed all the British signals which he had in
+his possession. The chase made no response, but set a British ensign.
+By nine o'clock, the "Essex" was within musket-shot, and could easily
+have blown the fugitive out of water; but this Porter was loath to do,
+as he desired to take the brig without doing her any injury. However,
+as she showed no signs of surrendering, he ordered the marines to give
+her a volley of musketry. One man on the chase was killed, and a
+number wounded, upon which her flag was immediately hauled down. She
+proved to be the British packet "Nocton" of ten guns. In her hold was
+found fifty-five thousand dollars in specie, which was at once taken
+on board the "Essex;" and the "Nocton" was sent to the United States
+under the charge of a prize-crew. Before she could make a port, she
+fell in with a British man-of-war, and was captured after a few hours'
+chase.
+
+Two days after parting with the "Nocton," the "Essex" hove in sight of
+the Island of Fernando Noronha, off the coast of Brazil. For a time
+the frigate abandoned her warlike character, battened down her ports,
+housed her guns, hid her large crew between decks, and sailed into the
+little harbor looking like a large but peaceable British merchantman.
+An officer clad in plain clothes went ashore, and, meeting the
+governor, stated that the ship was the "Fanny" of London, bound for
+Rio Janeiro. During the conversation, the governor remarked that His
+British Majesty's ships, the "Acosta" forty-four, and the "Morgiana"
+twenty, had but recently sailed from the port, and had left a letter
+for Sir James Yeo, requesting that it be forwarded to England as soon
+as possible. With this news, the lieutenant returned to the ship. On
+hearing his report, Porter at once surmised that the letter might have
+been left for him by Commodore Bainbridge; and he at once sent the
+officer back, bearing the message that the "Fanny" was soon going to
+London, and her captain would see the letter delivered to Sir James
+Yeo, in person. The unsuspecting governor accordingly delivered up the
+epistle, and it was soon in Porter's hands. The note read as
+follows:--
+
+ My Dear Mediterranean Friend,--Probably you may stop here.
+ Don't attempt to water: it is attended with too many
+ difficulties. I learned, before I left _England_, that you
+ were bound to Brazil coast. If so, perhaps we may meet at
+ St. Salvador or at Rio Janeiro. I should be happy to meet
+ and converse on our old affairs of captivity. Recollect our
+ secret in those times.
+
+ Your friend of His Majesty's ship "Acosta,"
+ KERR.
+ Sir JAMES YEO of His British Majesty's ship "Southampton."
+
+Porter read and pondered over this perplexing letter. He felt sure
+that the letter was from Bainbridge; and in the allusion to St.
+Salvador and Rio Janeiro, he perceived the commodore's wish for a
+rendezvous at one of those places. But what could be the secret of the
+times of captivity? Suddenly a thought struck him. Might there not be
+something written in sympathetic ink? Hurriedly calling for a candle,
+he held the letter above its flame, and saw, under the influence of
+the heat, words and sentences appearing where before all was blank
+paper.
+
+"I am bound off St. Salvador," it read; "thence off Cape Frio, where I
+intend to cruise until the 1st of January. Go off Cape Frio to the
+northward of Rio, and keep a lookout for me."
+
+That afternoon the governor of the island, looking out toward the
+harbor, was surprised to see the "Fanny" standing out under a full
+spread of canvas. Porter had gained all the information that he
+wished, and was off in search of his consorts. This search he
+continued until the 20th of January, cruising up and down off the
+Brazilian coast, and taking one or two small prizes. In this
+unprofitable service the ship's stores were being rapidly consumed.
+Among other things, the supply of rum began to run short; and in
+connection with this occurred a curious incident, that well
+illustrates the character of sailors. The daily rations of bread were
+reduced one-half, and the rations of salt meat one-third, without a
+word of remonstrance from the patient crew. Next the discovery was
+made that the rum was giving out, and a proportional reduction in the
+rations of grog was duly ordered. The jackies put in a vigorous and
+immediate protest. They were prepared, they said, to go without grog,
+should the supply of rum be unhappily exhausted; but so long as any of
+the precious fluid remained, their rations of grog should not be
+curtailed. But to this Porter would not accede, fearing that, should
+the men be altogether deprived of their grog, the health of the crew
+might suffer. Accordingly, when the crew were piped to "splice the
+main brace" the next day, they were told that half rations only would
+be issued; and, if the grog was not taken up in fifteen minutes, the
+tub would be overturned, and the rum spilled into the sea. So dire a
+threat was too much for the rebellious seamen: they sprang into line,
+with their tin cups, and drew their curtailed rations without more
+ado.
+
+Some days after this occurrence, the "Essex" overhauled a Portuguese
+vessel, from the captain of which Porter learned that an American
+frigate had shortly before fought and sunk an English frigate off the
+coast of Brazil; also, that it was rumored that an American corvette
+of twenty-two guns had been brought into Rio, a prize to a British
+seventy-four. This intelligence placed Capt. Porter in some
+perplexity. He felt convinced that the successful American frigate was
+the "Constitution;" a conjecture in which he was correct, for the news
+referred to the celebrated action of that ship with the "Java." The
+captured American corvette, he concluded, must be the "Hornet;" but
+herein the captain was wrong, for the "Hornet" was at that moment
+blockading the "Bonne Citoyenne."
+
+Porter now found it necessary to decide upon a course of action. The
+news which he had received made it appear most improbable that he
+would fall in with either of the United States vessels for which he
+was seeking. He was far from home, cruising in seas much frequented by
+British men-of-war. There were no naval stations or outposts belonging
+to the United States, into which he could put for protection or
+repairs; for then, as now, the nation ignored the necessity of such
+supply-stations. To return home was peculiarly distasteful to the
+captain, who had set sail with the intention of undertaking a long
+cruise. In this dilemma, he wasted but little time in thought. By
+rounding Cape Horn, he would carry the "Essex" into the Pacific Ocean,
+where British merchantmen abounded and men-of-war were few. It was an
+adventurous and a perilous expedition to undertake; but Porter, having
+decided upon it, wasted no time in getting under way. That very night
+he took his ship out of the snug harbor of St. Catherine's, and
+started upon his long voyage around the Horn.
+
+A winter voyage around Cape Horn, even in the stoutest of ships, is an
+undertaking to be dreaded by the most courageous seamen. The "Essex"
+seemed to meet with more than her share of stormy weather. From the
+night when she set sail from St. Catherine's, until she dropped anchor
+in a harbor of the Island of Mocha, almost every day witnessed a
+struggle for supremacy between the raging ocean on the one side, and
+skilful seamanship and nautical science on the other. Capt. Porter,
+however, proved himself ready for every emergency. No peril of the
+deep was unforeseen, no ounce of prevention unprovided. The safety of
+his ship, and the health of his men, were ever in his thoughts; and
+accordingly, when the "Essex" rounded into the Pacific Ocean, both
+men and ship were in condition to give their best service to the
+enterprise in which they were embarked.
+
+After rounding Cape Horn, the "Essex" made her way northward along the
+desolate coast of Chili, until she reached the Island of Mocha. Here
+she anchored for a day, giving the crew a much needed run on shore,
+which they enjoyed with all the zest of schoolboys out for a day's
+holiday. The island afforded little in the way of fresh stores; but
+some pigs and horses were shot, and devoured with gusto by men who for
+over two months had not tasted fresh meat. From this point the frigate
+made for Valparaiso, and, after reconnoitring the port, put in for
+water and stores. The officers were received with much hospitality by
+the townspeople, and, after a few days' stay, were tendered a
+complimentary ball,--an entertainment into which the young officers
+entered with great glee. But, unhappily for their evening's pleasure,
+the dancing had hardly begun, when a midshipman appeared at the door
+of the hall, and announced that a large frigate was standing into the
+harbor. Deserting their fair partners, the people of the "Essex"
+hastened to their ship, and were soon in readiness for the action;
+while the townspeople thronged the hills overlooking the sea, in the
+hopes of seeing a naval duel. But the frigate proved to be a Spaniard;
+and, of course, no action occurred.
+
+[Illustration: The Peruvian Privateer.]
