diff options
Diffstat (limited to '32273.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 32273.txt | 7299 |
1 files changed, 7299 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/32273.txt b/32273.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c5340f0 --- /dev/null +++ b/32273.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7299 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Stories of Our Naval Heroes, by Various + +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: Stories of Our Naval Heroes + Every Child Can Read + +Author: Various + +Editor: Jesse Lyman Hurlbut + +Release Date: May 6, 2010 [EBook #32273] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF OUR NAVAL HEROES *** + + + + +Produced by Emmy, Tor Martin Kristiansen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY--FARRAGUT'S VICTORY.] + + + + +STORIES OF OUR NAVAL HEROES + +EVERY CHILD CAN READ + +EDITED BY REV. JESSE LYMAN HURLBUT, D.D. + +ILLUSTRATED + +[Illustration] + + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. + PHILADELPHIA + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. + + + + +PREFACE + + +WE live in a land of heroes. If there is any one thing for which a true +son of America is always ready, it is for a deed of heroism. We have +among us heroes of the workshop, of the railroad, of field, forest, and +city, heroes of land and heroes of water, heroes in war and heroes in +peace. When the time comes for any deed of valor to be done, the +American ready and able to do it will not be found wanting. It is not +glory the gallant son of our land is seeking. It is to do his duty in +whatever situation he is placed, whether high or low, on quarter-deck or +forecastle. He does not stop to think of fame. To act bravely for his +fellows or his country is the thing for him to do, and he does it in +face of every peril. + +The history of the United States is full of the names of heroes. They +stand out like the stars on our flag. It is not our purpose to boast. +The world has had its heroes in all times and countries. But our land +holds a high rank among heroic nations, and deeds of gallant daring have +been done by Americans which no men upon the earth have surpassed. + +This book is the record of our heroes of the sea, of the men who have +fought bravely upon the ocean for the honor of the Stars and Stripes, +the noble tars who have carried their country's fame over all waters and +through all wars. Look at Paul Jones, the most gallant sailor who ever +trod deck! He was not born on our soil, but he was a true-blue American +for all that. Look at Perry, rowing from ship to ship amid the rain of +British shot and shell! Look at Farragut in the Civil War, facing death +in the rigging that he might see the enemy! Look at Dewey in the war +with Spain, on the bridge amid the hurtling Spanish shells! These are +but types of our gallant sailors. They have had their equals in every +war. We have hundreds to-day as brave. All they wait for is opportunity. +When the time comes they will be ready. + +If all our history is an inspiration, our naval history is specially so. +It is full of thrilling tales, stories of desperate deeds and noble +valor which no work of fiction can surpass. We are sure that all who +take up this book will find it vital with interest and brimming with +inspiration. Its tales deal with men who fought for their land with only +a plank between them and death, and none among us can read the story of +their deeds without a thrill in the nerves and a stir in the heart, and +without a wish that sometime they may be able to do as much for the land +that gave them birth. This is a book for the American boy to read, and +the American girl as well; a book to fill them with the spirit of +emulation and make them resolve that when the time comes they will act +their part bravely in the perilous work of the world. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER I + PAGE + FIRST SEA FIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION. + The Burning of the "Gaspee" in Narragansett Bay 1 + + + CHAPTER II + A BRITISH SCHOONER CAPTURED BY FARMERS. + Captain Jerry O'Brien Leads the Patriots of 1775 11 + + + CHAPTER III + BENEDICT ARNOLD, THE SOLDIER-SAILOR. + A Novel Fight on Lake Champlain 21 + + + CHAPTER IV + CAPTAIN PAUL JONES. + The Greatest of America's Naval Heroes 32 + + + CHAPTER V + HOW PAUL JONES WON RENOWN. + The First Great Fight of the American Navy 44 + + + CHAPTER VI + CAPTAIN BUSHNELL SCARES THE BRITISH. + The Pioneer Torpedo Boat and the Battle of the Kegs 60 + + + CHAPTER VII + CAPTAIN BARRY AND HIS ROWBOATS WIN A VICTORY OVER + THE BRITISH. + A Gallant Naval Hero of Irish Blood 70 + + + CHAPTER VIII + CAPTAIN TUCKER HONORED BY GEORGE WASHINGTON. + The Daring Adventures of the Hero of Marblehead 81 + + + CHAPTER IX + THE LAST NAVAL BATTLE OF THE REVOLUTION. + The Heroic Captain Barney in the "Hyder Ali" + Captures the "General Monk" 90 + + + CHAPTER X + THE MOORISH PIRATES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN. + OUR NAVY TEACHES THEM A LESSON IN HONOR 99 + + + CHAPTER XI + THE YOUNG DECATUR AND HIS BRILLIANT DEEDS AT TRIPOLI. + How Our Navy Began and Ended a Foreign War 108 + + + CHAPTER XII + THE GALLANT OLD "IRONSIDES" AND HOW SHE CAPTURED THE + "GUERRIERE." + A Famous Incident of the War of 1812 126 + + + CHAPTER XIII + A FAMOUS VESSEL SAVED BY A POEM. + "Old Ironsides" Wins New Glory 140 + + + CHAPTER XIV + THE FIGHT OF CAPTAIN JACOB JONES. + The Lively Little "Wasp" and How She Stung the + "Frolic" 155 + + + CHAPTER XV + CAPTAIN LAWRENCE DIES FOR THE FLAG. + His Words, "Do not give up the ship," Become the + Famous Motto of the American Navy 166 + + + CHAPTER XVI + COMMODORE PERRY WHIPS THE BRITISH ON LAKE ERIE. + "We have met the enemy and they are ours" 176 + + + CHAPTER XVII + COMMODORE PORTER GAINS GLORY IN THE PACIFIC. + The Gallant Fight of the "Essex" Against Great Odds 189 + + + CHAPTER XVIII + COMMODORE MACDONOUGH'S VICTORY ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. + How General Prevost and the British Ran Away 201 + + + CHAPTER XIX + FOUR NAVAL HEROES IN ONE CHAPTER. + Fights with the Pirates of the Gulf and the Corsairs + of the Mediterranean 210 + + + CHAPTER XX + COMMODORE PERRY OPENS JAPAN TO THE WORLD. + A Heroic Deed Without Bloodshed 220 + + + CHAPTER XXI + CAPTAIN INGRAHAM TEACHES AUSTRIA A LESSON. + Our Navy Upholds the Rights of an American in a + Foreign Land 231 + + + CHAPTER XXII + THE "MONITOR" AND THE "MERRIMAC." + A Fight which Changed all Naval Warfare 239 + + + CHAPTER XXIII + COMMODORE FARRAGUT WINS RENOWN. + The Hero of Mobile Bay Lashes Himself to the Mast 252 + + + CHAPTER XXIV + A RIVER FLEET IN A HAIL OF FIRE. + Admiral Porter Runs by the Forts in a Novel Way 268 + + + CHAPTER XXV + THE SINKING OF THE "ALBEMARLE." + Lieutenant Cushing Performs the most Gallant Deed of + the Civil War 278 + + + CHAPTER XXVI + HOW THE "GLOUCESTER" REVENGED THE SINKING OF THE + "MAINE." + Deadly and Heroic Deeds in the War with Spain 288 + + + CHAPTER XXVII + THE GREAT VICTORY OF MANILA BAY. + Dewey Destroys a Fleet Without Losing a Man 294 + + + CHAPTER XXVIII + HOBSON AND THE SINKING OF THE "MERRIMAC." + An Heroic Deed Worthy of the American Navy 304 + + + CHAPTER XXIX + SAMPSON AND SCHLEY WIN RENOWN. + The Greatest Sea Fight of the Century 313 + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE FIRST SEA FIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION + +THE BURNING OF THE "GASPEE" IN NARRAGANSETT BAY + + +DOES it not seem an odd fact that little Rhode Island, the smallest of +all our states, should have two capital cities, while all the others, +some of which would make more than a thousand Rhode Islands, have only +one apiece? It is like the old story of the dwarf beating the giants. + +The tale we have to tell has to do with these two cities, Providence and +Newport, whose story goes back far into the days when Rhode Island and +all the others were British colonies. They were capitals then and they +are capitals still. That is, they were places where the legislature met +and the laws were made. + +I need not tell you anything about the British Stamp Act, the Boston +Tea-party, the fight at Lexington, and the other things that led to the +American Revolution and brought freedom to the colonies. All this you +have learned at school. But I am sure you will be interested in what we +may call the "salt-water Lexington," the first fight between the British +and the bold sons of the colonies. + +There was at that time a heavy tax on all goods brought into the +country, and even on goods taken from one American town to another. It +was what we now call a revenue duty, or tariff. This tax the Americans +did not like to pay. They were so angry at the way they had been treated +by England that they did not want that country to have a penny of their +money. Nor did they intend to pay any tax. + +Do you ask how they could help paying the tax? They had one way of doing +so. Vessels laden with goods were brought to the coast at night, or to +places where there was no officer of the revenue. Then in all haste they +unloaded their cargoes and were away again like flitting birds. The +British did not see half the goods that came ashore, and lost much in +the way of taxes. + +We call this kind of secret trade "smuggling." Providence and Newport +were great smuggling places. Over the green waters of Narragansett Bay +small craft sped to and fro, coming to shore by night or in secret +places and landing their goods. It was against the law, but the bold +mariners cared little for laws made in England. They said that they were +quite able to govern themselves, and that no people across the seas +should make laws for them. + +The British did their best to stop this kind of trade. They sent armed +vessels to the Bay, whose business it was to chase and search every +craft that might have smuggled goods in its hold, and to punish in some +way every smuggler they found. + +Some of these vessels made themselves very busy, and sailors and +shoremen alike were bitter against them. They would bring in prizes to +Newport, and their sailors would swagger about the streets, bragging of +what they had done, and making sport of the Yankees. They would kidnap +sailors and carry them off to serve in the King's ships. One vessel came +ashore at Newport, whose crew had been months at sea, trading on the +African coast. Before a man of them could set foot on land, or see any +of the loved ones at home, from whom they had been parted so long, a +press-gang from a British ship-of-war seized and carried off the whole +crew, leaving the captain alone on his deck. + +We may be sure that all this made the people very indignant. While the +rest of the country was quiet, the Newporters were at the point of war. +More than once they were ready to take arms against the British. + +In July, 1769, a British armed sloop, the _Liberty_, brought in two +prizes as smugglers. They had no smuggled goods on board, but the +officers of the _Liberty_ did not care for that. And their captains and +crews were treated as if they were prisoners of war. + +That night something new took place. The lookout on the _Liberty_ saw +two boats, crowded with men, gliding swiftly toward the sloop. + +"Boat ahoy!" he shouted. + +Not a word came in reply. + +"Boat ahoy! Answer, or I'll fire!" + +No answer still. The lookout fired. The watch came rushing up on deck. +But at the same time the men in the boats climbed over the bulwarks and +the sailors of the _Liberty_ found themselves looking into the muzzles +of guns. They were taken by surprise and had to yield. The Americans had +captured their first prize. + +Proud of their victory, the Newporters cut the cables of the sloop and +let her drift ashore. Her captives were set free, her mast was cut down, +and her boats were dragged through the streets to the common, where they +were set on fire. A jolly bonfire they made, too, and as the flames went +up the people cheered lustily. + +That was not all. With the high tide the sloop floated off. But it went +ashore again on Goat Island, and the next night some of the people set +it on fire and it was burned to the water's edge. That was the first +American reply to British tyranny. The story of it spread far and wide. +The King's officers did all they could to find and punish the men who +had captured the sloop, but not a man of them could be discovered. +Everybody in the town knew, but no one would tell. + +This was only the beginning. The great event was that of the _Gaspee_. +This was a British schooner carrying six cannon, which cruised about +the Bay between Providence and Newport, and made itself so active and so +offensive that the people hated it more than all those that had gone +before. Captain Duddingstone treated every vessel as if it had been a +pirate, and the people were eager to give it the same dose they had +given the _Liberty_. + +Their time came in June, 1772. The _Hannah_, a vessel trading between +New York and Providence, came in sight of the _Gaspee_ and was ordered +to stop. But Captain Linzee had a fine breeze and did not care to lose +it. He kept on at full speed, and the _Gaspee_ set out in chase. + +It was a very pretty race that was seen that day over the ruffled waters +of the Bay. For twenty-five miles it kept up and the _Hannah_ was still +ahead. Then the two vessels came near to Providence bar. + +The Yankee captain now played the British sailors a cute trick. He +slipped on over the bar as if there had been a mile of water under his +keel. The _Gaspee_, not knowing that the _Hannah_ had almost touched +bottom, followed, and in a minute more came bump upon the ground. The +proud war-vessel stuck fast in the mud, while the light-footed Yankee +slid swiftly on to Providence, where the story of the chase and escape +was told to eager ears. + +Here was a splendid chance. The _Gaspee_ was aground. Now was the time +to repay Captain Duddingstone for his pride and insolence. That night, +while the people after their day's work were standing and talking about +the news, a man passed down the streets, beating a drum and calling out: + +"The _Gaspee is aground_. Who will join in to put an end to her?" + +There was no lack of volunteers. Eight large boats had been collected +from the ships in the harbor, and there were soon enough to crowd them +all. Sixty-four men were selected, and Abraham Whipple, who was +afterward one of the first captains in the American navy, took command. +Some of the men had guns, but their principal weapons were paving stones +and clubs. + +It was about two o'clock in the morning when this small fleet came +within hail of the _Gaspee_. She was fast enough yet, though she was +beginning to lift with the rising tide. An hour or two more might have +set her afloat. + +A sentinel who was pacing the deck hailed the boats when they came near. + +"Who comes there?" he cried. + +A shower of paving stones that rattled on the deck of the _Gaspee_ was +the only answer. Up came the captain and crew, like bees from a hive +that has been disturbed. + +"I want to come on board," said Captain Whipple. + +"Stand off. You can't come aboard," answered Captain Duddingstone. + +He fired a pistol. A shot from one of the guns on the boats replied. The +British captain fell with a bullet in his side. + +"I am sheriff of the County of Kent," cried one of the leaders in the +boats. "I am come for the captain of this vessel. Have him I will, dead +or alive. Men, to your oars!" + +On came the boats, up the sides of the vessel clambered the men, over +the rails they passed. The sailors showed fight, but they were soon +knocked down and secured. The proud _Gaspee_ was in the hands of the +despised Yankees. + +As the captors were tying the crew, a surgeon who was in the boats was +called on deck. + +"What do you want, Mr. Brown?" he asked. + +"Don't call names, man," cried Brown. "Go into the cabin. There is a +wounded man there who may bleed to death." + +The surgeon was needed, for Captain Duddingstone was bleeding freely. +The surgeon, finding no cloth for bandages, tore his own shirt into +strips for this purpose, and soon had the bleeding stopped. The captain +was gently lowered into one of the boats and rowed up to Providence. + +The wounded man away, the captors began their work. Rushing through the +vessel, they made havoc of furniture and trappings. There were some +bottles of liquor in the captain's cabin, and some of the men made a +rush for these; but the surgeon smashed them with the heels of his +boots. That was not the time or place for drunken men. + +This done, the _Gaspee_ was set on fire, and was soon wrapped in flames. +The men rowed their boats some distance out, and there rested on their +oars, watching the flames as they shot up masts and rigging. Not until +the loaded guns went off, one after another, and in the end the magazine +was reached and the ship blew up, did they turn their prows towards +home. Never again would the _Gaspee_ trouble American ships. + +When word of what had been done reached England, there was fury from the +King down. Great rewards were offered for any one who would betray any +of the party, but not a name was told. For six long months a court of +inquiry sat, but it could not get evidence enough to convict a single +man. The Americans were staunch and firm and stood for each other like +brothers tried and true. + +Not until the colonies threw off the royal yoke and were battling for +freedom was the secret told. Then the men of the long-boats did not +hesitate to boast of what they had done. It was the first stroke of +America in the cause of liberty, and the work of the men of Providence +gave new heart to the patriots from Maine to Georgia. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A BRITISH SCHOONER CAPTURED BY FARMERS IN 1775 + +CAPTAIN JERRY O'BRIEN LEADS THE PATRIOTS OF 1775 + + +HOW would any of you like to go back to the days when people had only +tallow candles to light their houses, and the moon to light their +streets, when they traveled on horseback or by stage, and got their news +only when it happened to come? In these days of the electric light, the +railroad train, and the telegraph that old way of living would not seem +living at all. + +Yet that was the way people lived in 1775 when the Revolution began. It +took weeks for news to travel then, where it takes seconds now. Thus the +fight at Lexington, which began the Revolution, took place on April +19th, but it was May 9th, more than half a month later, before the news +of it reached the little town of Machias, on the coast of Maine. We +should hardly call that fast time. It must have taken several naps on +the way. + +But when the news came, it found the people ready for it. A coasting +schooner put into the port and brought the story of how the patriots had +fought and bled at Lexington and Concord, and of how the British were +shut up in Boston town, and the country was at war. The news was +received with ringing cheers. + +If any of my readers had been at Machias that day I know they would have +felt like striking a blow for liberty. At any rate, that is how the +people of Machias felt, and it did not take them long to show it. + +They had some reason not to like the King and his men. All the tall, +straight trees in their woods were kept to make masts for the King's +ships, and no woodman dared set axe to one of these pine trees except at +risk of going to prison. Just then there were two sloops in their harbor +loading with ship-timber, and an armored schooner, the _Margaretta_, was +there as a good looker-on. + +When the men on the wharf heard the story of Lexington, their eyes fell +on the _Margaretta_. Here was a chance to let King George know what +they thought about his robbing their woods. + +"Keep this a secret," they said to the sailors. "Not a word of it to +Captain Moore or his men. Wait till to-morrow and you will see some +sport." + +That night sixty of the countrymen and townsmen met at a farmhouse +nearby and laid their plans. It was Saturday. On Sunday Captain Moore +and his officers would go to church. Then they could gather at the wharf +and might take the schooner by surprise. + +But it is often easier to make a plot than to keep it a secret, and that +lesson they were to learn. The captain and his officers went to the +little village church at sound of the morning bell; the _Margaretta_ lay +lazily floating near the shore; and the plotters began to gather, two or +three at a time strolling down towards the shore, each of them carrying +some weapon. + +But in some way Captain Moore discovered their purpose. What bird in the +air whispered to him the secret we do not know, but he suddenly sprang +to his feet, called to his officers to follow him, and leaped like a cat +through the church window, without waiting to go round by the door. We +may be sure the old-fashioned preacher and the pious people in the pews +looked on with wide-open eyes. + +Down the street like a deer sped the captain. After him came his +officers. In their rear rushed the patriots, some carrying old muskets, +some with scythes and reaping-hooks. + +It was a hot flight and a hot chase. Luckily for Captain Moore the guard +on the schooner was wide-awake. He saw the countrymen chasing his +captain, and at once loaded and fired a gun, whose ball went whistling +over the head of the men of Maine. This was more than they looked for; +they held back in doubt; some of them sought hiding places; before they +could gain fresh courage, a boat put off from the schooner and took the +captain and his officers on board. + +Captain Moore did not know what was wrong, but he thought he would +frighten the people, at any rate. So his cannon thundered and balls came +hurtling over the town. Then he drew up his anchor and sailed several +miles down the bay, letting the anchor fall again near a high bank. Some +of the townsmen followed, and a man named Foster called from the bank, +bidding him surrender. But the captain laughed at him, raised his anchor +once more, and ran farther out into the bay. + +It looked as if the whole affair was at an end and the _Margaretta_ +safe. But the men of Machias were not yet at the end of their rope. +There lay the lumber sloops, and where a schooner could go a sloop could +follow. + +Early Monday morning four young men climbed to the deck of one of the +sloops and cheered in a way that soon brought a crowd to the wharf. One +of these was a bold, gallant fellow named Jeremiah O'Brien. + +"What is in the wind?" he asked. + +"We are going for the King's ship," said Wheaton, one of the men. "We +can outsail her, and all we want is guns enough and men enough to take +her." + +"My boys, we can do it," cried O'Brien in lusty tones, after hearing the +plan. + +Everybody ran off for arms, but all they could find in the town were +twenty guns, with enough powder and balls to make three shots for each. +Their other weapons were thirteen pitchforks and twelve axes. Jerry +O'Brien was chosen captain, thirty-five of the most athletic men were +selected, and the sloop put off before a fresh breeze for the first +naval battle of the Revolution. + +It is likely that there were a few sailors among them, and no doubt +their captain knew how to handle a sloop. But the most of them were +landsmen, chiefly haymakers, for Machias lay amid grassy meadows and the +making of hay was its chief business. And there were some woodsmen, who +knew well how to swing an axe. They were all bold men and true, who +cared more for their country than for the King. + +When Captain Moore saw the sloop coming with its deck crowded with men +he must have wondered what all this meant. What ailed these countrymen? +Anyhow, he would not fight without knowing what he was fighting for, so +he raised his anchor, set his sails, and made for the open sea. But he +had hardly started when, in going about in the strong wind, the main +boom swung across so sharply that it struck the backstays and broke +short off. + +I fancy if any of us had been close by then we would have heard ringing +cheers from the Yankee crew. They felt sure now of their prize, though +we cannot see why, for the _Margaretta_ had twenty-four cannon, four +throwing six-pound balls and the rest one-pound balls. Muskets and +pitchforks did not seem of much use against these. It had also more men +than the sloop. + +We cannot see why Captain Moore showed his heels instead of his fists, +for he soon proved that he was no coward. But he still seemed to want to +get away, so he drew up beside a schooner that lay at anchor, robbed it +of its boom, lashed it to his own mast and once more took to flight. But +the sloop was now not far behind, and soon showed that it was the better +sailer of the two. In the end it came so close that Captain Moore was +forced to fight or yield. + +One of the swivel guns was fired, and then came a whole broadside, +sending its balls hurtling over the crowded deck of the sloop. One man +fell dead, but no other harm was done. + +Only a single shot was fired back, but this came from a heavy gun and +was aimed by an old hunter. It struck the man at the helm of the +schooner. He fell dead, letting the rudder swing loose. + +The _Margaretta_, with no hand at her helm, broached to, and in a minute +more the sloop came crashing against her. At once there began a fierce +battle between the British tars and the haymakers of Maine, who sprang +wildly and with ringing cheers for the schooner's deck. Weapons of all +sorts now came into play. Cutlasses, hand-grenades, pistols and boarding +pikes were used by the schooner's men; muskets, pitchforks, and axes +were skilfully handled by the crew of the sloop. Men fast fell dead and +wounded; the decks grew red with blood; both sides fought fiercely, the +men of Machias striving like tigers to gain a footing on the schooner's +deck, the British tars meeting and driving them back. + +Captain Moore showed that it was not fear that made him run away. He now +fought bravely at the head of his men, cheering them on and hurling +hand-grenades at the foe. + +But in a few minutes the end came. A bullet struck the gallant captain +and he fell dead on his deck. When they saw him fall the crew lost heart +and drew back. The Yankees swarmed over the bulwarks. In a minute more +the _Margaretta_ was theirs. + +The battle, though short, had been desperate, for twenty men lay killed +and wounded, more than a fourth of the whole number engaged. + +As Bunker Hill showed British soldiers that the Yankees could fight on +land, so the capture of the _Margaretta_, the first naval victory of the +Americans, showed that they could fight at sea. The _Margaretta_ was +very much the stronger, in men, in guns, and in her trained officers and +skilled crew. Yet she had been taken by a party of landsmen, with +muskets against cannon and pitchforks against pistols. It was a victory +of which the colonists could well be proud. + +But Captain O'Brien was not yet satisfied. He had now a good sloop under +his feet, a good crew at his back, and the arms and ammunition of his +prize. He determined to go a-privateering on his own account. + +Taking the _Margaretta_ to the town, he handed over his prisoners and +put the cannon and swivels of the schooner on his swifter sloop, +together with the muskets, pistols, powder, and shot which he found on +board. Then away he went, with a bold and daring crew, in search for +prizes and glory. + +He soon found both. When the news of what he had done reached Halifax, +the British there sent out two schooners, with orders to capture the +insolent Yankee and bring him to port and to prison. But Captain O'Brien +showed that he knew how to handle a sloop as well as a pitchfork. He met +the schooners sent to capture him, and by skilful sailing managed to +separate them. Then he made a bold dash on each of them and in a little +time captured them both. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +BENEDICT ARNOLD, THE SOLDIER-SAILOR + +A NOVEL FIGHT ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN + + +WAS it not a dreadful pity that Benedict Arnold should disgrace himself +forever by becoming a traitor to his country? To think of his making +himself the most despised of all Americans, when, if he had been true to +his flag, he might have been ranked among our greatest heroes. For +Arnold was one of the best and bravest fighters in Washington's army. +And he could fight as hard and well on water as on land, as you will +learn when you read of what he did on Lake Champlain. + +I am sure all my readers must know where this lake is, and how it +stretches down in a long line from Canada far into New York State. Below +Lake Champlain extends Lake George, and not very far from that is the +Hudson River, which flows down to the City of New York. + +If the British could only have held that line of water they would have +cut the colonies in two, and in that way they might soon have brought +the war to an end. This was what they tried to do in the fall of 1776, +but they did not count on Arnold and his men. + +Let us tell what brought this about. General Arnold and General +Montgomery had marched through the wilderness to Quebec in the winter +before. But there they met with bitter weather and deadly disease and +death from cold and cannon. The brave Montgomery was killed, the daring +Arnold fought in vain, and in the end the invading army was forced to +march back--all that was left of it. + +As the Americans went back, Sir Guy Carleton, the British commander, +followed, and made his camp at St. John's, at the north end of Lake +Champlain. The nearest American post was at Crown Point, far down +towards the foot of the lake. Not far south of this, near the head of +Lake George, was the famous old French fort Ticonderoga, which Arnold +and Ethan Allen had captured from the British the year before. I tell +you all this that you may know how the land lay. A glance at a good map +will help. + +I think it very likely that some of you may have visited those beautiful +lakes, and seen the towns and villages on their shores, the handsome +dwelling on their islands, and the broad roads along their banks; +everything gay and smiling. + +If you had been there in 1776 you would have seen a very different +sight. Look right or left, east or west, nothing but a wilderness of +trees would have met your eyes. As for roads, I fancy an Indian trail +would have been the best to be found. And no man that wished to keep his +scalp on his head would have thought of living on island or shore. + +The only good road southward was the liquid one made by nature, and this +road Carleton decided to take. He would build a strong fleet and carry +his army down the lake, while the Indians that came with him could +paddle downward in their canoes. + +At this time there was not a vessel on the lakes, but Carleton worked +hard, and soon had such a fleet as these waters had never seen. Three +of his ships were built in England in such a way that they could be +taken to pieces, carried through the wilderness to St. John's, and there +put together again. The smaller vessels were built on the spot, +soldiers, sailors, and farmers all working on them. + +It was well on in October before his task was finished. Then he had a +fleet of twenty-five vessels in all, twenty of them being gunboats, but +some of them quite large. Their crews numbered a thousand men, and they +carried eighty-nine cannon. + +You may well suppose that the Americans knew what was going on, and that +they did not fold their hands and wait. That is not, and never was, the +American way. If the British could build, so could the Yankees, and +Benedict Arnold was ordered to build a fleet, and to have it ready for +fighting the British when it would be needed. + +Arnold had been at sea in his time and knew something of what he was +about. His men were farmers who had taken up arms for their country, but +he sent for a few shipbuilders from the coast and went to work with all +his might. + +When October came he had fifteen vessels afloat. There were two +schooners and one sloop, the others being called galleys and +gondolas--no better than large rowboats, with three to six guns each. + +Arnold had about as many guns as Carleton, but they were smaller, and he +had not nearly so many men to handle them. And his men were farmers +instead of sailors, and knew no more about a cannon than about a king's +crown. But the British ships were manned by picked seamen from the +warships in the St. Lawrence River, and had trained naval officers. + +I fear if any of us had been in Arnold's place we would have wanted to +go home. It looked like folly for him and his men to fight the British +fleet with its skilled officers and sailors and its heavy guns. It was +like meeting a raft of logs with one of chips. + +But Arnold was not a man who stopped to count the cost when fighting was +to be had. As soon as he was ready he set sail boldly up the lake, and +on the morning of October 11, 1776, he drew up his little fleet across a +narrow channel between Valcour Island and the west shore of the lake. +He knew the British would soon be down. + +It was a fine, clear, cool morning, with a strong wind from the north, +just the kind of day Carleton had been waiting for. So, soon after +sunrise, his fleet came sweeping on past Valcour Island. But all the +sailors saw was a thicket of green trees, and they had got well south of +the island before they looked back and saw the American fleet. + +Here was an ugly situation. It would never do to leave the Americans in +their rear. Down went the helms, round swept the sails, out came the +oars, and soon the British fleet was making a struggle against the wind +which had seemed so fair a few minutes before. So strong was the breeze +that ten o'clock had passed before they reached the channel in which the +Americans lay. Arnold came eagerly to meet them, with the _Royal +Savage_, his largest vessel, and three of his gondolas. One of these, +the _Congress_, he had made his flagship. Soon the waters of that quiet +bay rang with the roar of cannon and the shouts of fighting men, and +Arnold, having drawn the fire of the whole British fleet, was obliged to +hurry back. + +In doing so he met with a serious loss. The _Royal Savage_, pierced by a +dozen balls, ran ashore on the island. As she could not be got off, the +crew set her on fire and escaped to the woods. They might better have +leaped into the lake, for the woods were full of Indians whom Carleton +had sent ashore; and to be a prisoner to Indians in those days was a +terrible fate. + +When he got back to his fleet, Arnold formed his line to meet the +British, who came steadily on until within musket shot. Then a furious +battle began, broadside meeting broadside, grape-shot and round-shot +hurtling through the air, the thick smoke of the conflict drifting into +the woodland, while from the forest came back flame and bullets as the +Indians fought for their British friends. + +Arnold, on the deck of the _Congress_, led in the thickest of the fight, +handling his fleet as if he had been an admiral born, cheering the men +at the guns, aiming and firing a gun at intervals himself, and not +yielding a foot to the foe. Now and then a gun was fired at the Indians, +forcing them to skip nimbly behind the trees. + +For six long hours the battle kept up at close quarters. This is what +Arnold says about it in few words: "At half-past twelve the engagement +became general and very warm. Some of the enemy's ships and all their +gondolas beat and rowed up within musket shot of us. They continued a +very hot fire with round and grape-shot until five o'clock, when they +thought proper to retire to about six or seven hundred yards distance, +and continued the fire till dark." + +Hot as their fire was, they must have found that of the Americans +hotter, for they went back out of range of the Yankee guns, but kept +within range of their own. + +Arnold's vessels were in a bad plight. Several of them were as full of +holes as a pepper bottle, and one sank soon after the fight ended. But +two of the British gunboats had been sunk and one blown up. The worst +for the Americans was that nearly all their powder was gone. They could +not fight an hour more. + +Perilous as was the situation, Admiral Arnold was equal to it. The night +came on dark and stormy, with a hard gale from the north. This was just +what he wanted. Up came the anchors and away went the boats, one after +the other in a long line, each showing a light to the vessel that +followed, but hiding it from British eyes. In this way they slipped +unseen through the British line, Arnold in the _Congress_ taking the +post of danger in the rear. + +When morning dawned the British lookouts gazed for the American fleet, +it was nowhere to be seen. It had vanished in the night and now was ten +miles down the lake, where it was drawn up near shore for repairs. + +Two of the gondolas proved to be past mending, and were sunk. The others +were patched up until they could be kept afloat without too much +pumping, and the fleet started on, hoping to gain the shelter of Crown +Point or Ticonderoga. The wind had changed to the south, and they had to +take to their oars. This kept them back, but it gave the British quite +as much trouble. That day passed away and the next day, Friday, dawned +before the pursuers came in sight. And now a chase began with oar and +sail, and continued till noon, when Crown Point was still some leagues +away. By this time the British cannon balls began to reach the American +boats, and the tired rowers were forced to turn to their guns and +fight. + +Never did sea-hero fight more gallantly than did the soldier Arnold that +day. The first British broadside ruined the gondola _Washington_ and +forced it to surrender. But Arnold in the little _Congress_ drew up +beside the _Inflexible_, a 300-ton ship with eighteen 12-pounder cannon, +and fought the ship with his little gunboat as if they had been of equal +strength. Inspired by his example, the other boats fought as bravely. + +Not until a third of his men were dead and his boat a mere wreck did he +give up the fight. But not to surrender--no such thought came into his +mind. By his order the galleys were run ashore in a creek nearby and +there set on fire. With the three guns of the shattered _Congress_ he +covered their retreat until their crews were safe on shore. + +Then, reckless of the British shot, he ran the _Congress_ ashore also +and stood guard at her stern while the crew set her on fire. The men by +his orders sought the shore, but Arnold stood by his flag to the last, +not leaving until the flames had such hold that he was sure no Briton's +hand could strike his flag. It would float until it went up in flames. + +Then he sprang into the water, waded ashore, and joined his men, who +greeted him with cheers. + +The savages were swarming in the woods, eager for scalps, but Arnold was +not troubled by fear of them. Forming his men into order, he marched +them through the woods, and before night reached safety at Crown Point. + +Thus ended one of the noblest fights the inland waters of America ever +saw. The British were victors, though at a heavy cost. Arnold had fought +until his fleet was annihilated; and not in vain. Carleton sailed back +to St. John's and made his way to Canada. He had seen enough of Yankee +pluck. Thus Arnold, though defeated, gained by his valor the fruit of +victory, for the British gave up their plan of holding the lake. