Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-09-17
From English Papers
NAVAL ANECDOTE.

Lord Cochrane is neve: seen to such SHINING
advantages as in the heat OF battle He is re-
markable for the quichness with which he can
discern shot coming, and the accuracy with
which he can tell lis direction. In a subsequent
affair al The same place, he was sitting astrIde
upon the hammccks, according to his usual Gus
tom. Major Miller was standing on carron-
AIDE upon The quarter deck, close 10 the admiral,
who said, "There comes a shot straight tor US,
but DOM move, for 1t will strike below u.s.:
and il en- ered just underneath, at The lower part
Of the port, above which both had placed them
selves. The shot struck off the head OF a ma
rine who had dodged 10 avoid II, and wounded
four seamen. One named Jose de San Martin,
had been the chirftain Of bandilti in Chile,
and had been sent GU board from the condemns
ed cell. His leg was carried away, aud the bone
shattered so much that he afterwards suffered
amputation above the knee, which he bore with
astonishing fortitude, exciaiming "Pica Ia pa
triQ!" repeatedly during the operation. Tom
Cochrane, soI Of the admiral, only len years
OF age, was walking about on the quarter deck,
when the shot scattered the brains OF The ma
rine in the child's face. He up 10 his father,
and with an air Of hereditary self possession and
unconcern called out, Indeed, papa, the shot did
not touch MT; indeed, am not hurt" The
following extract from The Su6aiiern will Illus
trate the fact, that the course OF shot and shell
can be traced through the air. 1T fell 10 NV
lot says the author Of that delightful work,
Frequently 10 superintend the people when at
work. The spot on which we labouted WIS
high, and, therefore, completely exposed To the
view of The enemy. 1t was the top OF The hill
opposite 10 them. Immediately on our arrival
four gun battery, with one howitzer, and two
nine inch mor,;rs, began to play upon u.s.
tl,e and tha hall -
apparently in every quarter, except the paricu-
lar spots on which each OF Us stood. On such
occasions, if there be no very pressing demand
for the complexion Of the work, you generally
.sihiS,y q osn~ea stot, you siEher toll on With.
out needing II, or, having covered yourselves as
well as you can till the ball strikes, YOU start up
again, and seize your tools. III It be she'll Won
lie quite still ill it burst, The unmiitary
reader may, perhaps, question whether /, may
De possible to tell the BaIure of the missile
which is coming against you, when as We, il
has barely escaped from the muzze of the gun.
and IS sill mile or TWO distant, bet he who
has bten in the habit OF attending 10 these
matters, viii eGteuaIp no such dQubt MOI 10
mention the TACT, that an experienced eve can
trace, by means Of the burning fxzr, The whole
journey Of shell through the air, from its tx.
pulsion i:il its fall; The more perp,nd,culsr
Hight OF the smuke may Of itself inlorm who
watches ii when IL issues from mortar; willis,
there Is sharpness in the report OF a gun
which the firing Of 4 mortar produc es not, and
which will efffctually Distinguish the one from
the other, even il the sense should fail. have
heard men assert thai they can trace no, oply
sh, IL but d Cannon hall through The air Thi, !
may be possible, but il il be, it is possible only
TO those whose sense of sisht is far more acute I
than NINE