+
+The "Essex" remained several days at Valparaiso, and during her stay
+two or three American whalers put into the harbor. From the captains
+of these craft, Porter learned that the Peruvians were sending out
+privateers to prey upon American commerce, and that much damage had
+already been done by these marauders, who were no more than pirates,
+since no war existed between Peru and the United States. Porter
+determined to put an immediate stop to the operations of the Peruvian
+cruisers, and had not long to wait for an opportunity. A day or two
+after leaving Valparaiso, a sail was sighted in the offing, which was
+soon near enough to be made out a vessel-of-war, disguised as a
+whaler. Porter hung out the English ensign, and caused an American
+whaler, with which he had that morning fallen in, to hoist a British
+flag over the stars and stripes. At this sight, the stranger hoisted
+the Spanish flag, and threw a shot across the bow of the "Essex."
+Porter responded by a few shot that whizzed through the rigging just
+above the Spaniard's deck. The latter thereupon sent a boat to the
+"Essex;" and the officer who came aboard, thinking that he was on a
+British man-of-war, boasted of his ship's exploits among the American
+whalers. His vessel was the Peruvian privateer "Nereyda" of fifteen
+guns, and she had captured two American whalers, whose crews were even
+then in the hold of the privateer. He admitted that Peru had no
+quarrel with the United States, and no reason for preying upon her
+commerce. The confession, so unsuspectingly made, gave Porter ample
+grounds for the capture of the offending vessel. Curtly informing his
+astounded visitor that he was on a United States man-of-war, Porter
+ordered the gunners to fire two shots close to the privateer. This was
+done, and the Peruvian quickly hauled down his colors. The American
+officers, on boarding the prize, found twenty-three American sailors,
+who had been robbed of all that they possessed, stripped of half their
+clothing, and thrown into the hold. These unfortunate men were released
+and sent to the "Essex;" after which all the guns and ammunition of
+the privateer were thrown overboard, and the vessel ordered to return
+to Callao.
+
+After this act of summary justice, the "Essex" continued in her
+northward course. She touched at Callao; but, much to the
+disappointment of all on board, there were no British vessels among
+the shipping at that port. Nor could the lookouts, for some days,
+discern from the masthead any craft other than the double-hulled rafts
+of logs, called catamarans, in which the natives along the Peruvian
+coast make long voyages. Weary of such continued ill-luck, Porter
+determined to make for the Galapagos Islands, where it was the custom
+of the British whaling-ships to rendezvous. But it seemed that
+ill-fortune was following close upon the "Essex;" for she sailed the
+waters about the Galapagos, and sent out boats to search small bays
+and lagoons, without finding a sign of a ship. Two weeks passed in
+this unproductive occupation, and Porter had determined to abandon the
+islands, when he was roused from his berth on the morning of April 29,
+1813, by the welcome cry of "Sail, ho!"
+
+All hands were soon on deck, and saw a large ship in the offing. All
+sail was clapped on the frigate; and she set out in hot pursuit,
+flying the British ensign as a ruse to disarm suspicion. As the chase
+wore on, two more sail were sighted; and Porter knew that he had
+fallen in with the long-sought whalers. He had no doubt of his ability
+to capture all three; for in those southern seas a dead calm falls
+over the ocean every noon, and in a calm the boats of the "Essex"
+could easily take possession of the whalers. By eight o'clock in the
+morning, the vessel first sighted was overhauled, and hove to in
+obedience to a signal from the frigate. She proved to be the
+"Montezuma," Capt. Baxter, with a cargo of fourteen hundred barrels of
+sperm-oil. Baxter visited Capt. Porter in his cabin, and sat there
+unsuspectingly, giving the supposed British captain information for
+his aid in capturing American ships. The worthy whaler little knew, as
+he chatted away, that his crew was being transferred to the frigate,
+and a prize-crew sent to take charge of the "Montezuma."
+
+By noon the expected calm fell over the water; and the boats were
+ordered away to take possession of the two whalers, that lay
+motionless some eight miles from the "Essex." The distance was soon
+passed, and the two ships were ordered to surrender, which they
+quickly did, much astonished to find a United States man-of-war in
+that region. A breeze shortly after springing up, all the prizes bore
+down upon the frigate; and the gallant lads of the "Essex" had the
+pleasure of seeing themselves surrounded with captured property to the
+value of nearly half a million dollars. One of the vessels, the
+"Georgiana," was a good sailer, strongly built, and well fitted for a
+cruiser. Accordingly she was armed with sixteen guns and a number of
+swivels, and placed under the command of Lieut. Downes. With this
+addition to his force, and with the other two prizes following in his
+wake, Porter returned to the Galapagos Islands. The first sight of the
+far-off peaks of the desert islands rising above the water was hailed
+with cheers by the sailors, who saw in the Galapagos not a group of
+desolate and rocky islands, but a place where turtle was plenty, and
+shore liberty almost unlimited. Porter remained some days at the
+islands, urging the crew of the "Essex," as well as the prisoners, to
+spend much time ashore. Signs of the scurvy were evident among the
+men, and the captain well knew that in no way could the dread disease
+be kept away better than by constant exercise on the sands of the
+seashore. The sailors entered heartily into their captain's plans, and
+spent hours racing on the beach, swimming in the surf, and wandering
+over the uninhabited islands.
+
+After a few days of this sort of life, the squadron put to sea again.
+The "Georgianna" now separated from the fleet, and started on an
+independent cruise, with orders for a rendezvous at certain specific
+times. The "Essex" continued to hover about the Galapagos, in the
+hopes of getting a few more whalers. She had not long to wait; for the
+whale ship "Atlantic" soon fell in her way, and was promptly snapped
+up. The captain of this ship was a Nantucket man, who had deserted the
+flag of his country, to cruise under what he thought to be the more
+powerful flag of Great Britain. Great was his disgust to find that by
+his treachery he had lost all that he desired to protect. While in
+chase of the "Atlantic," a second sail had been sighted; and to this
+the "Essex" now gave chase. On being overhauled, the stranger at first
+made some show of fighting; but a shot or two from the guns of the
+frigate convinced him of the folly of this course, and he surrendered
+at discretion. The vessel proved to be the whale ship letter-of-marque
+"Greenwich;" a stout ship, of excellent sailing qualities. She carried
+ten guns, and was in every way a valuable prize.
+
+Porter had now been in the Pacific Ocean about three months. On the
+24th of February, the "Essex," solitary defender of the flag of the
+United States in the Pacific, had turned her prow northward from Cape
+Horn, and embarked on her adventurous career in the most mighty of
+oceans. Now in May, Porter, as he trod the deck of his good ship,
+found himself master of a goodly squadron instead of one stanch
+frigate. The "Essex," of course, led the list, followed by the
+"Georgianna," sixteen guns, forty-two men; "Atlantic," six guns,
+twelve men; "Greenwich," ten guns, fourteen men; "Montezuma," two
+guns, ten men; "Policy," ten men. Of these the "Georgianna" had
+already received her armament and authority as a war-vessel; and the
+"Atlantic" showed such seaworthy qualities that Porter determined to
+utilize her in the same way. Accordingly he set sail for Tumbez, where
+he hoped to get rid of some of his prisoners, perhaps sell one or two
+of his prizes, and make the necessary changes in the "Atlantic." While
+on the way to Tumbez, a Spanish brig was overhauled. Her captain
+vastly edified Capt. Porter by informing him that the "Nereyda," a
+Peruvian privateer, had recently attacked a huge American frigate, and
+inflicted great damage upon the Yankee. But the frigate proving too
+powerful, the privateer had been forced to fly, and hastened her
+flight by throwing overboard all her guns and ammunition.
+
+On the 19th of June, the "Essex" with her satellites cast anchor in
+the harbor of Tumbez. The first view of the town satisfied Porter that
+his hopes of selling his prizes there were without avail. A more
+squalid, dilapidated little seaside village, it would be hard to find.
+Hardly had the ships cast anchor, when the governor came off in a boat
+to pay a formal visit. Though clothed in rags, he had all the dignity
+of a Spanish hidalgo, and strutted about the quarter-deck with most
+laughable self-importance. Notwithstanding his high official station,
+this worthy permitted himself to be propitiated with a present of one
+hundred dollars; and he left the ship, promising all sorts of aid to
+the Americans. Nothing came of it all, however; and Porter failed to
+dispose of any of his prizes. While the "Essex" with her train of
+captives lay in the harbor at Tumbez, the "Georgianna" came into port,
+and was greeted with three cheers by the men of the frigate. Lieut.