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +CAPTAIN PAUL JONES + +THE GREATEST OF AMERICA'S NAVAL HEROES + + +ONCE upon a time there lived in Scotland a poor gardener named John +Paul, who had a little son to whom he gave the same name. The rich man's +garden that the father took care of was close by the sea, and little +John Paul came to love blue water so much that he spent most of his time +near it, and longed to be a sailor. + +He lived in his father's cottage near the sea until he was twelve years +old. Then he was put to work in a big town on the other side of the +Solway Firth. This town was called Whitehaven. It was a very busy place, +and ships and sailors were there in such numbers that the little fellow, +who had been put in a store, greatly liked to go down to the docks and +talk with the seamen who had been in so many different lands and seas +and who could tell him all about the wonderful and curious places they +had seen, and about their adventures on the great oceans they had sailed +over. + +In the end the boy made up his mind to go to sea. He studied all about +ships and how to sail them. He read all the books he could get, and +often, when other boys were asleep or in mischief, he was learning from +the books he read many things that helped him when he grew older. At +last he had his wish. When he was only thirteen years old, he was put as +a sailor boy on a ship called the _Friendship_. + +The vessel was bound to Virginia, in America, for a cargo of tobacco, +and the young sailor greatly enjoyed the voyage and was especially +delighted with the new country across the sea. He wished he could live +in America, and hoped some day to go there again. + +When this first voyage was over, he returned to Whitehaven and went back +to the store. But soon after, the merchant who owned the store failed in +business, and the boy was out of a place and had to look out for +himself. This time he became a real seaman. For many years he served as +a common sailor. He proved such a good one that before he was twenty +years old he was a captain. This was how he became one: While the ship +in which he was sailing was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, a +terrible fever broke out. The captain died. The mate, who comes next to +the captain, died; all of the sailors were sick, and some of them died. +There was no one who knew about sailing such a big vessel, except young +John Paul. So he took command and sailed the ship into port without an +accident, and the owners were so glad that they made the young sailor +captain of the ship which he had saved for them. + +John Paul was not the only one of his family who loved America. He had a +brother who had crossed the ocean and was living in Virginia, on the +banks of the Rappahannock River. This was the same river beside which +George Washington lived when a boy. The young captain visited his +brother several times while he was sailing on his voyages, and he liked +the country so much that, when his brother died, he gave up being a +sailor for a while, and went to live on his brother's farm. + +When he became a farmer, he changed his name to Jones. Why he did so +nobody knows. But he ever after bore the name of John Paul Jones. He +made this one of the best known names in the history of the seas. + +I doubt if he was a very good farmer. He was too much of a sailor for +that. So, when the American Revolution began, he was eager to fight the +British on the seas. There was no nation at that time so powerful on the +sea as England. The King had a splendid fleet of ships of war--almost a +thousand. The United States had none. But soon the Americans got +together five little ships, and sent them out as the beginning of the +American navy, to fight the ships of England. + +John Paul Jones was made first lieutenant of a ship called the _Alfred_. +He had the good fortune to hoist for the first time on any ship, the +earliest American flag. This was a great yellow silk flag which had on +it the picture of a pine tree with a rattlesnake coiled around it, and +underneath were the words: "Don't tread on me!" + +Then the grand union flag of the colonies was set. This had thirteen red +and white stripes, like our present flag, but, instead of the stars, in +the corner it had the British "union jack." Thus there was a link on the +flag between the colonies and England. They had not quite cut apart. + +[Illustration: JOHN PAUL JONES.] + +Jones had first been offered the command of the _Providence_, a brig +that bore twelve guns and had a crew of one hundred men. But he showed +the kind of man he was by saying that he did not know enough to be a +captain, and was hardly fit to be a first lieutenant. That was how he +came to be made first lieutenant of the _Alfred_. Congress took him at +his own price. + +But Commodore Hopkins, who commanded the fleet, was wise enough to see +that Jones knew more about his work than most of the captains in the +service. So he ordered him to take command of the _Providence_, the snug +little brig that had first been offered to him. + +The new captain was set at work to carrying troops and guarding merchant +vessels along the shore, and he did this with wonderful skill. There +were British men-of-war nearly everywhere, but Jones managed to keep +clear of them. He darted up and down Long Island Sound, carrying +soldiers and guns and food to General Washington. So well did he do his +work that Congress made him a captain. This was on August 8, 1776, a +month and more after the "Declaration of Independence." He had a free +country now to fight for, instead of rebel colonies. + +The _Providence_ was a little vessel, but it was a fast sailer, and was +wonderfully quick to answer the helm. That is, it turned very quickly +when the rudder was moved. And it had a captain who knew how to sail a +ship. All this brought the little brig out of more than one tight place. + +I must tell you about one of these escapes, in which Captain Jones +showed himself a very sharp sea-fox. He came across a fleet of vessels +which he thought were merchant ships, and had a fancy he might capture +the largest. But when he got close up he found that this was a big +British frigate, the _Solebay_. + +Away went the _Providence_ at full speed, and hot-foot after her came +the _Solebay_. For four hours the chase was kept up, the frigate +steadily gaining. At last she was only a hundred yards away. Now was the +time to surrender. Nearly any one but Paul Jones would have done so. A +broadside from the great frigate would have torn his little brig to +pieces. But he was one of the "never surrender" kind. + +What else could he do? you ask. Well, I will tell you what he did. He +quietly made ready to set all his extra sails, and put a man with a +lighted match at each cannon, and had another ready to hoist the union +flag. + +Then, with a quick turn of the helm, the little brig swung round like a +top across the frigate's bows. As she did so all the guns on that side +sent their iron hail sweeping across the deck of the _Solebay_. In a +minute more the studding sails were set on both sides, like broad white +wings, and away went the _Providence_ as swift as a racer, straight +before the wind and with the American flag proudly flying. The officers +and men of the frigate were so upset by the sudden dash and attack that +they did not know what to do. Before they came to their senses the brig +was out of reach of their shot. Off like a bird she went, now quite +outsailing her pursuer. The _Solebay_, fired more than a hundred iron +balls after her, but they only scared the fishes. + +It was not long before Captain Jones found another big British ship on +his track. He was now off the coast of Nova Scotia, and as there was +nothing else to do, he let his men have a day's sport in fishing for +codfish. Fish are plenty in those waters, and they were pulling them up +in a lively fashion when a strange sail rose in sight. + +When it came well up Captain Jones saw it was a British frigate, and +judged it time to pull in his fishing lines and set sail on his little +craft. Away like a deer went the brig, and after her like a hound came +the ship. But it soon proved that the deer was faster than the hound, +and so Captain Jones began to play with the big frigate. He took in some +of his sails and kept just out of reach. + +The _Milford_, which was the name of the British ship, kept firing at +the _Providence_, but all her shot plunged into the waves. It was like +the hound barking at the deer. And every time the _Milford_ sent a +broadside, Paul Jones replied with a musket. After he had all the fun he +wanted out of the lumbering frigate, he spread all sail again and soon +left her out of sight. + +We cannot tell the whole story of the cruise of the _Providence_. In +less than two months it captured sixteen vessels and burned some others. +Soon after that Jones was made captain of the _Alfred_, the ship on +which he had raised the first flag. With this he took a splendid prize, +the brig _Mellish_, on which were ten thousand uniforms for the British +soldiers. Many a ragged soldier in Washington's army thanked him that +winter for a fine suit of warm clothing. + +Let us tell one more fine thing that Captain Jones did in American +waters before he crossed the ocean to the British seas. Sailing along +the coast of Canada he came upon a fleet of coal vessels, with a British +frigate to take care of them. But it was foggy and the coalers were +scattered; so that Jones picked up three of them while the frigate went +on with her eyes shut, not knowing that anything was wrong. + +Two days afterward he came upon a British privateer, which was on the +hunt for American vessels. But when the _Alfred_ came up, before more +than a few shots had been fired, down came its flag. + +Captain Jones now thought it time to get home. His ship was crowded +with prisoners, he was short of food and water, and he had four prizes +to look after, which were manned with some of his crew. + +But he was not to get home without another adventure; for, late one +afternoon, there came in sight the frigate _Milford_, the one which he +had saluted with musket balls. He could not play with her now, for he +had his prizes to look after, and while he could outsail her, the prizes +could not. + +So he told the captains of the prizes to keep on as they were, no matter +what signals he made. Night soon came, and the _Alfred_ sailed on, with +two lanterns swinging in her tops. Soon she changed her course and the +_Milford_ followed. No doubt her captain thought that the Yankee had +lost his wits, to sail on with lanterns blazing and make it easy to keep +in his track. + +But when morning dawned the British captain found he had been tricked. +The _Alfred_ was in sight, but all the prizes were gone except the +privateer, whose stupid captain had not obeyed orders. The result was +that the privateer was recaptured. But the _Alfred_ easily kept ahead. +That afternoon a squall of snow came upon the sea, and the Yankee craft, +"amid clouds and darkness and foaming surges, made her escape." + +In a few days more the _Alfred_ sailed into Boston. There his ship was +given another captain, and for six months he had nothing to do. Congress +was full of politicians who were looking out for their friends, and the +best seaman in the American navy was left sitting at home biting his +thumb nails and whistling for a ship. + +I have not told you here the whole story of our greatest naval hero. I +have not told you even the best part of his story, that part which has +made him famous in all history, and put him on a level with the most +celebrated sea fighters of all time. + +The exploits of Paul Jones cover two seas, those of America and those of +England, and in both he proved himself a brilliant sailor and a daring +fighter. I think you will say this from what you have already read. His +deeds of skill and bravery on our own coast were wonderful, and if they +had stood alone would have given him great fame. But it was in the +waters and on the shores of England that he showed the whole world what +a man he was; and now, when men talk of the great heroes of the sea, the +name of John Paul Jones always stands first. This is the story we have +next to tell, how Captain Jones crossed the ocean and bearded the +British lion in his den. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +HOW PAUL JONES WON RENOWN + +THE FIRST GREAT FIGHT OF THE AMERICAN NAVY + + +YOU have been told how Captain Paul Jones lost his ship. He was given +another in June, 1777. This was the _Ranger_, a frigate carrying +twenty-six guns, but it was such a slow old tub that our captain was not +well pleased with his new craft. He did not want to run away from the +British; he wanted a ship that was fit to chase an enemy. + +We have one thing very interesting to tell. On the very day that Jones +got his new ship Congress adopted a new flag, the American standard with +its thirteen stars and thirteen stripes. As soon as he heard of the new +flag, Captain Jones had one made in all haste, and with his own hands he +ran it up to the mast-head of the _Ranger_. So she was the first ship +that ever carried the "Stars and Stripes." Is it not interesting that +the man who first raised the pine-tree flag of the colonies was the +first to fling out to the breeze the star-spangled flag of the American +Union? + +Captain Jones was ordered to sail for France, but it took so long to get +the _Ranger_ ready for sea that it was winter before he reached there. +Benjamin Franklin and other Americans were there in France and were +having a fine new frigate built for Paul Jones. But when England heard +of it such a protest was made that the French government stopped the +work on the ship, and our brave captain had to go to sea again in the +slow-footed _Ranger_. + +He had one satisfaction. He sailed through the French fleet at Quiberon +Bay and saluted the French flag. The French admiral could not well help +returning his salute. That was the first time the Stars and Stripes were +saluted by a foreign power. + +What Captain Jones proposed to do was the boldest thing any American +captain could do. England was invading America. He proposed to invade +England. That is, he would cruise along the British coast, burning ships +and towns, and thus do there what the British had done along the +American coast. He wanted to let them find how they liked it themselves. + +It was a daring plan. The British channel was full of war-vessels. If +they got on the track of his slow ship he could not run away. He would +never think of running from one ship, but there might be a fleet. +However, Paul Jones was the last man in the world to think of danger; so +he put boldly out to sea, and took his chances. + +It was not long before he had all England in a state of alarm. News came +that this daring American warship was taking prize after prize, burning +some and sending their crews ashore. He would hide along the English +coast from the men-of-war that went out in search, and then suddenly +dart out and seize some merchant ship. + +The English called Captain Jones a pirate and all sorts of hard names. +But they were very much afraid of him and his stout ship. And this +voyage of his, along the shores of England, taught them to respect and +fear the American sailors more than they had ever done before. + +After he had captured many British vessels, almost in sight of their +homes, he boldly sailed to the north and into the very port of +Whitehaven, where he had "tended store," as a boy, and from which he had +first gone to sea. He knew all about the place. He knew how many vessels +were there, and what a splendid victory he could win for the American +navy, if he could sail into Whitehaven harbor and capture or destroy the +two hundred vessels that were anchored within sight of the town he +remembered so well. + +With two rowboats and thirty men he landed at Whitehaven, locked up the +soldiers in the forts, fixed the cannon so that they could not be fired, +set fire to one of the vessels that were in the harbor, and so +frightened all the people that, though the gardener's son stood alone on +the wharf, waiting for a boat to take him off, not a man dared to lay a +hand on him. With a single pistol he kept back a thousand men. + +Then he sailed across the bay to the house of the great lord for whom +his father had worked as a gardener. He meant to run away with this +nobleman, and keep him prisoner until the British promised to treat +better the Americans whom they had taken prisoners. But the lord whom +he went for was "not at home," so all that Captain Jones's men could do +was to carry off from the big house the silverware of the earl. Captain +Jones did not like this; so he took the things from his men and returned +them to Earl Selkirk, with a letter asking him to excuse his sailors. + +Not long afterward one of the British men-of-war which were in the hunt +for Captain Jones, found him. This was the _Drake_, a larger ship than +the _Ranger_ and carrying more men. But that did not trouble Paul Jones, +and soon there was a terrible fight. The sails of the _Drake_ were cut +to pieces, her decks were red with blood, and at last her captain fell +dead. In an hour after the fight began, just as the sun was going down +behind the Irish hills, there came a cry for quarter from the _Drake_, +and the battle was at an end. Off went Captain Jones, with his ship and +his prize, for the friendly shores of France, where he was received with +great praise. + +Soon after this the French decided to help the Americans in their war +for independence. After some time Captain Jones was put in command of +five ships, and back he sailed to England to fight the British ships +again. + +The vessel in which he sailed was the biggest of the five ships. It had +forty guns and a crew of three hundred sailors. Captain Jones thought so +much of the great Dr. Benjamin Franklin, who had written a book of good +advice, under the name of "Poor Richard," that he named his big ship for +Dr. Franklin. He called it the _Bon Homme Richard_, which is French for +"good man Richard." But the _Bon Homme Richard_ was not a good boat, if +it was a big one. It was old and rotten and leaky, and not fit for a +warship, but its new commander made the best he could of it. + +The little fleet sailed up and down the English coasts, capturing a few +prizes, and greatly frightening the people by saying that they had come +to burn some of the big English sea towns. Then, just as they were about +sailing back to France, they came--near an English cape, called +Flamborough Head--upon an English fleet of forty merchant vessels and +two war ships. + +One of the war ships was a great English frigate, called the _Serapis_, +finer and stronger in every way than the _Bon Homme Richard_. But +Captain Jones would not run away. + +"What ship is that?" called out the Englishman. "Come a little nearer, +and we'll tell you," answered plucky Captain Jones. + +The British ships did come a little nearer. The forty merchant vessels +sailed as fast as they could to the nearest harbor, and then the +warships had a terrible battle. + +At seven o'clock in the evening the British frigate and the _Bon Homme +Richard_ began to fight. They banged and hammered away for hours, and +then, when the British captain thought he must have beaten the +Americans, and it was so dark and smoky that they could only see each +other by the fire flashes, he called out to the American captain: "Are +you beaten? Have you hauled down your flag?" + +And back came the answer of Captain John Paul Jones: "I haven't begun to +fight yet!" + +So they went at it again. The two ships were now lashed together, and +they tore each other like savage dogs in a fight. + +The rotten old _Richard_ suffered terribly. Two of her great guns had +burst at the first fire, and she was shot through and through by the +_Serapis_ until most of her timbers above the water-line were shot away. +The British rushed on board with pistols and cutlasses, and the +Americans drove them back. But the _Richard_ was on fire; water was +pouring in through a dozen shot holes; it looked as if she must +surrender, brave as were her captain and crew. There were on board the +old ship nearly two hundred prisoners who had been taken from captured +vessels, and so pitiful were their cries that one of the officers set +them free, thinking that the ship was going to sink and that they ought +to have a chance for their lives. These men were running up on deck, +adding greatly to the trouble of Captain Jones; for he had now a crowd +of enemies on his own ship. But the prisoners were so scared that they +did not know what to do. They saw the ship burning around them and heard +the water pouring into the hold, and thought they would be carried to +the bottom. So to keep them from mischief they were set to work, some at +the pumps, others at putting out the fire. And to keep the ship from +blowing up, if the fire should reach the magazine, Captain Jones set men +at bringing up the kegs of powder and throwing them into the sea. Never +was there a ship in so desperate a strait, and there was hardly a man on +board, except Captain Jones, who did not want to surrender. + +But the British were not having it all their own way. The American tars +had climbed the masts and were firing down with muskets and flinging +down hand grenades, until all the British had to run from the upper +deck. A hand grenade is a small, hollow iron ball filled with powder, +which explodes when thrown down and sends the bits of iron flying all +around, like so many bullets. + +One sailor took a bucketful of these and crept far out on the yard-arm +of the ship, and began to fling them down on the gun-deck of the +_Serapis_, where they did much damage. At last one of them went through +the open hatchway to the main deck, where a crowd of men were busy +working the great guns, and cartridges were lying all about and loose +powder was scattered on the floor. + +The grenade set fire to this powder, and in a second there was a +terrible explosion. A great sheet of flame burst up through the +hatchway, and frightful cries came from below. In that dreadful moment +more than twenty men were killed and many more were wounded. All the +guns on that deck had to be abandoned. There were no men left to work +them. + +Where was Captain Jones all the time, and what was he doing? You may be +sure he was busy. He had taken a gun and loaded it with double-headed +shot, and kept firing at the mainmast of the _Serapis_. Every shot cut a +piece out of the mast, and after a while it came tumbling upon the deck, +with all its spars and rigging. The tarred ropes quickly caught fire, +and the ship was in flames. + +At this moment up came the _Alliance_, one of Captain Jones's fleet. He +now thought that the battle was at an end, but to his horror the +_Alliance_, instead of firing at the British ship, began to pour its +broadsides into his own. He called to them for God's sake to quit +firing, but they kept on, killing some of his best men and making +several holes under water, through which new floods poured into the +ship. The _Alliance_ had a French captain who hated Paul Jones and +wanted to sink his ship. + +Both ships were now in flames, and water rushed into the _Richard_ +faster than the pumps could keep it out. Some of the officers begged +Captain Jones to pull down his flag and surrender, but he would not give +up. He thought there was always a chance while he had a deck under his +feet. + +Soon the cowardly French traitor quit firing and sailed off, and Paul +Jones began his old work again, firing at the _Serapis_ as if the battle +had just begun. This was more than the British captain could bear. His +ship was a mere wreck and was blazing around him, so he ran on deck and +pulled down his flag with his own hands. The terrible battle was at an +end. The British ship had given up the fight. + +Lieutenant Dale sprang on board the _Serapis_, went up to Captain +Pearson, the British commander, and asked him if he surrendered. The +Englishman replied that he had, and then he and his chief officer went +aboard the battered _Richard_, which was sinking even in its hour of +victory. + +But Captain Jones stood on the deck of his sinking vessel, proud and +triumphant. He had shown what an American captain and American sailors +could do, even when everything was against them. The English captain +gave up his sword to the American, which is the way all sailors and +soldiers do when they surrender their ships or their armies. + +The fight had been a brave one, and the English King knew that his +captain had made a bold and desperate resistance, even if he had been +whipped. So he rewarded Captain Pearson, when he at last returned to +England, by making him a Knight, thus giving him the title of "Sir." +When Captain Jones heard of this he laughed, and said: "Well, if I can +meet Captain Pearson again in a sea fight, I'll make him a lord." + +The poor _Bon Homme Richard_ was such an utter wreck that she soon sank +beneath the waves. But, even as she went down, the stars and stripes +floated proudly from the mast-head, in token of victory. + +Captain Jones, after the surrender, put all his men aboard the captured +_Serapis_, and then off he sailed to the nearest friendly port, with his +great prize and all his prisoners. This victory made him the greatest +sailor in the whole American war, and the most famous of all American +seamen. + +Captain Jones took his prize into the Dutch port of Texel, closely +followed by a British squadron. The country of Holland was not friendly +to the Americans, and though they let him come in, he was told that he +could not stay there. So he sailed again, in a howling gale, straight +through the British squadron, with the American flag flying at his peak. +Down through the narrow Straits of Dover he passed, coming so near the +English shore that he could count the warships at anchor in the Downs. +That was his way of showing how little he feared them. The English were +so angry at Holland because it would not give up the Americans and their +prizes that they declared war against that country. + +When Captain Jones reached Paris he was received with the greatest +honor, and greeted as one of the ablest and bravest of sea-fighters. + +Everybody wished to see such a hero. He went to the King's court, and +the King and Queen and French lords and ladies made much of him and gave +him receptions, and said so many fine things about him that, if he had +been at all vain, it might have "turned his head," as people say. But +John Paul Jones was not vain. + +He was a brave sailor, and he was in France to get help and not +compliments. He wished a new ship to take the place of the old +_Richard_, which had gone to the bottom after its great victory. + +So, though the King of France honored him and received him splendidly +and made him presents, he kept on working to get another ship. At last +he was made captain of a new ship, called the _Ariel_, and sailed from +France. He had a fierce battle with an English ship called the +_Triumph_, and defeated her. But she escaped before surrendering, and +Captain Jones sailed across the sea to America. + +He was received at home with great honor and applause. Congress gave him +a vote of thanks, "for the zeal, prudence and intrepidity with which he +had supported the honor of the American flag"--that is what the vote +said. + +People everywhere crowded to see him, and called him hero and conqueror. +Lafayette, the brave young Frenchman who came over to fight for America, +called him "my dear Paul Jones," and Washington and the other leaders +in America said, "Well done, Captain Jones!" + +The King of France sent him a splendid reward of merit called the "Cross +of Honor," and Congress set about building a fine ship for him to +command. But before it was finished, the war was over; and he was sent +back to France on some important business for the United States. + +Here he was received with new honor, for the French knew how to meet and +treat a brave man; and above all they loved a man who had humbled the +English, their ancient foes. Captain Jones had sailed from a French port +and in a French ship, and they looked on him almost as one of their own. +But all this did not make him proud or boastful, for he was not that +kind of man. + +In later years Paul Jones served in Russia in the wars with the Turks. +But the British officers who were in the Russian service refused to +fight under him, saying that he was a rebel, a pirate, and a traitor. +This was because he had fought for America after being born in Scotland. +So, after some hard fighting, he left Russia and went back to France, +where he died in 1792. + +In all the history of sea fighting we hear of no braver man, and the +United States, so long as it is a nation, will be proud of and honor the +memory of the gallant sailor, John Paul Jones. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +CAPTAIN BUSHNELL SCARES THE BRITISH + +THE PIONEER TORPEDO BOAT AND THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS + + +MANY of us, all our lives, have seen vessels of every size and shape +darting to and fro over the water; some with sails spread to the wind, +others with puffing pipes and whirling wheels. + +And that is not all. Men have tried to go under water as well as on top. +Some of you may have read Jules Verne's famous story, "Twenty Thousand +Leagues under the Sea." That, of course, is all fiction; but now-a-days +there are vessels which can go miles under the water without once coming +to the top. + +We call these submarine boats, and look upon them as something very new. +You may be surprised to learn that there was a submarine boat as long +ago as the War of the Revolution. It was not a very good one, and did +not do the work it was built for, but it was the first of its kind, and +that is something worth knowing. + +Those of you who have studied history will know that after the British +were driven out of Boston they came to New York with a large army, and +took possession of that city. Washington and his men could not keep them +out, and had to leave. There the British lay, with their army in the +city and their fleet in the bay and river, and there they stayed for +years. + +There was an American who did not like to see British vessels floating +in American waters. He knew he could not drive them away, but he thought +he might give them some trouble. This was a Connecticut man named David +Bushnell, a chap as sharp as a steeltrap, and one of the first American +inventors. + +What Bushnell did was to invent a boat that would move under water and +might be made to blow up an enemy's ship. As it was the first of this +kind ever made, I am sure you will wish to know what it was like and how +it was worked. + +He called it _The American Turtle_, for it looked much like a great +swimming turtle, big enough to hold a man and also to carry a torpedo +loaded with 150 pounds of gunpowder. This was to be fastened to the +wooden bottom of a ship and then fired off. It was expected to blow a +great hole in the bottom and sink the vessel. + +Of course, the boat was air-tight and water-tight, but it had a supply +of fresh air that would last half an hour for one man. There was an oar +for rowing and a rudder for steering. A valve in the bottom let in the +water when the one-man crew wanted to sink his turtle-like boat, and +there were two pumps to force the water out again when he wanted to +rise. + +There were windows in the top shell of the turtle, air pipes to let out +the foul air and take in fresh air, small doors that could be opened +when at the surface, and heavy lead ballast to keep the turtle level. In +fact, the affair was, for the time, very ingenious and complete. + +A very important part of it was the torpedo, with its 150 pounds of +powder. This was carried outside, above the rudder. It was so made that +when the boat came under a vessel the man inside could fasten it with a +screw to the vessel's bottom, and row away and leave it there. Inside it +was a clock, which could be set to run a certain time and then loosen a +sort of gunlock. This struck a spark and set fire to the powder, and +up--or down--went the vessel. + +You can see that Dave Bushnell's invention was a very neat one; but, for +all that, luck went against it. He first tried his machine with only two +pounds of powder on a hogshead loaded with stones. The powder was set on +fire, and up went the stones and the boards of the hogshead and a body +of water, many feet into the air. If two pounds of powder would do all +this, what would one hundred and fifty pounds do? + +In 1776 the _Turtle_ was sent out against a big British ship named the +_Eagle_, anchored in New York Bay. The man inside rowed his boat very +well under water, and after some time found himself beneath the King's +ship. He now tried to fasten the torpedo to the bottom, but the screw +struck an iron bar and would not go in. Then he moved to another place, +but now he lost the ship altogether. He could not find her again, and he +had to row away, for he could not stay much longer under water. + +There is a funny story told about the man in the _Turtle_. He was a +queer fellow named Abijah Shipman, but called by his companions "Long +Bige." + +As he entered the craft and was about to screw down its cover, he opened +it again and asked for a chew of tobacco. All those present felt in +their pockets, but none of the weed was on hand. + +"You will have to go without it, old chap," said General Putnam, who was +present. "We Continental officers can't afford even a plug of tobacco. +To-morrow, after you have sent the _Eagle_ on her last flight, we will +try and raise you a whole keg of the weed." + +"That's too bad," growled Bige. "Tell you what, Gineral, if the old +_Turtle_ don't do her duty, it's all along of me goin' out without +tobacco." + +After he had gone Putnam and his officers watched anxiously for results. +Time passed. Morning was at hand. The _Eagle_ rode unharmed. Evidently +something had gone wrong. Had the torpedo failed, and was "Long Bige" +resting in his wrecked machine on the bottom of the bay? Putnam swept +the waters near the _Eagle_ with his glass. Suddenly he exclaimed. +"There he is." The top of the _Turtle_ had just emerged, some distance +from the ship. + +Abijah, fearing that he might be seen, had cast off the torpedo that he +might go the faster. The clock had been set to run an hour, and at the +end of that time there was a thundering explosion near the fleet, +hurling up great volumes of water into the air. + +Soon there were signs of fright in the ships. The anchors were raised, +sails were set, and off they went to safer quarters down the bay. They +did not care to be too near such dangerous affairs as that. + +Boats were sent out to the aid of the _Turtle_ and it was brought ashore +at a safe place. On landing Abijah gave, in his queer way, the reasons +for his failure. + +"It's just as I said, Gineral; it went to pot for want o' that cud of +tobacco. You see, I'm mighty narvous without my tobacco. When I got +under the ship's bottom, somehow the screw struck the iron bar that +passes from the rudder pintle, and wouldn't hold on anyhow I could fix +it. Just then I let go the oar to feel for a cud, to steady my narves, +and I hadn't any. The tide swept me under her counter, and away I +slipped top o' water. I couldn't manage to get back, so I pulled the +lock and let the thunder-box slide. That's what comes of sailing short +of supplies. Say, can you raise a cud among you _now_?" + +Later on, after the British had taken the city of New York, two more +attempts were made to blow up vessels in the river above the city. But +they both failed, and in the end the British fired upon and sunk the +_Turtle_. Bushnell's work was lost. The best he had been able to do was +to give them a good scare. + +But he was not yet at the end of his schemes. He next tried to blow up +the _Cerberus_, a British frigate that lay at anchor in Long Island +Sound. This time a schooner saved the frigate. A powder magazine was set +afloat, but it struck the schooner, which lay at anchor near the +frigate. The schooner went to pieces, but the _Cerberus_ was saved. + +The most famous of Bushnell's exploits took place at Philadelphia, after +the British had taken possession and brought their ships up into the +Delaware River. + +One fine morning a number of kegs were seen floating down among the +shipping. What they meant nobody knew. The sailors grew curious, and a +boat set out from a vessel and picked one of them up. In a minute it +went off, with the noise of a cannon, sinking the boat and badly hurting +the man. + +This filled the British with a panic. Those terrible kegs might do +frightful damage. They must be some dreadful invention of the rebels. +The sailors ran out their guns, great and small, and began to batter +every keg they saw with cannon balls, until there was a rattle and roar +as if a mighty battle was going on. Such was the famous "Battle of the +Kegs." + +This was more of Dave Bushnell's work. He had made and set adrift those +powder kegs, fixing them so that they would explode on touching +anything. But he did not understand the river and its tides. He intended +to have them get among the ships at night, but it was broad day when +they came down, and by that time the eddying waters had scattered them +far and wide. So the powder kegs were of no more account than the +torpedoes. All they did was to give the British a scare. + +Philadelphia had a poet named Francis Hopkinson, who wrote a poem +making fun of the British, called "The Battle of the Kegs." We give a +few verses of this humorous poem: + + '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 "dashed" 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 cannons roar from shore to shore, + The small arms make a 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 folks above the water." + + From morn to night these men of might + Displayed amazing courage; + And when the sun was fairly down, + Retired to sup their porridge. + + Such feats did they perform that day, + Against those wicked kegs, sir, + That years to come, if they get home, + They'll make their boasts and brags, sir. + +And so it went on, verse after verse, with not much poetry in it, but a +good deal of fun. The British did not enjoy it, for people did not like +to be laughed at then any more than now. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +CAPTAIN BARRY AND HIS ROWBOATS WIN A VICTORY OVER THE BRITISH + +A GALLANT NAVAL HERO OF IRISH BLOOD + + +THE heroes of our navy were not all Americans born. More than one of +them came from British soil, but a footprint on the green fields of +America soon turned them into true-blue Yankees. There was John Paul +Jones, the gallant Scotchman. And there was John Barry, a bold son of +green Erin. + +I have told you the story of Jones, the Scotchman, and now I must tell +you that of Barry, the Irishman. + +John Barry was a merchant captain who was made commander of the +_Lexington_ in 1776. The next year he was appointed to the _Effingham_, +a new frigate building at Philadelphia. The British captured that city +before the ship was ready for sea, and the _Effingham_, the +_Washington_, and some other vessels were caught in a trap. They were +taken up the river to Whitehill, above the city, and there they had to +stay. Captain Barry, you may be sure, was not much pleased at this, for +he was one of the men who love to be where fighting is going on. + +Soon orders came from the Navy Board to sink the _Effingham_. This made +Barry's Irish blood very hot. I fancy he said some hard things about the +members of the board, and swore he would do nothing of the kind. If the +British wanted the American ships let them come and take them. He had +guns enough to give them some sport and was disposed to try it. + +When the members of the Navy Board heard of what he said, they were very +angry, and in the end he had to sink the ship and had to apologize for +his strong language. But time proved that he was right and the Navy +Board was wrong. + +By this time Captain Barry was tired enough of being penned up, and he +made up his mind by hook or crook to get out of his cage. He was +burning for a fight, and thought that if he could get down the river he +might give the British a taste of his mettle. + +So, one dark night he set out with four boats and twenty-seven men. He +rowed down the river past the ships in the stream and the soldiers on +shore. Some of the soldiers saw his boats, and a few shots were fired, +but they got safely past, and by daybreak were far down the broad +Delaware. + +Barry kept on until he reached Port Penn, down near the bay, where the +Americans had a small fort. Here there was a chance for the work he +wanted, for across the river he saw a large schooner flying the British +flag. It was the _Alert_, carrying ten guns, and with it were four +transports laden with food for the army at Philadelphia. + +This was a fine opportunity for the bold Irish captain. It took courage +to attack a strong English vessel with a few rowboats, but of courage +Barry had a full supply. + +The sun was up, and it was broad day when the American tars set out on +their daring enterprise. The _Alert_ had a wide-awake name, but it must +have had a sleepy crew; for before the British knew there was anything +wrong, Barry and his men had rowed across the stream and were clambering +over the rail, cutlass and pistol in hand. + +The British sailors, when they saw this "wild Irishman" and his daring +tars, cutting and slashing and yelling like madmen, dropped everything +and ran below in fright. All that keep them there. + +In this easy fashion, twenty-eight Americans captured a British ten-gun +vessel with a hundred and sixteen men on board. There had been nothing +like that in all the war. + +The transports had to surrender, for they were under the guns of the +_Alert_, and Barry carried his five prizes triumphantly to Port Penn, +where he handed his captives over to the garrison. + +And now the daring captain made things lively for the foe. He sailed up +and down the river and bay, and cut off supplies until the British army +at Philadelphia began to suffer for food. + +What was to be done? Should this Yankee wasp go on stinging the British +lion? General Howe decided that this would never do, and sent a frigate +and a sloop-of-war down the river to put an end to the trouble. + +Captain Barry, finding these water-hounds sharp on his track, ran for +Christiana Creek, hoping to get into shallow water where the heavy +British ships could not follow. But the frigate was too fast, and chased +him so closely that the best he could do was to run the schooner ashore +and escape in his boats. + +But he was determined that they should not have the _Alert_ if he could +help it. Turning two of the guns downward, he fired through the ship's +bottom, and in a minute the water was pouring into her hold. + +The frigate swung round and fired a broadside at the fleeing boats; but +all it brought back was a cheer of defiance from the sailors, as they +struck the land and sprang ashore. Here they had the satisfaction of +seeing the schooner sink before a British foot could be set on her deck. + +The war vessels now went for the transports at Port Penn. Here a battery +had been built on shore, made of bales of hay. This was attacked by the +sloop-of-war, but the American sharpshooters made things lively for her. +They might have beaten her off had not their captain fallen with a +mortal wound. The men now lost heart and fled to the woods, first +setting fire to the vessels. + +Thus ended Barry's brave exploit. He had lost his vessels, but the +British had not got them. The Americans were proud of his daring deed, +and the British tried to win so brave a man to their side. Sir William +Howe offered him twenty thousand pounds in money and the command of a +British frigate if he would desert his flag. But he was not dealing now +with a Benedict Arnold. + +"Not if you pay me the price and give me the command of the whole +British fleet can you draw me away from the cause of my country," wrote +the patriotic sailor. + +Barry was soon rewarded for his patriotism by being made captain of an +American frigate, the _Raleigh_. But ill-luck now followed him. He +sailed from Boston on September 25, 1778, and three days afterward he +had lost his ship and was a wanderer with his crew in the vast forests +of Maine. + +Let us see how this ill-fortune came about. The _Raleigh_ had not got +far from port before two sails came in sight. Barry ran down to look at +them, and found they were two English frigates. Two to one was too great +odds, and the _Raleigh_ turned her head homewards again. But when night +shut out the frigates she wore round and started once more on her former +course. + +The next day opened up foggy, and till noon nothing was to be seen. Then +the fog lifted, and to Barry's surprise there were the British ships, +just south of his own. Now for three hours it was a hot chase, and then +down came another fog and the game was once more at an end. + +But the _Raleigh_ could not shake off the British bull-dogs. At about +nine o'clock the next morning they came in sight again and the chase was +renewed. It was kept up till late in the day. At first the _Raleigh_ +went so fast that her pursuers dropped out of sight. Then the wind +failed her, and the British ships came up with a strong breeze. + +At five o'clock the fastest British frigate was close at hand, and Barry +thought he would try what she was good for before the other came up. + +In a few minutes more the two ships were hurling iron balls into each +other's sides, while the smoke of the conflict filled the skies. Then +the fore-topmast and mizzen-topgallantmast of the _Raleigh_ were shot +away, leaving her in a crippled state. + +The British ship had now much the best of it. Barry tried his best to +reach and board her, but she sailed too fast. And up from the south came +the other ship, at swift speed. To fight them both with a crippled craft +would have been madness, and, as he could not get away, Barry decided to +run his ship ashore on the coast of Maine, which was close at hand. + +Night soon fell, and with it fell the wind. Till midnight the two ships +drifted along, with red fire spurting from their sides and the thunder +of cannon echoing from the hills. + +In the end the _Raleigh_ ran ashore on an island near the coast. Here +Barry fought for some time longer, and then set his ship on fire and +went ashore with his men. But the British were quickly on board, put out +the fire, and carried off their prize. Barry and his men made their way +through the Maine woods till the settlements were reached. + +In 1781 Captain Barry was sent across the ocean in the _Alliance_, a +vessel which had taken part in the famous battle of the _Bon Homme +Richard_ and the _Serapis_. Here the gallant fellow fought one of his +best battles, this time also against two British ships. + +When he came upon them there was not a breath of wind. All sail was set, +but the canvas flapped against the yards, and the vessel lay + + "As idle as a painted ship upon a painted ocean." + +The British vessels were a brig and a sloop-of-war. They wanted to fight +as badly as did Captain Barry, and, as they could not sail, they got out +sweeps and rowed up to the American frigate. It was weary work, and it +took them six hours to do it. + +Then came the hails of the captains and the roar of cannon, and soon +there was a very pretty fight, with the _Alliance_ in a dangerous +situation. She was too heavy to be moved with sweeps, like the light +British vessels, so they got on her quarters and poured in broadsides, +while she could reply only with a few guns. + +Barry raged like a wild bull, bidding his men fight, and begging for a +wind. As he did so, a grape-shot struck him in the shoulder and felled +him to the deck. As he was carried below, a shot carried away the +American flag. A lusty cheer came from the British ships; they thought +the flag down and the victory theirs. They soon saw it flying again. + +But the _Alliance_ was in sore straits. She was getting far more than +she could give, and had done little harm to her foes. At length a +lieutenant came down to the wounded captain. + +"We cannot handle the ship and are being cut to pieces," he said. "The +rigging is in tatters and the fore-topmast in danger, and the carpenter +reports two serious leaks. Eight or ten of our people are killed and +more wounded. The case seems hopeless, sir; shall we strike the colors?" + +"No!" roared Barry, sitting bolt upright. "Not on your life! If the ship +can't be fought without me, then carry me on deck." + +The lieutenant went up and reported, and the story soon got to the men. + +"Good for Captain Barry," they shouted. "We'll stand by the old man." + +A minute later a change came. A ripple of water was seen. Soon a breeze +rose, the sails filled out, and the _Alliance_ slipped forward and +yielded to her helm. + +This was what the brave Barry had been waiting for. It was not a case of +whistling for a wind, as sailors often do, but of hoping and praying for +a wind. It came just in time to save the _Alliance_ from lowering her +proud flag, or from going to the bottom with it still flying, as would +have suited her bold captain the better. + +Now she was able to give her foes broadside for broadside, and you may +be sure that her gunners, who had been like dogs wild to get at the +game, now poured in shot so fast and furious that they soon drove the +foe in terror from his guns. In a short time, just as Captain Barry was +brought on deck with his wound dressed, their flags came down. + +The prizes proved to be the _Atlanta_ and the _Trepassy_. That fight was +near the last in the war. At a later date Captain Barry had the honor of +carrying General Lafayette home to France in his ship. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +CAPTAIN TUCKER HONORED BY GEORGE WASHINGTON + +THE DARING ADVENTURES OF THE HERO OF MARBLEHEAD + + +CAPTAIN SAMUEL TUCKER was a Yankee boy who began his career by running +away from home and shipping as a cabin-boy on the British sloop-of-war +_Royal George_. It was a good school for a seaman, and when his time was +up he knew his business well. + +There was no war then, and he shipped as second-mate on a merchant +vessel sailing from Salem. Here he soon had a taste of warlike life and +showed what kind of stuff was in him. The Mediterranean Sea in those +days was infested by pirates sailing from the Moorish ports. It was the +work of these to capture merchant ships, take them into port, and sell +their crews as slaves. + +On Tucker's first voyage from Salem two of these piratical craft, swift +corsairs from Algiers, came in sight and began a chase of the +merchantman. + +What could be done? There was no hope to run away from those +fleet-footed sea-hounds. There was no hope to beat them off in a fight. +The men were in a panic and the captain sought courage in rum, and was +soon too drunk to handle his ship. + +Tucker came to the rescue. Taking the helm, he put it hard down and +headed straight for the pirates. It looked as if he was sailing straight +for destruction, but he knew what he was about. The Yankee schooner, if +it could not sail as fast, could be handled more easily than the +Algerines, with their lateen sails; and by skilful steering he got her +into such a position that the pirates could not fire into him without +hurting one another. + +Try as they would, Mate Tucker kept his vessel in this position, and +held her there until the shades of night fell. Then he slipped away, and +by daylight was safe in port. You may see from this that Samuel Tucker +was a bold and a smart man and an able seaman. + +After that he was at one time an officer in the British navy and at +another a merchant captain. He was in London when the Revolution began. +His courage and skill were so well known that he was offered a +commission in either the army or the navy, if he was willing to serve +"his gracious Majesty." + +Tucker forgot where he was, and rudely replied, "Hang his gracious +Majesty! Do you think I am the sort of man to fight against my country?" + +Those were rash words to be spoken in London. A charge of treason was +brought against him and he had to seek safety in flight. For a time he +hid in the house of a country inn-keeper who was his friend. Then a +chance came to get on shipboard and escape from the country. In this way +he got back to his native land. + +It was not only the English who knew Captain Tucker's ability. He was +known in America as well. No doubt there were many who had heard how he +had served the pirate Moors. He had not long been home when General +Washington sent him a commission as captain of the ship _Franklin_, and +ordered him to get to sea at once. + +The messenger with the commission made his way to the straggling old +town of Marblehead, where Tucker lived. Inquiring for him in the town, +he was directed to a certain house. + +Reaching this, the messenger saw a roughly-dressed and weather-beaten +person working in the yard, with an old tarpaulin hat on his head and a +red bandanna handkerchief tied loosely round his neck. + +The man, thinking him an ordinary laborer, called out from his horse: + +"Say, good fellow, can you tell if the Honorable Samuel Tucker lives +here or hereabouts?" + +The workman looked up with a quizzical glance from under the brim of his +tarpaulin and replied: + +"Honorable, honorable! There's none of that name in Marblehead. He must +be one of the Salem Tuckers. I'm the only Samuel Tucker in this town." + +"Anyhow, this is where I was told to stop. A house standing alone, with +its gable-end to the sea. This is the only place I've seen that looks +like that." + +"Then I must be the Tucker you want, honorable or not. What is it you +have got to say to him?" + +He soon learned, and was glad to receive the news. Early the next +morning he had left home for the port where the _Franklin_ lay, and not +many days passed before he was out at sea. + +The _Franklin_, under his command proved one of the most active ships +afloat. She sent in prizes in numbers. More than thirty were taken in +1776--ships, brigs, and smaller vessels, including "a brigantine from +Scotland worth fifteen thousand pounds." + +These were not all captured without fighting. Two British brigs were +taken so near Marblehead that the captain's wife and sister, hearing the +sound of cannon, went up on a high hill close by and saw the fight +through a spy-glass. + +The next year Captain Tucker was put in command of the frigate _Boston_, +and in 1778 he took John Adams to France as envoy from the United +States. + +It was a voyage full of incidents. They passed through days of storm, +which nearly wrecked the ship. Many vessels were seen, and the _Boston_ +was chased by three men-of-war. + +She ran away from these, and soon after came across a large armed +vessel, which Captain Tucker decided to fight. When the drum called the +men to quarters, Mr. Adams seized a musket and joined the marines. + +The captain requested him to go below. Finding that he was not going to +obey, Tucker laid a hand on his shoulder and said firmly: + +"Mr. Adams, I am commanded by the Continental Congress to deliver you +safe in France. You must go below." + +Mr. Adams smiled and complied. The next minute there came a broadside +from the stranger. There was no response from the _Boston_. Other shots +came, and still no reply. At length the blue-jackets began to grumble. +Looking them in the eyes, Tucker said, in quizzical tones: + +"Hold on, lads. I want to get that egg without breaking the shell." + +In a few minutes more, having got into the position he wished, he raked +the enemy from stem to stern with a broadside. That one sample was +enough. She struck her flag without waiting for a second. Soon after the +envoy was safely landed in France. + +Numbers of anecdotes are told of Captain Tucker, who was a man much +given to saying odd and amusing things. + +Once he fell in with a British frigate which had been sent in search of +him. He had made himself a thorn in the British lion's side and was +badly wanted. Up came Tucker boldly, with the English flag at his peak. + +He was hailed, and replied that he was Captain Gordon, of the English +navy, and that he was out in search of the _Boston_, commanded by the +rebel Tucker. + +"If I can sight the ship I'll carry him to New York, dead or alive," he +said. + +"Have you ever seen him?" + +"Well, I've heard of him; they say he is a tough customer." + +While talking, he had been manoeuvering to gain a raking position. Just +as he did so, a sailor in the British tops cried,-- + +"Look out below! That is Tucker himself." + +The Englishman was in a trap. The _Boston_ had him at a great +disadvantage. There was nothing to do but to strike his flag, and this +he did without firing a gun. + +When Charleston was taken by the British, the _Boston_ was one of the +vessels cooped up there and lost. Captain Tucker was taken prisoner. +After his exchange, as he had no ship, he took the sloop-of-war +_Thorn_, one of his former prizes, and went out cruising as a privateer. + +After a three weeks' cruise, the _Thorn_ met an English ship of +twenty-three guns. + +"She means to fight us," said the captain to his men, after watching her +movements. "If we go alongside her like men she will be ours in thirty +minutes; if we can't go as men we have no business there at all. Every +man who is willing to fight go down the starboard gangway; all others +can go down the larboard." Every soul of them took the starboard. + +He manoeuvered so that in a few minutes the vessels lay side by side. +The Englishman opened with a broadside that did little damage. The +_Thorn_ replied with a destructive fire, and kept it up so hotly that +within thirty minutes a loud cry came from the English ship: + +"Quarters, for God's sake! Our ship is sinking. Our men are dying of +their wounds." + +"How can you expect quarters while your flag is flying?" demanded +Captain Tucker. + +"Our halliards are shot away." + +"Then cut away your ensign staff, or you'll all be dead men." + +It was done and the firing ceased. A dreadful execution had taken place +on the Englishman's deck, more than a third of her crew being dead and +wounded, while blood was everywhere. + +And so we take our leave of Captain Tucker. He was one of the kind of +sailors that everyone likes to read about. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE LAST NAVAL BATTLE OF THE REVOLUTION + +THE HEROIC CAPTAIN BARNEY IN THE "HYDER ALI" CAPTURES THE "GENERAL MONK" + + +YOU must think by this time that we had many bold and brave sailors in +the Revolution. So we had. You have not been told all their exploits, +but only a few among the most gallant ones. There is one more story that +is worth telling, before we leave the Revolutionary times. + +If you are familiar with American history you will remember that Lord +Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington in October, 1781. That is +generally looked on as the end of the war. There was no more fighting on +land. But there was one bold affair on the water in April, 1782, six +months after the work of the armies was done. + +This was in Delaware Bay, where Captain Barry had taken a war vessel +with a few rowboats. The hero of this later exploit was Captain Joshua +Barney, and he was as brave a man as John Barry. + +Captain Barney had seen service through the whole war. Like John Paul +Jones, an accident had made him a captain of a ship when he was a mere +boy. He was only seventeen, yet he handled his ship with the skill of an +old mariner. War broke out soon afterward and he became an officer on +the _Hornet_, though still only a boy. Soon after he had some lively +service in the _Wasp_, and captured a British privateer with the little +sloop _Sachem_. + +Then he had some bad fortune, for he was taken prisoner while bringing +in a prize vessel, and was put on the terrible prison-ship _Jersey_. Few +of the poor fellows on that vessel lived to tell the story of the +frightful way in which they were treated. But young Barney managed to +escape, and went to sea again as captain of a merchant vessel. In this +he was chased by a British war-vessel, the _Rosebud_. Shall I tell you +the way that Captain Barney plucked the petals of the _Rosebud_? He +fired a crowbar at her out of one of his cannon. This new kind of +cannon-ball went whirling through the air and came ripping and tearing +through the sails of the British ship. After making rags of her sails, +it hit her foremast and cut out a big slice. The Americans now sailed +quietly away. They could laugh at John Bull's _Rosebud_. + +On the 8th of April, 1782, Captain Barney took command of the _Hyder +Ali_. This was a merchant ship which had been bought by the State of +Pennsylvania. It was not fit for a warship, but the State was in a +hurry, so eight gun-ports were cut on each side, and the ship was +mounted with sixteen six-pounder cannon. Then she set sail from +Philadelphia in charge of a fleet of merchant vessels. + +On they went, down the Delaware river and bay, until Cape May was +reached. Here Captain Barney saw that there was trouble ahead. Three +British vessels came in sight. One of these was the frigate _Quebec_. +The others were a brig, the _Fair American_, and a sloop-of-war, the +_General Monk_. + +Before such a fleet the _Hyder Ali_ was like a sparrow before a hawk. +Captain Barney at once signaled his merchant ships to make all haste up +the bay. Away they flew like a flock of frightened birds, except one, +whose captain thought he would slip round the cape and get to sea. But +the British soon swallowed up him and his ship, so he paid well for his +smartness. + +On up the bay went the other merchantmen, with the _Hyder Ali_ in the +rear, and the British squadron hot on their track. The frigate sailed +into a side channel, thinking it would find a short-cut and so head them +off. Captain Barney watched this movement with keen eyes. The big ship +had put herself out of reach for a time. He knew well that she could not +get through that way, and laid his plans to have some sport with the +small fish while the big fish was away. + +The brig _Fair American_ was a privateer and a fast one. It came up with +a fair breeze, soon reaching the _Hyder Ali_, which expected a fight. +But the privateer wanted prizes more than cannon balls, and went +straight on, firing a broadside that did no harm. Captain Barney let her +go. The sloop-of-war was coming fast behind, and this was enough for him +to attend to. It had more guns than his ship and they were double the +weight--twelve-pounders to his six-pounders. As the war sloop came near, +Barney turned to his helmsman, and said: + +"I want you to go opposite to my orders. If I tell you to port your +helm, you are to put it hard-a-starboard. Do you understand?" + +"Aye, aye!" answered the tar. + +Up came the _General Monk_, its captain thinking to make an easy prize, +as the _Fair American_ had been let go past without a shot. When about a +dozen yards away the British captain hailed: + +"Strike your colors, or I will fire!" + +"Hard-a-port your helm," roared Barney to the man at the wheel. "Do you +want her to run aboard us?" + +The order was heard on board the enemy, and the captain gave orders to +meet the expected movement. But hard-a-starboard went the helm, and the +_Hyder Ali_ swung round in front of the enemy, whose bowsprit caught and +became entangled in her fore-rigging. + +This gave the American ship a raking position, and in a moment the grim +tars were hard at work with their guns. Broadsides were poured in as +fast as they could load and fire, and every shot swept from bow to +stern. The Englishman, though he had double the weight of metal, could +not get out of the awkward position in which Barney had caught him, and +his guns did little harm. In less than half an hour down went his flag. + +It was none too soon. The frigate had seen the fight from a distance, +and was making all haste to get out of its awkward position and take a +hand in the game. Barney did not even wait to ask the name of his prize, +but put a crew on board and bade them make all haste to Philadelphia. + +He followed, steering now for the _Fair American_. But the privateer +captain had seen the fate of the _General Monk_ and concluded that he +had business elsewhere. So he ran away instead of fighting, and soon ran +ashore. The _Hyder Ali_ left him there and made all haste up stream. The +frigate had by this time got out of her side channel, and was coming up +under full sail. So Captain Barney crowded on all sail also and fled +away after his prize. + +If the frigate had got within gunshot it would soon have settled the +question, for it could have sunk the _Hyder Ali_ with a broadside. But +it was not fast enough, and after a speedy run the victor and her prize +drew up beside a Philadelphia wharf. + +Never had the good people of the Quaker City gazed on such a sight as +now met their eyes. Nothing had been done to remove the marks of battle. +The ships came in as they had left the fight. Shattered bulwarks, ragged +rents in the hulls, sails in tatters and drooping cordage told the story +of the desperate battle. + +And the decks presented a terrible picture. Blood was everywhere. On the +_General Monk_ were stretched the dead bodies of twenty men, while +twenty-six wounded lay groaning below. The _Hyder Ali_ had suffered much +less, having but four killed and eleven wounded. + +In all the Revolutionary War there have been few more brilliant actions; +and his victory gave Joshua Barney a high standing among the naval +commanders of the young Republic. + +Shall we take up the story of the gallant Barney at a later date? Thirty +years after his victory over the _General Monk_, there was war again +between Americans and Britons, and Commodore Barney, now an old man, +took an active part. + +He started out in the early days of the war with no better vessel than +the schooner _Rossie_, of fourteen guns and 120 men. He soon had lively +times. The _Rossie_ was a clipper, and he could run away from an enemy +too strong to fight, though running away was not much to his taste. + +In his first cruise he was out forty-five days, and in that time he +captured fourteen vessels and 166 prisoners. + +In a month's time he was at sea again. Now he got among British frigates +and had to trust to the heels of his little craft. But in spite of the +great ships that haunted the seas, new prizes fell into his hands, one +being taken after an hour's fight. In all, the vessels and cargoes taken +by him were worth nearly $3,000,000, though most of this wealth went to +the bottom of the sea. + +The next year (1813) he was made commodore of a fleet of gunboats in +Chesapeake Bay. Here for a year he had very little to do. Then the +British sailed up the Chesapeake, intending to capture Washington and +Baltimore, Barney did not hesitate to attack them, and did considerable +damage, though they were much too strong for his small fleet. + +At length there came from the frightened people at Washington the order +to burn his fleet, and, much against his will, he was forced to consign +his gunboats to the flames. With his men, about four hundred in all, he +joined the army assembled to defend the capital. + +These sailor-soldiers made the best fight of any of the troops that +sought to save Washington from capture; but during the fight Commodore +Barney received a wound that brought his fighting days to an end. +Fortunately there was little more fighting to do, and peace reigned over +his few remaining years of life. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE MOORISH PIRATES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN + +OUR NAVY TEACHES THEM A LESSON IN HONOR + + +I SUPPOSE all the readers of this book know what a pirate is. For those +who may not know, I would say that a pirate is a sea-robber. They are +terrible fellows, these pirates, who live by murder and plunder. In old +times there were many ship-loads of them upon the seas, who captured +every merchant vessel they met with and often killed all on board. + +There have been whole nations of pirates, and that as late as a hundred +years ago. By looking at an atlas you will see at the north of Africa +the nations of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. The people of these nations +are called Moors, and they used to be great sea-robbers. They sent out +fast vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, and no merchant ship there was +safe. Hundreds of such ships were taken and robbed. Their crews were not +killed, but they were sold as slaves, which was nearly as terrible. + +Would you not think that the powerful nations of Europe would have soon +put a stop to this? They could have sent fleets and armies there and +conquered the Moors. But instead of that, they paid them to let their +ships alone. + +Not long after the Revolution these sea-robbers began to make trouble +for the United States. The new nation, you should know, had no navy. +After it was done fighting with the British, it was so poor that it sold +all its ships. But it soon had many merchant ships, sailing to all seas, +which were left to take care of themselves the best way they could. + +What did the pirates of Algiers care for this young nation across the +Atlantic, that had rich merchant ships and not a war vessel to protect +them? Very little, I fancy. It is certain that they soon began to +capture American ships and sell their sailors for slaves. In a short +time nearly two hundred American sailors were working as slaves in the +Moorish states. + +The United States did not act very bravely. Instead of sending out a +fleet of warships, it made a treaty with Algiers and agreed to pay a +certain sum of money every year to have its vessels let alone. While the +treaty lasted, more than a million dollars were paid to the Dey of +Algiers. If that much had been spent for strong frigates, the United +States would not have had the disgrace of paying tribute to the Moors. +But the natives of Europe were doing the same, so the disgrace belonged +to them also. + +The trouble with the Moors got worse and worse, and the Dey of Algiers +became very insolent to Americans. + +"You are my slaves, for you pay me tribute," he said to the captain of +an American frigate. "I have a right to order you as I please." + +When the other pirate nations, Tunis and Tripoli, found that Algiers was +being paid, they asked for tribute, too. And they began to capture +American ships and sell their crews into slavery. And their monarchs +were as insolent as the Dey. + +The United States at that time was young and poor. It had not been +twenty years free from British armies. But it was proud, if it was poor, +and did not like to have its captains and consuls ordered about like +servants. So the President and Congress thought it was time to teach the +Moors a lesson. + +This was in 1801. By that time a fleet of war vessels had been built, +and a squadron of these was sent to the Mediterranean under Commodore +Richard Dale. This was the man who had been in Paul Jones's great fight +and had received the surrender of the captain of the _Serapis_. He was a +bold, brave officer, but Congress had ordered him not to fight if he +could help it, and therefore very little was done. + +But there was one battle, the story of which we must tell. Commodore +Dale had three frigates and one little schooner, the _Enterprise_. All +the honor of the cruise came to this little craft. + +She was on her way to Malta when she came in sight of a low, long +vessel, at whose mast-head floated the flag of Tripoli. When this came +near, it was seen to be a corsair which had long waged war on American +merchantmen. + +Before Captain Sterrett, of the _Enterprise_, had time to hail, the +Moors began to fire at his ship. He was told not to fight if he could +help it, but Sterrett decided that he could not help it. He brought his +schooner within pistol shot of the Moor, and poured broadsides into the +pirate ship as fast as the men could load and fire. The Moors replied. +For two hours the battle continued, with roar of cannon and rattle of +muskets and dense clouds of smoke. + +The vessels were small and their guns were light, so that the battle was +long drawn out. + +At last the fire of the corsair ceased, and a whiff of air carried away +the smoke. Looking across the waves, the sailors saw that the flag of +Tripoli no longer waved, and three hearty American cheers rang out. The +tars left their guns and were getting ready to board their prize, when +up again went the flag of Tripoli and another broadside was fired into +their vessel. + +Their cheers of triumph turned to cries of rage. Back to their guns they +rushed, and fought more fiercely than before. They did not care now to +take the prize; they wished to send her, with her crew of villains, to +the bottom of the sea. + +The Moors fought as fiercely as the Americans. Running their vessel +against the _Enterprise_, they tried again and again to leap on board +and finish the battle with pistol and cutlass; but each time they were +driven back. + +The men at the guns meanwhile poured in two more broadsides, and once +more down came the flag of Tripoli. + +Captain Sterrett did not trust the traitors this time. He bade his men +keep to their guns, and ordered the Tripolitans to bring their vessel +under the quarter of the _Enterprise_. They had no sooner done so than a +throng of the Moorish pirates tried to board the schooner. + +"No quarter for the treacherous dogs!" was the cry of the furious +sailors. "Pour it into them; send the thieves to the bottom!" + +The _Enterprise_ now drew off to a good position and raked the foe with +repeated broadsides. The Moors were bitterly punished for their +treachery. Their deck ran red with blood; men and officers lay bleeding +in throngs; the cries of the wounded rose above the noise of the cannon. +The flag was down again, but no heed was paid to that. The infuriated +sailors were bent on sending the pirate craft to the bottom. + +At length the corsair captain, an old man with a flowing white beard, +appeared at the side of his ship, sorely wounded, and, with a low bow, +cast his flag into the sea. Then Captain Sterrett, though he still felt +like sinking the corsair, ordered the firing to stop. + +The prize proved to be named the _Tripoli_. What was to be done with it? +Captain Sterrett had no authority to take prizes. At length he concluded +that he would teach the Bashaw of Tripoli a lesson. + +He sent Lieutenant David Porter, a daring young officer who was yet to +make his mark, on the prize, telling him to make a wreck of her. + +Porter was glad to obey those orders. He made the captive Tripolitans +cut down their masts, throw all their cannon and small arms into the +sea, cut their sails to pieces, and fling all their powder overboard. He +left them only a jury-mast and a small sail. + +"See here," said Porter to the Moorish captain, "we have not lost a man, +while fifty of your men are killed or wounded. You may go home now and +tell this to your Bashaw, and say to him that in the time to come the +only tribute he will get from the United States will be a tribute of +powder and balls." + +Away drifted the wrecked hulk, followed by the jeers of the American +sailors, who were only sorry that the treacherous pirate had not been +scuttled and sent to the bottom of the sea. + +When it reached Tripoli the Bashaw was mad with rage. Instead of the +plunder and the white slaves he had looked for, he had only a dismantled +hulk. + +The old captain showed him his wounds and told him how hard he had +fought. But his fury was not to be appeased. He had the white-bearded +commander led through the streets tied to a jackass--the greatest +disgrace he could have inflicted on any Moor. This was followed by five +hundred blows with a stick. + +The Moorish sailors declared that the Americans had fired enchanted +shot. This, and the severe punishment of the captain of the _Tripoli_, +so scared the sailors of the city that for a year after the fierce +Bashaw found it next to impossible to muster a ship's crew. They did not +care to be treated as the men on the _Tripoli_ had been. + +Such was the first lesson which the sailors of the new nation gave to +the pirates of the Mediterranean. It was the beginning of a policy which +was to put an end to the piracy which had prevailed for centuries on +those waters. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE YOUNG DECATUR AND HIS BRILLIANT DEEDS AT TRIPOLI + +HOW OUR NAVY BEGAN AND ENDED A FOREIGN WAR + + +IN the ship _Essex_, one of the fleet that was sent to the Mediterranean +to deal with the Moorish pirates, there was a brave young officer named +Stephen Decatur. He was little more than a boy, for he was just past +twenty-one years of age; but he had been in the fight between the +_Enterprise_ and the _Tripoli_, and was so bold and daring that he was +sure to make his mark. + +I must tell you how he first showed himself a true American. It was when +the _Essex_ was lying in the harbor at Barcelona, a seaport of Spain. +The _Essex_ was a handsome little vessel, and there was much praise of +her in the town, people of fashion came to see her and invited her +officers to their houses and treated them with great respect. + +Now there was a Spanish warship lying in the port, of the kind called a +xebec, a sort of three-masted vessel common in the Mediterranean Sea. + +The officers of this ship did not like to see so much respect given to +the Americans and so little to themselves. They grew jealous and angry, +and did all they could to annoy and insult the officers of the _Essex_. +Every time one of her boats rowed past the xebec it would be challenged +and ugly things said. + +The Americans bore all this quietly for a while. One day Captain +Bainbridge, of the _Essex_, was talked to in an abusive way, and said +little back. Another time a boat, under command of Lieutenant Decatur, +came under the guns of the xebec, and the Spaniards on the deck hailed +him with insulting words. This was more than young blood could stand, +and he called to the officer of the deck and asked him what that meant, +but the haughty Spaniard would give him no satisfaction. + +"Very well," said Decatur. "I will call to see you in the morning. Pull +off, lads." + +The next morning Decatur had himself rowed over to the xebec, and went +on board. He asked for the officer who was in charge the night before. + +"He has gone ashore," was the reply. + +"Well, then," said Decatur, in tones that every one on board could hear, +"tell him that Lieutenant Decatur, of the frigate _Essex_, calls him a +cowardly scoundrel, and when he meets him on shore he will cut his ears +off." + +There were no more insults after that. Decatur spoke as if he meant what +he said, and the officers of the xebec did not want to lose their ears. +But the United States Minister to Spain took up the matter and did not +rest until he got a full apology for the insults to the Americans. + +I have told this little story to let you see what kind of a man Stephen +Decatur was. But this was only a minor affair. He was soon to make +himself famous by one of the most brilliant deeds in the history of the +American navy. + +In October, 1802, a serious disaster came to the American fleet. The +frigate _Philadelphia_ was chasing a runaway vessel into the harbor of +Tripoli, when she got in shoal water and suddenly ran fast aground on a +shelf of rock. + +Here was an awkward position. Captain Bainbridge threw overboard most +of his cannon and his anchors, and everything that would lighten the +ship, even cutting down his foremasts; but all to no purpose. She still +clung fast to the rock. + +Soon a flock of gunboats came down the harbor and saw the bad fix the +Americans were in. Bainbridge was quite unable to fight them, for they +could have kept out of the way of his guns and made kindling wood of his +vessel. There was nothing to do but to surrender. So he flooded the +powder magazine, threw all the small arms overboard, and knocked holes +in the bottom of the ship. Then he hauled down his flag. + +The gunboats now came up like a flock of hawks, and soon the Moors were +clambering over the rails. In a minute more they were in every part of +the ship, breaking open chests and storerooms and plundering officers +and men. Two of them would hold an officer and a third rob him of his +watch and purse, his sword, and everything of value he possessed. The +plundering did not stop till the captain knocked down one of the Moors +for trying to rob him of an ivory miniature of his wife. + +Then the Americans were made to get into the gunboats and were taken +ashore. They were marched in triumph through the streets, and the men +were thrown into prison. The officers were invited to supper by the +Bashaw, and treated as if they were guests. But as soon as the supper +was over, they, too, were taken to the prison rooms in which they were +to stay till the end of the war. + +The Tripolitans afterwards got the _Philadelphia_ off the rocks during a +high tide, plugged up the holes in her bottom, fished up her guns and +anchors, and fitted her up for war. The Bashaw was proud enough of his +fine prize, which had not cost him a man or a shot, and was a better +ship than he had ever seen before. + +When the American commodore learned of the loss of the _Philadelphia_ he +was in a bad state of mind. To lose one of his best ships in this way +was not at all to his liking, for he was a man who did not enjoy losing +a ship; and to know that the Moors had it and were making a warship of +it was a hard thing to bear. + +From his prison Captain Bainbridge wrote letters to Commodore Preble, +which the Moors read and then sent out to the fleet. They did not know +that the letters had postscripts written in lemon-juice which only came +out when the sheet of paper was held to the heat of a fire. In these the +captain asked the commodore to try and destroy the captured ship. + +Commodore Preble was a daring officer, and was ready enough for this, if +he only knew how it could be done. Lieutenant Decatur was then in +command of the _Enterprise_, the schooner which had fought with the +_Tripoli_. He asked the commodore to let him take the _Enterprise_ into +the harbor and try to destroy the captured ship. He knew he could do it, +he said, if he only had a chance. At any rate, he wanted to try. + +Commodore Preble shook his head. It could not be done that way. He would +only lose his own vessel and his men. But there was a way it might be +done. The Moors might be taken by surprise and their prize burned in +their sight. It was a desperate enterprise. Every man who took part in +it would be in great danger of death. But that danger did not give much +trouble to bold young Decatur, who was as ready to fight as he was to +eat. + +What was the commodore's plan, do you ask? Well, it was this. Some time +earlier the _Enterprise_ had captured the _Mastico_, a vessel from +Tripoli. Preble gave this craft the new name of the _Intrepid_ and +proposed to send it into the harbor. The Moors did not know of its +capture and would not suspect it, and thus it might get up close to the +_Philadelphia_. + +Decatur was made commander and called for volunteers. Every man and boy +on the _Enterprise_ wanted to go; and he picked out over seventy of +them. As he was about to leave the deck, a boy came up and asked if he +couldn't go, too. + +"Why do you want to go, Jack?" + +"Well, Captain, you see, I'd kind o' like to see the country." + +This was such a queer reason that Decatur laughed and told him he might +go. + +One dark night, on February 3, 1804, the _Intrepid_ left the rest of the +fleet and set sail for the harbor of Tripoli. The little _Siren_ went +with her for company. But the weather proved stormy, and it was not +until the 15th that they were able to carry out their plan. + +About noon they came in sight of the spires of the city of Tripoli. +Decatur did not wish to reach the _Philadelphia_ until nightfall, but he +was afraid to take in sail, for fear of being suspected; so he dragged a +cable and a number of buckets behind to lessen his speed. + +After a time the _Philadelphia_ came in sight. She was anchored well in +the harbor, under the guns of two heavy batteries. Two cruisers and a +number of gunboats lay near by. It was a desperate and dangerous +business which Decatur and his tars had taken in hand, but they did not +let that trouble them. + +At about ten o'clock at night the _Intrepid_ came into the harbor's +mouth. The wind had fallen and she crept slowly along over the smooth +sea. The _Siren_ stayed behind. Her work was that of rescue in case of +trouble. Straight for the frigate went the devoted crew. A new moon sent +its soft lustre over the waves. All was still in city and fleet. + +Soon the _Intrepid_ came near the frigate. Only twelve men were visible +on her deck. The others were lying flat in the shadow on the bulwarks, +each with cutlass tightly clutched in hand. + +"What vessel is that?" was asked in Moorish words from the frigate. + +"The _Mastico_, from Malta," answered the pilot in the same tongue. "We +lost our anchors in the gale and were nearly wrecked. Can we ride by +your ship for the night?" + +The permission asked was granted, and a boat from the _Intrepid_ made a +line fast to the frigate, while the men on the latter threw a line +aboard. The ropes were passed to the hidden men on the deck, who pulled +on them lustily. + +As the little craft came up, the men on the frigate saw her anchors +hanging in place. + +"You have lied to us!" came a sharp hail. "Keep off! Cut those lines!" + +Others had seen the concealed men, and the cry of "Americanos!" was +raised. + +The alarm came too late. The little craft was now close up and a hearty +pull brought her against the hull of the large ship. + +"Boarders away!" came the stirring order. + +"Follow me, lads," cried Decatur, springing for the chain-plates of the +frigate. Men and officers were after him hot-foot. Midshipman Charles +Morris was the first to reach the deck, with Decatur close behind. + +[Illustration: DECATUR AT TRIPOLI.] + +The surprise was complete. There was no resistance. Few of the Moors +had weapons, and they fled from the Americans like frightened sheep. On +all sides the splashing of water could be heard as they leaped +overboard. In a few minutes they were all gone and Decatur and his men +were masters of the ship. + +They would have given much to be able to take the noble frigate out of +the harbor. But that could not be done, and every minute made their +danger greater. All they could do was to set her on fire and retreat +with all speed. + +Not a moment was lost. Quick-burning material was brought from the +_Intrepid_, put in good places, and set on fire. So rapidly did the +flames spread that the men who were lighting fires on the lower decks +had scarcely time to escape from the fast-spreading conflagration. + +Flames poured from the port-holes, and sparks fell on the deck of the +smaller vessel. If it should touch the powder that was stored amidships, +death would come to them all. With nervous haste they cut the ropes, and +the _Intrepid_ was pushed off. Then the sweeps were thrust out and the +little craft rowed away. + +"Now, lads, give them three good cheers," cried Decatur. + +Up sprang the jack-tars, and three ringing cheers were given, sounding +above the roar of the flames and of the cannon