Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-05-04
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was steeflag,to be sure that she could not
escape, he gave orders for his men TO
take to the boat, and touching the match.
he leaped iHto the whale boat and .cas,
OIL from his ship. Here direction had
been too sure. The grappling irons up
on the bowsprit. yards. SC. became in.
teriocked with the rigging Of the bomb.
ketch, and they were both almost imme.
dlateiy in blaze. The panic struck
crew OF the ketch were pouring from
the quarters of the ship in the utmost
agony of CONSERVATION. The fire of the
burning vessels lighted up the surroun.
ding scenery with horrid glare of splen
dour. The FIRST one that reached the
deck Of the ketch from the cabin. was
her commander, who was struck dead
by falling spar. tie was followed by
two women and one or more children.
whose cries were heard amidst the din
OF battle that now ragged, aud the impre-
cations OF the crew, many Of whom threw
themselves overheard & persisted, while
those who remained on board. reireated
to the point most distan, from the flames.
but soon sunk down into them, suffeca-
ted, bewildered, and exhausted. Can
tain Thomas had not been so fortunate.
he was so far in he rear that the light of
the flames from BASIS showed his posi-
ton 10 tie enemy, and partly prepared
them 10 meet the attack. Not, however
daunted by being discovered, he itnme-
diately bore down upon the phenix and
became grappled with her. lie then ap
piled his match to his combustibles, but
IN such n way that he became entangled
in his own fire. and was obliged to lean
overheard TO escape from the flames
but not being able to reach the boat he
persisted in the river. lie also lost five
men. while Bass escaped without the
loss OF one. Although on fire in sever
al places. The Phenix escaped from des-
truciion, by cutting her rigging and
slipping her cables, with the loss of but
few lives Of the crew of the ketch, few
escaped, Nearly seventy men besides
some women and children, were the vic.
tins of this merciless attack. we can
scarcely conceive scene more terrible
than the one we have attempted to de
scribe, or one SO calculated to awaken
fear in the breast of those engaged in
it, The hour of the night, the uncertain
ty of success, the almost certainty oil
destruction, would be enough to awaken
a panic in the stoutest heart; while the
awful destruction that awaited the VIC
tins of success would stagger the rpso-
luton Of the bravest. The darkness oil
the hour, the unearthly light that gleam-
ed upon the wild scenery around. the
roar of artillery, and the gfoans and
shrieks ofthose perishng in fortunes al
which humanity shudders, must have
made II scene unrivalled in sublimity
! and terror. Yet the feelings Of that DAY
were OF a kind to delight in such ain exc.
hibition Of vengeance upon the foes o.
our country. II was a spectacle or
which hundreds, and We may say thou
sands, of the Americans gazed that nigh
with the deepest interest And this lit
, tie band, although they had in goot
degree failed in the Accomplishment 81
their plan to destroy the frigates, were
received with the warmest acclanations
of gratitude on their return from their
perilous enterprise.
The attempt, however, was not with
out its effect. The frigates moved down
the river the next day, and joined the
English fleet, and left the river for a
short time open for the communication
, of the Americans.
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