+Downes reported that he had captured three British ships, carrying in
+all twenty-seven guns and seventy-five men. One of the prizes had been
+released on parole, and the other two were then with the "Georgianna."
+This addition to the number of vessels in the train of the "Essex" was
+somewhat of an annoyance to Capt. Porter, who saw clearly that so
+great a number of prizes would seriously interfere with his future
+movements against the enemy. He accordingly remained at Tumbez only
+long enough to convert the "Atlantic" into an armed cruiser under the
+name of the "Essex Junior," and then set sail, in the hopes of finding
+some port wherein he could sell his embarrassing prizes. His
+prisoners, save about seventy-five who enrolled themselves under the
+American flag, were paroled, and left at Tumbez; and again the little
+squadron put to sea. The "Essex Junior" was ordered to take the
+"Hector," "Catherine," "Policy," and "Montezuma" to Valparaiso, and
+there dispose of them, after which she was to meet the "Essex" at the
+Marquesas Islands. On her way to the rendezvous, the "Essex" stopped
+again at the Galapagos Islands, where she was lucky enough to find the
+British whaler "Seringapatam," known as the finest ship of the British
+whaling fleet. By her capture, the American whalers were rid of a
+dangerous enemy; for, though totally without authority from the
+British Crown, the captain of the "Seringapatam" had been waging a
+predatory warfare against such luckless Americans as fell in his path.
+Porter now armed this new prize with twenty-two guns, and considered
+her a valuable addition to his offensive force. She took the place of
+the "Georgianna," which vessel Porter sent back to the United States
+loaded with oil.
+
+Among the embarrassments which the care of so many prizes brought upon
+the leader of the expedition was the difficulty of finding commanding
+officers for all the vessels. This difficulty was enhanced while the
+flotilla lay off the Galapagos Islands; for two officers, falling into
+a dispute, settled their quarrel, after the manner of the day, by a
+duel. In the contest one, a lieutenant, aged only twenty-one years,
+was killed, and now lies buried in the sands of the desolate and
+lonely island. After this occurrence, the need for commanding officers
+became so imperative that even the purser and chaplain of the "Essex"
+were pressed into the service. Midshipmen twelve or fourteen years old
+found themselves in command of ships. David Farragut was one of the
+boys thus suddenly promoted, and in his journal has left a description
+of his experience as a boy commander.
+
+[Illustration: The Duel At The Galapagos Islands.]
+
+"I was sent as prize-master to the 'Barclay,'" he writes. "This was an
+important event in my life; and, when it was decided that I was to
+take the ship to Valparaiso, I felt no little pride at finding myself
+in command at twelve years of age. This vessel had been recaptured
+from a Spanish _guarda costa_. The captain and his mate were on board;
+and I was to control the men sent from our frigate, while the captain
+was to navigate the vessel. Capt. Porter, having failed to dispose of
+the prizes as it was understood he intended, gave orders for the
+'Essex Junior' and all the prizes to start for Valparaiso. This
+arrangement caused great dissatisfaction on the part of the captain of
+the 'Barclay,' a violent-tempered old fellow; and, when the day
+arrived for our separation from the squadron, he was furious, and very
+plainly intimated to me that I would 'find myself off New Zealand in
+the morning,' to which I most decidedly demurred. We were lying still,
+while the other ships were fast disappearing from view; the
+'Commodore' going north, and the 'Essex Junior' with her convoy
+steering to the south for Valparaiso.
+
+"I considered that my day of trial had arrived (for I was a little
+afraid of the old fellow, as every one else was). But the time had
+come for me at least to play the man: so I mustered up courage, and
+informed the captain that I desired the topsail filled away. He
+replied that he would shoot any man who dared to touch a rope without
+his orders; he 'would go his own course, and had no idea of trusting
+himself with a d--d nutshell;' and then he went below for his pistols.
+I called my right-hand man of the crew, and told him my situation; I
+also informed him that I wanted the main topsail filled. He answered
+with a clear 'Ay, ay, sir!' in a manner which was not to be
+misunderstood, and my confidence was perfectly restored. From that
+moment I became master of the vessel, and immediately gave all
+necessary orders for making sail, notifying the captain not to come on
+deck with his pistols unless he wished to go overboard; for I would
+really have had very little trouble in having such an order obeyed."
+
+On the 30th of September, the squadron fell in with the "Essex
+Junior," which had come from Valparaiso. Lieut. Downes reported that
+he had disposed of the prizes satisfactorily, and also brought news
+that the British frigate "Phoebe," and the sloops-of-war "Raccoon" and
+"Cherub," had been ordered to cruise the Pacific in search of the
+audacious "Essex." More than this, he secured statistics regarding the
+fleet of British whalers in the Pacific, that proved that Porter had
+completely destroyed the industry, having left but one whaler
+uncaptured. There was then no immediate work for Porter to do; and he
+determined to proceed with his squadron to the Marquesas Islands, and
+there lay up, to make needed repairs and alterations.
+
+The Marquesas are a desolate group of rocky islands lying in the
+Pacific Ocean, on the western outskirts of Oceanica. In formation they
+are volcanic, and rise in rugged mountain-peaks from the bosom of the
+great ocean. Sea-fowl of all sorts abound; but none of the lower
+mammals are to be found on the island, save swine which were
+introduced by Europeans. The people at the time of Porter's visit were
+simple savages, who had seldom seen the face of a white man; for at
+that early day voyagers were few in the far-off Pacific.
+
+The island first visited by the "Essex" was known to the natives as
+Rooahooga. Here the frigate stopped for a few hours. During her stay,
+the water alongside was fairly alive with canoes and swimming natives.
+They were not allowed to come on board, but were immensely pleased by
+some fish-hooks and bits of iron let down to them from the decks of
+the frigate. Not to be outdone in generosity, the islanders threw up
+to the sailors cocoanuts, fruits, and fish. A boat-crew of jackies
+that went ashore was surrounded by a smiling, chattering throng of
+men, women, and children, who cried out incessantly, "_Taya, taya_"
+(friend, friend), and strove to bargain with them for fruits. They
+were a handsome, intelligent-looking people; tall, slender, and well
+formed, with handsome faces, and complexion little darker than that of
+a brunette. The men carried white fans, and wore bracelets of human
+hair, with necklaces of whales' teeth and shells about their
+necks,--their sole articles of clothing. Both men and women were
+tattooed; though the women seemed to content themselves with bands
+about the neck and arms, while the men were elaborately decorated from
+head to foot. Though some carried clubs and lances, they showed no
+signs of hostility, but bore themselves with that simple air of
+hospitality and unconscious innocence common to all savage peoples of
+tropical regions, uncorrupted by association with civilized white men.
+
+Porter remained but a short time at this island, as its shallow bays
+afforded no safe anchorage for the vessels. But, charmed as he was
+with the friendly simplicity of the natives, he determined to remain
+some time in the vicinity, provided safe anchorage could be found.
+This essential was soon discovered at Nookaheevah, where the ships
+cast anchor in a fine harbor, which Porter straightway dubbed
+Massachusetts Bay. Hardly had the ship anchored, when a canoe
+containing three white men came alongside, and was ordered away by the
+captain, who thought them deserters from some vessel. The canoe then
+returned to the shore, and the three whites were joined by a vast
+assemblage of armed natives. Porter now began to fear lest he had
+offended the natives, and proceeded at once to the beach, with four
+boats well armed and manned. But, by the time the boats' prows grated
+upon the white sand, every native had disappeared; and the sole figure
+visible was that of a young man, who advanced, and, giving a formal
+naval salute, announced himself as Midshipman John M. Maury, U.S.N.
+Porter was greatly surprised to find a midshipman in so strange a
+place; but the latter explained it by stating that he was on furlough,
+and had been left there by a merchant-vessel, which was to call for
+him. She had never returned, however, and he now hailed the "Essex" as
+an opportunity for escape. A second white man, who then put in an
+appearance, naked and tattooed like an Indian, proved to be an
+Englishman who had been on the island for years, and who, by his
+knowledge of the language and character of the natives, proved of
+great assistance to the Americans, during the long stay upon which
+Capt. Porter had determined.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ WAR WITH THE SAVAGES. -- THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TYPEES. --
+ DEPARTURE FROM NOOKAHEEVAH. -- THE "ESSEX" ANCHORS AT
+ VALPARAISO -- ARRIVAL OF THE "PHOEBE" AND "CHERUB." --
+ THEY CAPTURE THE "ESSEX." -- PORTER'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE
+ "SATURN." -- THE MUTINY AT NOOKAHEEVAH.