that were now playing on +the little vessel from the batteries and gunboats. Then to their sweeps +went the tars again, and drove their vessel every minute farther away. + +As they went they saw the flames catch the rigging and run up the masts +of the doomed frigate. Then great bursts of flame shot out from the open +hatchways. The loaded guns went off one after another, some of them +firing into the town. It was a lurid and striking spectacle, such as is +seldom seen. + +Bainbridge and his fellow-officers saw the flames from their prison +window and hailed them with lusty cheers. The officers of the _Siren_ +saw them also, and sent their boats into the harbor to aid the +fugitives, if necessary. But it was not necessary. Not a man had been +hurt. In an hour after the flames were seen, Decatur and his daring crew +came in triumph out of the bay of Tripoli. + +Never had been known a more perfect and successful naval exploit. All +Europe talked of it with admiration when the news was received. Lord +Nelson, the greatest of England's sailors, said, "It was the boldest and +most daring act of the ages." When the tidings reached the United +States, Decatur, young as he was, was rewarded by Congress with the +title of captain. + +We are not yet done with the _Intrepid_, in which Decatur played so +brilliant a part. She was tried again in work of the same kind, but with +a more tragic end. + +A room was built in her and filled with powder, shot, and shells. +Combustibles of various kinds were piled around it, so that it could not +fail to go off, if set on fire. Then, one dark night, the fire-ship was +sent into the harbor of Tripoli, with a picked crew under another +gallant young officer, Lieutenant Richard Somers. + +They were told to take it into the midst of the Moorish squadron, set it +on fire and escape in their boats. It was expected to blow up and rend +to atoms the war vessels of Tripoli. + +But the forts and ships began to fire on it, and before it reached its +goal a frightful disaster occurred. Suddenly a great jet of fire was +seen to shoot up into the sky. Then came a roar like that of a volcano. +The distant spectators saw the mast of the _Intrepid_, with blazing +sail, flung like a rocket into the air. Bombs flew in all directions. +Then all grew dark and still. + +In some way the magazine had been exploded, perhaps by a shot from the +enemy. Nothing was ever seen again of Somers and his men. It was the +great tragedy of the war. They had all perished in that fearful +explosion. + + * * * * * + +Now let us turn back to the story of Decatur, of whom we have some more +famous work to tell. + +In August, 1804, the American fleet entered the harbor of Tripoli and +made a daring attack on the fleet, the batteries, and the city of the +Bashaw. In addition to the war vessels of the fleet, there were six +gunboats and two bomb vessels, all pouring shot and shell into the city +which had so long defied them. + +The batteries on shore returned the fire, and the gunboats of the Bashaw +advanced to the attack. On these the fleet now turned its fire, sweeping +their decks with grape and canister shot. Decatur, with three gunboats, +advanced on the eastern division of the Moorish gunboats, nine in all. + +Decatur, you will see, was outnumbered three to one, but he did not stop +for odds like that. He dashed boldly in, laid his vessel alongside the +nearest gunboat of the enemy, poured in a volley, and gave the order to +board. In an instant the Americans were over the bulwarks and on the +foe. + +The contest was short and sharp. The captain of the Tripolitans fell +dead. Most of his officers were wounded. The men, overcome by the fierce +attack, soon threw down their arms and begged for quarter. Decatur +secured them below decks and started for the next gunboat. + +On his way he was hailed from one of his own boats, which had been +commanded by his brother James. The men told him that his brother had +captured one of the gunboats of the enemy, but, on going on board after +her flag had fallen, he had been shot dead by the treacherous commander. +The murderer had then driven the Americans back and carried his boat out +of the fight. + +On hearing this sad news, Decatur was filled with grief and rage. Bent +on revenge, he turned his boat's prow and swiftly sped towards the +craft of the assassin. The instant the two boats came together the +furious Decatur sprang upon the deck of the enemy. At his back came +Lieutenant McDonough and nine sturdy sailors. Nearly forty of the Moors +faced them, at their head a man of gigantic size, his face half covered +with a thick black beard, a scarlet cap on his head, the true type of a +pirate captain. + +Sure that this was his brother's murderer, Decatur rushed fiercely at +the giant Moor. The latter thrust at him with a heavy boarding pike. +Decatur parried the blow, and made a fierce stroke at the weapon, hoping +to cut off its point. + +He failed in this and his cutlass broke off at the hilt, leaving him +with empty hands. With a lusty yell the Moor thrust again. Decatur bent +aside, so that he received only a slight wound. Then he seized the +weapon, wrested it from the hands of the Moor, and thrust fiercely at +him. + +In an instant more the two enemies had clinched in a wrestle for life +and death, and fell struggling to the deck. While they lay there, one +of the Tripolitan officers raised his scimitar and aimed a deadly blow +at the head of Decatur. + +It seemed now as if nothing could save the struggling American. Only one +of his men was near by. This was a sailor named Reuben James, who had +been wounded in both arms. But he was a man of noble heart. He could not +lift a hand to save his captain, but his head was free, and with a +sublime devotion he thrust it in the way of the descending weapon. + +Down it came with a terrible blow on his head, and he fell bleeding to +the deck, but before the Tripolitan could lift his weapon again to +strike Decatur, a pistol shot laid him low. + +Decatur was left to fight it out with the giant Moor. With one hand the +huge wrestler held him tightly and with the other he drew a dagger from +his belt. The fatal moment had arrived. Decatur caught the Moor's wrist +just as the blow was about to fall, and at the same instant pressed +against his side a small pistol he had drawn from his pocket. + +A touch of the trigger, a sharp report, and the body of the giant +relaxed. The bullet had pierced him through and he fell back dead. +Flinging off the heavy weight, Decatur rose to his feet. + +Meanwhile his few men had been fiercely fighting the Tripolitan crew. +Greatly as they outnumbered the Americans, the Moors had been driven +back. They lost heart on seeing their leader fall and threw down their +arms. + +Another gunboat was captured and then the battle ended. The attack on +Tripoli had proved a failure and the fleet drew off. + +I know you will ask what became of brave Reuben James, who offered his +life for his captain. Was he killed? No, I am glad to say he was not. He +had an ugly cut, but he was soon well again. + +One day Decatur asked him what reward he should give him for saving his +life. The worthy sailor did not know what to say. He scratched his head +and looked puzzled. + +"Ask him for double pay, Rube," suggested one of his shipmates. + +"A pocket full of dollars and shore leave," whispered another. + +"No," said the modest tar. "Just let somebody else hand out the hammocks +to the men when they are piped down. That's something I don't like." + +Decatur consented; and afterwards, when the crew was piped down to stow +hammocks, Reuben walked among them as free and independent as a +millionaire. + +That is all we have here to say about the Tripolitan war. The next year +a treaty of peace was signed, and Captain Bainbridge and the men of the +_Philadelphia_ were set free from their prison cells. + +In 1812, when war broke out with England, the gallant Decatur was given +the command of the frigate _United States_, and with it he captured the +British frigate _Macedonian_, after a hard fight. + +Poor Decatur was shot dead in a duel in 1820 by a hot-headed officer +whom he had offended. It was a sad end to a brilliant career, for the +American Navy never had a more gallant commander. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE GALLANT "OLD IRONSIDES" AND HOW SHE CAPTURED THE "GUERRIERE" + +A FAMOUS INCIDENT OF THE WAR OF 1812 + + +WHEN did our country win its greatest fame upon the sea? I think, when +you have read the story of the War of 1812, you will say it was in that +war. It is true, we did not do very well on land in that war, but the +glory we lost on the shore we made up on the sea. + +You should know that in 1812 England was the greatest sea-power in the +world. For years she had been fighting with Napoleon, and every fleet he +set afloat was badly whipped by British ships. Is it any wonder that the +people of that little island were proud of their fleets? Is it any +wonder they proudly sang-- + + "Britannia needs no bulwarks, + No towers along the steep; + Her march is o'er the mountain waves, + Her home is on the deep." + +They grew so vain of their lordship of the sea that they needed a +lesson, and they were to get one from the Yankee tars. As soon as war +began between England and the United States in 1812, a flock of British +war-hawks came flying bravely across the seas, thinking they would soon +gobble up the Yankee sparrows. But long before the war was over, they +quit singing their proud song of "Britannia rules the waves," and found +that what they thought was a Yankee sparrow was the American eagle. + +There were too many great things done on the ocean in this war for me to +name them all, so I will have to tell only the most famous. And first of +all I must give you the story of the noble old _Constitution_, or, as +she came to be called, _Old Ironsides_. + +The _Constitution_ was a noble ship of the old kind. That royal old +craft is still afloat, after more than a hundred years of service, and +after all her companions have long since sunk in the waves or rotted +away. She was built to fight the French in 1798. She was Commodore +Preble's flagship in the war with the Moorish pirates. And she won +undying fame in the War of 1812. So the story of the _Constitution_ +comes first in our list of the naval conquerors of that war. + +I fancy, if any of you had been living at that time, you would have +wanted to fight the British as badly as the Americans then did. For the +British had for years been taking sailors from American ships and making +them serve in their own men-of-war. Then, too, they had often insulted +our officers upon the seas, and acted in a very insolent and overbearing +way whenever they had the opportunity. This made the Americans very +angry and was the main cause of the war. + +I must tell you some things that took place before the war. In 1811 a +British frigate named the _Guerriere_ was busy at this kind of work, +sailing up and down our coast and carrying off American sailors on +pretence that they were British. Just remember the name of the +"_Guerriere_." You will soon learn how the _Constitution_ paid her for +this shabby work. + +I have also a story to tell about the _Constitution_ in 1811. She had to +cross the Atlantic in that year, and stopped on some business in the +harbor of Portsmouth, an English seaport. + +One night a British officer came on board and said there was an American +deserter on his ship, the _Havana_, and that the Americans could have +him if they sent for him. + +Captain Hull, of the _Constitution_, was then in London, so Lieutenant +Morris, who had charge of the ship, sent for the man; but when his +messenger came, he was told that the man said he was a British subject, +and therefore he should not be given up. They were very sorry, and all +that, but they had to take the man's word for it. Morris thought this +very shabby treatment but he soon had his revenge. For that very night a +British sailor came on board the _Constitution_, who said he was a +deserter from the _Havana_. + +"Of what nation are you?" he was asked. + +"I'm an American, sor," said the man, with a strong Irish accent. + +Lieutenant Morris sent word to the _Havana_ that a deserter from his +ship was on the _Constitution_. But when an officer from the _Havana_ +came to get the deserter, Morris politely told him that the man said he +was an American, and therefore he could not give him up. He was very +sorry, he said, but really the man ought to know to what country he +belonged. You may be interested to learn that Lieutenant Morris was the +man who had been first to board the _Philadelphia_ in the harbor of +Tripoli. + +This was paying John Bull in his own coin. The officers in the harbor +were very angry when they received this answer. Next, they tried to play +a trick on the Americans. Two of their warships came up and anchored in +the way of the _Constitution_. But Lieutenant Morris got up anchor and +slipped away to a new berth. Then the two frigates sailed up and +anchored in his way again. That was the way matters stood when Captain +Hull came on board in the evening. + +When the captain was told what had taken place, he saw that the British +were trying to make trouble about the Irish deserter. But he was not the +man to be caught by any trick. He loaded his guns and cleared the ship +for action. Then he pulled up his anchor, slipped round the British +frigates, and put to sea. + +He had not gone far before the two frigates started after him. They came +on under full sail, but one of them was slow and fell far behind, so +that the other came up alone. + +"If that fellow wants to fight he can have his chance," said Captain +Hull, and he bade his men to make ready. + +Up came the Englishman, but when he saw the ports open, the guns ready +to bark at him across the waves, and everything in shape for a good +fight, he had a sudden change of mind. Round he turned like a scared +dog, and ran back as fast as he had come. That was a clear case of tit +for tat, and tat had it. No doubt, the Englishman knew that he was in +the wrong, for English seamen are not afraid to fight. + +Home from Plymouth came the _Constitution_ and got herself put in shape +for the war that was soon to come. It had not long begun before she was +off to sea; and now she had a remarkable adventure with the _Guerriere_ +and some other British ships. In fact, she made a wonderful escape from +a whole squadron of war vessels. She left the Chesapeake on July 12, +1812, and for five days sailed up the coast. The winds were light and +progress was very slow. Then, on the 17th, the lookout aloft saw four +warships sailing along close in to the Jersey coast. + +Two hours afterward another was seen. This proved to be the frigate +_Guerriere_, and it was soon found that the others were British ships +also. One of them was a great ship-of-the-line. It would have been +madness to think of fighting such a force as this, more than six times +as strong as the _Constitution_, and there was nothing to do but to run +away. + +Then began the most famous race in American naval history. There was +hardly a breath of wind, the sails hung flapping to the masts; so +Captain Hull got out his boats and sent them ahead with a line to tow +the ship. When the British saw this they did the same, and by putting +all their boats to two ships they got ahead faster. + +I cannot tell the whole story of this race, but it lasted for nearly +three days, from Friday afternoon till Monday morning. Now there was a +light breeze and now a dead calm. Now they pulled the ships by boats and +now by kedging. That is, an anchor was carried out a long way ahead and +let sink, and then the men pulled on the line until the ship was brought +up over it. Then the anchor would be drawn up and carried and dropped +ahead again. + +For two long days and nights the chase kept up, during which the +_Constitution_ was kept, by weary labor, just out of gunshot ahead. At +four o'clock Sunday morning the British ships had got on both sides of +the _Constitution_, and it looked as if she was in a tight corner. But +Captain Hull now turned and steered out to sea, across the bows of the +_Eolus_, and soon had them astern again. + +The same old game went on until four o'clock in the afternoon, when they +saw signs of a coming squall. Captain Hull knew how to deal with an +American squall, but the Englishmen did not. He kept his men towing +until he saw the sea ruffled by the wind about a mile away. Then he +called the boats in and in a moment let fall all his sails. + +Looking at the British, he saw them hard at work furling their sails. +They had let all their boats go adrift. But Captain Hull had not furled +a sail, and the minute a vapor hid his ship from the enemy all his sails +were spread to the winds and away went the Yankee ship in rapid flight. +He had taught his foes a lesson in American seamanship. + +When the squall cleared away the British ships were far astern. But the +wind fell again and all that night the chase kept up. Captain Hull threw +water on his sails and made every rag of canvas draw. When daylight came +only the top sails of the enemy could be seen. At eight o'clock they +gave up the chase and turned on their heels. Thus ended that wonderful +three days chase, one of the most remarkable in naval history. + +And now we come to the greatest story in the history of the "Old +Ironsides." In less than a month after the _Guerriere_ had helped to +chase her off the Jersey coast, she gave that proud ship a lesson which +the British nation did not soon forget. Here is the story of that famous +fight, by which Captain Hull won high fame: + +In the early morning of August 19, while the old ship was bowling along +easily off the New England coast, a cheery cry of "Sail-ho!" came from +the lookout at the mast-head. + +Soon a large vessel was seen from the deck. On went the Yankee ship with +flying flag and bellying sails. The strange ship waited as if ready for +a fight. When the _Constitution_ drew near, the stranger hoisted the +British flag and began to fire her great guns. + +It was the _Guerriere_. When he saw the Stars and Stripes, Captain +Dacres said to his men: + +"That is a Yankee frigate. She will be ours in forty-five minutes. If +you take her in fifteen, I promise you four months pay." + +It is never best to be too sure, as Captain Dacres was to find. + +The _Guerriere_ kept on firing at a distance, but Captain Hull continued +to take in sail and get his ship in fighting trim, without firing a gun. +After a time Lieutenant Morris came up and said to him: + +"The British have killed two of our men. Shall we return their fire?" + +"Not yet," said Captain Hull. "Wait a while." + +He waited until the ships were almost touching, and then he roared out: + +"Now, boys; pour it into them!" + +Then came a roaring broadside that went splintering through the British +hull, doing more damage than all the _Guerriere's_ fire. + +Now the battle was on in earnest. The two ships lay side by side, and +for fifteen minutes the roar of cannon and the rattle of musketry +filled the air, while cannon balls tore their way through solid timber +and human flesh. + +Down came the mizzen-mast of the _Guerriere_, cut through by a big iron +shot. + +"Hurrah, boys!" cried Hull, swinging his hat like a schoolboy; "we've +made a brig of her." + +The mast dragged by its ropes and brought the ship round, so that the +next broadside from the _Constitution_ raked her from stem to stern. + +The bowsprit of the _Guerriere_ caught fast in the rigging of the +_Constitution_, and the sailors on both ships tried to board. But soon +the winds pulled the _Constitution_ clear, and as she forged ahead, down +with a crash came the other masts of the British ship. They had been cut +into splinters by the Yankee guns. A few minutes before she had been a +stately three-masted frigate; now she was a helpless hulk. Not half an +hour had passed since the _Constitution_ fired her first shot, and +already the _Guerriere_ was a wreck, while the Yankee ship rode the +waters as proudly as ever. + +Off in triumph went the "Old Ironsides," and hasty repairs to her +rigging were made. Then she came up with loaded guns. The _Guerriere_ +lay rolling like a log in the water, without a flag in sight. Not only +her masts were gone, but her hull was like a sieve. It had more than +thirty cannon-ball holes below the water-line. + +There was no need to fire again. Lieutenant Read went off in a boat. + +"Have you surrendered?" he asked Captain Dacres, who was looking, with a +very long face, over the rail. + +"It would not be prudent to continue the engagement any longer," said +Dacres, in gloomy tones. + +"Do you mean that you have struck your flag?" + +"Not precisely. But I do not know that it will be worth while to fight +any more." + +"If you cannot make up your mind I will go back and we will do something +to help you." + +"I don't see that I can keep up the fight," said the dejected British +captain. "I have hardly any men left and my ship is ready to sink." + +"What I want to know is," cried Lieutenant Read, "whether you are a +prisoner of war or an enemy. And I must know without further parley." + +"If I could fight longer I would," said Captain Dacres. Then with +faltering words he continued, "but-I-must-surrender." + +"Then accept from me Captain Hull's compliments. He wishes to know if +you need the aid of a surgeon or surgeon's mate." + +"Have you not business enough on your own ship for all your doctors?" +asked Dacres. + +"Oh, no!" said Read. "We have only seven men wounded, and their wounds +are all dressed." + +Captain Dacres was obliged to enter Read's boat and be rowed to the +_Constitution_. He had been wounded, and could not climb very well, so +Captain Hull helped him to the deck. + +"Give me your hand, Dacres," he said, "I know you are hurt." + +Captain Dacres offered his sword, but the American captain would not +take it. + +"No, no," he said, "I will not take a sword from one who knows so well +how to use it. But I'll trouble you for that hat." + +What did he mean by that, you ask? Well, the two captains had met some +time before the war, and Dacres had offered to bet a hat that the +_Guerriere_ would whip the _Constitution_. Hull accepted the bet, and he +had won. + +All day and night the boats were kept busy in carrying the prisoners, +well and hurt, to the _Constitution_. When daylight came again it was +reported that the _Guerriere_ was filling with water and ready to sink. + +She could not be saved, so she was set on fire. Rapidly the flames +spread until they reached her magazine. Then came a fearful explosion, +and a black cloud of smoke hung over the place where the ship had +floated. When it moved away only some floating planks were to be seen. +The proud _Guerriere_ would never trouble Yankee sailors again. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A FAMOUS VESSEL SAVED BY A POEM + +"OLD IRONSIDES" WINS NEW GLORY + + +"_OLD IRONSIDES_ was a noble old ship, and a noble old ship was she." +Come, I know you have not heard enough about this grand old ship, so let +us go on with her story. And the first thing to tell is how she served +another British ship as she had served the _Guerriere_. + +Four months after Captain Hull's great victory, the _Constitution_ was +in another sea and had another captain. She had sailed south and was now +off the coast of Brazil. And William Bainbridge had succeeded Isaac Hull +in command. + +It was almost the last day of the year. Chilly weather, no doubt, in +Boston from which she had sailed; but mid-summer warmth in those +southern waters. It certainly felt warm enough to the men on deck, who +were "spoiling for a fight," when the lookout aloft announced two sails. + +The sailors who had been lounging about the deck sprang up and looked +eagerly across the waves, as the cheerful "Sail-ho!" reached their ears. +Soon they saw that one of the vessels was coming their way as fast as +her sails could carry her. The other had sailed away on the other tack. + +The vessel that was coming was the _Java_, a fine British frigate. As +she drew near she showed signals. That is, she spread out a number of +small flags, each of which had some meaning, and by which British ships +could talk with each other. Captain Bainbridge could not answer these, +for he did not know what they meant. So he showed American signals, +which the captain of the _Java_ could not understand any better. + +Then, as they came nearer, they hoisted their national flags, and both +sides saw that they were enemies and that a fight was on hand. + +Captain Bainbridge was not like Captain Hull. He did not wait till the +ships were side by side, but began firing when the _Java_ was half a +mile away. That was only wasting powder and balls, but they kept on +firing until they were close at hand, and then the shots began to tell. + +A brave old fellow was the captain of the _Constitution_. A musket ball +struck him in the thigh as he was pacing the deck. He stopped his +pacing, but would not go below. Then a copper bolt went deep into his +leg. But he had it cut out and the leg tied up, and he still kept on +deck. He wanted to see the fight. + +Hot and fierce came the cannon balls, hurtling through sails and +rigging, rending through thick timbers, and sending splinters flying +right and left. Men fell dead and blood ran in streams, but still came +the heralds of death. + +We must tell the same story of this fight as of the fight with the +_Guerriere_. The British did not know how to aim their guns and the +Americans did. The British had no sights on their cannon and the +Americans had. That was why, all through the war, the British lost so +heavily and the Americans so little. The British shot went wild and the +American balls flew straight to their mark. + +You know what must come from that. After while, off went the _Java's_ +bowsprit, as if it had been chopped off with a great knife. Five minutes +later her foremast was cut in two and came tumbling down. Then the main +topmast crashed down from above. Last of all, her mizzen-mast was cut +short off by the plunging shot, and fell over the side. The well-aimed +American balls had cut through her great spars, as you might cut through +a willow stick, and she was dismantled as the _Guerriere_ had been. + +The loud "hurrahs" of the Yankee sailors proved enough to call the dead +to life. At any rate, a wounded man, whom everyone thought dead, opened +his eyes and asked what they were cheering about. + +"The enemy has struck," he was told. + +The dying tar lifted himself on one arm, and waved the other round his +head, and gave three feeble cheers. With the last one he fell back dead. + +But the _Java's_ flag was not down for good. As the _Constitution_ came +up with all masts standing and sails set, the British flag was raised to +the stump of the mizzen-mast. When he saw this, Bainbridge wore his +ship to give her another broadside, and then down came her flag for +good. She had received all the battering she could stand. In fact, the +_Constitution_ had lost only 34 men, killed and wounded, while the Java +had lost 150 men. The _Constitution_ was sound and whole; the _Java_ had +only her mainmast left and was full of yawning rents. _Old Ironsides_ +had a new feather in her cap. + +Like the _Guerriere_, the _Java_ was hurt past help. It was impossible +to take her home; so on the last day of 1812, the torch was put to her +ragged timbers and the flames took hold. Quickly they made their way +through the ruined ship. About three o'clock in the afternoon they +reached her magazine, and with a mighty roar the wreck of the British +ship was torn into fragments. To the bottom went the hull. Only the +broken masts and a few shattered timbers remained afloat. + +Such is war: a thing of ruin and desolation. Of that gallant ship, which +two days before had been proudly afloat, only some smoke-stained +fragments were left to tell that she had ever been on the seas, and +death and wounds had come to many of her men. + +After her fight with the _Java_ the _Constitution_ had a long, weary +rest. You will remember the _Bon Homme Richard_, a rotten old hulk not +fit for fighting, though she made a very good show when the time for +fighting came. The _Constitution_ was much like her; so rotten in her +timbers that she had to be brought home and rebuilt. + +Then she went a-sailing again, under Captain Charles Stewart, as good an +officer as Hull and Bainbridge; but it was more than two years after her +last battle before she had another chance to show what sort of a fighter +she was. + +It is a curious fact that some of the hardest fights of this war with +England took place after the war was at an end. The treaty of peace was +signed on Christmas eve, 1814, but the great battle at New Orleans was +fought two weeks afterward. There were no ocean cable then to send word +to the armies that all their killing was no longer needed, since there +was nothing to fight about. + +It was worse still for the ships at sea. Nobody then had ever dreamed of +a telegraph without wires to send word out over the waste of waters, or +even of a telegraph with wires. Thus it was that the last battle of the +old _Constitution_ was fought nearly two months after the war was over. + +The good old ship was then on the other side of the ocean, and was +sailing along near the island of Madeira, which lies off the coast of +Africa. For a year she had done nothing except to take a few small +prizes, and her stalwart crew were tired of that sort of work. They +wanted a real, big fight, with plenty of glory. + +One evening Captain Stewart heard some of the officers talking about +their bad luck, and wishing they could only meet with a fellow of their +own size. They were tired of fishing for minnows when there were whales +to be caught. + +"I can tell you this, gentlemen," said the captain, "you will soon get +what you want. Before the sun rises and sets again you will have a good +old-fashioned fight, and it will not be with a single ship, either." + +I do not know what the officers said after the captain turned away. Very +likely some of them wondered how he came to be a prophet and could tell +what was going to take place. I doubt very much whether they believed +what he had said. + +At any rate, about one o'clock the next day, February 20, 1815, when the +ship was gliding along before a light breeze, a sail was seen far away +in front. An hour later a second sail was made out, close by the first. +And when the _Constitution_ got nearer it was seen that they were both +ships-of-war. It began to look as if Captain Stewart was a good prophet, +after all. + +It turned out that the first of these was the small British frigate +_Cyane_. The second was the sloop-of-war _Levant_. Neither was a match +by itself for the _Constitution_, but both together they thought +themselves a very good match. + +It was five o'clock before the Yankee ship came up within gunshot. The +two British ships had closed together so as to help one another, and now +they all stripped off their extra sails, as a man takes off his coat and +vest for a fight. + +Six o'clock passed before the battle began. Then for fifteen minutes the +three ships hurled their iron balls as fast as the men could load and +fire. By that time the smoke was so thick that they had to stop firing +to find out where the two fighting ships were. The _Constitution_ now +found herself opposite the _Levant_ and poured a broadside into her +hull. Then she sailed backward--a queer thing to do, but Captain Stewart +knew how to move his ship stern foremost--and poured her iron hail into +the _Cyane_. Next she pushed ahead again and pounded the _Levant_ till +that lively little craft turned and ran. It had enough of the +_Constitution's_ iron dumplings to last a while. + +This was great sailing and great firing, but Captain Stewart was one of +those seamen who know how to handle a ship, and his men knew how to +handle their guns. There were never better seamen than those of the _Old +Ironsides_. + +The _Levant_ was now out of the way, and there was only the _Cyane_ to +attend to. Captain Stewart attended to her so well that, just forty +minutes after the fight began, her flag came down. + +Where, now, was the _Levant_? She had run out of the fight; but she had +a brave captain who did not like to desert his friend, so he turned back +and came gallantly up again. + +It was a noble act, but a foolish one. This the British captain found +out when he came once more under the American guns. They were much too +hot for him, and once more he tried to run away. He did not succeed this +time. Captain Stewart was too much in love with him to let him go, and +sent such warm love-letters after him that his flag came gliding down, +as his comrade's had done. + +Captain Stewart had shown himself a true prophet. He had met, fought +with, and won two ships of the enemy. No doubt after that his officers +were sure they had a prophet for a captain. + +That evening, when the two British captains were in the cabin of the +_Constitution_, a midshipman came down and asked Captain Stewart if the +men could not have their grog. + +"Why, didn't they have it?" asked the captain. "It was time for it +before the battle began." + +"It was mixed for them, sir," said the midshipman, "but our old men said +they didn't want any 'Dutch courage,' so they emptied the grog-tub into +the lee scuppers." + +The Englishmen stared when they heard this. It is very likely their men +had not fought without a double dose of grog. + +We have not finished our story yet. Like a lady's letter, it has a +postscript. On March 10, the three ships were in a harbor of the Cape de +Verde Islands, and Captain Stewart was sending his prisoners ashore, +when three large British men-of-war were seen sailing into the harbor. + +Stewart was nearly caught in a trap. Any one of these large frigates was +more than a match for the _Constitution_, and here were three in a +bunch. But, by good luck, there was a heavy fog that hid everything but +the highest sails; so there was a chance of escape. + +Captain Stewart was not the man to be trapped while a chance was left. +He was what we call a "wide-awake." There was a small chance left. He +cut his cable, made a signal to the prize vessels to do the same, and in +ten minutes after the first British vessel had been seen, the American +ship and its prizes were gliding swiftly away. + +On came the British ships against a stiff breeze, up the west side of +the bay. Out slipped the Yankee ships along the east side. Captain +Stewart set no sails higher than his top sails, and these were hidden +by the fog, so the British lookouts saw nothing. They did not dream of +the fine birds that were flying away. + +Only when Stewart got his ship past the outer point of the harbor did he +spread his upper sails to the breeze, and the British lookouts saw with +surprise a cloud of canvas suddenly bursting out upon the air. + +Now began a close chase. The _Constitution_ and her prizes had only +about a mile the start. As quick as the British ships could turn they +were on their track. But those were not the days of the great guns that +can send huge balls six or seven miles through the air. A mile then was +a long shot for the largest guns, and the Yankee cruisers had made a +fair start. + +But before they had gone far Captain Stewart saw that the _Cyane_ was in +danger of being taken, and signaled for her to tack and take another +course. She did so and sailed safely away. For three hours the three big +frigates hotly chased the _Constitution_ and _Levant_, but let the +_Cyane_ go. + +Captain Stewart now saw that the _Levant_ was in the same danger, and he +sent her a signal to tack as the _Cyane_ had done. The _Levant_ tacked +and sailed out of the line of the chase. + +What was the surprise of the Yankee captain and his men when they saw +all three of the big British ships turn on their heels and set sail +after the little sloop-of-war, letting the _Constitution_ sail away. It +was like three great dogs turning to chase a rabbit and letting a deer +run free. + +The three huge monsters chased the little _Levant_ back into the island +port, and there for fifteen minutes they fired broadsides at her. The +prisoners whom Captain Stewart had landed did the same from a battery on +shore. And yet not a shot struck her hull; they were all wasted in the +air. + +At length Lieutenant Bullard, who was master of the prize, hauled down +his flag. He thought he had seen enough fun, and they might hurt +somebody afterwhile if they kept on firing. But what was the chagrin of +the British captains to find that all they had done was to take back one +of their own vessels, while the American frigate had gone free. + +The _Constitution_ and the _Cyane_ got safely to the American shores, +where their officers learned that the war had ceased more than three +months before. But the country was proud of their good service, and +Congress gave medals of honor to Stewart and his officers. + +That was the last warlike service of the gallant _Old Ironsides_, the +most famous ship of the American Navy. Years passed by and her timbers +rotted away, as they had done once before. Some of the wise heads in the +Navy Department, men without a grain of sentiment, decided that she was +no longer of any use and should be broken up for old timber. + +But if they had no love for the good old ship, there were those who had; +and a poet, Oliver Wendell Holmes, came to the rescue. This is the poem +by which he saved the ship: + + + THE OLD IRONSIDES. + + Ay, tear her tattered ensign down! + Long has it waved on high, + And many an eye has danced to see + That banner in the sky; + Beneath it rung the battle shout, + And burst the cannon's roar; + The meteor of the ocean air + Shall sweep the clouds no more! + + Her deck, once red with heroes' blood, + Where knelt the vanquished foe, + When winds were hurrying o'er the flood + And waves were white below, + No more shall feel the victor's tread + Or know the conquered knee; + The harpies of the shore shall pluck + The eagle of the sea! + + O! better that her shattered hulk + Should sink beneath the wave; + Her thunders shook the mighty deep, + And there should be her grave; + Nail to the mast her holy flag, + Set every threadbare sail, + And give her to the god of storms, + The lightning and the gale. + +There was no talk of destroying the _Old Ironsides_ after that. The man +that did it would have won eternal disgrace. She still floats, and no +doubt she will float, as long as two of her glorious old timbers hang +together. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE FIGHT OF CAPTAIN JACOB JONES + +THE LIVELY LITTLE "WASP" AND HOW SHE STUNG THE "FROLIC" + + +NO doubt most of my readers know very well what a wasp is and how nicely +it can take care of itself. When I was a boy I found out more than once +how long and sharp a sting it has, and I do not think many boys grow up +without at some time waking up a wasp and wishing they had left it +asleep. + +The United States has had three _Wasps_ and one _Hornet_ in its navy, +and the British boys who came fooling in their way found that all of +them could sting. I will tell you about the time one of our _Wasps_ met +the British _Frolic_ and fought it in a great gale, when the ships were +tossing about like chips on the ocean billows. + +Not long after the _Constitution_ had her great fight with the +_Guerriere_, a little sloop-of-war named the _Wasp_ set sail from +Philadelphia to see what she could find on the broad seas. This vessel, +you should know, had three masts and square sails like a ship. But she +was not much larger than one of the sloops we see on our rivers to-day, +so it was right to call her a sloop. For captain she had a bold sailor +named Jacob Jones. + +The first thing the _Wasp_ found at sea was a mighty gale of wind, that +blew "great guns" for two days. The waves were so big and fierce that +one of them carried away her bowsprit with two men on it. The next +night, after the wind had gone down a little, lights shone out across +the waves, and when daylight came Captain Jones saw over the heaving +billows six large merchant ships. With them was a watch-dog in the shape +of a fighting brig. + +This brig was named the _Frolic_. It had been sent in charge of a fleet +of fourteen merchantmen, but these had been scattered by the gale until +only six were left. The _Frolic_ was a good match for the _Wasp_, and +seemed to want a fight quite as badly, for it sailed for the American +ship as fast as the howling wind would let it. And you may be sure the +_Wasp_ did not fly away. + +Captain Jones hoisted his country's flag like a man. He was not afraid +to show his true colors. But the _Frolic_ came up under the Spanish +flag. When they got close together Captain Jones hailed,-- + +"What ship is that?" + +The only answer of the British captain was to pull down the Spanish flag +and run up his own standard, stamped with the red cross of St. George. +And as the one flag went down and the other went up, the _Frolic_ fired +a broadside at the _Wasp_. But just then the British ship rolled over on +the side of a wave, and its balls went whistling upward through the air. +The Yankee gunners were more wide-awake than that. They waited until +their vessel rolled down on the side of a great billow, and then they +fired, their solid shot going low, and tearing into the _Frolic's_ +sides. + +The fighting went that way all through the battle. The British gunners +did not know their business and fired wild. The Yankees knew what they +were about, and made every shot tell. They had sights on their guns and +took aim; the British had no sights and took no aim. That is why the +Americans were victors in so many fights. + +But I think there was not often a sea-fight like this. The battle took +place off Cape Hatteras, which is famous for its storms. The wind +whistled and howled; the waves rose into foaming crests and sank into +dark hollows; the fighting craft rolled and pitched. As they rolled +upward the guns pointed at the clouds. As they rolled downward the +muzzles of the guns often dipped into the foam. Great masses of spray +came flying over the bulwarks, sweeping the decks. The weather and the +sailors both had their blood up, and both were fighting for all they +were worth. It was a question which would win, the wind or the men. + +As fast as the smoke rose the wind swept it away, so that the gunners +had a clear view of the ships. The roar of the gale was half drowned by +the thunder of the guns, and the whistle of the wind mingled with the +scream of the balls, while the sailors shouted as they ran out their +guns and cheered as the iron hail swept across the waves. + +In such frantic haste did the British handle their guns, that they fired +three shots to the Yankees' two. The latter did not fire till they saw +something to fire at. As a result, most of British balls went whistling +overhead, and pitching over the _Wasp_ into the sea, while most of the +Yankee balls swept the decks or bored into the timbers of the _Frolic_. + +But you must not think that the shots of the _Frolic_ were all wasted, +if they did go high. One of them hit the maintopmast of the _Wasp_ and +cut it square off. Another hit the mizzen-topgallantmast and toppled it +into the waves. In twenty minutes from the start "every brace and most +of the rigging of the _Wasp_ were shot away." The _Wasp_ had done little +harm above, but a great deal below. + +The _Frolic_ could have run away now if she had wanted to. But her +captain was not of the runaway kind. The fire of the _Wasp_ had covered +his deck with blood, but he fought boldly on. + +As they fought the two ships drifted together and soon their sides met +with a crash. Then, as they were swept apart by the waves, two of the +_Wasp's_ guns were fired into the bow-ports of the _Frolic_ and swept +her gun-deck from end to end. Terrible was the slaughter done by that +raking fire. + +The next minute the bowsprit of the _Frolic_ caught in the rigging of +the _Wasp_, and another torrent of balls was poured into the British +ship. Then the Yankee sailors left their guns and sprang for the enemy's +deck. The captain wanted them to keep firing, but he could not hold them +back. + +First of them all was a brawny Jerseyman named Jack Lang, who took his +cutlass between his teeth and clambered like a cat along the bowsprit to +the deck. Others followed, and when they reached the deck of the +_Frolic_ they found Jack Lang standing alone and looking along the +blood-stained deck with staring eyes. + +Only four living men were to be seen, and three of these were wounded. +One was the quartermaster at the wheel and the others were officers. Not +another man stood on his feet, but the deck was strewn with the dead, +whose bodies rolled about at every heave of the waves. + +When the men came running aft the three officers flung down their swords +to show that they had surrendered, and one of them covered his face +with his hands. It hurt him to give up the good ship. Lieutenant Biddle, +of the _Wasp_, had to haul down the British flag. + +Never had there been more terrible slaughter. Of the 110 men on the +_Frolic_ there were not twenty alive and unhurt, while on the _Wasp_ +only five were dead and five wounded. The hull of the _Frolic_ was full +of holes and its masts were so cut away that in a few minutes they both +fell. + +Thus ended one of the most famous of American sea-fights. It was another +lesson that helped to stop the English from singing + + "Britannia rules the waves." + +But the little _Wasp_ and her gallant crew did not get the good of their +famous victory. While they were busy repairing damages a sail appeared +above the far horizon. It came on, growing larger and larger, and soon +it was seen to be a big man-of-war. + +The game was up with the _Wasp_ and her prize, for the new ship was the +_Poictiers_, a great seventy-four ship-of-the-line. She snapped up the +_Wasp_ and the _Frolic_ and carried them off to the British isle of +Bermuda, where the victors found themselves prisoners. + +A few words will finish the story of the _Wasp_. She was taken into the +British navy; but she did not have to fight for her foes, for she went +down at sea without doing anything. So she was saved from the disgrace +of fighting against her country. + +Captain Jones and his men were soon exchanged, and Congress voted them a +reward of $25,000 for their gallant fight, while the brave captain was +given the command of the frigate _Macedonian_, which had been captured +from the British. It was Captain Stephen Decatur, the hero of Tripoli, +that captured her, in the good ship _United States_. + +Would you like to hear about the other _Wasps_? There were two more of +them, you know. They were good ships, but ill luck came to them all. The +first _Wasp_ did her work in the Revolution, and had to be burned at +Philadelphia to keep her from the British when they took that city. The +second one, as I have just told you, was lost at sea, and so was the +third. You may see that bad luck came to them all. + +The third _Wasp_ was, like the second, a sloop-of-war, but she was a +large and heavy one. And though in the end she was lost at sea and +followed the other _Wasp_ to the bottom, she did not do so without +sending some British messengers there in advance. + +I will tell you the story of this _Wasp_, and how she used her sting, +but it must be done in few words. + +She was built at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and sailed on May 1, 1814, +her captain being Johnston Blakeley; her crew a set of young countrymen +who were so unused to the sea that most of them were seasick for a week. +Their average age was only twenty-three years, so they were little more +than boys. Yet the most of them could hit a deer with a rifle, and they +soon showed they could hit a _Reindeer_ with a cannon. For near the end +of June they came across a British brig named the _Reindeer_, and in +less than twenty minutes had battered her in so lively a fashion that +her flag came down and she was a prize. + +The crew of the _Reindeer_ were trained seamen, but they did not know +how to shoot. The Americans were Yankee farmer-lads, yet they shot like +veteran gunners. I am sure you will think so when I tell you that the +British could hardly hit the _Wasp_ at all, though she was less than +sixty yards away. But the Yankees hit the _Reindeer_ so often that she +was cut to pieces and her masts ready to fall. In fact, after she was +captured, she could not be taken into port, but had to be set on fire +and blown to pieces. + +But I must say a good word for the gallant captain of the _Reindeer_. +First, a musket ball hit him and went through the calves of both legs, +but he kept on his feet. Then a grape-shot--an iron ball two inches +thick--went through both his thighs. The brave seaman fell, but he rose +to his feet again, drew his sword, and called his men to board the +_Wasp_. He was trying to climb on board when a musket ball went through +his head. "O God!" he cried, and fell dead. + +This fight was in the English Channel, where Blakeley was doing what +John Paul Jones had done years before. Two months after the sinking of +the _Reindeer_ the _Wasp_ had another fight. This time there were three +British vessels, the _Avon_, the _Castilian_, and the _Tartarus_, all of +them brig-sloops like the _Reindeer_. These vessels were scattered, +chasing a privateer, and about nine o'clock at night the _Wasp_ came up +with the _Avon_ alone. They hailed each other as ships do when they meet +at sea. Then, when sure they were enemies, they began firing, as ships +do also in time of war. For forty minutes the fight kept up, and then +the _Avon_ had enough. She was riddled as the _Reindeer_ had been. But +the _Wasp_ did not take possession; for before a boat could be sent on +board, the two comrades of the _Avon_ came in sight. + +The _Wasp_, after her battle with the _Avon_, could not fight two more, +so she sailed away and left them to attend to their consort. They could +not save her. The _Wasp_ had stung too deeply for that. The water poured +in faster than the men of all three ships could pump it out, and at one +o'clock in the morning down plunged the _Avon's_ bow in the water, up +went her stern in the air, and with a mighty surge she sank to rise no +more. But the gallant _Wasp_ had ended her work. She took some more +prizes, but the sea, to whose depths she had sent the _Reindeer_ and +_Avon_, took her also. She was seen in October, and that was the last +that human eyes ever saw of her. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +CAPTAIN LAWRENCE DIES FOR THE FLAG + +HIS WORDS, "DO NOT GIVE UP THE SHIP," BECOME THE FAMOUS MOTTO OF THE +AMERICAN NAVY + + +THE United States navy had its _Hornet_ as well as its _Wasps_. And they +were well named, for they were all able to sting. The captain of the +_Hornet_ was a noble seaman named James Lawrence, who had been a +midshipman in the war with Tripoli. In the War of 1812 he was captain in +succession of the _Vixen_, the _Wasp_, the _Argus_, and the _Hornet_. + +The _Hornet_ was a sloop-of-war. I have told you what that means. She +had three masts, and carried square sails like a ship, but she was +called a sloop on account of her size. She had eighteen short guns and +two long ones. The short guns threw thirty-two pound and the long ones +twelve pound balls. + +Of course you have not forgotten the fight of the _Constitution_ with +the _Java_. When the _Constitution_ went south to Brazil at that time +the _Hornet_ went with her, but they soon parted. + +In one of the harbors of Brazil Captain Lawrence saw a British ship as +big as the _Hornet_. He waited outside for her, but she would not come +out. He had found a coward of a captain, and he locked him up in that +harbor for two months. + +Then he got tired and left. Soon after he came across the _Peacock_, a +British man-of-war brig. The _Peacock_ was as large as the _Hornet_ and +its captain was as full of fight as Captain Lawrence. He was the kind of +man that our bold Lawrence was hunting for. When two men feel that way, +a fight is usually not far off. That was the way now. Soon the guns were +booming and the balls were flying. + +But the fight was over before the men had time to warm up. The first +guns were fired at 5.25 in the afternoon, and at 5.39 the British flag +came down; so the battle lasted just fourteen minutes. Not many +victories have been won so quickly as that. + +But the _Hornet_ acted in a very lively fashion while it lasted. Do you +know how a hornet behaves when a mischievous boy throws a stone at its +nest? Well, that is the way our _Hornet_ did. Only one ball from the +_Peacock_ struck her, and hardly any of her men were hurt. But the +_Peacock_ was bored as full of holes as a pepper-box, and the water +poured in faster than all hands could pump it out. In a very short time +the unlucky _Peacock_ filled and sank. So Captain Lawrence had only the +honor of his victory; old ocean had swallowed up his prize. + +But if Captain Lawrence got no prize money, he won great fame. He was +looked on as another Hull or Decatur, and Congress made him captain of +the frigate _Chesapeake_. That was in one way a bad thing for the +gallant Lawrence, for it cost him his life. In another way it was a good +thing, for it made him one of the most famous of American seamen. + +I have told you the story of several victories of American ships. I must +now tell you the story of one defeat. But I think you will say it was a +defeat as glorious as a victory. For eight months the little navy of the +young Republic had sailed on seas where British ships were nearly as +thick as apples in an orchard. In that time it had not lost a ship, and +had won more victories than England had done in twenty years. Now it was +to meet with its first defeat. + +When Captain Lawrence took command of the _Chesapeake_, that ship lay in +the harbor of Boston. Outside this harbor was the British frigate +_Shannon_, blockading the port. + +Now you must know that the American people had grown very proud of their +success on the sea. They had got to think that any little vessel could +whip an English man-of-war. So the Bostonians grew eager for the +_Chesapeake_ to meet the _Shannon_. They were sure it would be brought +in as a prize, and they wanted to hurrah over it. + +Poor Lawrence was as eager as the people. He was just the man they +wanted. The _Chesapeake_ had no crew, but he set himself to work, and in +two weeks he filled her up with such men as he could find. + +It was a mixed team he got together, the sweepings of the streets. There +were some good men among them, but more poor ones. And they were all new +men to the ship and to the captain. They had not been trained to work +together, and it was madness to fight a first-class British ship with +such a crew. Some, in fact, were mutineers and gave him trouble before +he got out of the harbor. + +But the _Shannon_ was a crack ship with a crack crew. Captain Broke had +commanded her for seven years and had a splendidly trained set of men. +He had copied from the Americans and put sights on his guns, had taught +his men to fire at floating marks in the sea, and had trained his topmen +to use their muskets in the same careful way. So when Captain Lawrence +sailed on June 1, 1813, he sailed to defeat and death. + +Captain Broke sent a challenge to the _Chesapeake_ to come out and fight +him ship to ship. But Lawrence did not wait for his challenge. He was +too eager for that, and set sail with a crew who did not know their +work, and most of whom had never seen their officers before. + +What could be expected of such mad courage as that? It is one thing to +be a brave man; it is another to be a wise one. Of course you will say +that Captain Lawrence was brave; but no one can say he was wise. Poor +fellow, he was simply throwing away his ship and his life. + +It was in the morning of June 1 that the _Chesapeake_ left the wharves +of Boston. It was 5.50 in the afternoon that she met the _Shannon_ and +the battle began. + +Both ships fired as fast as they could load, but the men of the +_Shannon_ were much better hands at their work, and their balls tore the +American ship in a terrible manner. A musket-ball struck Lawrence in the +leg, but he would not go below. The rigging of the _Chesapeake_ was +badly cut, the men at the wheel were shot, and in ten minutes the two +ships drifted together. + +Men on each side now rushed to board the enemy's ship, and there was a +hand-to-hand fight at the bulwarks of the two ships. At this moment +Captain Lawrence was shot through the body and fell with a mortal wound. +He was carried below. + +As he lay in great pain he noticed that the firing had almost ceased. +Calling a surgeon's mate to him, he said, "Tell the men to fire faster, +and not give up the ship; the colors shall wave while I live." + +Unfortunately, these words were spoken in the moment of defeat. Captain +Broke, followed by a number of his men, had sprung to the deck of the +_Chesapeake_, and a desperate struggle began. The Americans fought +stubbornly, but the fire from the trained men in the _Shannon's_ tops +and the rush of British on board soon gave Broke and his men the +victory. The daring Broke fell with a cut that laid open his skull, but +in a few moments the Americans were driven below. + +The _Chesapeake_ was taken in just fifteen minutes, one minute more than +the _Hornet_ had taken to capture the _Peacock_. + +The British hauled down the American flag, and then hoisted it again +with a white flag to show their victory. But the sailor who did the +work, by mistake got the white flag under the Stars and Stripes. + +When the gunners in the _Shannon_ saw the Yankee flag flying they fired +again, and this time killed and wounded a number of their own men, one +of them being an officer. + +[Illustration: "DON'T GIVE UP THE SHIP!"] + +The gallant Lawrence never knew that his ship was lost. He lived until +the _Shannon_ reached Halifax with her prize, but he became +delirious, and kept repeating over and over again his last +order--"_Don't give up the ship!_" + +With these words he died. With these words his memory has become +immortal. "Don't give up the ship!" is the motto of the American navy, +and will not be forgotten while our great Republic survives. So Captain +Lawrence gained greater renown in defeat than most men have won in +victory. + +The capture of the _Chesapeake_ was a piece of wonderful good fortune +for the British, to judge by the way they boasted of it. As Captain +Pearson had been made a knight for losing the _Serapis_, so Captain +Broke was made a baronet for taking the _Chesapeake_. A "baronet," you +must know, is a higher title than a "knight," though they both use the +handle of "Sir" to their names. + +The work of the _Shannon_ proved--so the British historians said--that, +"if the odds were anything like equal, a British frigate could always +whip an American, and in a hand-to-hand conflict such would invariably +be the case." + +Such things are easy to say, when one does not care about telling the +truth. Suppose we give now what a French historian, who believed in +telling the truth, said of this fight,-- + +"Captain Broke had commanded the _Shannon_ for nearly seven years; +Captain Lawrence had commanded the _Chesapeake_ for but a few days. The +_Shannon_ had cruised for eighteen months on the coast of America; the +_Chesapeake_ was newly out of harbor. The _Shannon_ had a crew long +accustomed to habits of strict obedience; the _Chesapeake_ was manned by +men who had just been engaged in mutiny. The Americans were wrong to +accuse fortune on this occasion. Fortune was not fickle, she was merely +logical." + +That is about the same as to say that the _Chesapeake_ was given away to +the enemy. After that there were no more ships sent out of port unfit to +fight, merely to please the people. It was a lesson the people needed. + +The body of the brave Lawrence was laid on the quarter-deck of the +_Chesapeake_ wrapped in an American flag. It was then placed in a coffin +and taken ashore, where it was met by a regiment of British troops and a +band that played the "Death March in Saul." The sword of the dead hero +lay on his coffin. In the end his body was buried in the cemetery of +Trinity Church, New York. A monument stands to-day over his grave, and +on it are the words: + +"Neither the fury of battle, the anguish of a mortal wound, nor the +horrors of approaching death could subdue his gallant spirit. His dying +words were + + 'Don't give up the ship!'" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +COMMODORE PERRY WHIPS THE BRITISH ON LAKE ERIE + +"WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND THEY ARE OURS" + + +IN the year 1813, when war was going on between England and the United +States, the whole northern part of this country was a vast forest. An +ocean of trees stretched away from the seaside in Maine for a thousand +miles to the west, and ended in the broad prairies of the Mississippi +region. + +The chief inhabitants of this grand forest were the moose and the deer, +the wolf and the panther, the wild turkey and the partridge, the red +Indian and the white hunter and trapper. It was a very different country +from what we see to-day, for now its trees are replaced by busy towns +and fertile fields. + +But in one way there has been no change. North of the forest lands +spread the Great Lakes, the splendid inland seas of our northern +border; and these were then what they are now, vast plains of water +where all the ships of all the nations might sail. + +Along the shores of these mighty lakes fighting was going on; at Detroit +on the west; at Niagara on the east. Soon war-vessels began to be built +and set afloat on the waters of the lakes. And these vessels after a +time came together in fierce conflict. I have now to tell the story of a +famous battle between these lake men-of-war. There was then in our navy +a young man named Oliver Hazard Perry. He was full of the spirit of +fight, but, while others were winning victories on the high seas, he was +given nothing better to do than to command a fleet of gunboats at +Newport, Rhode Island. + +Perry became very tired of this. He wanted to be where fighting was +going on, and he kept worrying the Navy Department for some active work. +So at last he was ordered to go to the lakes, with the best men he had, +and get ready to fight the British there. Perry received the order on +February 17, 1813, and before night he and fifty of his men were on +their way west in sleighs; for the ground was covered deep with snow. + +The sleighing was good, but the roads were bad and long; and it took him +and his men two weeks to reach Sackett's Harbor, at the north end of +Lake Ontario. From that place he went to Presque Isle, on Lake Erie, +where the fine City of Erie now stands. Then only the seed of a city was +planted there, in a small village, and the forest came down to the lake. + +Captain Perry did not go to sleep when he got to the water-side. He was +not one of the sleepy sort. He wanted vessels and he wanted them +quickly. The British had warships on the lake, and Perry did not intend +to let them have it all to themselves. + +When he got to Erie he found Captain Dobbins, an old shipbuilder, hard +at work. In the woods around were splendid trees, white and black oak +and chestnut, for planking, and pine for the decks. The axe was busy at +these giants of the forest; and so fast did the men work, that a tree +which was waving in the forest when the sun rose might be cut down and +hewn into ship-timber before the sun set. In that way Perry's fleet grew +like magic out of the forest. While the ships were building, cannon and +stores were brought from Pittsburgh by way of the Allegheny River and +its branches. And Perry went to Niagara River, where he helped capture a +fine brig, called the _Caledonia_, from the British. + +Captain Dobbins built two more brigs, one of which Perry named the +_Niagara_. The other he called _Lawrence_, after Captain Lawrence, the +story of whose life and death you have just read. + +Have any of you ever heard the story of the man who built a wagon in his +barn and then found it too wide to go out through the door? Perry was in +the same trouble. His new ships were too big to get out into the lake. +There was a bar at the mouth of the river with only four feet of water +on it. That was not deep enough to float his new vessels. And he was in +a hurry to get these in deep water; for he knew the British fleet would +soon be down to try to destroy them. + +How would you work to get a six-foot vessel over a four-foot sand bar? +Well, that doesn't matter; all we care for is the way Captain Perry did +it. He took two big scows and put one on each side of the _Lawrence_. +Then he filled them with water till the waves washed over their decks. +When they had sunk so far they were tied fast to the brig and the water +was pumped out of them. As the water went out they rose and lifted the +_Lawrence_ between them until there were several feet of water below her +keel. Now the brig was hauled on the bar until she touched the bottom; +then she was lifted again in the same way. This second time took her out +to deep water. Next, the _Niagara_ was lifted over the bar in the same +manner. + +The next day the British, who had been taking things very easily, came +sailing down to destroy Perry's ships. But they opened their eyes wide +when they saw them afloat on the lake. They had lost their chance by +wasting their time. + +Perry picked up men for his vessels wherever he could get them. The most +of those to be had were landsmen. But he had his fifty good men from +Newport and a hundred were sent him from the coast. Some of these had +been on the _Constitution_ in her great fight with the _Guerriere_. + +[Illustration: OLIVER H. PERRY.] + +Early in August all was ready, and he set sail. Early in September he +was in Put-in Bay, at the west end of Lake Erie, and here the British +came looking for him and his ships. + +Perry was now the commodore of a fleet of nine vessels,--the brigs +_Lawrence_, _Niagara_ and _Caledonia_, five schooners, and one sloop. +Captain Barclay, the British commander, had only six vessels, but some +of them were larger than Perry's. They were the ships _Detroit_ and +_Queen Charlotte_, a large brig, two schooners, and a sloop. Such were +the fleets with which the great battle of Lake Erie was fought. + +I know you are getting tired of all this description, and want to get on +to the fighting. You don't like to be kept sailing in quiet waters when +there is a fine storm ahead. Very well, we will go on. But one has to +get his bricks ready before he can build his house. + +Well, then, on the 10th of September, 1813, it being a fine summer day, +with the sun shining brightly, Perry and his men sailed out from Put-in +Bay and came in sight of the British fleet over the waters of the lake. + +What Captain Perry now did was fine. He hoisted a great blue flag, and +when it unrolled in the wind the men saw on it, in white letters, the +dying words of Captain Lawrence, "Don't give up the ship!" Was not that +a grand signal to give? It must have put great spirit into the men, and +made them feel that they would die like the gallant Lawrence before they +would give up their ships. The men on both fleets were eager to fight, +but the wind kept very light, and they came together slowly. It was near +noon before they got near enough for their long guns to work. Then the +British began to send balls skipping over the water, and soon after the +Americans answered back. + +Now came the roar of battle, the flash of guns, the cloud of smoke that +settled down and half hid everything. The Americans came on in a long +line, head on for the British, who awaited their approach. Perry's +flagship, the _Lawrence_, was near the head of the line. It soon plunged +into the very thick of the fight, with only two little schooners to help +it. The wind may have been too light for the rest of the fleet to come +up. We do not know just what kept them back, but at any rate, they +didn't come up, and the _Lawrence_ was left to fight alone. + +Never had a vessel been in a worse plight than was the _Lawrence_ for +the next two hours. She was half surrounded by the three large British +vessels, the _Detroit_, the _Queen Charlotte_, and the brig _Hunter_, +all pouring in their fire at once, while she had to fight them all. On +the _Lawrence_ and the two schooners there were only seven long guns +against thirty-six which were pelting Perry's flagship from the British +fleet. + +This was great odds. But overhead there floated the words, "Don't give +up the ship"; so the brave Perry pushed on till he was close to the +_Detroit_, and worked away, for life or death, with all his guns, long +and short. + +Oh, what a dreadful time there was on Perry's flagship during those sad +two hours. The great guns roared, the thick smoke rose, the balls tore +through her sides, sending splinters flying like sharp arrows to right +and left. Men fell like leaves blown down by a gale. Blood splashed on +the living and flowed over the dead. The surgeon's mates were kept busy +carrying the wounded below, where the surgeon dressed their wounds. + +Captain Perry's little brother, a boy of only thirteen years, was on +the ship, and stood beside him as brave as himself. Two bullets went +through the boy's hat; then a splinter cut through his clothes; still he +did not flinch. Soon after, he was knocked down and the captain grew +pale with fear. But up jumped the boy again. It was only a flying +hammock that had struck him. That little fellow was a true sailor boy, +and had in him plenty of Yankee grit. + +I would not, if I could, tell you all the horrors of those two hours. It +is not pleasant reading. The cannon balls even came through the vessel's +sides among the wounded, and killed some of them where they lay. At the +end of the fight the _Lawrence_ was a mere wreck. Her bowsprit and masts +were nearly all cut away, and out of more than a hundred men only +fourteen were unhurt. There was not a gun left that could be worked. + +Most men in such a case would have pulled down their flag. But Oliver +Perry had the spirit of Paul Jones, and he did not forget the words on +his flag--"Don't give up the ship." + +During those dread two hours the _Niagara_, under Lieutenant Elliott, +had kept out of the fight. Now it came sailing up before a freshening +breeze. + +As soon as Perry saw this fresh ship he made up his mind what to do. He +had a boat lowered with four men in it. His little brother leaped in +after them. Then he stepped aboard with the flag bearing Lawrence's +motto on his shoulder, and was rowed away to the _Niagara_. As soon as +the British saw this little boat on the water, with Perry standing +upright, wrapped in the flag he had fought for so bravely, they turned +all their guns and fired at it. Cannon and musket balls tore the water +round it. It looked as if nothing would save those devoted men from +death. + +"Sit down!" cried Perry's men. "We will stop rowing if you don't sit +down." + +So Perry sat down, and when a ball came crashing through the side of the +boat he took off his coat and plugged up the hole. + +Providence favored him and his men. They reached the _Niagara_ without +being hurt. The British had fired in vain. Perry sprang on board and +ordered the men to raise the flag. + +"How goes the day?" asked Lieutenant Elliott. + +"Bad enough," said Perry. "Why are the gunboats so far back?" + +"I will bring them up," said Elliott. + +"Do so," said Perry. + +Elliott jumped into the boat which Perry had just left, and rowed away. +Up to the mast-head went the great blue banner with the motto, "Don't +give up the ship." Signals were given for all the vessels to close in on +the enemy, and the _Niagara_ bore down under full sail. + +The _Lawrence_ was out of the fight. Rent and torn, with only a handful +of her crew on their feet, and not a gun that could be fired, her day +was done. Her flag was pulled down by the few men left to save +themselves. The British had no time to take possession, for the +_Niagara_ was on them, fresh for the fray, like a new horse in the race. + +Right through the British fleet this new ship went. Three of their ships +were on one side of her and two on the other, and all only a few yards +away. As she went her guns spoke out, sweeping their decks and tearing +through their timbers. + +The _Lawrence_ had already done her share of work on these vessels, and +this new pounding was more than they could stand. The other American +vessels also were pouring their shot into the foe. Flesh and blood could +not bear this. Men were falling like grass before the scythe. A man +sprang up on the rail of the _Detroit_ and waved a white flag to show +that they had surrendered. The great fight was over. The British had +given up. + +Perry announced his victory in words that have become historic: "We have +met the enemy and they are ours." + +This famous despatch was written with a pencil on the back of an old +letter, with his hat for a table. It was sent to General Harrison, who +commanded an army nearby. Harrison at once led his cheering soldiers +against the enemy, and gave them one of the worst defeats of the war. + +When the news of the victory spread over the country the people were +wild with joy. Congress thanked Perry and voted gold medals to him and +Elliott, and honors or rewards to all the officers and men. But over the +whole country it was thought that Elliott had earned disgrace instead of +a gold medal by keeping so long out of the fight. He said he had only +obeyed orders, but people thought that was a time to break orders. + +Perry was made a full captain by Congress. This was then the highest +rank in the navy. But he took no more part in the war. Six years later +he was sent with a squadron to South America, and there he took the +yellow fever and died. Thus passed away one of the most brilliant and +most famous officers of the American navy. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +COMMODORE PORTER GAINS GLORY IN THE PACIFIC + +THE GALLANT FIGHT OF THE "ESSEX" AGAINST GREAT ODDS + + +ANY of you who have read much of American history must have often met +with the names of Porter and Farragut. There are no greater names in our +naval history. There was Captain David Porter and his two gallant sons, +all men of fame. And the still more famous Admiral Farragut began his +career under the brave old captain of the War of 1812. + +I am going now to tell you about David Porter and the little _Essex_, a +ship whose name the British did not like to hear. And I have spoken of +Farragut from the fact that he began his naval career under Captain +Porter. + +Captain Porter was born in 1780, before the Revolution had ended. His +father was a sea-captain; and when the boy was sixteen years old, he +stood by his father's side on the schooner _Eliza_ and helped to fight +off a British press-gang which wanted to rob it of some of its sailors. +The press-gang was a company of men who seized men wherever they found +them, and dragged them into the British navy, where they were compelled +to serve as sailors or marines. It was a cruel and unjust way of getting +men, and the Americans resisted it wherever they could. In this +particular fight several men were killed and wounded, and the press-gang +thought it best to let the _Eliza_ alone. + +When the lad was seventeen he was twice seized by press-men and taken to +serve in the British navy, but both times he escaped. Then he joined the +American navy as a midshipman. + +Young Porter soon showed what was in him. In the naval war with France +he was put on a French prize that was full of prisoners who wanted to +seize the ship. For three days Porter helped to watch them, and in all +that time he did not take a minute's sleep. + +Afterward, in a pilot-boat, with fifteen men the boy hero attacked a +French privateer with forty men and a barge with thirty men. Porter, +with his brave fifteen, boarded the privateer and fought like a hero. +After more than half its crew were killed and wounded the privateer +surrendered. In this hard fight not one of Porter's men was hurt. + +That was only one of the things which young Porter did. When the war +with the pirates of Tripoli began, he was there, and again did some +daring deeds. He was on the _Philadelphia_ when that good ship ran +aground and was taken by the Moors, and he was held a prisoner till the +end of the war. Here you have an outline of the early history of David +Porter. + +When the War of 1812 broke out, he was made captain of the _Essex_. The +_Essex_ was a little frigate that had been built in the Revolution. It +was not fit to fight with the larger British frigates, but with David +Porter on its quarter-deck it was sure to make its mark. + +On the _Essex_ with him was a fine little midshipman, only eleven years +old, who had been brought up in the Porter family. His name was David G. +Farragut. I shall have a good story of him to tell you later on, for he +grew up to be one of the bravest and greatest men in the American navy. + +On July 2, 1812, only two weeks after war was declared, Porter was off +to sea in the _Essex_, on the hunt for prizes and glory. He got some +prizes, but it was more than a month before he had a chance for glory. +Then he came in sight of a British man-of-war, a sight that pleased him +very much. + +Up came the _Essex_, pretending to be a merchant ship and with the +British flag flying. That is one of the tricks which naval officers +play. They think it right to cheat an enemy. The stranger came bowling +down under full sail and fired a gun as a hint for the supposed +merchantman to stop. So the _Essex_ backed her sails and hove to until +the stranger had passed her stern. + +Porter was now where he had wanted to get. He had the advantage of the +wind--what sailors call the "weather-gage." So down came the British +flag and up went the Stars and Stripes: and the ports were thrown open, +showing the iron mouths of the guns, ready to bark. + +When the English sailors saw this they cheered loudly and ran to their +guns. They fired in their usual hasty fashion, making much noise but +doing no harm. Porter waited till he was ready to do good work, and then +fired a broadside that fairly staggered the British ship. + +The Englishman had not bargained for such a salute as this, and now +tried to run away. But the _Essex_ had the wind, and in eight minutes +was alongside. And in those eight minutes her guns were busy as guns +could be. Then down came the British flag. That was the shortest fight +in the war. + +The prize was found to be the corvette _Alert_. A corvette is a little +ship with not many guns. She was not nearly strong enough for the +_Essex_, and gave up when only three of her men were wounded. But she +had been shot so full of holes that she already had seven feet of water +in her hold and was in danger of sinking. It kept the men of the _Essex_ +busy enough to pump her out and stop up the holes, so that she should +not go to the bottom. Captain Porter did not want to lose his prize. He +came near losing it, and his ship too, in another way, as I have soon to +tell. + +You must remember that he had taken other prizes and sent them home with +some of his men. So he had a large number of prisoners, some of them +soldiers taken from one of his prizes. There were many more British on +board than there were Americans, and some of them formed a plot to +capture the ship. They might have done it, too, but for the little +midshipman, David Farragut. + +This little chap was lying in his hammock, when he saw an Englishman +come along with a pistol in his hand. This was the leader in the plot +who was looking around to see if all was ready for his men to break out +on the Americans. + +He came up to the hammock where the boy lay and looked in at him. The +bright young fellow then had his eyes tight shut and seemed to be fast +asleep. After looking a minute the man went away. The instant he was out +of sight up jumped the lad and ran to the captain's cabin. You may be +sure he did not take many words to tell what he had seen. + +Captain Porter knew there was no time to be lost. He sprang out of bed +in haste and ran to the deck. Here he gave a loud yell of "Fire! Fire!" + +In a minute the men came tumbling up from below like so many rats. They +had been trained what to do in case of a night-fire and every man ran to +his place. Captain Porter had even built fires that sent up volumes of +smoke, so as to make them quick to act and to steady their nerves. + +While the cry of fire roused the Americans, it scared the conspirators, +and before they could get back their wits the sailors were on them. It +did not take long to lock them up again. In that way Porter and Farragut +saved their ship. + +The time was coming in which he would lose his ship, but the way he lost +it brought him new fame. I must tell you how this came about. When the +_Constitution_ and the _Hornet_, as I have told you in another story, +were in the waters of Brazil, the _Essex_ was sent to join them. You +know what was done there, how the _Constitution_ whipped and sunk the +_Java_, and the _Hornet_ did the same for the _Peacock_. + +There was no such luck for the _Essex_, and after his fellow-ships had +gone north Captain Porter went cruising on his own account. In the +Pacific Ocean were dozens of British whalers and other ships. Here was +a fine field for prizes. So he set sail, went round the stormy Cape Horn +in a hurricane, and was soon in the great ocean of the west. + +I shall not tell you the whole story of this cruise. The _Essex_ here +was like a hawk among a flock of partridges. She took prize after prize, +until she had about a dozen valuable ships. + +When the news of what Porter was doing reached England, there was a sort +of panic. Something must be done with this fellow or he would clear the +Pacific of British trade. So a number of frigates were sent in the hunt +for him. They were to get him in any way they could. + +After a long cruise on the broad Pacific, the _Essex_ reached the port +of Valparaiso, on the coast of Chile, in South America. She had with her +one of her prizes, the _Essex Junior_. Here Porter heard that a British +frigate, the _Phoebe_, was looking for him. That pleased him. He wanted +to come across a British war-vessel, so he concluded to wait for her. He +was anxious for something more lively than chasing whaling ships. + +He was not there long before the _Phoebe_ came, and with her a small +warship, the _Cherub_. + +When the _Phoebe_ came in sight of the _Essex_ it sailed close up. Its +captain had been told that half the American crew were ashore, and very +likely full of Spanish wine. But when he got near he saw the Yankee +sailors at their guns and ready to fight. When he saw this he changed +his mind. He jumped on a gun and said:-- + +"Captain Hillyar's compliments to Captain Porter, and hopes he is well." + +"Very well, I thank you," said Porter. "But I hope you will not come too +near for fear some accident might take place which would be disagreeable +to you." + +"I had no intention of coming on board," said Captain Hillyar, when he +saw the look of things on the deck of the _Essex_. "I am sorry I came so +near you." + +"Well, you have no business where you are," said Porter. "If you touch a +rope yarn of this ship, I shall board instantly." + +With that the _Phoebe_ wore round and went off. It was a neutral port +and there was a good excuse for not fighting, but it was well for +Porter that he was ready. + +A few days later he heard that some other British ships were coming from +Valparaiso and he concluded to put to sea. He didn't want to fight a +whole fleet. But the wind treated him badly. As he sailed out a squall +struck the _Essex_ and knocked her maintopmast into the sea. Porter now +ran into a small bay near at hand and dropped anchor close to the shore. + +Here was the chance for the _Phoebe_ and the _Cherub_. They could stand +off and hammer the _Essex_ where she could not fire back. They had over +thirty long guns while the _Essex_ had only six, and only three of these +could be used. The rest of her guns were short ones that would not send +a ball far enough to reach the British ships. + +The _Essex_ was in a trap. The British began to pour solid iron into her +at the rate of nearly ten pounds to her one. For two hours this was kept +up. There was frightful slaughter on the _Essex_. Her men were falling +like dead leaves, but Porter would not yield. + +After this went on for some time there came a change in the wind, and +the _Essex_ spread what sail she had and tried to get nearer. But the +_Phoebe_ would not wait for her, but sailed away and kept pumping balls +into her. + +Soon the wind changed again. Now all hope was gone. The American crew +was being murdered and could not get near the British. Porter tried to +run his ship ashore, intending to fight to the last and then blow her +up. + +But the treacherous wind shifted again and he could not even reach the +shore. Dead and wounded men lay everywhere. Flames were rising in the +hold. Water was pouring into shot holes. The good ship had fought her +last and it was madness to go on. So at 6.20 o'clock, two and a half +hours after the fight began, her flag came down and the battle was over. + +The story of the cruise of the _Essex_ and her great struggle against +odds was written for us by her young midshipman--David Farragut. +President Roosevelt, in his Naval History of the War of 1812, says the +following true words about Captain Porter's brave fight: + +"As an exhibition of dogged courage it has never been surpassed since +the time when the Dutch Captain Keasoon, after fighting two long days, +blew up his disabled ship, devoting himself and all his crew to death, +rather than surrender to the hereditary foes of his race." Porter was +the man to do the same thing, but he felt he had no right to send all +his men to death. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +COMMODORE MACDONOUGH'S VICTORY ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN + +HOW GENERAL PREVOST AND THE BRITISH RAN AWAY + + +THE United States is a country rich in lakes. They might be named by the +thousands. But out of this host of lakes very few are known in history, +and of them all much the most famous is Lake Champlain. + +Do you wish to know why? Well, because this lake forms a natural +waterway from Canada down into the States. If you look on a map you will +see that Lake Champlain and Lake George stretch down nearly to the +Hudson River and that their waters flow north into the great St. +Lawrence River. So these lakes make the easiest way to send trade, and +troops as well, down from Canada into New York and New England. + +Now just let us take a look back in history. The very first battle in +the north of our country was fought on Lake Champlain. This was in 1609, +when Samuel de Champlain and his Indian friends came down this lake in +canoes to fight with the Iroquois tribes of New York. + +Then in 1756 the French and Indians did the same thing. They came in a +fleet of boats and canoes and fought the English on Lake George. Twenty +years afterward there was the fierce fight which General Arnold made on +this lake, of which I have told you. Later on General Burgoyne came down +Lakes Champlain and George with a great army. He never went back again, +for he and his army were taken prisoners by the brave Colonials. But the +last and greatest of all the battles on the lakes was that of 1814. It +is of this I am now about to tell you. + +You should know that the British again tried what they had done when +they sent Burgoyne down the lakes. This time it was Sir George Prevost +who was sent, with an army of more than 11,000 men, to conquer New York. +He didn't do it any more than Burgoyne did, for Lieutenant Thomas +MacDonough was in the way. I am going to tell you how the gallant +MacDonough stopped him. + +MacDonough was a young man, as Perry was. He had served, as a boy, in +the war with Tripoli. In 1806, when he was only twenty years old, he +gave a Yankee lesson to a British captain who wanted to carry off an +American sailor. + +This was at Gibraltar, where British guns were as thick as blackbirds; +but the young lieutenant took the man out of the English boat and then +dared the captain to try to take him back again. The captain blustered; +but he did not try, in spite of all his guns. + +In 1813 MacDonough was sent to take care of affairs on Lake Champlain. +No better man could have been sent. He did what Perry had done; he set +himself to build ships and get guns and powder and shot and prepare for +war. The British were building ships, too, for they wanted to be masters +of the lake before they sent their army down. So the sounds of the axe +and saw and hammer came before the sound of cannon on the lake. + +MacDonough did not let the grass grow under his feet. When he heard that +the British were building a big frigate, he set to work to build a +brig. The keel was laid on July 29, and she was launched on August +16--only eighteen days! There must have been some lively jumping about +in the wildwoods shipyard just then. + +The young commander had no time to waste, for the British were coming. +The great war in Europe with Napoleon was over and England had plenty of +ships and men to spare. A flock of her white-winged frigates came +sailing over the ocean and swarmed like bees along our coast. And an +army of the men who had fought against Napoleon was sent to Canada to +invade New York. It was thought the Yankees could not stand long before +veterans like these. + +Down marched the British army and down sailed the British fleet. But +MacDonough was not caught napping. He was ready for the British ships +when they came. + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN--MACDONOUGH'S VICTORY.] + +And now, before the battle begins, let us give a few names and figures; +for these are things you must know. The Americans had four vessels and +ten gunboats. The vessels were the ship _Saratoga_, the brig _Eagle_, +the schooner _Ticonderoga_, and the sloop _Preble_. The British had +the frigate _Confiance_, larger than any of the American ships, the brig +_Linnet_, the sloops _Chubb_ and _Finch_, and thirteen gunboats. And the +British were better off for guns and men, though the difference was not +great. Such were the two fleets that came together on a bright Sunday on +September 11, 1814, to see which should be master of Lake Champlain. + +The American ships were drawn up across Plattsburg Bay, and up this bay +came the British fleet to attack them, just as Carleton's vessels had +come up to attack Arnold forty years before. + +At Plattsburg was the British army, and opposite, across Saranac River, +lay a much smaller force of American regulars and militia. They could +easily see the ships, but they were too busy for that, for the soldiers +were fighting on land while the sailors were fighting on water. Bad work +that for a sunny September Sunday, wasn't it? + +MacDonough had stretched his ships in a line across the bay, and had +anchors down at bow and stern, with ropes tied to the anchor chains so +that the ships could be swung round easily. Remember that, for that won +him the battle. + +It was still early in the day when the British came sailing up, firing +as soon as they came near enough. These first shots did no harm, but +they did a comical thing. One of them struck a hen-coop on the +_Saratoga_, in which one of the sailors kept a fighting cock. The coop +was knocked to pieces, and into the rigging flew the brave cock, +flapping his wings at the British vessels and crowing defiance to them, +while the sailors laughed and cheered. + +But the battle did not fairly begin until the great frigate _Confiance_ +came up and dropped anchor a few hundred yards from the _Saratoga_. Then +she blazed away with all the guns on that side of her deck. + +This was a terrible broadside, the worst any American ship had felt in +the whole war. Every shot hit the _Saratoga_ and tore through her +timbers, sending splinters flying like hail. So frightful was the shock +that nearly half the crew were thrown to the deck. About forty of them +did not get up again; they were either killed or wounded. A few +broadsides like that would have ended the fight, for it would have left +the _Saratoga_ without men. + +On both sides now the cannon roared and the shots flew, but the British +guns were the best and the Americans had the worst of it. The commodore +was knocked down twice. The last time he was hit with the head of a man +that had been shot off and came whirling through the air. + +"The commodore is killed!" cried the men; but in a trice he was up +again, and aiming and firing one of his own guns. + +This dreadful work went on for two hours. All that time the two biggest +British vessels were pelting the _Saratoga_, and the other American +ships were not helping her much. Red-hot shots were fired, which set her +on fire more than once. + +At the end MacDonough had not a single gun left to fire back. It looked +as if all was up with the Americans, all of whose ships were being +battered by the enemy. But Commodore MacDonough was not yet at the end +of his plans. He now cut loose his stern anchor and bade his men pull on +the rope that led to the bow anchor. In a minute the ship began to +swing round. Soon she had a new side turned to the foe. Not a gun had +been fired on this side. When the British captain saw what the Americans +were doing he tried the same thing. But it did not work as well with +him. The _Confiance_ began to swing round, but when she got her stern +turned to the Americans she stuck fast. Pull and haul as they might, the +sailors could not move her another inch. + +Here was a splendid chance for the men on the _Saratoga_. They poured +their broadsides into the stern of the _Confiance_ and raked her from +end to end, while her position was a helpless one. The men fled from the +guns. The ship was being torn into splinters. No hope for her was left. +She could not fire a gun. Her captain was dead, but her lieutenant saw +that all was over, and down came her flag. + +Then the _Saratoga_ turned on the brig _Linnet_ and served her in the +same fashion. + +That ended the battle. The two sloops had surrendered before, the +gunboats were driven away by the _Ticonderoga_, and the hard fight was +done. Once more the Americans were victors. Perry had won one lake. +MacDonough had won another. + +And that was not the whole of it. For as soon as the American soldiers +saw the British flag down and the Stars and Stripes still afloat, they +set up a shout that rang back from the Vermont hills. + +Sir George Prevost, though he had an army of veterans twice as strong as +the American army of militia, broke camp and sneaked away under cover of +a storm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +FOUR NAVAL HEROES IN ONE CHAPTER + +FIGHTS WITH THE PIRATES OF THE GULF AND THE CORSAIRS OF THE +MEDITERRANEAN + + +WE have so far been reading the story of legal warfare; now let us turn +to that of the wild warfare of the pirate ships. Pirates swarmed during +and after the War of 1812, and the United States had its hands full in +dealing with them. They haunted the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean +Sea, and they went back to their old bad work in the Mediterranean. They +kept our naval leaders busy enough for a number of years. + +The first we shall speak of are the Lafittes, the famous sea-rovers of +the Gulf of Mexico. Those men had their hiding places in the lowlands of +Louisiana, where there are reedy streams and grassy islands by the +hundreds, winding in and out in a regular network. From these lurking +places the pirate ships would dash out to capture vessels and then hurry +back to their haunts. + +The Lafittes (Jean and Pierre) had a whole fleet of pirate ships, and +were so daring that they walked the streets of New Orleans as if that +city belonged to them, and boldly sold their stolen goods in its marts, +and nobody meddled with them. + +But the time came when they were attacked in their haunts and the whole +gang was broken up. This was near the end of the war, when the +government had some ships to spare. After that they helped General +Jackson in the celebrated battle of New Orleans, and fought so well that +they were forgiven and were thanked for their services. + +When the War of 1812 was over many of the privateers became pirates. A +privateer, you know, is something like a pirate. He robs one nation, +while a pirate robs all. So hundreds of those men became sea-robbers. + +After 1814 the seas of the West Indies were full of pirates. There was +no end of hiding places among the thousand islands of these seas, where +the pirates could bring their prizes and enjoy their wild revels. The +warm airs, the ripe fruits and wild game of those shores made life easy +and pleasant, and prizes were plentiful on the seas. + +When the war ended the United States gained a fine trade with the West +Indies. But many of the ships that sailed there did not come home again, +though there were no hurricanes to sink them. And some that did come +home had been chased by ships that spread the rovers' black flag. So it +was plain enough that pirates were at work. + +For years they had it their own way, with no one to trouble them. The +government for years let them alone. But in time they grew so daring +that in 1819 a squadron of warships was sent after them, under Commodore +Perry, the hero of Lake Erie. Poor Perry caught the yellow fever and +died, and his ships came home without doing anything. + +After that the pirates were let alone for two years. Now-a-days they +would not have been let alone for two weeks, but things went more slowly +then. No doubt the merchants who sent cargoes to sea complained of the +dreadful doings of the pirates, but the government did not trouble +itself much, and the sea-robbers had their own way until 1821. + +By that time it was felt that something must be done, and a small fleet +of pirate hunters was sent to the West Indies. It included the famous +sloop-of-war _Hornet_, the one which had fought the _Peacock_, and the +brig _Enterprise_, which Decatur had been captain of in the Moorish war. + +The pirates were brave enough when they had only merchant ships to deal +with, but they acted like cowards when they found warships on their +track. They fled in all directions, and many of their ships and barges +were taken. After that they kept quiet for a time, but soon they were at +their old work again. + +In 1823 Captain David Porter, he who had fought so well in the _Essex_, +was sent against them. The brave young Farragut was with him. He brought +a number of barges and small vessels, so that he could follow the +sea-robbers into their hiding places. + +One of these places was found at Cape Cruz, on Porto Rico. Here the +pirate captain and his men fought like tigers, and the captain's wife +stood by his side and fought as fiercely as he did. After the fight was +over the sailors found a number of caves used by the pirates. In some of +them were great bales of goods, and in others heaps of human bones. All +this told a dreadful story of robbery and murder. + +Another fight took place at a haunt of pirates on the coast of Cuba, +where Lieutenant Allen, a navy officer, had been killed the year before +in an attack on the sea-robbers. + +Here there were over seventy pirates and only thirty-one Americans. But +the sailors cried "Remember Allen!" and dashed so fiercely at the pirate +vessels, that the cowardly crews jumped overboard and tried to swim +ashore. But the hot-blooded sailors rowed in among them and cut fiercely +with their cutlasses, so that hardly any of them escaped. Their leader, +who was named Diabolito, or "Little Devil," was one of the killed. + +In this way the pirate hordes were broken up, after they had robbed and +murdered among the beautiful West India islands for many years. After +that defeat they gave no more trouble. Among the pirates was Jean +Lafitte, one of the Lafitte brothers, of whose doings you have read +above. After the battle of New Orleans he went to Texas, and in time +became a pirate captain again. As late as 1822 his name was the terror +of the Gulf. Then he disappeared and no one knew what had become of him. +He may have died in battle or have gone down in storm. + +But the pirates of the West Indies and the Gulf were not the only ones +the United States had to deal with. You have read the story of the +Moorish corsairs and of the fighting at Tripoli. Now I have something +more to tell about them; for when they heard that the United States was +at war with England, they tried their old tricks again, capturing +American sailors and selling them for slaves. + +They had their own way until the war was over. Then two squadrons of war +vessels were sent to the Mediterranean, one under Commodore Bainbridge, +who had commanded the _Constitution_ when she fought the _Java_, and the +other under Commodore Decatur, the gallant sailor who had burned the +_Philadelphia_ in the harbor of Tripoli. + +Decatur got there first, and it did not take him long to bring the Moors +to their senses. The trouble this time was with Algiers, not with +Tripoli. Algiers was one of the strongest of the Moorish states. + +On the 15th of June, 1815, Decatur came in sight of the most powerful of +the Algerine ships, a forty-six gun frigate, the _Mashouda_. Its +commander was Rais Hammida, a fierce and daring fellow, who was called +"the terror of the Mediterranean." He had risen from the lowest to the +highest place in the navy, and had often shown his valor in battle. But +his time for defeat had now come. + +When the Moorish admiral found himself amid a whole squadron of American +warships, he set sail with all speed and made a wild dash for Algiers. +But he had faster ships in his track and was soon headed off. + +The bold fellow had no chance at all, with half-a-dozen great ships +around him, but he made a fine fight for his life. He did not save +either his ship or his life, for a cannon ball cut him squarely in two; +and when his lieutenant tried to run away, he came across the brig +_Epervier_, which soon settled him. But the _Mashouda_ had made a good +fight against big odds, and deserved praise. + +After that another Algerian ship was taken, and then Decatur sailed for +Algiers. When he made signals the captain of the port came out. A +black-bearded, high and mighty fellow he was. + +"Where is your navy?" asked Decatur. + +"It's all right," said the Algerian, "safe in some friendly port." + +"Not all of it, I fancy," said Decatur. "I have your frigate _Mashouda_ +and your brig _Estido_, and your admiral Hammida is killed." + +"I don't believe it," said the Algerian. + +"I can easily prove it," said Decatur, and he sent for the first +lieutenant of the _Mashouda_. + +When the captain of the port saw him and heard his story, he changed his +tone. His haughty manner passed away, and he begged that fighting should +cease until a treaty could be made on shore. + +"Fighting will not cease until I have the treaty," said Decatur, +sternly; "and a treaty will not be made anywhere but on board my ship." + +And so it was. The captain of the port came out next day with authority +to make a treaty. But the captain did not want to return the property +taken from the American ships, saying that it had been scattered among +many hands. + +"I can't help that. It must be returned or paid for," said Decatur. + +Then the captain did not want to pay $10,000 for a vessel that had been +captured, and he wanted tribute from the United States. He told Decatur +what a great man his master, "Omar the Terrible," was, and asked for a +three hours truce. + +"Not a minute," said Decatur. "If your ships appear before the treaty is +signed by the Dey, and the American prisoners are on board my ship, I +shall capture every one of them." + +The only concession Decatur would make was to promise to return the +_Mashouda_. But this was to be taken as a gift from the Americans to the +Dey, and as such it must not appear in the treaty. The Algerian, finding +that all his eloquence was wasted on the unyielding Yankee, hurried +ashore with the treaty, arranging to display a white flag in case of its +being signed. + +An hour after he left an Algerian man-of-war was seen out to sea, and +the American vessels got ready for action. But before anything was done +the captain of the port came out with a white flag. He brought the +treaty and the prisoners. That ended the trouble with Algiers. When the +ten freed captives reached the deck some knelt down and gave thanks to +God, while others hastened to kiss the American flag. + +Then Decatur sailed to Tunis and Tripoli and made their rulers come to +terms. From that day to this no American ship has been troubled by the +corsairs of Barbary. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +COMMODORE PERRY OPENS JAPAN TO THE WORLD + +AN HEROIC DEED WITHOUT BLOODSHED + + +THERE are victories of peace as well as of war. Of course, you do not +need to be told that. Everybody knows it. And it often takes as much +courage to win these victories as it does those of war. I am going now +to tell you of one of the greatest victories ever won by an American +naval hero, and without firing a gun. + +Not far away from the great empire of China lies the island empire of +Japan. Here the map shows us three or four large islands, but there are +many hundreds of small ones, and in and out among them flow the smiling +blue waters of the great Pacific Ocean. + +The people of Japan, like the people of China, for a long time did not +like foreigners and did not want anything to do with them. But that was +the fault of the foreigners themselves. For at first these people were +glad to have strangers come among them, and treated them kindly, and let +missionaries land and try to make Christians of them. But the Christian +teachers were not wise; for they interfered with the government as well +as with the faith of the people. + +The Japanese soon grew angry at this. In the end they drove all the +strangers away and killed all the Christian converts they could find. +Then laws were made to keep all foreigners out of the country. They let +a Dutch ship come once a year to bring some foreign goods to the seaport +of Nagasaki, but they treated these Dutch traders as if they were of no +account. And thus it continued in Japan for nearly three hundred years. + +The Japanese did not care much for the Dutch goods, but they liked to +hear, now and then, what was going on in the world. Once a year they let +some of the Dutch visit the capital, but these had to crawl up to the +emperor on their hands and knees and crawl out backward like crabs. They +must have wanted the Japanese trade badly to do that. + +When a vessel happened to be wrecked on the coast of Japan, the sailors +were held as prisoners and there was much trouble to get them off; and +when Japanese were wrecked and sent home, no thanks were given. They +were looked upon as no longer Japanese. + +The Russians had seaports in Siberia, which made them near neighbors to +Japan, so they tried to make friends with the Japanese. But the island +people would have nothing to do with them. Captain Golownin, of the +Russian navy, landed on one of the islands; but he was taken prisoner +and kept for a long time and treated cruelly. That was the way things +went in Japan till 1850 had come and passed. + +It took the Yankees to do what the Dutch and the Russians had failed in +doing. After the war with Mexico, thousands of Americans went to +California and other parts of the Pacific coast, and trading ships grew +numerous on that great ocean. It was felt to be time that Japan should +be made to open her ports to the commerce of the nations, and the United +States tried to do it. + +Captain Matthew Calbraith Perry was selected for this great work. +Captain Perry was a brother of Oliver H. Perry, the hero of Lake Erie. +He was a lieutenant in that war, but he commanded a ship in the war with +the pirates and the Mexican war. In 1852 he was given the command of a +commodore and sent out with a fine squadron to Japan. He took with him a +letter from the President to the Tycoon, or military ruler, of Japan. + +On the 8th of July, 1853, the eyes of many of the Japanese opened wide +when they saw four fine vessels sailing grandly up the broad Bay of +Yeddo, where such a sight had never been seen before. As late as 1850 +the ruler of Japan had sent word to foreign nations that he would have +nothing to do with them or their people, and now here came these daring +ships. + +These ships were the steam frigates _Mississippi_ and _Susquehanna_, and +the sailing ships _Saratoga_ and _Plymouth_ of the United States Navy, +under command of Commodore Perry. + +Have you ever disturbed an ant-hill, and seen the ants come running out +in great haste to learn what was wrong? It was much like that on the Bay +of Yeddo. Thousands of Japanese gathered on the shores or rowed out on +the bay to gaze at this strange sight. The great steamships, gliding on +without sails, were a wonderful spectacle to them. + +As the ships came on, boats put out with flags and carrying men who wore +two swords. This meant that they were of high station. They wanted to +climb into the ships and order the daring commodore to turn around and +go back, but none of them were allowed to set foot on board. + +"Our commodore is a great dignitary," they were told. "He cannot meet +small folk like you. He will only speak with one of your great men, who +is his equal." + +And so the ropes which were fastened to the ships were cut, and those +who tried to climb on board were driven back, and these two-sworded +people had to row away as they had come. + +This made them think that the American commodore must be a very big man +indeed. So a more important man came out; but he was stopped too, and +asked his business. He showed an order for the ships to leave the harbor +at once, but was told that they had come there on business and would not +leave till their business was done. + +After some more talk they let this man come on board, but a lieutenant +was sent to talk with him as his equal in rank. He said he was the +vice-governor of the district, and that the law of Japan forbade +foreigners to come to any port but that of Nagasaki, where the Dutch +traders came. + +The lieutenant replied that such talk was not respectful; that they had +come with a letter from the President of the United States to the +Emperor of Japan; and that they would deliver it where they were and +nowhere else. And it would be given only to a prince of the highest +rank. + +Then he was told that the armed boats that were gathering about the ship +must go away. If they did not they would be driven away with cannon. +When the vice-governor heard this he ordered the boats away, and soon +followed them himself. He was told that if the governor did not receive +the letter the ships would go up the bay to Yeddo, the capital, and send +it up to the Emperor in his palace. + +The next day the governor of the district came. Two captains were sent +to talk with him. He did not want to receive the letter either, and +tried every way he could to avoid taking it. After some talk he asked +if he might have four days to send and get permission of the Tycoon, who +was the acting but not the real emperor of Japan. + +"No," he was told. "Three days will be plenty of time, for Yeddo is not +far off. If the answer does not come then, we will steam up to the city, +and our commodore will go to the Emperor's palace for the answer." + +The governor was frightened at this, so he agreed upon the three days +and went ashore. + +During those three days the ships were not idle. They sent parties in +boats to survey the bay. All along the shores were villages full of +people, and fishing boats and trading vessels were on the waters by +hundreds. There were forts on shore, but they were poor affairs, with a +few little cannon, and soldiers carrying spears. And canvas was +stretched from tree to tree as if it would keep back cannon-balls. The +sailors laughed when they saw this. + +The governor said that they ought not to survey the waters; it was +against the laws of Japan. But they kept at it all the same. The boats +went ten miles up the bay, and the _Mississippi_ steamed after them. +Government boats came out, and signs were made for them to go back; but +they paid no attention to these signs. + +When the three days were ended the good news came that the Emperor would +receive the letter. He would send one of his high officers for it. An +answer would be returned through the Dutch or the Chinese. Commodore +Perry said this was an insult, and he would not take an answer from +them, but would come back for it himself. + +So, on the 14th of July the President's letter was received. It was +written in the most beautiful manner, on the finest paper, and was in a +golden box of a thousand dollars in value. It asked for a treaty of +commerce between the two countries, and for kind treatment of American +sailors. + +So far none of the Japanese had seen the Commodore, and they thought he +must be a very great man. Now he went ashore with much dignity, with +several hundred officers and men, and with bands playing and cannon +roaring. There were two princes of the empire to receive him, splendidly +dressed in embroidered robes of silk. + +The Commodore was carried in a fine sedan-chair, beside which walked two +gigantic negroes, dressed in gorgeous uniform and armed with swords and +pistols. Two other large, handsome negroes carried the golden letter +case. + +A beautiful scarlet box was brought by the Japanese to receive this. It +was put in the box with much ceremony, and a receipt was given. Then the +interpreter said: + +"Nothing more can be done now. The letter has been received and you must +leave." + +"I shall come back for the answer," said Commodore Perry. + +"With all the ships?" + +"Yes, and likely with more." + +Not another word was said, and the Commodore rose and returned to the +ship. The next day he sailed up the bay until only eight or ten miles +from the capital. On the 16th, the Japanese officials were glad to see +the foreign ships, with their proud Commodore, sailing away. The visit +had caused them great anxiety and trouble of mind. + +Commodore Perry did not come back till February of the next year. Then +he had a larger fleet; nine ships in all. And he went farther up the +bay than before and anchored opposite the village of Yokohama. This +village has now grown into a large city. + +The Emperor's answer was ready, but there was much ceremony before it +was delivered. There were several receptions, and at one of these the +presents which Commodore Perry had brought were delivered. These were +fine cloths, firearms, plows, and various other articles. The most +valuable were a small locomotive and a railroad car. These were run in a +circular track that was set up, and the Japanese looked on with wonder. +Also a telegraph wire was set up and operated. This interested the +Japanese more than anything else, but they took care not to show any +surprise. + +In the Emperor's reply, he agreed that the American ships should be +supplied with provisions and water, and that shipwrecked sailors should +be kindly treated. And he also agreed to open to American ships another +port besides that of Nagasaki, where the Dutch were received. The +Commodore was not satisfied with this, and finally two new ports were +opened to American commerce. And the Americans were given much more +freedom to go about than was given to the Dutch or the Chinese. They +refused to be treated like slaves. + +When it was all settled and the treaties were exchanged, Commodore Perry +gave an elegant dinner on his flagship to the Japanese princes and +officials. They enjoyed the American food greatly, but what they liked +most was champagne wine, which they had never tasted before. One little +Japanese got so merry with drinking this, that he sprang up and embraced +the Commodore like a brother. Perry bore this with great good-humor. + +But just think of the importance of all this! For three centuries the +empire of Japan had been shut like a locked box against the nations. Now +the box was unlocked, and the people of the nations were free to come +and go. For treaties were soon made with other countries, and the island +empire was thrown open to the commerce of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +CAPTAIN INGRAHAM TEACHES AUSTRIA A LESSON + +OUR NAVY UPHOLDS THE RIGHTS OF AN AMERICAN IN A FOREIGN LAND + + +NOW I have a story to tell you about how this country looks after its +citizens abroad. It is not a long story, but it is a good one, and +Americans have been proud of Captain Ingraham ever since his gallant +act. + +In 1848 there was a great rebellion in Hungary against Austria. Some +terrible fighting took place and then it was put down with much cruelty +and slaughter. The Austrian government tried to seize all the leaders of +the Hungarian patriots and put them to death, but several of them +escaped to Turkey and took refuge in the City of Smyrna. Among these was +the celebrated Louis Kossuth, and another man named Koszta. + +Austria asked Turkey to give these men up, but the Sultan of Turkey +refused to do so. Soon after that Koszta came to the United States, and +there in 1852 he took the first step towards becoming an American +citizen. He was sure that the United States would take care of its +citizens. And he found out that it would. + +The next year he had to go back to Smyrna on some business. That was not +a safe place for him. The Austrians hated him as they did all the +Hungarian patriots. They did not ask Turkey again to give him up, but +there was an Austrian warship, the _Huszar_, in the harbor, and a plot +was made to seize Koszta and take him on board this ship. Then he could +easily be carried to Austria and put to death as a rebel. + +One day, while Koszta was sitting quietly in the Marina, a public place +in Smyrna, he was seized by a number of Greeks, who had been hired to do +so by the Austrian consul. They bound him with ropes and carried him on +board the _Huszar_. + +It looked bad now for poor Koszta, for he was in the hands of his +enemies. It is said that the Archduke John, brother of the Emperor of +Austria, was captain of the ship. By his orders iron fetters were +riveted on the ankles and wrists of Koszta, and he was locked up in the +ship as one who had committed a great crime. + +But a piece of great good fortune for the prisoner happened, for the +next day the _St. Louis_, an American sloop-of-war, came sailing into +the harbor. Captain Duncan N. Ingraham, who had been a midshipman in the +War of 1812, was in command. + +He was just the man to be there. He was soon told what had taken place, +and that the prisoner claimed to be an American, and he at once sent an +officer to the _Huszar_ and asked if he could see Koszta. He was told +that he might do so. + +Captain Ingraham went to the Austrian ship and had an interview with the +prisoner, who told him his story, and said that he had taken the first +step to become a citizen of the United States. He begged the captain to +protect him. + +Captain Ingraham was satisfied that Koszta had a just claim to the +protection of the American flag, and asked the Austrians to release him. +They refused to do so, and he then wrote to Mr. Brown, the American +consul at Constantinople and asked him what he should do. + +Before he could get an answer a squadron of Austrian warships, six in +number, came gliding into the harbor, and dropped anchor near the +_Huszar_. It looked worse than ever now for poor Koszta, for what could +the little _St. Louis_ do against seven big ships? But Captain Ingraham +did not let that trouble him. In his mind right was stronger than might, +and he was ready to fight ten to one for the honor of his flag. + +While he was waiting for an answer from Consul Brown he saw that the +_Huszar_ was getting ready to leave the harbor. Her anchor was drawn up +and her sails were set. Ingraham made up his mind that if the _Huszar_ +left, it would have to be over the wreck of the _St. Louis_. He spread +his sails in a hurry and drove his sloop-of-war right in the track of +the Austrian ship. Then he gave orders to his men to make ready for a +fight. + +When Archduke John saw the gun-ports of the _St. Louis_ open he brought +his ship to a standstill and Captain Ingraham went on board. + +"What do you intend to do?" he asked. + +"To sail for home," said the Austrian. "Our consul orders us to take our +prisoner to Austria." + +"You must pardon me," said Captain Ingraham, "but if you try to leave +this port with that American I shall be compelled to resort to extreme +measures." + +That was a polite way of saying that Koszta should not be taken away if +he could prevent it. + +The Austrian looked at the six ships of his nation that lay near him. +Then he looked at the one American ship. Then a pleasant smile came on +his face. + +"I fear I shall have to go on, whether it is to your liking or not," he +said, in a very polite tone. + +Captain Ingraham made no answer. He bowed to the Archduke and then +descended into his boat and returned to the _St. Louis_. + +"Clear the ship for action!" he ordered. The tars sprang to their +stations, the ports were opened, and the guns thrust out. There was many +a grim face behind them. + +The Archduke stared when he saw these black-mouthed guns. He was in the +wrong and he knew it. And he saw that the American meant business. He +could soon settle the little _St. Louis_ with his seven ships. But the +great United States was behind that one ship, and war might be behind +all that. + +So the Archduke took the wisest course, turned his ship about, and +sailed back. Then he sent word to Ingraham that he would wait till +Consul Brown's answer came. + +The Consul's reply came on July 1. It said that Captain Ingraham had +done just right, and advised him to go on and stand for the honor of his +country. + +The daring American now took a bold step. He sent a note to the +Archduke, demanding the release of Koszta. And he said that if the +prisoner was not sent on board the _St. Louis_ by four o'clock the next +afternoon, he would take him from the Austrians by force of arms. + +A refusal came back from the Austrian ship. They would not give up their +prisoner, they said. Now it looked like war indeed. Captain Ingraham +waited till eight o'clock the next morning, and then he had his decks +cleared for action and brought his guns to bear on the _Huszar_. The +seven Austrian ships turned their guns on the _St. Louis_. The train was +laid; a spark might set it off. + +At ten o'clock an Austrian officer came on board the _St. Louis_. He +began to talk round the subject. Ingraham would not listen to him. It +must be one thing or nothing. + +"All I will agree to is to have the man given into the care of the +French consul at Smyrna till you can hear from your government," he +said. "But he must be delivered there or I will take him. I have stated +the time at four o'clock this afternoon." + +The Austrian went back. When twelve o'clock came a boat left the +_Huszar_ and was rowed in shore. An hour later the French consul sent +word to Captain Ingraham that Koszta had been put under his charge. +Captain Ingraham had won. Soon after, several of the Austrian ships got +under way and left the harbor. They had tried to scare Captain Ingraham +by a show of force, but they had tried in vain. + +When news of the event reached the United States everybody cheered the +spirit of Captain Ingraham. He had given Europe a new idea of what the +rights of an American citizen meant. The diplomats now took up the case +and long letters passed between Vienna and Washington. But in the end +Austria acknowledged that the United States was right, and sent an +apology. + +As for Koszta, the American flag gave him life and liberty. Since then +American citizenship has been respected everywhere. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE "MONITOR" AND THE "MERRIMAC" + +A FIGHT WHICH CHANGED ALL NAVAL WARFARE. + + +THE story I am now going to tell you takes us forward to the beginning +of the great Civil War, that terrible conflict which went on during four +long years between the people of the North and the South. Most of this +war was on land, but there were some mighty battles at sea, and my story +is of one of the greatest of these. + +You should know that up to 1860 all ocean battles were fought by ships +with wooden sides, through which a ball from a great gun would often cut +as easily as a knife through a piece of cheese. Some vessels had been +built with iron overcoats, but none of these had met in war. It was not +till March, 1862, that the first battle between ships with iron sides +took place. + +The _Constitution_, you may remember, was called the _Old Ironsides_, +but that was only a nickname, for she had wooden sides, and the first +real Ironsides were the _Monitor_ and the _Merrimac_. + +Down in Virginia there is a great body of salt water known as Hampton +Roads. The James River runs into it, and so does the Elizabeth River, a +small stream which flows past the old City of Norfolk. + +When the Civil War opened there was at Norfolk a fine United States navy +yard, with ships and guns and docks that had cost a great deal of money. +But soon after the war began the United States officers in charge there +ran away in a fright, having first set on fire everything that would +burn. Among the ships there was the old frigate _Merrimac_, which was +being repaired. This was set on fire, and blazed away brightly until it +sank to the bottom and the salt water put out the blaze. That was a very +bad business, for there was enough left of the old _Merrimac_ to make a +great deal of trouble for the United States. + +What did the Confederates do but lift the _Merrimac_ out of the mud, and +put her in the dry dock, and cut away the burnt part, and build over +her a sloping roof of timbers two feet thick, until she looked something +like Noah's ark. Then this was covered with iron plates four inches +thick. In that way the first Confederate iron-clad ship was made. + +The people at Washington knew all about this ship and were very much +alarmed. No one could tell what dreadful damage it might do if it got +out to sea, and came up Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to the +national capital. It might be much worse than when the British burnt +Washington in 1814, for Washington was now a larger and finer city. + +Something had to be done, and right away, too. It would not do to wait +for a monster like the _Merrimac_. So Captain John Ericsson, a famous +engineer of New York, was ordered to build an iron ship-of-war as fast +as he could. And he started to do so after a queer notion of his own. + +That is the way it came about that the two iron ships were being built +at once, one at Norfolk and one at New York. And there was a race +between the builders, for the first one finished would have the best +chance. There was a lively rattle of hammers and tongs at both places, +and it turned out that they were finished and ready for service only a +few days apart. + +It was necessary to tell you all this so that you might know how the +great fight came to be fought, and how Washington was saved from the +iron dragon of the South. Now we are done with our story of +ship-building and must go on to the story of battle and ruin. + +On the morning of March 8, 1862, the sun came up beautifully over the +broad waters of Hampton Roads. The bright sunbeams lit up the sails of a +row of stately vessels stretched out for miles over the smiling bay. +There were five of these: the steam frigates _St. Lawrence_, _Roanoke_, +and _Minnesota_; the sailing frigate _Congress_; and the sloop-of-war +_Cumberland_. They were all wooden ships, but were some of the best +men-of-war in the United States navy. + +All was still and quiet that fine morning. There was nothing to show +that there was any trouble on board those noble ships. But there was +alarm enough, for their captains knew that the _Merrimac_ was finished +and might come at any hour. Very likely some of the officers thought +that they could soon decide matters for this clumsy iron monster. But I +fancy some of them did not sleep well and had bad dreams when they +thought of what might happen. + +Just at the hour of noon the lookout on the _Cumberland_ saw a long +black line of smoke coming from the way of Norfolk. Soon three steamers +were seen. One of these did not look like a ship at all, but like a low +black box, from which the smoke puffed up in a thick cloud. + +But they knew very well what this odd-looking craft was. It was the +_Merrimac_. It had come out for a trial trip. But it was a new kind of +trial its men were after: the trial by battle. + +Down came the iron-clad ship, with her sloping roof black in the +sunlight. Past the _Congress_ she went, both ships firing. But the great +guns of the _Congress_ did no more harm than so many pea-shooters; while +the shot of the _Merrimac_ went clear through the wooden ships, leaving +death in their track. + +Then the iron monster headed for the _Cumberland_. That was a terrible +hour for the men on the neat little sloop-of-war. They worked for their +lives, loading and firing, and firing as fast as they could, but not a +shot went through that grim iron wall. + +In a few minutes the _Merrimac_ came gliding up and struck the +_Cumberland_ a frightful blow with her iron nose, tearing through the +thick oaken timbers and making a great hole in her side. Then she backed +off and the water rushed in. + +In a minute the good ship began to sink, while the _Merrimac_ poured +shot and shell into her wounded ribs. + +"Do you surrender?" asked one of the officers of the _Merrimac_. + +"Never!" said Lieutenant Morris, who commanded the _Cumberland_. "I'll +sink alongside before I pull down that flag." + +He was a true Yankee seaman; one of the "no surrender" kind. + +Down, inch by inch, settled the doomed ship. But her men stuck grimly to +their guns, and fired their last shot just as she sank out of sight. +Then all who had not saved themselves in the boats leaped overboard and +swam ashore, but a great many of the dead and wounded went down with the +ship. + +She sank like a true Yankee hero, with her flag flying, and when she +struck bottom, with only the tops of her masts above water, "Old Glory" +still fluttered proudly in the breeze. + +That was the way it went when iron first met wood in naval warfare. The +victor now turned to the _Congress_ and another fierce battle began. But +the wooden ship had no chance. For an hour her men fought bravely, but +her great guns were of no use, and a white flag was raised. She had +surrendered, but the Confederates could not take possession, for there +were batteries on shore that drove them off. So they fired hot shot into +the _Congress_ and soon she was in a blaze. + +It was now five o'clock in the afternoon, and the _Merrimac_ steamed +away with the Confederate flag flying in triumph. She had finished her +work for that day. It was a famous trial trip. She would come back the +next and sink the vessels still afloat--if nothing hindered. + +For hours that night the _Congress_ blazed like a mighty torch, the +flames lighting up the water and land for miles around. It was after +midnight when the fire reached her magazine and she blew up with a +terrific noise, scattering her timbers far and near. The men on the +_Merrimac_ looked proudly at the burning ship. It was a great triumph +for them. But they saw one thing by her light they did not like so well. +Off towards Fortress Monroe there lay in the water a strange-looking +thing, which had not been there an hour before. What queer low ship was +that? And where had it come from? + +The sun rose on the morning of Sunday, March 9, and an hour later the +_Merrimac_ was again under way to finish her work. Not far from where +the _Congress_ had burnt lay the _Minnesota_. She had run aground and +looked like an easy prey. But close beside her was the floating thing +they had observed the night before, the queerest-looking craft that had +ever been seen. + +Everybody opened their eyes wide and stared as at a show when they saw +this strange object. They called it "a cheese box on a raft," and that +was a good name for its queer appearance. For the deck was nearly on a +level with the water, and over its centre rose something like a round +iron box. But it had two great guns sticking out of its tough sides. + +It was the _Monitor_, the new vessel which Captain Ericsson had built +and sent down to fight the _Merrimac_. But none who saw this little low +thing thought it could stand long before the great Confederate +iron-clad. It looked a little like a slim tiger or leopard before a +great rhinoceros or elephant. The men on the _Merrimac_ did not seem to +think it worth minding, for they came steaming up and began firing at +the _Minnesota_ when they were a mile away. + +Then away from the side of the great frigate glided the little +_Monitor_, heading straight for her clumsy antagonist. She looked like +no more than a mouthful for the big ship, and men gazed at her with +dread. She seemed to be going straight to destruction. + +But the brave fellows on the _Monitor_ had no such thoughts as that. + +"Let her have it," said Captain Worden, when they came near; and one of +the great eleven-inch guns boomed like a volcano. The huge iron ball, +weighing about 175 pounds, struck the plates of the _Merrimac_ with a +thundering crash, splitting and splintering them before it bounded off. +The broadside of the _Merrimac_ boomed back, but the balls glanced away +from the thick round sides of the turret and did not harm. + +Then the turret was whirled round like a top, and the gun on the other +side came round and was fired. Again the _Merrimac_ fired back, and the +great battle was on. + +For two hours the iron ships fought like two mighty wrestlers of the +seas. Smoke filled the turret so that the men of the _Monitor_ did not +know how to aim their guns. The _Merrimac_ could fire three times to her +one, but not a ball took effect. It was like a battle in a cloud. + +"Why are you not firing?" asked Lieutenant Jones of a gun captain. + +"Why, powder is getting scarce," he replied, "and I find I can do that +whiffet as much harm by snapping my finger and thumb every three +minutes." + +Then Lieutenant Jones tried to sink the _Monitor_. Five times the great +iron monster came rushing up upon the little Yankee craft, but each time +it glided easily away. But when the _Merrimac_ came up the sixth time +Captain Worden did not try to escape. The _Monitor_ waited for the blow. +Up rushed the _Merrimac_ at full speed and struck her a fierce blow. +But the iron armor did not give way, and the great ship rode up on the +little one's deck till she was lifted several feet. + +The little _Monitor_ sank down under the _Merrimac_ till the water +washed across her deck; then she slid lightly out and rose up all right +again, while the _Merrimac_ started a leak in its own bow. At the same +moment one of the _Monitor's_ great guns was fired and the ball struck +the _Merrimac_, breaking the iron plates and bulging in the thick wood +backing. + +Thus for hour after hour the fight went on. For six hours the iron ships +struggled and fought, but neither ship was much the worse, while nobody +was badly hurt. + +The end of the fight came in this way: There was a little pilot-house on +the deck of the _Monitor_, with a slot in its side from which Captain +Worden watched what was going on, so that he could give orders to his +men. Up against this there came a shell that filled the face and eyes of +the captain with grains of powder and splinters of iron, and flung him +down blind and helpless. Blood poured from every pore of his face. + +The same shot knocked an iron plate from the top of the pilot-house and +let in the daylight in a flood. When the light came pouring in Captain +Worden, with his blinded eyes, thought something very serious had +happened, and gave orders for the _Monitor_ to draw off to see what +damage was done. + +Before she came back the _Merrimac_ was far away. She was leaking badly +and her officers thought it about time to steam away for home. + +That was the end of the great battle. Neither side had won the victory, +but it was a famous fight for all that. For it was the first battle of +iron-clad ships in the history of the world. Since then no great warship +has been built without iron sides. Only small vessels are now made all +of wood. + +That was the first and last battle of the _Monitor_ and the _Merrimac_. +For a long time they watched each other like two bull-dogs ready for a +fight. But neither came to blows. Then, two months after the great +battle, the _Merrimac_ was set on fire and blown up. The Union forces +were getting near Norfolk and her officers were afraid she would be +taken, so they did what the Union officers had done before. + +The _Monitor_ had done her work well, but her time also soon came. Ten +months after the great battle she was sent out to sea, and there she +went to the bottom in a gale. Such was the fate of the pioneer +iron-clads. But they had fought a mighty fight, and had taught the +nations of the world a lesson they would not soon forget. + +In that grim deed between the first two iron-clad ships a revolution +took place in naval war. The great frigates, with their long rows of +guns, were soon to be of little more use than floating logs. More than +forty years have passed since then, and now all the great war-vessels +are clad in armor of the hardest steel. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +COMMODORE FARRAGUT WINS RENOWN + +THE HERO OF MOBILE BAY LASHES HIMSELF TO THE MAST + + +AN old friend of ours is David G. Farragut. We met him, you may +remember, years ago, on the old _Essex_, under Captain Porter, when he +was a boy of only about ten years of age. Young as he was, he did good +work on that fine ship during her cruise in the Pacific and her last +great fight. + +When the Civil War began Farragut had got to be quite an old boy. He was +sixty years of age and a captain in the navy. He had been born in the +South and now lived in Virginia, and the Confederates very much wanted +him to fight on their side. + +"Not after fighting fifty years for the old flag," he said. "And mind +what I tell you; you fellows will catch much more than you want before +you get through with this business." + +And so Farragut reported for duty under the old flag. + +Very soon the ships of the government were busy all along the coast, +blockading ports and chasing blockade runners, and fighting wherever +they saw a chance. + +One such chance, a big one, came away down South. For there was the +large City of New Orleans, which the British had tried to take nearly +fifty years before; and there was the Mississippi River that led +straight to it. But strong forts had been built along that river and +armed boats were on its waters, and the Yankees of the North might find +it as hard to get there as the British did. + +Now I have to speak of another brave man and good seaman, David D. +Porter. He was a son of the captain of the old _Essex_, and a life-long +friend of David G. Farragut. + +Porter was sent down to help blockade the Mississippi in the summer of +1861, and while there he found out all about the forts and the ships on +the river. Then he went to Washington and told the Secretary of the Navy +all he had learned, and asked him to send down a fleet to try to +capture the city. + +"Where can I find the right man for a big job like that?" asked the +Secretary. + +"Captain Farragut is your man," said Porter. "You have him now on +committee work, where a man like him is just wasted, for you have not +half as good a seaman on any of your ships." + +And in that way the gallant Farragut was chosen to command the fleet to +be sent to capture the great city of the South. Porter, you see, did not +ask for a command for himself, but for his friend. + +When the fleet was got ready it numbered nearly twenty vessels, but most +of them were gunboats, and none of them were very large. The Mississippi +was not the place for very large ships. Farragut chose the sloop-of-war +_Hartford_ for his flagship and sailed merrily away for the mighty +river. He did not forget his friend Porter. For twenty mortar boats were +added to the fleet, and Porter was given command of these. + +A mortar, you should know, is a kind of a short cannon made to throw +large shells or balls. It is pointed upward so as to throw them high up +into the air and then let them fall straight down on a fort. Porter's +mortar boats were schooners that carried cannons of this kind. + +When Farragut had sailed his fleet into the river, he made ready for the +great fight before him. Of course, he had no iron-clads, for the +_Monitor_ had just fought its great battle and no other iron-clads had +been built. So he stretched iron chains up and down the sides of his +ships to stop cannon balls. Then bags of coal and sand were piled round +the boilers and engines to keep them safe, and nets were hung to catch +flying splinters, which, in a fight at sea, are often worse than +bullets. + +But the most interesting thing done was to the mortar boats. These were +to be anchored down the stream below the forts, and limbs of trees full +of green leaves were tied on their masts, so they could not be told from +the trees on the river-bank. As they went up the river they looked like +a green grove afloat. + +Now let us take a look at what the Confederates were doing. They were +not asleep, you may be sure. They had built two strong forts, one on +each side of the river, just where it made a sharp bend. One of these +was named Fort Jackson and the other Fort St. Philip. There were more +than a hundred cannon in these forts, but most of them were small ones. + +They had also stretched iron cables across the river, with rafts and +small vessels to hold them up. These were to stop the fleet from going +up the river, and to hold it fast while the forts could pour shot and +shell into it. They had also many steamboats with cannon on them. One of +these, the _Louisiana_, was covered with iron. Another was a ram, called +the _Manassas_. This had a sharp iron beak, to ram and sink other +vessels. And there were great coal barges, filled with fat pine knots. +These were meant for fire-ships. You will learn farther on how these +were to be used. + +You may see from this that Farragut had some hard work before him. Even +if he got past the chains and the forts, all his ships might be set on +fire by the fire-ships. But the bold captain was not one of the kind +that mind things like that. Now let us go on to the story of the +terrible river fight, which has long been one of the most famous +battles of the war. + +Porter's mortar boats were anchored under the trees on the river-bank, +two miles below the forts. With their green-clad masts they looked like +trees themselves. At ten o'clock in the morning of April 18, 1862, the +first mortar sent its big shell whizzing through the air. And for six +days this was kept up, each of the mortars booming out once every ten +minutes. That made one shot for every half-minute. + +Two days after the mortars began, a bold thing was done. The gunboat +_Itasca_ set out in the darkness of the night and managed to get between +the shore and the chain. Then it ran up stream above the chain till it +got a good headway. It now turned round and came down at full speed +before the strong current. + +Fort Jackson was firing, and balls were rattling all about the bold +_Itasca_, but she rushed on through them all. Plump against the chain +she came, with a thud that lifted her three feet out of the water. Then +the chain snapped in two and away went the _Itasca_ down stream. The +barrier was broken and the way to New Orleans lay open before the +fleet. + +On the 23d of April Farragut gave his orders to the captains of the +fleet. That night they were to try to pass the forts and fight their way +to New Orleans. At two o'clock in the morning came the welcome order, +"All hands up anchor!" and at three o'clock all was ready for the start. + +The night was dark, but on the banks near Fort Jackson there was a +blazing wood fire, that threw its light across the stream. And Porter's +bombs were being fired as fast as the men could drop the balls into +them, so that there was a great arch of fiery shells between the mortar +boats and the forts. + +The gunboat _Cayuga_ led the way through the broken barrier. After her +came the _Pensacola_, one of the large vessels. All this time the forts +had kept still, but now they blazed out with all their guns, and the air +was full of the booming of cannon and the screeching of shells from +forts and ships. + +Great piles of wood were kindled on the banks, and the fire-ships up +stream were sent blazing down the river as the steam vessels came +rushing up into the fire of the forts. Never had the Mississippi seen so +terrible a night. The blazing wood and flashing guns made it as light +as day, and the roar was like ten thunderstorms. + +Soon the _Hartford_ came on, with Farragut on her deck. So thick was the +smoke that she ran aground, and before she could get off a fire-ship +came blazing down against her side, pushed by a tug-boat straight on to +her. In a minute the paint on the ship's side was in a blaze and the +flames shot up half as high as the masts. The men at the guns drew back +from the scorching heat. + +"Don't flinch from that blaze, boys," cried Farragut. "Those who don't +do their duty here will find a hotter fire than that." + +For a brief time the good ship was in great danger. But a shower of +shells sent the daring tug-boat to the bottom, and the fire-ship floated +away. Then a hose-pipe spurted water on the flames. The fire was put out +and the _Hartford_ was saved. + +That was only the beginning of the great battle. From that time on, fire +and flame, boom and roar, death and destruction, were everywhere. The +great shells from the mortars dropped bursting into the forts. The huge +wood piles blazed high on the banks. Ships and forts hurled a frightful +shower of shells at each other. Blazing fire-ships came drifting down. +The foremost boats were fiercely fighting with the Confederate craft. +The hindmost boats were fighting with the forts. The uproar seemed +enough to drive the very moon from the sky. + +But soon victory began to hold out her hand to the Union fleet. For all +the ships passed the forts, some of the Confederate vessels were driven +ashore and others fled up stream; and in a little while only three of +them were left, and these were kept safe under the guns of the fort. The +battle had been fought and won, and the triumphant fleet steamed up the +river to New Orleans. The forts were still there, but what could they +do, with Union forces above and below? Four days after the fight they +were surrendered to Porter and his mortar fleet. + +There was one final act to the great Mississippi battle. For as +Commander Porter, in his flagship, lay near Fort Jackson, down on him +came the iron-clad _Louisiana_, all in a blaze. But just before she +reached his vessel she blew up; and that was the end of the _Louisiana_ +and the fight. The river was open and New Orleans was captured. Thus +ended the greatest naval battle of the Civil War. + +Two years and more afterward Farragut fought another great battle. This +was in the Bay of Mobile, then a great place for blockade-runners. These +were swift vessels that brought goods from Europe to the South. The +Union fleet did all it could to stop them, but they could not be stopped +at Mobile from outside, so Farragut was told to fight his way inside the +bay. And that is what he did. + +Mobile Bay is like a great bell, thirty miles long and fifteen miles +wide. There are two islands at the mouth, so that the entrance is not +more than a mile wide. And on each of these islands was a strong fort, +which had been built by the government before the war. The Confederates +had taken possession of these forts and had big guns in them. + +The first thing to do was to pass the forts. No chain could be put +across the channel here, but there was something worse, for nearly two +hundred torpedoes were planted in the water near the forts. Some of +these were made of beer-kegs and some of tin; and they were planted so +thickly that it was not easy to get in without setting them off. Then, +when the fort and the torpedoes were passed, there were the ships. Three +of these were small gunboats, of not much account. But there was a great +iron-clad ship, the _Tennessee_, which was twice as strong as the +_Merrimac_. It was covered with iron five or six inches thick, and +carried a half-dozen big guns. + +Franklin Buchanan, who had been captain of the _Merrimac_, was admiral +of the _Tennessee_. + +But Admiral Farragut--he was an admiral now--had his iron-clad vessels, +too. Four monitors like the old _Monitor_ of Hampton Roads, had been +built and sent him, and these, with his wooden vessels, made nearly +twenty ships. + +Such was the fleet with which Farragut set out for his second great +victory, early in the morning of August 5, 1864. It was six o'clock when +the ships crossed the bar and headed in for Fort Morgan. + +On they went, bravely, firing at the fort. But not a shot came back till +the leading ships were in front of its strong stone walls. Then there +began a terrible roar, and a storm of iron balls poured out at the +ships. If the guns had been well aimed, dreadful work might have been +done, but the balls went screaming through the air and hardly touched a +ship. And the fierce fire from the ships drove many of the men in the +fort from their guns. + +But now there is a terrible tale to tell, a tale of death and +destruction, of the sinking of a ship with her captain and nearly all +her crew on board. + +This was the monitor _Tecumseh_. It was steered straight out where the +torpedoes lay thick. Suddenly there came a dull roar. The bow of the +iron-clad was lifted like a feather out of the water. Then it sank till +it pointed downward like a boy diving, and the stern was lifted up into +the air. In a second more the good ship went down with a mighty plunge. + +But with this there is also one fine story, the story of a gallant man. +This was Captain Craven, of the _Tecumseh_. He and the pilot were in the +pilot-house and both sprang for the opening. But there was room only for +one. The brave captain drew back. + +"After you, pilot," he said. + +The pilot escaped, but the noble captain, with ninety-two of his men, +sank to the depths. + +A boat was sent to pick up the swimmers, with a gallant young ensign, H. +C. Neilds, in charge. Out they rowed where the waters were being torn +and threshed with shot and shell. The ensign was only a boy, but he had +the spirit of a Perry. He saw that his flag was not flying, and he +coolly raised it in the face of the foe, and then sat down to steer. + +Brave men were there by the hundreds, but none were braver than their +admiral, their immortal Farragut. The smoke blinded his eyes on deck, so +he climbed to the top of the mainmast, and there, lashed to the rigging, +he went in through the thick of the fire. Shells screeched past him, +great iron balls hustled by his ears, but not a quiver came over his +noble face. He had to be where he could see, he said. Danger did not +count where duty called. + +On past the forts went ships and monitors, heedless of torpedoes or of +the fate of the _Tecumseh_. Only one captain showed the white feather. +The _Brooklyn_ held back. + +"What is the matter?" screamed Farragut. + +"Torpedoes," was the only word that reached his ears. + +The gallant admiral then used a strong word. It was not a word to be +used in polite society. But we must remember that battle was raging +about him and he was in a fury. + +"Damn the torpedoes!" he cried. "Follow me!" + +Straight on the good ship sailed, right for the nest of torpedoes, with +the admiral in the shrouds. + +In a minute more the _Hartford_ was among them. They could be heard +striking against her bottom. Their percussion caps snapped, but not one +went off. Their tin cases had rusted and they were spoiled. Only one of +them all went off that dreadful day of battle. That saved many of the +ships. + +The fort and the torpedoes were passed, but the Confederate ships +remained. It did not take long to settle for the gunboats, but the +iron-clad _Tennessee_ remained. Putting on all steam, this great ship +ran down on the Union fleet. Through the whole line it went and on to +the fort. But it was as slow as a tub and the ships were easily kept out +of its way. + +Then, when the men were at breakfast, back again came the _Tennessee_. +They left their coffee and ran to their guns. It was like the old story +of the _Merrimac_ and the wooden ships in Hampton Roads. + +But Farragut did not wait to be rammed by the _Tennessee_. If ramming +was to be done he wanted to do it himself. So all the large vessels +steamed head on for the iron-clad, butting her right and left. They hit +one another, too, and the _Hartford_ came near being sunk. Then came the +monitors, as the first _Monitor_ had come against the _Merrimac_. There +were three of these left, but one did the work, the _Chickasaw_. She +clung like a burr to the _Tennessee_, pouring in her great iron balls, +and doing so much damage that soon the great ship was like a floating +hulk. It could not be steered nor its guns fired. + +For twenty minutes it stood this dreadful hammering, and then its flag +came down. The battle was won. + +"It was the most desperate battle I ever fought since the days of the +old _Essex_," said Farragut. + +The figure of the brave admiral in the rigging, fighting his ship amid +a cyclone of shot and shell, made him the hero of the American people. +It was like Dewey on the bridge in Manila Bay in a later war. There was +no rank high enough in the navy to fit the glory he had won, so one was +made for him, the rank of admiral. There was rear-admiral and +vice-admiral, but admiral was new and higher still. Only two men have +held this rank since his day, his good friend and comrade, David D. +Porter, and the brave George Dewey. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A RIVER FLEET IN A HAIL OF FIRE + +ADMIRAL PORTER RUNS BY THE FORTS IN A NOVEL WAY + + +OF course you know what a tremendous task the North had before it in the +Civil War. The war between the North and the South was like a battle of +giants. And in this vast contest the navy had to do its share, both out +at sea and on the rivers of the country. One of its big bits of work was +to cut off the left arm of the Confederacy, and leave it only its right +arm to fight with. + +By the left arm I mean the three states west of the Mississippi River, +and by the right arm, the eight states east of that great river. To cut +off this left arm the government had to get control of the whole river, +from St. Louis to the Gulf, so that no Confederate troops could cross +the great stream. + +You have read how Farragut and Porter began this work, by capturing New +Orleans and all the river below it. And they went far up the river, too. +But in the end such great forts were built at Vicksburg and Port Hudson +and other points that the Confederate government held the river in a +tight grasp. + +In this way the Confederacy became master of the Mississippi for a +thousand miles. We are to see now how it was taken from their grasp. + +James B. Eads, the engineer who built the great railroad bridge over the +Mississippi at St. Louis, made the first iron-clads for the West. There +were seven of these. They were river steamers, and were covered with +iron, but it was not very thick. Two others were afterward built, making +nine in all. + +Each of these boats had thirteen guns, and they did good work in helping +the army to capture two strong Confederate forts in Kentucky. Then they +went down the Mississippi to an island that was called Island No. 10. It +was covered with forts, stretching one after another all along its +shore. + +A number of mortar boats were brought down and threw shells into the +forts till they were half paved with iron. But all that did no good. +Then Admiral Foote was asked to send one of the boats down past the +forts. + +That was dreadfully dangerous work, for there were guns enough in them +to sink twenty such boats. But Captain Walke thought he could take his +boat, the _Carondelet_, down, and the admiral told him he might try. + +What was the _Carondelet_ like, do you ask? Well, she was a long, wide +boat, with sloping sides and a flat roof, and was covered with iron two +and a half inches thick. Four of her guns peeped out from each side, +while three looked out from the front door, and two from the back door +of the boat. + +Captain Walke did not half expect to get through the iron storm from the +forts. To make his boat stronger, extra planks were laid on her deck and +chain cables were drawn tightly across it. Then lumber was heaped +thickly round the boiler and engines, and ropes were wrapped round and +round the pilot-house till they were eighteen inches thick. + +After that a barge filled with bales of hay was tied fast to the side +that would catch the fire of the forts. Something was done also to stop +the noise of the steam pipes, for Captain Walke thought he might slip +down at night without being seen or heard. + +On the night of April 10, 1862, the boat made its dash down stream. It +started just as a heavy thunderstorm came on. The wind whistled, the +rain poured down in sheets, and the men in the forts hid from the storm. +They were not thinking then of runaway gunboats. + +But something nobody had thought of now took place. The blazing wood in +the furnaces set fire to the soot in the chimneys, and in a minute the +boat was like a great flaming torch. As the men in the forts sprang up, +the lightning flashed out on the clouds, and lit up "the gallant little +ship floating past like a phantom." + +The gunners did not mind the rain any more. They ran in great haste to +their guns, and soon the batteries were flaming and roaring louder than +the thunder itself. + +Fort after fort took it up as the _Carondelet_ slid swiftly past. The +lightning and the blazing smoke-stack showed her plainly to the gunners. +But the bright flashes blinded their eyes so that they could not half +aim their guns. And thus it was that the brave little _Carondelet_ went +under the fire of fifty guns without being harmed. + +Soon after that Island No. 10 was given up to the Union forces. Then the +gunboats went farther down the river, and had two hard fights with +Confederate boats, one at Fort Pillow and one at Memphis. Both these +places were captured, and in that way the river was opened all the way +from St. Louis to Vicksburg. + +The City of Vicksburg is in the State of Mississippi, about two hundred +miles above New Orleans. Here are high river banks; and these were +covered thick with forts, so that Vicksburg was the strongest place +along the whole stream. + +There were also strong forts at Port Hudson, about seventy-five miles +below Vicksburg; and these seventy-five miles were all the Confederates +now held of the great stream. But they held these with a very strong +hand and were not to let go easily. + +There were some great events at Vicksburg; and I must tell about a few +of these next. + +After New Orleans was taken Farragut took his ships up the river, +running past the forts. He could easily have taken Vicksburg then, if +he had had any soldiers. But he had none, and it took a great army of +soldiers, under General Grant, to capture it a year afterward. + +David D. Porter, who had helped Farragut so well in his great fight, was +put in command of the Mississippi fleet. He had a number of iron-clad +boats under him, some of them having iron so thin that they were called +tin-clads. + +Commodore Porter had plenty to do. Now he sent his boats up through the +Yazoo swamps, then they had a fight on the Arkansas River; and in this +way he was kept busy. + +In February, 1863, he sent two of his boats, the _Queen of the West_ and +the _Indianola_, down past the Vicksburg forts. That was an easy run. +There was plenty of firing, but nobody was hurt. But after they got +below they found trouble enough. + +First, the _Queen of the West_ ran aground and could not be got off. +Then the _Indianola_ had a hole rammed in her side by a Confederate boat +and went to the bottom. So there wasn't much gained by sending these two +boats down stream. + +But a curious thing took place. The Confederates got the _Queen of the +West_ off the mud, and tried to raise the _Indianola_ and stop its +leaks. + +While they were hard at work at this they heard a frightful roar from +the Vicksburg batteries. Looking up stream they saw a big boat coming +down upon them at full speed. When they saw this they put the two big +guns of the _Indianola_ mouth to mouth, fired them into each other to +ruin them, and then ran away. But weren't they vexed afterward when they +learned that the boat that scared them was only a dummy which Porter's +men had sent down the river in a frolic. + +After that, the river batteries did not give the ships much trouble. +When the right time came Porter's fleet ran down the river through the +fire of all the forts. One boat caught fire and sank, but all the rest +passed safely through. This was done to help General Grant, who was +marching his army down, to get below Vicksburg. + +I suppose all readers of American history know about the great event of +the 4th of July, 1863. On that day Vicksburg was given up to the Union +forces, with all its forts and all its men. Five days afterward Port +Hudson surrendered. Porter and his boats now held the great river +through all its length. + +But there is something more to tell about Admiral Porter, who was a +rear-admiral now. + +In the spring of 1864 General Banks was sent with an army up the Red +River. He was going to Shreveport, which is about four hundred miles +above where the Red River runs into the Mississippi. Porter went along +with his river fleet to help. + +Now, no more need be said about Banks and his army, except that the +whole expedition was only a waste of time, for it did no good; and there +would be nothing to say about Porter and his fleet, if they had not +gotten into a bad scrape which gave them hard work to get out. + +The boats went up the river easily enough, but when they tried to come +down they found themselves in a trap. For after they had gone up, the +river began to fall and the water came to be very low. + +There are two rapids, or small falls, on this part of the Red River, +which show only at low water. They showed plainly enough now; and there +were twelve of the boats above them, caught fast. + +What was to be done? If they tried to run down the falls they would be +smashed into kindling wood. It looked very much as if they would have to +be left for the Confederates, or set on fire and burned. + +By good luck there was one man there who knew what to do. He was a +lieutenant-colonel from Wisconsin, named Joseph Baily. He had been a +log-driver before the war and knew what was done when logs got jammed in +a stream. + +When he told his plan he was laughed at by some who thought it very +foolish, but Porter told him to go ahead. So, with 2,000 soldiers from +Maine, who knew all about logging, he went into the woods, chopped down +trees, and built a dam below the falls. + +The men worked so hard that it took them only eight days to build the +dam; which was wonderfully quick work. A place was left open in the +center, and there four barges loaded with brick were sunk. + +When the dam was finished it lifted the water six feet higher, and down +in safety went three of the steamers, while the army shouted and +cheered. But just then two of the sunken barges were carried away, and +the water poured through the break in a flood. + +The gunboat _Lexington_ was just ready to start. Admiral Porter stood on +the bank watching. + +"Go ahead!" he shouted. + +At once the engines were started and the _Lexington_ shot down the +foaming rapid. There were no cheers now; everybody was still. + +Down she went, rolling and leaping on the wild waters; but soon she shot +safe into the still pool below. All the other vessels were also safely +taken down. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE SINKING OF THE "ALBEMARLE" + +LIEUTENANT CUSHING PERFORMS THE MOST GALLANT DEED OF THE CIVIL WAR + + +NOW I am going to tell you about one of the most gallant deeds done in +the navy during the whole Civil War. The man who did it was brave enough +to be made admiral of the fleet, yet he did not get even a gold medal +for his deed. But he is one of our heroes. It is all about an iron-clad +steamer, and how it was sent to rest in the mud of a river-bottom. + +The Confederate government had very bad luck with its iron-clads. It was +busy enough building them, but they did not pay for their cost. The +_Merrimac_ did the most harm, but it soon went up in fire and smoke. + +Then there were the _Louisiana_ at New Orleans, and the _Tennessee_ at +Mobile. Farragut made short work of them. Two were built at Charleston +which were of little use. The last of them all was the _Albemarle_, +whose story I am about to tell. + +The Roanoke River, in North Carolina, was a fine stream for +blockade-runners. There was a long line of ships and gunboats outside, +but in spite of them these swift runaways kept dashing in, loaded with +goods for the people. Poor people! they needed them badly enough, for +they had little of anything except what they could raise in their +fields. + +But the gunboats kept pushing farther into the river, and gave the +Confederates no end of trouble. So they began to build an iron-clad +which they thought could drive these wooden wasps away. + +This iron-clad was a queer ship. Its keel was laid in a cornfield; its +bolts and bars were hammered out in a blacksmith shop. Iron for its +engines was picked up from the scrap heaps of the iron works at +Richmond. Some of the Confederates laughed at it themselves; but they +deserved great credit for building a ship under such difficulties as +these. + +It was finished in April, 1864, and nobody laughed at it when they saw +it afloat. It was like the _Merrimac_ in shape, and was covered with +iron four inches thick. They named it the _Albemarle_. + +Very soon the _Albemarle_ showed that it was no laughing matter. It sunk +one gunboat and made another run away in great haste. Then it had a +fight with four of them at once and drove one of these lame and limping +away. The others did not come too near. After that it went back to the +town of Plymouth and was tied up at the wharf. + +There was another iron-clad being built, and the _Albemarle_ was kept +waiting, so that the two could work together. That was a bad thing for +the _Albemarle_, for she never went out again. + +This brings us back to the gallant deed I spoke of, and the gallant +fellow who did the deed. His name was William B. Cushing. He was little +more than a boy, just twenty-one years old, but he did not know what it +meant to be afraid, and he had done so many daring things already that +he had been made a lieutenant. + +He wanted to try to destroy the _Albemarle_, and his captain, who knew +how bold a fellow he was, told him to go ahead and do his best. + +So on a dark night in October, 1864, brave young Cushing started up the +river in a steam launch, with men and guns. At the bow of this launch +was a long spar, and at the end of this spar was a torpedo holding a +hundred pounds of dynamite. There was a trigger and a cap to set this +off, a string to lower the spar and another to pull the trigger. But it +was a poor affair to send on such an expedition as that. + +And this was not the worst. Some of the newspapers had found out what +Cushing was going to do, and printed the whole story. And some of these +newspapers got down South and let out the secret. That is what is called +"newspaper enterprise." It is very good in its right place, but it was a +sort of enterprise that nearly spoiled Cushing's plans. + +For the Confederates put lines of sentries along the river, and +stationed a lookout down the stream, and placed a whole regiment of +soldiers near the wharf. And logs were chained fast around the vessel so +that no torpedo spar could reach her. And the men on board were sharply +on the watch. That is what the newspapers did for Lieutenant Cushing. + +Of course, the young lieutenant did not know all this, and he felt full +of hope as his boat went up stream without being seen or heard. The +night was very dark and there were no lights on board, and the engines +were new and made no noise. + +So he passed the lookout in the river and the sentries on the banks +without an eye seeing him or his boat. + +But when he came up to the iron-clad his hopes went down. For there was +the boom of logs so far out that his spar could not reach her. + +What was he to do? Should he land at the wharf and take his men on +board, and try to capture her where she lay? + +Before he had time to think it was too late for that. A sentry on board +saw the launch and called out: + +"Boat ahoy!" There was no answer. + +"What boat is that?" Still no answer. + +Then came a musket shot, and then a rattle of musketry from the river +bank. A minute after lights flashed out and men came running down the +wharf. The ship's crew tumbled up from below. All was haste and +confusion. + +Almost any man would have given it up for lost and run for safety. But +Cushing was not of that kind. It did not take him a second to decide. He +ran the launch out into the stream, turned her round, and dashed at full +speed straight for the boom. + +A storm of bullets came from the deck of the _Albemarle_, but he heeded +them no more than if they had been snowflakes. In a minute the bow of +the launch struck the logs. + +They were slippery with river slime and the light boat climbed up on +them, driving them down under the water. Over she went, and slid into +the water inside the boom. + +Cushing stood in the bow, with the trigger-string in his hand. He +lowered the torpedo under the hull of the iron-clad, lifted it till he +felt it touch her bottom, and then pulled the string. + +There came two loud reports. A hundred-pounder gun was being fired from +the ship's side right over his head. Along with it came a dull roar from +under the water. The dynamite torpedo had gone off, tearing a great +hole in the wooden bottom. In a minute the ill-fated _Albemarle_ began +to sink. + +The launch was fast inside the boom, and the wave from her torpedo was +rushing over her, carrying her down. + +"Surrender," came a voice from above. + +"Never! Swim for your lives, men," cried Cushing, and he sprang into the +flowing stream. + +Two or three bullets had gone through his clothing, but he was unhurt, +and swam swiftly away, his men after him. + +Only Cushing and one of the men got away. The others were captured, +except one who was drowned. Boats were quickly out, a fire of logs was +made on the wharf, which threw its light far out over the stream, but he +reached the shore unseen, chilled to the bone and completely worn out. + +A sentry was pacing on the wall of a fort over his head, men passed +looking for him, but he managed to creep to the swamp nearby and hide in +the mud and reeds. + +There he lay till the break of day. Then he crawled on till he got into +a cornfield nearby. Now for the first time he could stand up and walk. +But just as he got to the other side of the field he came face to face +with a man. + +Cushing was not afraid. It was a black face. In those days no Union +soldier was afraid of a black face. The slaves would do anything for +"Massa Linkums' sojers." The young lieutenant was almost as black as the +slave after his long crawl through the mud. + +Cushing told him who he was, and sent him into the town for news, +waiting in the cornfield for his return. After an hour the messenger +came back. His face was smiling with delight. + +"Good news, Massa," he said. "De big iron ship's gone to de bottom suah. +Folks dar say she'll neber git up agin." + +"Mighty good," said Cushing. "Now, old man, tell me how I can get back +to the ships." + +The negro told him all he could, and with a warm "Good-bye" the fugitive +took to the swamp again. On he went, hour by hour, forcing his way +through the thick bushes and wading in the deep mud. Thus he went on, +mile after mile, until at length, at two o'clock in the afternoon, he +found himself on the banks of a narrow creek. + +Here he heard voices and drew back. Looking through the bushes he saw a +party of seven soldiers just landing from a boat. They tied the boat to +the root of a tree and went up a path that led back from the river. Soon +they stopped, sat down, and began to eat their dinner. They could see +their boat from where they sat, but they were too busy eating to think +of that. + +Here was Cushing's chance. It was a desperate one, but he was ready to +try anything. He lowered himself quietly into the stream, swam across, +and untied the boat. Then he noiselessly pushed it out and swam with it +down stream. As soon as he was out of sight of the soldiers he climbed +in and rowed away as fast as he could. What the soldiers thought and +said when they missed their boat nobody knows. He did not see them +again. + +It was a long journey. The creek was crooked and winding. Night came on +before he reached the river. Then he paddled on till midnight. Ten hours +of hard toil had passed when he saw the dark hull of a gunboat nearby. + +"Ship ahoy!" he cried. + +"Who goes there?" called the lookout. + +"A friend. Take me up." + +A boat was lowered and rowed towards him. The officer in it looked with +surprise when he saw a mud-covered man, with scratched and bleeding +face. + +"Who are you?" he asked. + +"Lieutenant Cushing, or what is left of him." + +"Cushing!--and how about the _Albemarle_?" + +"She will never trouble Uncle Sam's ships again. She lies in her muddy +grave on the bottom of the Roanoke." + +Cheers followed this welcome news, and when the gallant lieutenant was +safe on board the _Valley City_ the cheers grew tenfold. + +For Lieutenant Cushing had done a deed which was matched for daring only +once in the history of our navy, and that was when Decatur burned the +_Philadelphia_ in the harbor of Tripoli. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +HOW THE "GLOUCESTER" REVENGED THE SINKING OF THE "MAINE" + +DEADLY AND HEROIC DEEDS IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN + + +IF you look at a map of the country we dwell in, you will see that it +has a finger pointing south. That finger is called Florida, and it +points to the beautiful island of Cuba, which spreads out there to right +and left across the sea of the South. + +The Spaniards in Cuba were very angry when they found the United States +trying to stop the war which they had carried on so mercilessly. They +thought this country had nothing to do with their affairs. And in +Havana, the capital city of the island, riots broke out and Americans +were insulted. + +Never before in the history of the United States navy had there been so +terrible a disaster as the sinking of the _Maine_ by a frightful and +deadly explosion in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, on February 15, 1898, +and never was there greater grief and indignation in the United States +than when the story was told. + +Do you know what followed this dreadful disaster? But of course you do, +for it seems almost yesterday that the _Maine_ went down with her +slaughtered crew. Everybody said that the Spaniards had done this +terrible deed and Spain should pay for it. We all said so and thought +so, you and I and all true Americans. + +Before the loss of the _Maine_ many people thought we ought to go to war +with Spain, and put an end to the cruelty with which the Cubans were +treated. After her loss there were not many who thought we ought not to. +Our people were in a fury. They wanted war, and were eager to have it. + +The heads of the government at Washington felt the same way. Many +millions of dollars were voted by Congress, and much of this was spent +in buying ships and hiring and repairing ships, and much more of it in +getting the army ready for war. + +For Congress was as full of war-feeling as the people. President +McKinley would have liked to have peace, but he could no more hold back +the people and Congress than a man with an ox-chain could hold back a +locomotive. So it was that, two months after the _Maine_ sank in the mud +of Havana harbor, like a great coffin filled with the dead, war was +declared against Spain. + +Now, I wish to tell you how the loss of the _Maine_ was avenged. I am +not going to tell you here all about what our navy did in the war. There +are some good stories to tell about that. But just here we have to think +about the _Maine_ and her murdered men, and have to tell about how one +of her officers paid Spain back for the dreadful deed. + +As soon as the telegraph brought word to the fleet at Key West that "War +is declared," the great ships lifted their anchors and sped away, bound +for Cuba, not many miles to the south. And about a month afterward this +great fleet of battleships, and monitors, and cruisers, and gunboats +were in front of the harbor of Santiago, holding fast there Admiral +Cervera and his men, who were in Santiago harbor with the finest +warships owned by Spain. + +There were in the American fleet big ships and little ships, strong +ships and weak ships; and one of the smallest of them all was the little +_Gloucester_. This had once been a pleasure yacht, used only for sport. +It was now a gunboat ready for war. It had only a few small guns, but +these were of the "rapid-fire" kind, which could pour out iron balls +almost as fast as hailstones come from the sky in a storm. + +And in command of the _Gloucester_ was Lieutenant Wainwright, who had +been night officer of the _Maine_ when that ill-fated ship was blown up +by a Spanish mine. The gallant lieutenant was there to avenge his lost +ship. + +I shall tell you later about how the Spanish ships dashed out of the +harbor of Santiago on the 3d of July and what happened to them. Just now +you wish to know what Lieutenant Wainwright and the little _Gloucester_ +did on that great day, and how Spain was made to pay for the loss of the +_Maine_. + +As soon as the Spanish ships came out, the _Gloucester_ dashed at them, +like a wasp trying to sting an ox. She steamed right across the mouth of +the harbor until she almost touched one of the great Spanish ships, all +the time firing away like mad at its iron sides. + +The brave Wainwright saw two little boats coming out behind these big +ones. These were what are called torpedo-boats. + +Do you know what this means? A torpedo-boat is little, but it can dart +through the water with the speed of the wind. And it carries +torpedoes--iron cases filled with dynamite--which it can shoot out +against the great warships. One of these could tear a gaping hole in the +side of a battleship and send it, with all on board, to the bottom. A +torpedo-boat is the rattlesnake of the sea. It is little, but it is +deadly. + +But Lieutenant Wainwright and the men of the _Gloucester_ were not +afraid of the _Furor_ and the _Pluton_, the Spanish torpedo-boats. As +soon as they saw these boats they drove their little vessel toward them +at full speed. The _Gloucester_ came under the fire of one of the +Spanish forts, but she did not mind that any more than if boys were +throwing oyster-shells at her. + +Out from her guns came a torrent of balls like water from a pump. But +the water drops were made of iron, and hit hard. The _Furor_ and +_Pluton_ tried to fire back, but their men could not stand that iron +rain. For twenty minutes it kept on, and then all was over with the +torpedo-boats. They tried to run ashore, but down to the bottom they +both went. Of all their men only about two dozen were picked up alive. +The rest sank to the bottom of the bay. + +Thus Wainwright and his little yacht avenged the _Maine_, and the +dreadful tragedy in Havana harbor was paid for in Santiago Bay. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE GREAT VICTORY OF MANILA BAY + +DEWEY DESTROYS A FLEET WITHOUT LOSING A MAN + + +GEORGE DEWEY was a Green Mountain boy, a son of the Vermont hills. Many +good stories are told of his schoolboy days, and when he grew up to be a +man everybody that knew him said that he was a fine fellow, who would +make his mark. And they were right about him, though he had to wait a +long time for the chance to show what he would do. + +Dewey was sent to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and when the +Civil War began he was a lieutenant in the navy. He was with Farragut on +the Mississippi, and did some gallant deeds on that great river. + +When the war with Spain began Dewey was on the Chinese coast with a +squadron of American ships. He had been raised in rank and was +Commodore Dewey then. A commodore, you should know, was next above a +captain and next below an admiral. + +Commodore Dewey had four fine ships, the cruisers OLYMPIA, BALTIMORE, +RALEIGH, and BOSTON. He had also two gunboats and a despatch-boat, +making seven in all. + +These vessels were at Hong Kong, a British seaport in China. They could +not stay there after war with Spain was declared, for Hong Kong was a +neutral port, and after war begins fighting ships must leave neutral +ports. But Dewey knew where to go, for under the ocean and over the land +there had come to him a telegram from Washington, more than ten thousand +miles away, which said, "Seek the Spanish fleet and capture or destroy +it." Dewey did not waste any time in obeying orders. + +He knew where to seek the Spanish fleet. A few hundred miles away to the +east of China lay the fine group of islands called the Philippines, +which then belonged to Spain. In Luzon, the biggest of these islands, +was the fine large City of Manila, the centre of the Spanish power in +the East. So straight across the China Sea Dewey went at all speed +towards this seaport of Spain. + +On the morning of Saturday, April 30, 1898, the men on the leading ship +saw land rising in the distance, green and beautiful, and farther away +they beheld the faint blue lines of the mountains of Luzon. Down this +green tropical coast they sped, and when night was near at hand they +came close to the entrance of Manila Bay. + +Here there were forts to pass; and the ships were slowed up. Dewey was +ready to fight with ships, but he did not want to fight with forts, so +he waited for darkness to come before going in. He thought that he might +then pass these forts without being seen by the men in them. + +They waited until near midnight, steaming slowly along until they came +to the entrance to the bay. The moon was in the sky, but gray clouds hid +its light. They could see the two dark headlands of the harbor's mouth +rising and, between them, a small, low island. On this island were the +forts which they had to pass. + +As they came near, all the lights on the ships were put out or hidden, +except a small electric light at the stern of each ship, for the next +one to see and follow. + +Steam was put on, and the ships glided swiftly and silently in, like +shadows in the darkness. All was silent in the Spanish forts. The +sentinels seemed fast asleep. + +Some of the ships had passed before the Spaniards waked up. Then a +rocket shot up into the air, and there came a deep boom and a flash of +flame. A shell went whizzing through the darkness over the ships and +plunged into the water beyond. + +Some shots were fired back, but in a few minutes it was all over and +Dewey's squadron was safe in Manila Bay. The gallant American sailors +had made their way into the lion's den. + +The Bay of Manila is a splendid body of water, running many miles into +the land. The City of Manila is about twenty miles from the harbor's +mouth, and the ships had to go far in before its distant lights were +seen, gleaming like faint stars near the earth. + +But it was not the city Dewey was after. He was seeking the Spanish +fleet. When the dawn came, and the sun rose behind the city, he saw +sails gleaming in its light. But these were merchant vessels, not the +warships he had come so far to find. + +The keen eyes of the commodore soon saw the ships he was after. There +they lay, across the mouth of the little bay of Cavite, south of the +city, a group of ships-of-war, nine or ten in number. + +This brings us to the beginning of the great naval battle of the war. +Let us stop now and take a look around. If you had been there I know +what you would have said. You would have said that the Americans were +sure to win, for they had the biggest ships and the best guns. Yes, but +you must remember that the Spaniards were at home, while the Americans +were not; and that makes a great difference. If they had met out on the +open sea Dewey would have had the best of the game. But here were the +Spanish ships drawn up in a line across a narrow passage, with a fort on +the right and a fort on the left, and with dynamite mines under the +water. And they knew all about the distances and soundings and should +have known just how to aim their guns so as to hit a mark at any +distance. All this the Americans knew nothing about. + +When we think of this it looks as if Dewey had the worst of the game. +But some of you may say that the battle will tell best which side had +the best and which the worst. Yes, that's true; but we must always study +our players before we begin our game. + +George Dewey did not stop long to think and study. He was there to take +his chances. The minute he saw the Spanish ships he went for them as a +football player goes for the line of his opponents. + +Forward went the American squadron, with the Stars and Stripes floating +proudly at every mast-head. First of all was the flagship _Olympia_, +with Dewey standing on its bridge. Behind came the other ships in a long +line. + +As they swept down in front of the city the great guns of the forts sent +out their balls. Then the batteries on shore began to fire. Then the +Spanish ships joined in. There was a terrible roar. Just in front of the +_Olympia_ two mines exploded, sending tons of water into the air. But +they had been set off too soon, and no harm was done. + +All this time the American ships swept grandly on, not firing a gun; and +Dewey stood still on the bridge while shot and shell from the Spanish +guns went hurling past. He was there to see, and danger did not count +just then. + +As they drove on an old sea-dog raised the cry, "Remember the _Maine_!" +and in a minute the shout ran through the ship. Still on went the +_Olympia_, like a great mastiff at which curs are barking. At length +Dewey spoke,-- + +"You may fire when you are ready, Captain Gridley," he said. Captain +Gridley was ready and waiting. In an instant a great eight-inch shell +from the _Olympia_ went screaming through the air. + +This was the signal. The _Baltimore_ and the _Boston_ followed, and +before five minutes had passed every ship was pouring shot and shell on +the Spanish squadron and forts. Great guns and small guns, slow-fire +guns and rapid-fire guns, hand guns and machine guns, all boomed and +barked together, and their shot whistled and screamed, until it sounded +like a mighty carnival of death. + +Down the Spanish line swept the American ships. Then they turned and +swept back, firing from the other side of the ships. Six times, this +way, they passed the Spanish ships, while the air was full of great iron +balls and dense clouds of smoke floated over all. + +You will not ask which side had the best of the battle after I tell you +one thing. The Americans had been trained to aim and fire, and the +Spaniards had not. Here overhead flew a Spanish shell. There another +plunged into the water without reaching a ship. Hardly one of them +reached its mark. Not an American was killed or wounded. A box of powder +went off and hurt a few men, and that was all. + +But the Spanish ships were rent and torn like deer when lions get among +them, and their men fell by dozens at a time. It was one of the most +one-sided fights ever seen. + +Admiral Montojo, of the Spanish fleet, could not stand this. He started +out with his flagship, named the _Reina Cristina_, straight for the +_Olympia_, which he hoped to cut in two. But as soon as his ship +appeared all the American ships turned their guns on it, and riddled it +with a frightful storm of iron. + +The brave Spaniard saw that his ship would be sunk if he went on. He +turned to run back, but as he did so a great eight-inch shell struck his +ship in the stern and went clear through to the bow, scattering death +and destruction on every side. It exploded one of the boilers. It blew +open the deck. It set the ship on fire. White smoke came curling up. The +ship fought on as the fire burned, but she was past hope. + +Two torpedo-boats came out, but they could not stand the storm any +better than the _Reina Cristina_. In a few minutes one of them was cut +through and went like a stone to the bottom. The other ran in faster +than she had come out and went ashore. + +For two hours this dreadful work went on. Then Dewey thought it was time +to give his men a rest and let them have some breakfast, so he steamed +away. Three of the Spanish ships were burning like so much tinder, and +it was plain that the battle was as good as won. + +A little after eleven o'clock the American ships came back fresh as +ever, all of them with the Stars and Stripes afloat. The Spanish flag +was flying too, but nearly every ship was in flames. But the Spaniards +were not whipped yet. They began to fire again, and so for another hour +the fight went on. At the end of that time the guns were silenced, the +flags had gone down, and the battle was won. + +That was the end of the most one-sided victory in the history of the +American navy. All the Spanish ships were on fire and had sunk in the +shallow bay. Hundreds of their men were dead or wounded. The American +ships were nearly as good as ever, for hardly a shot had struck them, +and only eight men were slightly hurt. The Spaniards had fired fast +enough, but they had wasted nearly all their shot. + +When the people of the United States heard of this great victory they +were wild with delight. Before that very few had heard of George Dewey; +now he was looked on as one of our greatest naval heroes. "Dewey on the +bridge," with shot and shell screaming about him, was as fine a figure +as "Farragut in the shrouds" had once been. + +Congress made him a rear-admiral at once, and soon after they made him +an admiral. This is the highest rank in the American navy. Only Farragut +and Porter had borne it before. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +HOBSON AND THE SINKING OF THE "MERRIMAC" + +AN HEROIC DEED WORTHY OF THE AMERICAN NAVY + + +SOME of us know what a dark night is and some of us don't. Those who +live in cities, under the glare of the electric light, hardly ever see +real darkness. One must go far into the country, and be out on a cloudy +night, to know what it means to be really in the dark. Or to be out at +sea, with not a light above or below. + +It was on such a night that a great black hulk moved like a sable +monster through the waters off the coast of Cuba. This was the night of +June 3, 1898. There was a moon somewhere in the sky, but thick clouds +lay over it and snuffed out its light. And on the vessel not a light was +to be seen and not a sound could be heard. It was like a mighty beast +gliding on its prey. + +This vessel was the _Merrimac_, which had carried a load of coal to the +American fleet that lay outside of Santiago de Cuba. Inside the harbor +there were four fine Spanish ships-of-war. But these were like foxes run +into their hole, with the hunters waiting for them outside. + +The harbor of Santiago is something like a great, mis-shipen +water-bottle, and the passage into the harbor is like the neck of the +bottle. Now, if you want to keep anything from getting out of a bottle +you drive a cork into its neck. And that is just what the Americans were +trying to do. The _Merrimac_ was the cork with which they wanted to +fasten up the Spanish ships in the water-bottle of Santiago. + +The captain of the _Merrimac_ was a young officer named Richard P. +Hobson, who was ready to give his life, if he must, for his country. +Admiral Sampson did not like to send anyone into such terrible danger, +but the daring young man insisted on going, and he had no trouble in +getting seven men to go with him. + +Most of the coal had been taken out of the _Merrimac_, but there was +enough left to sink her to the bottom like a stone. And along both +sides there had been placed a row of torpedoes, filled with gunpowder +and with electric wires to set them off when the right time came. + +Hobson was to try to take the ship to the right spot, and then to blow +holes in her sides with the torpedoes and sink her across the channel. +Would not he and his men sink with her? Oh, well, they took the chances +on that. + +Lieutenant Hobson had a fine plan laid out; but the trouble with fine +plans is that they do not always work in a fine way. He was to go in to +where the channel was very narrow. Then he was to let the anchor fall +and swing the ship round crossways with the rudder. Then he would touch +the button to fire the torpedoes. When that was done they would all jump +overboard and swim to the little boat that was towed astern. They +expected the _Merrimac_ would sink across the channel and thus cork it +up. + +That was the plan. Don't you think it was a very good one? I am sure +Lieutenant Hobson and Admiral Sampson thought so, and felt sure they +were going to give the Spaniards a great deal of trouble. + +It was about three o'clock when the _Merrimac_ came into the mouth of +the channel. Here it was pitch dark and as still as death. But the +Spaniards were not asleep. They had a small picket-boat in the harbor's +mouth, on the lookout for trouble, and its men saw a deeper darkness +moving through the darkness. + +They thought it must be one of the American warships and rowed out and +fired several shots at it. One of these hit the chains of the rudder and +carried them off. That spoiled Hobson's plan of steering across the +channel. You see, as I have just told you, it does not take much to +spoil a good plan. + +The alarm was given and the Spaniards in the forts roused up. They +looked out and saw this dark shadow gliding swiftly on through the +gloom. They, too, thought it must be an American battleship, and that +the whole fleet might be coming close behind to attack the ships in the +harbor. + +The guns of Morro Castle and of the shore batteries began to rain their +balls on the _Merrimac_. Then the Spanish ships joined in and fired down +the channel until there was a terrible roar. And as the _Merrimac_ drove +on, a dynamite mine under the water went off behind her, flinging the +water into the air, but not doing her any harm. + +The cannonade was fierce and fast, but the darkness and the smoke of the +guns hid the _Merrimac_, and she went on unhurt. Soon the narrow part of +the channel was reached. Then the anchor was dropped to the bottom and +the engines were made to go backward. The helm was set, but the ship did +not turn. Hobson now first learned that the rudder chains were gone and +the ship could not be steered. The little picket-boat had spoiled his +fine plan. + +There was only one thing left to do. He touched the electric button. In +a second a dull roar came up from below and the ship pitched and rolled. +A thousand pounds of powder had exploded and blown great jagged holes in +the ship's sides. + +Hobson and his men leaped over the side into the water. Those who were +slow about it were flung over by the shock. Down plunged the _Merrimac_ +beneath the waves, while loud cheers came from the forts. The Spanish +gunners were glad, for they thought they had sunk a great American +battleship. + +[Illustration: HOBSON BLOWING UP THE MERRIMAC.] + +But it does not matter to us what the Spaniards thought. All we want to +know is what became of Lieutenant Hobson and his daring men. Their +little boat had been carried away by a Spanish shot, and they were +swimming in the deep waters without knowing what would be their fate. On +one side was the sea; on the other were the Spaniards: they did not know +which would be the worst. + +"I swam away from the ship as soon as I struck the water," said Hobson, +"but I could feel the eddies drawing me backward in spite of all I could +do. That did not last long, however, and as soon as I felt the tugging +cease I turned and struck out for the float, which I could see dimly +bobbing up and down over the sunken hull." + +The float he spoke of was a sort of raft which lay on the ship's deck, +with a rope tied to it so as to let it float. The rope pulled one side +of it a little under the water, so that the other side was a little +above the water. + +This was a good thing for Hobson and his men, for Spanish boats were +soon rowing out to where the ship had gone down. The eight men got under +the high side of the raft, and held on to it by putting their fingers +through the crevices. + +"All night long we stayed there with our noses and mouths barely out of +the water," says Hobson. + +They were afraid to speak or move, for fear they would be shot by the +men in the boats. It was that way all night long. Boats kept rowing +about, some of them very close, but nobody thought of looking under the +raft. The water felt warm at first, but after a while it felt cold, and +their fingers ached and their teeth chattered. + +One of the men, who thought he could not stand this any longer, left the +raft and started to swim ashore. Hobson had to call him back. He came at +once, but the call was heard on the boats and they rowed swiftly up. But +they did not find the hiding place of the men and rowed away again. + +After daylight came Hobson saw a steam-launch approaching from the +ships. There were officers in it, and when it came near he gave it a +hail. His voice seemed to scare the men on board, for they backed off in +great haste. + +They were still more surprised when they saw a number of men clamber out +from under the float. The marines in the launch were about to fire, but +the officers would not let them. + +Then Hobson swam towards the launch and called out in Spanish: + +"Is there an officer on board?" + +"Yes," came the reply. + +"I have seven men to surrender," said Hobson. + +He now swam up and was seized and lifted out of the water. One of the +men who had hold of him was Admiral Cervera, the commander of the +Spanish fleet. + +The admiral gave an odd look at the queer kind of fish he had caught. +Hobson had been in the engine-room of the _Merrimac_ and was covered +with oil, coal-dust, and soot. But he wore his officer's belt, and when +he pointed to that the admiral smiled and bade him welcome. + +Then the men were taken on board the launch, where they were well +treated. They had come very near death and had escaped. + +Of course, you want to read the rest of this story. Well, they were +locked up in Morro Castle. This was a fine old fort on the cliff at the +harbor's mouth, where they could see the great shells come in from the +ships and explode, and see the Spanish gunners fire back. + +Admiral Cervera was very kind to them and sent word to Admiral Sampson +that they were safe, and that he would exchange them for Spanish +prisoners. + +They were not exchanged until July 7, and by that time Admiral Cervera's +ships had all been destroyed and he was a prisoner himself. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +SAMPSON AND SCHLEY WIN RENOWN + +THE GREATEST SEA FIGHT OF THE CENTURY + + +I HAVE told you what Hobson did and what Wainwright did at Santiago. Now +it is time to tell all about what the ships did there; the story of the +great Spanish dash for liberty and its woeful ending. + +Santiago is the second city of Cuba. It lies as far to the east as +Havana does to the west, and is on the south of the island, while Havana +is on the north. Like Havana, it has a fine harbor, which is visited by +many ships. + +Well, soon after the war with Spain began, our naval captains were in +trouble. They had a riddle given them for which they could not find the +answer. There was a squadron of Spanish warships at sea, and nobody knew +where to look for them. They might fire into the cities along the coast +and do no end of damage. Maybe there was not much danger of this; but +there is nothing sure in war, and it does not take much to scare some +people. + +The navy wanted to be on the safe side, so one part of the fleet was put +on the lookout along our coast; and another part, under Commodore +Schley, went around the west end of the island of Cuba; and a third +part, under Admiral Sampson, went to the east. They were all on the hunt +for the Spanish ships, but for days and days nothing of them was to be +seen. + +After they had looked into this hole and into that hole along the coast, +like sea-dogs hunting a sea-coon, word came that the Spanish ships had +been seen going into Santiago harbor. Then straight for Santiago went +all the fleet, with its captains very glad to have the answer to the +riddle. + +Never before had the United States so splendid a fleet to fight with. +There were five fine battleships, the _Iowa_, the _Indiana_, the +_Massachusetts_, the _Oregon_, and the _Texas_. Then there was the _New +York_, Admiral Sampson's flagship, and the _Brooklyn_, Commodore +Schley's flagship. These were steel-clad cruisers, not so heavy, but +much faster than the battleships. Besides these there were monitors, +and cruisers, and gunboats, and vessels of other kinds, all spread like +a net around the mouth of the harbor, ready to catch any big fish that +might swim out. Do you not think that was a pretty big crowd of ships to +deal with the Spanish squadron, which had only four cruisers and two +torpedo-boats? + +But then, you know, the insider sometimes has a better chance than the +outsider. It is not easy to keep such a crowd of vessels together out at +sea. They run out of coal, or get out of order, or something else +happens. If the insider keeps his eyes wide open and waits long enough +his chance will come. + +Admiral Cervera, the Spanish commander, was in a very tight place. +Outside lay the American ships, and inside was the American army, which +kept pushing ahead and was likely to take Santiago in a few days. If he +waited he might be caught like a rat in a trap. And if he came outside +he might be caught like a fish in a net. He thought it all over and he +made up his mind that it was better to be a fish than a rat, so he +decided to come out of the harbor. + +He waited till the 3d of July. On that day there were only five of the +big ships outside--four of the battleships and the cruiser _Brooklyn_. +And two of the battleships were a little out of order and were being +made right. Admiral Sampson had gone up the coast with the _New York_ +for a talk with the army general, so he was out of the way. + +No doubt the Spanish lookouts saw all this and told their admiral what +they had seen. So, on that Sunday morning, with every vessel under full +steam, the Spaniards raised their anchors and started on their last +cruise. + +Now let us take a look at the big ships outside. On these everybody was +keeping Sunday. The officers had put on their best Sunday clothes, and +the men were lying or lounging idly about the deck. Of course, there +were lookouts aloft. Great ships like these always have their lookouts. +A war-vessel never quite goes to sleep. It always keeps one eye open. +This Sunday morning the lookouts saw smoke coming up the harbor, but +likely enough they thought that the Spaniards were frying fish for their +Sunday breakfast. + +[Illustration: THE FIGHTING TOP OF THE TEXAS.] + +And so the hours went on until it was about half-past nine. Then an +officer on the _Brooklyn_ called to the lookout aloft: + +"Isn't that smoke moving?" + +The answer came back with a yell that made everybody jump: + +"There's a big ship coming out of the harbor!" + +In a second the groups of officers and men were on their feet and +wide-awake. The Spaniards were coming! Nobody now wanted to be at home +or to go a-fishing. There were bigger fish coming into their net. + +"Clear the ship for action!" cried Commodore Schley. + +From every part of the ship the men rushed to their quarters. Far down +below the stokers began to shovel coal like mad into the furnaces. In +the turrets the gun-crews hurried to get their guns ready. The news +spread like lightning, and the men made ready like magic for the +terrible work before them. + +It was the same on all the ships as on the _Brooklyn_, for all of them +saw the Spaniards coming. Down past the wreck of the _Merrimac_ sped +Cervera's ships, and headed for the open sea. First came the _Maria +Teresa_, the admiral's flagship. Then came the _Vizcaya_, the +_Oquendo_, and the _Cristobal Colon_, and after them the two +torpedo-boats. + +"Full speed ahead! Open fire!" roared the commodore from the bridge of +the _Brooklyn_, and in a second there came a great roar and a huge iron +globe went screaming towards the Spanish ships. + +It was the same on the other ships. Five minutes before they had been +swinging lazily on the long rolling waves, everybody at rest. Now clouds +of black smoke came pouring from their funnels, every man was at his +post, every gun ready for action, and the great ships were beginning to +move through the water at the full power of the engines. And from every +one of them came flashes as of lightning, and roars as of thunder, and +huge shells went whirling through the air toward the Spanish ships. + +Out of the channel they dashed, four noble ships, and turned to the west +along the coast. Only the _Brooklyn_ was on that side of the harbor, and +for ten minutes three of the Spanish ships poured at her a terrible +fire. + +But soon the _Oregon_, the _Indiana_, the _Iowa_, and the _Texas_ came +rapidly up, and the Spanish gunners had new game to fire at. + +You might suppose that the huge iron shells, whirling through the air, +and bursting with a frightful roar, would tear and rend the ships as +though they were made of paper. + +But just think how it was at Manila, where the Spaniards fired at the +sea and the sky, and the Americans fired at the Spanish ships. It was +the same here at Santiago. The Spaniards went wild with their guns and +wasted their balls, while the Americans made nearly every shot tell. + +It was a dreadful tragedy for Spain that day on the Cuban coast. The +splendid ships which came out of the harbor so stately and trim, soon +looked like ragged wrecks. In less than half an hour two of them were +ashore and in a fierce blaze, and the two others were flying for life. +The first to yield was the _Maria Teresa_, the flagship of the admiral. +One shell from the _Brooklyn_ burst in her cabin and in a second it was +in flames. One from the _Texas_ burst in the engine-room and broke the +steam-pipe. Some burst on the deck; some riddled the hull; death and +terror were everywhere. + +The men were driven from the guns, the flames rose higher, the water +poured in through the shot holes, and there was nobody to work the +pumps. All was lost, and the ship was run ashore and her flag pulled +down. + +In very few minutes the _Oquendo_ followed the flagship ashore, both of +them looking like great blazing torches. The shells from the great guns +had torn her terribly, many of her crew had been killed, and those who +were left had to run her ashore to keep her from going to the bottom of +the sea. + +In half an hour, as you may see, two of the Spanish ships had been half +torn to pieces and driven ashore, and only two were still afloat. These +were the _Vizcaya_ and the _Cristobal Colon_. When the _Maine_ was sent +to Havana, before the beginning of the war, a Spanish warship was sent +to New York. This was the _Vizcaya_. She was a trim and handsome ship +and her officers had a hearty welcome. + +It was a different sort of welcome she now got. The _Brooklyn_ and the +_Oregon_ were after her and her last day had come. So hot was the fire +that her men were driven from their guns and flames began to appear. + +Then she, too, was run ashore and her flag was hauled down. It was just +an hour after the chase began and she had gone twenty miles down the +coast. Now she lay blazing redly on the shallow shore and in the night +she blew up. It was a terrible business, the ruin of those three fine +vessels. + +There was one more Spanish ship, the _Cristobal Colon_. (This is the +Spanish for Christopher Columbus.) She was the fastest of them all, and +for a time it looked as if Spain might save one of her ships. + +But there were bloodhounds on her track, the _Brooklyn_, six miles +behind, and the _Oregon_, more than seven miles away. + +Swiftly onward fled the deer, and swiftly onward followed the +war-hounds. Mile by mile they gained on the chase. About one o'clock, +when she was four miles away, the _Oregon_ sent a huge shell whizzing +from one of her great 13-inch guns. It struck the water just behind the +_Colon_; but another that followed struck the water ahead. + +Then the _Brooklyn_ tried her eight-inch guns, and sent a shell through +the _Colon's_ side, above her belt of steel. For twenty minutes this +was kept up. The _Colon_ was being served like her consorts. At the end +of that time her flag was pulled down and the last of the Spanish ships +ran ashore. She had made a flight for life of nearly fifty miles. + +This, you see, is not the story of a sea-fight; it is the story of a +sea-chase. Much has been said about who won the honor at Santiago, but I +think any of you could tell that in a few words. It was the men who ran +the engines and who aimed the guns that won the game. The commanders did +nothing but run after the runaway Spaniards, and there is no great honor +in that. What else was there for them to do? They could not run the +other way. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + +Page 45, "Quileron" changed to "Quiberon" (fleet at Quiberon Bay) + +Page 119, "one" changed to "on" (set it on fire) + +Page 123, "scimetar" changed to "scimitar" (scimitar and aimed a) + +Page 132, "breadth" changed to "breath" (hardly a breath) + +Page 148, "a" changed to "to" (how to handle) + +Page 172, "know" changed to "knew" (Lawrence never knew) + +Page 204, "McDonough's" changed to "MacDonough's" (MacDonough's Victory) + +Page 206, "Afew" changed to "A few" (A few broadsides like) + +Page 207, "shot" changed to "shots" (Red-hot shots were) + +Page 242, "necesary" changed to "necessary" (was necessary to tell) + +Page 261, "torpedos" changed to "torpedoes" (hundred torpedoes were) + +Page 296, "and, and" changed to "and" (and, between them, a small) + +Page 311, "rom" changed to "room" (the engine-room of the) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Stories of Our Naval Heroes, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORIES OF OUR NAVAL HEROES *** + +***** This file should be named 32273.txt or 32273.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/2/2/7/32273/ + +Produced by Emmy, Tor Martin Kristiansen and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |