Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1829-12-22

Uooa-Mdn f,ch0rd, carrying forty guns
aud four hundred and twenty men, or
Whereabouts, as near as | can recolect.
She was an old ship, not fit for the hard
service we put her to, as il afterwards
come out. On the 22d of September, off
Marlborough head, which is high rock
that oyer;'aDks the sea, we fell in with the
balilck fleet, under the convoy Of the
trlgate Scraps, Of tifty-six guns, and the
sloop Countess Of Scarborough, very
heavy ship, but l do not recolIect having
heard how many guns she carried. Just
as the moon rose, at eight in the evening,
the enemy fired his first broadside, when
within pistol shot of us. And now most
murderous scene began. The action rag
ed with horrid violence and the blood
ran ankle deep out Of the ships scuppers.
Our rigging was cut up to atoms, and f.
naliy both ships took fre--so that friend
and Toe we're obliged to rest from fighting,
that they might extingnish the flames.
The Richard being cd, was soon shot
through. and began to sink. In this aw-
ful condition jones' voice, like the roar
ing Of lion, was heard above the din Of
the battle, ordering TO grappL mith the en-
emy. We accordingly made our ship fast
to the Scraps: and it was easily done, as
the two were so near each other, that
when drew out the hammer of the gun
belonged to, the end of it touched the
side of the Scraps Being thus fast and
safe, we fought without resting, until
nearly all our guns were burst or dis
mounted-the ship nearly full Of water
our first lieutenant Grub shot dead by
Jones's own pistol, for hauling down the
colours without orders, and which hap
pened only at my elbow---our decks COW
cred with dead and dying-and the ship
icut up into splinters. While in this aw-
ful and desperate situation, my friend
Roberts, seeing how near spent we were,
jumped on the main yard of our vessel,
which projected directly over the decks
of the Scraps, with bundle of hand gre
nodcs. These he contrived to throw
down upon the Scraps deck, and sue
ceeded in blowing up two or three of their
powder chests, the explosion of which
killed and wounded great many men.
The captain of the Scraps, perceiving
his activity, ordered some shots to be fir
ed at Roberts. One of them struck the
rope by which he supported himself, and
caused him to fall upon the gunwale of
the enemy's ship, which observing,
caught hold Of him and pulled him
board. He Immediately got upon the
same yard again, with fresh supply of
hand grenades, and made such hvock
ION the enemy's deck that in few min
mtes they surrendered For this great
bravery Paul Jones piblickIy thanked
him on the qusrter-dcck of the Scraps.
the next afternoon, giving him double al
Iowance of grog for the week afterwards.
1t was near midnight when the action
terminated. The top of Flamboro' Head
was covered with people watching the en-
gagement, and no donbt the sight must
have been grand. The next day our ship
sunk. being fairly battered to pieces BY
the enemy's shot, as they poured shock
in4!y murderons fire into us all the while.
Commodore Dale, who died in this city
about two years ago, was Jones's second
lieutenant, and was badly wounded about
I the middle of the battle. lie was order
ed to go below. though he wished still 10
| fight upon deck. After he wen, down
he wasvery useiil in taking care of large
number Of English prisoners we had on
hoard. We had Que hundred and seven
iy-fhr men killed and nearly as many
wounded and missing. The Scraps had
one hundred and thirty-fiye killed, and
about eighty wounded.
Captain Pearson, the English command
er, fought nobly, aud defended his shin
to the last He had nailed his flag to The
mast, and was afraid TO haul it down when
he surrendered, as none Of his men would
go up to tear it away, because they dread
ed the sharp-shooiers IN onr round-tops
So when he concluded to give it M, he
mounted the gnnwale just by where I
was standing, and called out in a loud
voice, F" We surrender we surrender {"
Captain Jones not hearing this, left my
gun, and ran to him and told him of il.
He instantly ordered the firing to cease,
and the flag hauled down--but no Eng
lshman would doit, as muskct shots were
still exchanged between the two vessels.
On hearing this, George Roberts jumped
aboard the enemy's ship, mounted the tat
tered shrouds, and hacked down the Brit
ish ensign from its proud height As it
fell, what | considered as very remarka-
BILE, cap full of wind took it, and laid it
directly at Jones's feet, at the same time
spreading it nearly all over the dead body
of Lieutenant Grub, who, in the heat of
the fight, was killed, and still lying on the
deck. When the crew of the Richard
saw the flag fall, they gave thirteen tre-
mendous cheers. at which Captain Pear
son shrunk back from his high stand into
the shadow of the mizen-mast.
When we returned from this cruise. be-
ing affected in my hearing by splinter
which struck me under the ear, I left the