+
+
+It was now the last of October, 1813. Capt. Porter saw that the work
+he desired done upon the ships under his charge would occupy about six
+weeks, and he at once set about forming such relations of peace and
+amity with the natives as should enable him to procure the necessary
+supplies and prosecute his work unmolested. Much to his dismay, he had
+hardly begun his diplomatic palaver with the chiefs, when he learned
+that to keep one tribe friendly he must fight its battles against all
+other tribes on the island. The natives of Nookaheevah were then
+divided into a large number of tribal organizations. With three of
+these the Americans were brought into contact,--the Happahs, the
+Taeehs, and the Typees. The Taeehs lived in the fertile valley about
+the bay in which the American squadron was anchored. With these people
+Porter treated first, and made his appearance in their village in
+great state, being accompanied by the band, the marines, and several
+boats' crews of jackies. He was hospitably received by the natives,
+who crowded about to listen to the band, and wonder at the military
+precision of the marines, whom they regarded as supernatural beings.
+Gattanewa, the chief, expressed his abounding love for the captain,
+and exchanged names with him, after the custom of the people; but
+ended by saying that the lawless Happahs were at war with the Taeehs,
+and the Americans, to gain the friendship of the latter tribe, must
+make common cause with them against their enemies. To this Porter
+demurred, but the wily chief thereupon brought forward a most
+conclusive argument. He said that the Happahs had cursed his mother's
+bones; and that, as he and Porter had exchanged names, that estimable
+woman was the captain's mother also, and the insult to her memory
+should be avenged. It is probable that even this argument might have
+proved unavailing, had not the Happahs the next night descended upon
+the valley, and, having burned two hundred bread-fruit trees,
+departed, leaving word that the Americans were cowards, and dared not
+follow them into their mountain fastnesses. Porter saw that his food
+supplies were in danger from these vandals, and his knowledge of
+savage character convinced him that he could have no peace with any of
+the natives until the insolence of this tribe was punished.
+Accordingly he notified the Taeehs, that, if they would carry a gun to
+the top of one of the mountain peaks, he would send a party against
+the Happahs. The Taeehs eagerly agreed; and, after seeing the gun
+fired once or twice (a sight that set them fondling and kissing it, to
+show their reverence for so powerful a weapon), they set off up the
+steep mountain sides, tugging the gun after them. Lieut. Downes led
+the American forces. They had hardly reached the mountain tops, when
+the fighting began. The Happahs were armed with spears, and with
+slings, from which they threw heavy stones with terrific velocity.
+They seemed to know no fear, and stood gallantly before the advancing
+Americans, fairly darkening the air with clouds of stones and spears.
+The Americans, though few in number,--forty, opposed to nearly four
+thousand savages,--pressed forward, suffering but little from the
+weapons of their foes. From the deck of his frigate in the bay, Porter
+could see the steady advances of his forces, as they drove the Happahs
+from peak to peak. Before the Americans a huge native strode along,
+waving wildly the American flag. The howitzer came in the rear, and
+was every now and then discharged, to drive the foe from some
+formidable stronghold. So ignorant of fire-arms were the enemy, that
+they had no idea of their power, often fighting until the muzzle of a
+musket was laid to their temples before the discharge. But before
+nightfall this warlike spirit was broken, and the victors returned to
+their ships, their native allies carrying five dead bodies slung on
+poles. Two only of the Americans were wounded. The next day Happah
+ambassadors came to sue for peace; and soon every tribe on the island
+joined the alliance, save the Typees, and a distant tribe that proudly
+bore the unpronounceable name of Hatecaaheottwohos. For two or three
+weeks peace reigned undisturbed. Work was pushed on the vessels. The
+rats with which the "Essex" was infested were smoked out, an operation
+that necessitated the division of the crew between the shore and the
+other vessels. Porter himself, with his officers, took up his quarters
+in a tent pitched on the shore. Under some circumstances, such a
+change would have been rather pleasant than otherwise; but the rainy
+season had now come on, and the tent was little protection against the
+storms. Noticing this, the natives volunteered to put up such
+buildings as the captain desired, and proceeded to do so in a most
+expeditious manner. At early dawn four thousand men set about the
+work, and by night had completed a walled village, containing a
+dwelling-house for the captain, another for his officers, a cooper's
+shop, hospital, bake-house, guard-house, and a shed for the sentinel
+to walk under. For their services the men received old nails, bits of
+iron hoop, and other metal scraps, with which they were highly
+delighted. The Americans were then living on the terms of the most
+perfect friendship with the natives. Many of the jackies had been
+taken into the families of the islanders, and all had formed most
+tender attachment for the beautiful island women; who, in their turn,
+were devoted to the "Malleekees," who were such mighty men of war, and
+brought them such pretty presents of beads and whales' teeth. The
+Americans entered into the celebrations and festivities of the
+islanders, watched their dances, joined their fishing expeditions, and
+soon were on the friendliest footing with their dusky hosts.
+
+[Illustration: Firing The Howitzer.]
+
+But so pleasant and peaceful an existence was not destined to continue
+long. The Typees, who inhabited the interior of the island, were
+beginning to stir up strife against the Americans; and Porter saw that
+their insolence must be crushed, or the whole native population would
+unite in war against him. But to begin a war with the Typees was far
+from Porter's wish. The way to their country lay over rugged
+precipices and through almost impenetrable jungles. The light-footed
+natives could easily enough scale the peaks, or thread the forests;
+but to Porter's sailors it would be an exhausting undertaking. No
+artillery could be taken into the field, and the immense number of
+natives that might be arrayed against the sailors made the success of
+the expedition very uncertain. Porter, therefore, determined to try to
+adjust the difficulty amicably, and with this purpose sent an
+ambassador to the Typees, proposing a peaceful alliance. The reply of
+the natives is an amusing example of the ignorant vainglory of savage
+tribes, unacquainted with the power of civilized peoples. The Typees
+saw no reason to desire the friendship of the Americans. They had
+always got along very well without it. They had no intention of
+sending hogs or fruit to sell to the Americans. If the Americans
+wanted supplies, let them come and take them. The Americans were
+cowards, white lizards, and mere dirt. The sailors were weaklings, who
+could not climb the Nookaheevan hills without aid from the natives.
+This, and much more of the same sort, was the answer of the Typees to
+Porter's friendly overtures.
+
+This left no course open to the Americans save to chastise the
+insolent barbarians. The departure of the expedition was, however,
+delayed until a fort could be built for the protection of the American
+village. This work, a sand-bag battery, calculated to mount sixteen
+guns, was completed on the 14th of November, and preparations for the
+expedition were then begun. And, indeed, it was time that the
+Americans showed that they were not to be insulted with impunity.
+Already the Taeehs and Happahs were beginning to wonder at the delay,
+and rumors spread about the village that the whites were really the
+cowards for which the Typees took them. One man, a chief among the
+Happahs, was rash enough to call Porter a coward to his face; whereat
+the choleric captain seized a gun, and, rushing for the offender, soon
+brought him to his knees, the muzzle of the weapon against his head,
+begging for mercy. That man was ever after Porter's most able ally
+among the natives.
+
+The preparations for war with the Typees were completed, and the
+expedition was about to set out, when a new difficulty arose, this
+time among the white men. First, a plot was discovered among the
+British prisoners for the recapture of the "Essex Junior." Their plan
+was to get the crew drunk, by means of drugged rum, and then rise,
+seize the vessel, and make off while the American forces were absent
+on the Typee expedition. This plot, being discovered, was easily
+defeated; and the leaders were put in irons. Then Porter discovered
+that disaffection had spread among his crew, which, for a time,
+threatened serious consequences. But this danger was averted by the
+captain's manly actions and words, which brought the jackies to his
+side as one man.
+
+On the 28th of November the long-deferred expedition against the
+Typees left the snug quarters on the shore of Massachusetts Bay. The
+expedition went by sea, skirting the shore of the island, until a
+suitable landing-place near the territory of the hostile tribe was
+reached. The "Essex Junior" led the way, followed by five boats full
+of men, and ten war-canoes filled with natives, who kept up an
+unearthly din with discordant conches. When the forces landed, the
+friendly natives were seen to number at least five thousand men; while
+of the Americans, thirty-five, under the command of Capt. Porter, were
+considered enough for the work in hand. From the time the fighting
+began, the friendly natives kept carefully in the rear, and seemed to
+be only waiting to aid the victors, whether they should be Americans
+or Typees.
+
+Capt. Porter and his followers, upon landing, sat down upon the beach
+for breakfast; but their repast was rudely disturbed by a shower of
+stones from an ambuscade of Typees in the edge of the wood. Stopping
+but a moment to finish their food, the jackies picked up their
+cutlasses and muskets, and started for the enemy. They were soon in
+the shady recesses of the tropical forest, but not a Typee was to be
+seen. That the enemy was there, however, was amply attested by the
+hail of stones that fell among the invaders, and the snapping of
+slings that could be heard on all sides. This was a kind of fighting
+to which the sailors were not accustomed; and for a moment they
+wavered, but were cheered on by their brave leader, and, pushing
+through the woods, came to a clearing on the banks of a narrow river.
+But here a sad disaster befell them in the loss of Lieut. Downes,
+whose ankle was broken by a stone. He was sent back to the ship, with
+an escort of five men; and the party, thus reduced to twenty-nine,
+forded the river, and scaled its high bank, cheering lustily, under a
+heavy fire from the Typees, who made a dogged stand on the farther
+shore. By this time, the last of their savage allies had disappeared.
+
+The advance of the Americans was now checked by a jungle of such rank
+underbrush that the cutlasses of the men made no impression upon it;
+and they were forced to crawl forward on their hands and knees, under
+a constant fire from the enemy. From this maze, they burst out upon a
+clearing, and, looking about them, saw no sign of their savage foes,
+who had suddenly vanished. The solution of this mystery was soon
+discovered. After marching a few rods totally unmolested, a sudden
+turn in the path brought the Americans in sight of a formidable stone
+fortress, perched on a hill commanding the road, and flanked on either
+side by dense jungles. The wall of the fortress was of stone, seven
+feet high; and from it, and from the thickets on either side, came
+such demoniac yells, and such showers of stones, as convinced the
+Americans that they were in front of the Typee stronghold. For a time
+the invaders seemed in danger of annihilation. They were totally
+unprotected, and flanked by concealed foes, whose missiles were
+plunging down upon them with deadly effect. Some few secured places
+behind trees, and began a musketry fire; but the alarming cry soon
+arose that the ammunition was exhausted. Five men were immediately
+despatched to the beach for more cartridges, while the few remaining
+determined to hold their position at any cost. But to this
+determination they were unable to adhere. Had the Typees charged, the
+whole American force would have been swept away like driftwood before
+a springtime flood. But the savages neglected their opportunity; and
+the Americans first gained the protection of the bushes, then fell
+back across the river, and so to the beach.
+
+Here a council of war was held. They had been beaten back by savages;
+enormously outnumbered, to be sure, but still opposed by undisciplined
+warriors armed with rude weapons. The stain of that defeat must be
+washed out by a victory. Upon one point, all were agreed. The Happahs
+had played them false by leading them over the most dangerous roads,
+and into ambuscades of the enemy. To such treacherous guides, they
+would not again trust themselves. Before he again led his men to
+battle, Porter wished to try diplomacy. Although he knew that he had
+been beaten in the engagement, it would never do to confess defeat
+before so many savages (for the Taeehs and Happahs were now swarming
+about him, discussing the fight). Accordingly a messenger was sent to
+tell the Typees that a handful of white men had driven them into their
+fort, killing and wounding many. Now a large re-enforcement of white
+men was on the beach, ready to drive them from their valley, but that
+if they would sue for peace they might yet save their lives and their
+villages. At this the Typees laughed. "Tell Opotee," said they, "that
+we have plenty of men to spare; while his men are few. We have killed
+his chief warrior, and wounded many of his people. We are not afraid
+of his _bouhies_ [muskets]: they often miss fire, and, when they
+wound, don't hurt much. If the Malleekees can drive us from our
+valley, why don't they come and do it?--not stay on the beach and
+talk."
+
+When Porter received this letter, he knew that he must again take the
+field against the Typees, or his half-hearted allies would abandon him
+and join his foes, giving him endless trouble, and putting a stop to
+the refitting of the ships in Massachusetts Bay. He now understood the
+power of his foes, and accordingly chose two hundred men to go with
+him on the second expedition. He also determined to leave behind the
+friendly savages, whose friendship was a very doubtful quality. The
+forces left the beach that very night, and began their weary march up
+the mountain-side. It was bright moonlight; so that the narrow
+mountain paths, the fearful precipices, the tangled jungles, and the
+swamps and rivers were visible to the marching column. By midnight the
+Americans found themselves perched on the summit of a rocky peak
+overlooking the Typee valley, from which arose sounds of drum-beating,
+singing, and loud shouts of revelry. The guides who had led the
+American column said that the savages were rejoicing over their
+triumph, and were calling upon their gods to send rain and spoil the
+"Malleekees' _bouhies_." Porter knew the time was ripe for a surprise,
+and the men were eager to be led against the enemy; but the guides
+protested that no mortal men could descend the path leading to the
+Typee village, at night, so precipitous was the descent. The Americans
+were therefore forced to wait patiently until morning. Throwing
+themselves on the ground, the weary sailors were soon asleep, but were
+waked up in an hour by a heavy burst of rain. They saw the rain
+falling in sheets, and the sky banked with black clouds that gave
+little hope of a stoppage. From the valley below rose the triumphant
+yells of the Typees, who were convinced that their gods had sent the
+shower to spoil the white men's weapons. And, indeed, the floods
+poured down as though sent for that very service; so that at daybreak
+the Americans found that more than half their powder was spoiled. To
+make matters worse, the precipitous path leading down into the valley
+was so slippery that it would have been madness to attempt the
+descent. Accordingly Porter determined to retreat to the Happah
+village, and there wait for better weather. Before falling back,
+however, he ordered a volley fired, to show the savages that the
+fire-arms were not yet useless. The noise of the volley was the first
+intimation to the Typees that the Americans were so near them, and
+their village was at once thrown into the direst confusion. Cries of
+surprise mingled with the beating of drums, the blowing of horns, the
+shrieks of women and children, and the squealing of pigs being driven
+to places of safety. In the midst of the tumult the Americans retired
+to the Happah village, where they spent the remainder of that day and
+the following night.
+
+The next morning dawned bright and cool after the rain; and the
+Americans sallied forth, determined to end this annoying affray in
+short order. They soon reached their former station on the cliffs,
+and, looking down upon the Typee territory, saw a beautiful valley,
+cut up by stone walls into highly cultivated farms, and dotted with
+picturesque villages. But though their hearts may have been softened
+by the sight of so lovely a spot, so soon to be laid desolate, they
+were soon nerved to their work by a party of Typees, who were posted
+on the farther bank of a river that skirted the base of the cliff, and
+were calling out to the Americans, calling them cowards, and daring
+them to come down and fight. Porter gave the command; and the jackies
+were soon clambering down the cliffs, in the face of a rapid fire from
+their enemies. The bank of the river once gained, the Americans halted
+to rest for a few minutes, and then, fording the stream, pushed
+forward straight for the nearest village. The Typees hung upon the
+flank of the advancing column; now and then making fierce charges but
+always beaten back with severe losses. The sailors suffered but
+little, and were soon in possession of the village, behind the walls
+of which the main body halted, while scouting parties were sent out to
+reconnoitre. After a short halt at this point, the invaders pushed
+forward to the next village, and so on up the valley, burning each
+village as soon as it was captured. Undismayed by their continued
+reverses, the Typees fought doggedly, scornfully refusing to listen to
+the peaceful overtures made by the American commander. After marching
+three or four miles, and fighting for every foot of the way, the
+Americans found themselves before an extensive village, which, from
+its size, and the strength of its fortifications, was evidently the
+Typee capital. Here the savages made a last determined stand, but to
+no avail. The Americans poured over the wall, and were soon in
+possession of the town. The beauty of the village, the regularity of
+its streets, and the air of comfort and civilization everywhere
+apparent, made it hard for Porter to give the fateful order that
+should commit all to the flames. But his duty was clear, and the order
+was given. Leaving the blazing capital behind them, the sailors
+retraced their steps to the ships, having completed the devastation of
+the valley that a day before was so peaceful, fertile, and lovely. The
+spirit of the Typees was thoroughly broken by this crushing blow; and
+for the next few days the ships were besieged by ambassadors from all
+the island tribes, begging for peace.
+
+Feeling assured that he should have no further trouble with the
+natives, Porter now exerted all his energies to complete the repairs
+on the ships, that he might again take the sea. So rapidly did the
+work progress, that by the 9th of December the "Essex" and "Essex
+Junior" were refitted, and stocked with fresh provisions of hogs,
+cocoanuts, and bananas; the "New Zealander," loaded with oil from the
+other prizes, was ordered to proceed to New York; while the
+"Greenwich," "Seringapatam," and "Hammond" were to remain at the
+islands until the "Essex" should return for them. These arrangements
+being made, the war-ships made ready to depart.
+
+But now arose a difficulty, ludicrous in its cause, but which
+threatened to be serious in its effects. The ships had been lying in
+harbor for about two months; and during that time the sailors, with
+unlimited shore liberty, had made such ties as bound them closely to
+the native people. The young girls of the islands, with their comely
+faces and fair complexions, had played sad havoc with the hearts of
+the gallant tars of the "Essex;" and deep was the grumbling among the
+sailors when they heard that the time had come for them to bid
+farewell to their sweethearts. No openly mutinous demonstration was
+made; but so old a commander could not overlook the fact that some
+disaffection existed among his crew, and a little investigation
+disclosed the trouble. There could be no half-way measures adopted in
+the case, and Porter at once gave orders that all further intercourse
+with the shore should cease. That very night three sailors slipped
+into the sea, and swam ashore to meet their sweethearts; but the wily
+captain had stationed a patrol upon the beach, and the three luckless
+Leanders were sent back to the ship in irons. All the next day the
+native girls lined the shore of the bay, and with pleading gestures
+besought the captain to let the sailors come ashore, but to no avail.
+Some fair maidens even swam off to the ship, but were gruffly ordered
+away by the officers. All this was very tantalizing to the men, who
+hung over the bulwarks, looking at the fair objects of their
+adoration. But one man only showed signs of rebellion against the
+captain's authority; and Porter, calling him out before the crew,
+rebuked him, and sent him ashore in a native canoe: while the rest of
+the jackies sprang into the rigging, set the canvas, and the ship soon
+left the island, with its sorrowing nymphs, far in her wake.
+
+The two vessels turned their heads toward Valparaiso, and made the
+port after an uneventful voyage of fifty-six days. The frigate entered
+the harbor at once, and cast anchor; while the "Essex Junior" was
+ordered to cruise about outside, keeping a close watch for the enemy's
+ships. The friendship of the people of the town seemed as great as
+during the first visit of the frigate to the port; and a series of
+entertainments was begun, that culminated in a grand ball upon the
+"Essex" on the night of the 7th of February, 1814. For that one night
+the officers of the "Essex Junior" were absolved from their weary duty
+of patrolling the sea at the mouth of the harbor. The vessel was
+anchored at a point that commanded a view of the ocean; and her
+officers, arrayed in the splendor of full dress, betook themselves on
+board of the frigate. At midnight, after an evening of dancing and
+gayety, Lieut. Downes left the "Essex," and returned to his vessel,
+which immediately weighed anchor and put to sea. The festivities on
+the frigate continued a little time longer; and then, the last ladies
+having been handed down the gangway, and pulled ashore, the work of
+clearing away the decorations began. While the ship's decks were still
+strewn with flags and flowers, while the awnings still stretched from
+stem to stern, and the hundreds of gay lanterns still hung in the
+rigging, the "Essex Junior" was seen coming into the harbor with a
+signal flying. The signal quartermaster rushed for his book, and soon
+announced that the flags read, "Two enemy's ships in sight." At this
+moment more than half the crew of the "Essex" were on shore; but a
+signal set at the ship's side recalled the men, and in an hour and a
+half the ship was ready for action; while the "Essex Junior" cast
+anchor in a supporting position.
+
+The two strange vessels were the "Cherub" and the "Phoebe," British
+men-of-war. They rounded into the harbor about eight A.M., and bore
+down towards the American ships. The "Phoebe," the larger of the two
+Englishmen, drew close to the "Essex;" and her commander, Capt.
+Hillyar, sprang upon the taffrail, and asked after Capt. Porter's
+health. Porter responded courteously; and, noticing that the "Phoebe"
+was coming closer than the customs of war-vessels in a neutral port
+permitted, warned the Englishman to keep his distance, or trouble
+would result. Hillyar protested that he meant no harm, but
+nevertheless continued his advance until the two ships were almost
+fouled. Porter called the boarders to the bow; and they crowded
+forward, armed to the teeth, and stripped for the fight. The "Phoebe"
+was in such a position that she lay entirely at the mercy of the
+"Essex," and could not bring a gun to bear in her own defence.
+Hillyar, from his position on the taffrail, could see the American
+boarders ready to spring at the word of command, and the muzzles of
+the cannon ready to blow the ship out of water. There is little doubt
+that he was astonished to find the "Essex" so well prepared for the
+fray, for he had been told that more than half her crew had gone
+ashore. Relying upon this information, he had probably planned to
+capture the "Essex" at her moorings, regardless of the neutrality of
+the port. But he had now brought himself into a dangerous position,
+and Porter would have been justified in opening fire at once. But the
+apologies and protestations of the British captain disarmed him, and
+he unwisely let the "Phoebe" proceed unmolested.
+
+In his journal, Farragut thus describes this incident: "We were all at
+quarters, and cleared for action, waiting with breathless anxiety for
+the command from Capt. Porter to board, when the English captain
+appeared, standing on the after-gun, in a pea-jacket, and in plain
+hearing said,--
+
+"'Capt. Hillyar's compliments to Capt. Porter, and hopes he is well.'
+
+"Porter replied, 'Very well, I thank you. But I hope you will not come
+too near, for fear some accident might take place which would be
+disagreeable to you.' And, with a wave of his trumpet, the
+kedge-anchors went up to our yard-arms, ready to grapple the enemy.
+
+"Capt. Hillyar braced back his yards, and remarked to Porter, that, if
+he did fall aboard him, he begged to assure the captain that it would
+be entirely accidental.
+
+"'Well,' said Porter, 'you have no business where you are. If you
+touch a rope-yarn of this ship, I shall board instantly.'"
+
+Notwithstanding Porter's forbearance, the incident came near leading
+to a battle, through the action of one of the crew, who had come off
+from shore with his brain rather hazy from heavy drinking. This man
+was standing by a gun, with a lighted brand in his hand, ready to fire
+the piece, when he thought he saw an Englishman grinning at him
+through one of the open ports of the "Phoebe." Highly enraged, he
+shouted out, "My fine fellow, I'll soon stop your making faces!" and
+reached out to fire the gun; when a heavy blow from an officer, who
+saw the action, stretched him on the deck. Had that gun been fired,
+nothing could have saved the "Phoebe."
+
+The two hostile ships cast anchor within long gunshot of the
+Americans, and seemed prepared for a long season in port. For the next
+few weeks the British and American officers and seamen met frequently
+on shore; and a kind of friendship sprang up between them, although
+they were merely waiting for a favorable moment to begin a deadly
+strife. Some incidents, however, took place which rather disturbed the
+amicable relations of the two parties. At the masthead of the "Essex"
+floated a flag bearing the motto, "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights."
+This flag gave great offence to the British, who soon displayed a flag
+with the inscription, "God and Country, British Sailors' Best Rights.
+Traitors offend both." To this Americans responded with, "God, our
+Country and Liberty. Tyrants offend them." Here the debate closed, and
+seemed to arouse no unfriendly feeling; for Porter and Hillyar talked
+it over amicably on shore. In the course of this conversation, Porter
+challenged the "Phoebe" to meet the "Essex" alone; but Hillyar
+declined the proposition. Shortly after this, the crews of the hostile
+ships began the practice of singing songs _at_ each other; the
+Americans beginning with "Yankee Doodle," while the British retorted
+with "God save the King." Then the poets of the forecastle set to
+work, and ground out verses that would prove particularly obnoxious to
+the enemy. One of the American songs recited at full length the
+capture of the "Guerriere." The character of the poetry may be judged
+by the first verse.
+
+ "Ye tars of our country, who seek on the main
+ The cause for the wrongs your country sustain,
+ Rejoice and be merry, for bragging John Bull
+ Has got a sound drubbing from brave Capt. Hull."
+
+The British responded with triumphant verses upon the capture of the
+"Chesapeake," news of which had just reached Valparaiso. Their poetry
+was quite as bad.
+
+ "Brave Broke he waved his sword,
+ And he cried, 'Now, lads, aboard;
+ And we'll stop their singing,
+ Yankee Doodle Dandy, O!'"
+
+Porter now wished to get rid of some of the prizes with which he was
+encumbered. He could not burn them in the harbor, and the British
+ships kept too close a watch upon him to permit his ships to leave the
+harbor for an hour: so he was forced to wait many days for an
+opportunity. On the 14th of February the opportunity came; and the
+"Hector" was towed out to sea, and set a-fire. Two weeks later, the
+"Phoebe" came alone to the mouth of the harbor, and, after showing her
+motto-flag, hove to, and fired a gun to windward. This Porter
+understood to be a challenge, and he at once put out in the "Essex."
+But the "Phoebe" had no intention of entering a fair and equal fight;
+for she quickly joined her consort, and the two then chased the
+"Essex" back to port. Much talk and a vast deal of correspondence grew
+out of this affair, which certainly did not redound to the credit of
+the British.
+
+On the 28th of March the wind blew with such force that the larboard
+cable of the "Essex" parted; and the ship, drifting before the wind,
+dragged her starboard cable out to sea. Knowing that the British ships
+were in waiting outside, Porter lost no time in getting on sail and
+trying to beat back into the harbor. But, just as the ship was
+rounding the point, there came up a heavy squall, which carried away
+the main topmast, throwing several topmen into the sea. In her
+disabled state the frigate could not regain the harbor; but she ran
+into a little cove, and anchored within half pistol-shot of the shore.
+Here she was in neutral waters; and, had Capt. Hillyar been a man of
+his word, the "Essex" would have been safe: for that officer, on being
+asked by Porter whether he would respect the neutrality of the port,
+had replied with much feeling, "You have paid so much respect to the
+neutrality of the port, that I feel bound in honor to respect it." But
+he very quickly forgot this respect, when he saw his enemy lying
+crippled and in his power, although in neutral waters.
+
+Hardly had the "Essex" cast anchor, when the two British ships drew
+near, their actions plainly showing that they intended to attack the
+crippled frigate. The "Essex" was prepared for action, the guns beat
+to quarters; and the men went to their places coolly and bravely,
+though each felt at his heart that he was going into a hopeless fight.
+The midshipmen had hardly finished calling over the quarter-lists, to
+see that every man was at his station, when the roar of the cannon
+from the British ships announced the opening of the action. The
+"Phoebe" had taken up a position under the stern of the American
+frigate, and pounded away with her long eighteens; while the "Essex"
+could hardly get a gun to bear in return. The "Cherub" tried her
+fortune on the bow, but was soon driven from that position, and joined
+her consort. The two kept up a destructive fire, until Porter got
+three long guns out of the cabin-windows, and drove the enemy away.
+After repairing damages, the British took up a position just out of
+range of the "Essex's" carronades, and began a rapid and effective
+fire from their long eighteens.
+
+Such an action as this was very trying to the crew of the "Essex." The
+carronades against which Porter had protested when his ship was armed
+were utterly useless against an enemy who used such cautious tactics.
+On the deck of the frigate men were falling on every side. One shot
+entered a port, and killed four men who stood at a gun, taking off the
+heads of the last two. The crash and roar of the flying shots were
+incessant. As the guns became crippled for lack of men, the junior
+officers took a hand in all positions. Farragut writes, "I performed
+the duty of captain's aid, quarter-gunner, powder-boy, and, in fact,
+did every thing that was required of me.... When my services were not
+required for other purposes, I generally assisted in working a gun;
+would run and bring powder from the boys, and send them back for more,
+until the captain wanted me to carry a message; and this continued to
+occupy me during the action." Once during the action a midshipman came
+running up to Porter, and reported that a gunner had deserted his
+post. Porter's reply was to turn to Farragut (the lad was only twelve
+years old), and say, "Do your duty, sir." The boy seized a pistol, and
+ran away to find the coward, and shoot him in his tracks. But the
+gunner had slipped overboard, and made his way to the shore, and so
+escaped.
+
+After the "Essex" had for some time suffered from the long-range fire
+of the enemy, Capt. Porter determined to make sail, and try to close
+with his foes. The rigging had been so badly shot away that the flying
+jib was the only sail that could be properly set. With this, and with
+the other sails hanging loose from the yards, the "Essex" ran down
+upon the British, and made such lively play with her carronades, that
+the "Cherub" was forced to haul off for repairs, and the tide of war
+seemed to be setting in favor of the Americans. But, though the
+gallant blue-jackets fought with desperation, their chances for
+success were small. The decks were strewn with dead, the cock-pit was
+full, and the enemy's shot were constantly adding to the number of
+dead and dying. Young Farragut, who had been sent below after some
+gun-primers, was coming up the ladder, when a man standing at the
+opening of the hatchway was struck full in the face by a cannon-ball,
+and fell back, carrying the lad with him. The mutilated body fell full
+upon the boy, who lay for a time unconscious; then, jumping to his
+feet, ran, covered with blood, to the quarter-deck. Capt. Porter saw
+him, and asked if he was wounded. "I believe not, sir," answered the
+midshipman. "Then," said the captain, "where are the primers?"
+Farragut remembered his errand, and dashed below to execute it. When
+he emerged the second time, he saw the captain (his adopted father)
+fall, and running up asked if he was wounded. "I believe not, my son,"
+was the response; "but I felt a blow on the top of my head." He had
+probably been knocked down by the wind of a passing shot.
+
+But the end of the action was now near. Dreadful havoc had been made
+in the ranks of both officers and men. The cock-pit would hold no more
+wounded; and the shots were beginning to penetrate its walls, killing
+the sufferers waiting for the surgeon's knife. Lieut. McKnight was the
+only commissioned officer on duty. The ship had been several times on
+fire, and the magazine was endangered. Finally, the carpenter reported
+that her bottom was so cut up that she could float but a little while
+longer. On learning this, Porter gave the order for the colors to be
+hauled down, which was done. The enemy, however, kept up their deadly
+fire for ten minutes after the "Essex" had struck.
+
+David Farragut narrates some interesting incidents of the surrender.
+He was sent by the captain to find and destroy the signal book before
+the British should come aboard; and, this having been done, he went to
+the cock-pit to look after his friends. Here he found Lieut. Cornell
+terribly wounded. When Farragut spoke to him, he said, "O Davy, I fear
+it's all up with me!" and died soon after. The doctor said, that, had
+this officer been operated upon an hour before, his life might have
+been saved; but when the surgeons proposed to drop another man, and
+attend to him, he replied, "No, no, doctor, none of that. Fair play's
+a jewel. One man's life is as dear as another's; I would not cheat any
+poor fellow out of his turn." Surely history nowhere records more
+noble generosity. Soon after this, when Farragut was standing on the
+deck, a little negro boy came running up to inquire about his master,
+Lieut. Wilmer, who had been knocked over by a shot. On learning his
+master's fate, he leaped over the taffrail into the sea, and was
+drowned.
+
+After the "Essex" had been formally surrendered, boats were sent to
+convey the prisoners to the British ships. In one of these Farragut
+was carried to the "Phoebe," and there fell into a second battle, in
+which the victory remained with him. "I was so mortified at our
+capture that I could not refrain from tears," he writes. "While in
+this uncomfortable state, I was aroused by hearing a young reefer call
+out,--
+
+"'A prize! a prize! Ho, boys, a fine grunter, by Jove.'
+
+"I saw at once that he had under his arm a pet pig belonging to our
+ship, called 'Murphy.' I claimed the animal as my own.
+
+"'Ah,' said he, 'but you are a prisoner, and your pig also!'
+
+"'We always respect private property,' I replied; and, as I had seized
+hold of 'Murphy,' I determined not to let go unless 'compelled by
+superior force.'
+
+"This was fun for the oldsters, who immediately sung out,--
+
+"'Go it, my little Yankee. If you can thrash Shorty, you can have your
+pig.'
+
+"'Agreed,' cried I.
+
+"A ring was formed in an open space, and at it we went. I soon found
+that my antagonist's pugilistic education did not come up to mine. In
+fact, he was no match for me, and was compelled to give up the pig. So
+I took Master Murphy under my arm, feeling that I had in some degree
+wiped out the disgrace of the defeat."
+
+When the British ships with their prize returned to the quiet waters
+of the harbor, and began to take account of damages, it was found that
+the "Essex" had indeed fought a losing fight. On the "Phoebe," but
+four men were killed, and seven wounded; on the "Cherub," one killed
+and three wounded, made up the list of casualties. But on the "Essex"
+were fifty-eight killed, and sixty-six wounded; while an immense
+number of men were missing, who may have escaped to the shore or may
+have sunk beneath the waves. Certain it is some swimmers reached
+shore, though sorely wounded. One man had rushed on deck with his
+clothing all aflame, and swam ashore, though scarcely a square inch
+could be found on his body which was not burned. Another seaman had
+sixteen or eighteen scales of iron chipped from the muzzle of his gun
+driven into his legs, yet he reached the shore in safety.
+
+After some delay, the "Essex Junior" was disarmed; and the prisoners,
+having given their paroles, were placed on board her, with a letter
+of safe-conduct from Capt. Hillyar to prevent their capture by any
+British man-of-war in whose path they might fall. But this letter
+availed them little; for, after an uneventful voyage to the northward,
+the "Essex Junior" found herself brought to by a shot from the British
+frigate "Saturn," off Sandy Hook. The boarding-officer took Capt.
+Hillyar's letter to the commander of the "Saturn," who remarked that
+Hillyar had no authority to make any such agreement, and ordered the
+"Essex Junior" to remain all night under the lee of the British ship.
+Capt. Porter was highly indignant, and handed his sword to the British
+officer, saying that he considered himself a prisoner. But the
+Englishman declined the sword, and was about to return to his ship,
+when Porter said, "Tell the captain that I am his prisoner, and do not
+consider myself any longer bound by my contract with Capt. Hillyar,
+which he has violated; and I shall act accordingly." By this Porter
+meant that he now considered himself absolved from his parole, and
+free to escape honorably if an opportunity should offer.
+
+Accordingly at seven o'clock the following morning, a boat was
+stealthily lowered from the "Essex Junior;" and Porter, descending
+into it, started for the shore, leaving a message, that, since British
+officers showed so little regard for each other's honor, he had no
+desire to trust himself in their hands. The boat had gone some
+distance before she was sighted by the lookout on the "Saturn," for
+the hull of the "Essex Junior" hid her from sight. As soon as the
+flight was noticed, the frigate made sail in chase, and seemed likely
+to overhaul the audacious fugitives, when a thick fog set in, under
+cover of which Porter reached Babylon, L.I., nearly sixty miles
+distant. In the mean time, the "Essex Junior," finding herself hidden
+from the frigate by the fog-bank, set sail, and made for the mouth of
+the harbor. She was running some nine knots an hour when the fog
+showed signs of lifting; and she came up into the wind, that the
+suspicion of the British might not be aroused. As it happened, the
+"Saturn" was close alongside when the fog lifted, and her boat soon
+came to the American ship. An officer, evidently very irate, bounded
+upon the deck, and said brusquely,--
+
+"You must have been drifting very fast. We have been making nine knots
+an hour, and yet here you are alongside."
+
+"So it appears," responded the American lieutenant coolly.
+
+"We saw a boat leave you, some time ago," continued the Englishman. "I
+suppose Capt. Porter went in it?"
+
+"Yes. You are quite right."
+
+"And probably more of you will run away, unless I cut away your boats
+from the davits."
+
+"Perhaps that would be a good plan for you to adopt."
+
+"And I would do it very quickly, if the question rested with me."
+
+"You infernal puppy," shouted the American officer, now thoroughly
+aroused, "if you have any duty to do, do it; but, if you insult me
+further, I'll throw you overboard!"
+
+With a few inarticulate sounds, the Englishman stepped into his boat,
+and was pulled back to the "Saturn," whence soon returned a second
+boat, bearing an apology for the boarding-officer's rudeness. The
+boarders then searched all parts of the ship, mustered her crew on the
+plea that it contained British deserters, and finally released her,
+after having inflicted every possible humiliation upon her officers.
+The "Essex Junior" then proceeded to New York, where she was soon
+joined by Capt. Porter. The whole country united in doing honor to the
+officers, overlooking the defeat which closed their cruise, and
+regarding only the persistent bravery with which they had upheld the
+cause of the United States in the far-off waters of the Pacific.
+
+Before closing the account of Porter's famous cruise, the story of the
+ill-fortune which befell Lieut. Gamble should be related. This
+officer, it will be remembered, was left at Nookaheevah with the
+prizes "Greenwich," "Seringapatam," and "Hammond." Hardly had the
+frigate disappeared below the horizon, when the natives began to grow
+unruly; and Gamble was forced to lead several armed expeditions
+against them. Then the sailors under his charge began to show signs of
+mutiny. He found himself almost without means of enforcing his
+authority, and the disaffection spread daily. The natives, incited by
+the half-savage Englishman who had been found upon the island, began
+to make depredations upon the live-stock; while the women would swim
+out to the ships by night, and purloin bread, aided by their lovers
+among the crews. To the lieutenant's remonstrances, the natives
+replied that "Opotee" was not coming back, and they would do as they
+chose; while the sailors heard his orders with ill-concealed contempt,
+and made but a pretext of obeying them. In the middle of April three
+sailors stole a boat from the "Greenwich," and, stocking it well with
+ammunition and provisions, deserted, and were never again seen. One
+month later, mutiny broke out in its worst form. Lieut. Gamble and his
+two midshipmen, being upon the "Seringapatam," were knocked down by
+the sailors, gagged, bound, and thrust into the hold. The mutineers
+then went ashore, spiked the guns in the fort, and then, hoisting the
+British colors over the captured ship, set sail. Lieut. Gamble was
+badly wounded in the foot by a pistol-shot fired by one of his guards.
+Notwithstanding his wound, he, with the two lieutenants and two loyal
+seamen, was turned adrift in an open boat. After long and painful
+exertions, they reached the shore, and returned to the bay, where the
+"Greenwich" still lay at anchor. The mutineers, thirteen of whom were
+Englishmen who had enlisted in the American service, steered boldly
+out to sea, and were nevermore heard of. The half-savage Englishman,
+Wilson, was supposed to be at the bottom of this uprising, and some
+days later a boat's crew from the "Greenwich" went ashore to capture
+him. Soon after, Gamble, anxiously watching the shore, saw a struggle
+upon the beach, the natives rushing down on all sides, the boat
+overturned in the surf, and two white men swimming towards the ship,
+making signals of distress. Mr. Clapp, with two men, sprang into a
+boat, and put off to the aid of the swimmers, leaving Gamble alone on
+the ship. Two large canoes loaded with savages then left the beach,
+and swiftly bore down towards the "Essex;" but Gamble, lamed though he
+was, seized a lighted brand, and hobbled along the deck of the ship,
+firing her guns with such effect that the savages were driven back,
+the beach cleared, and Mr. Clapp enabled to save the two struggling
+men. When the boat returned to the ship, it was learned that
+Midshipman Feltus and five men had been basely murdered by the
+savages. There were now left but seven Americans; and of these but two
+were well, and fit for duty. Setting the "Greenwich" on fire, this
+little band boarded the "Hammond," and made their way to sea. But
+between the Sandwich Islands and Honolulu they fell in with the
+"Cherub," by whom they were captured, and kept prisoners for nine
+months, when, peace being declared, they were released.
+
+So ended the last incident of the gallant cruise of the "Essex."
+History has few more adventurous tales to relate.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Naval History of the United States, by
+Willis J. Abbot
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