Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-10-20

i"'N' "u'H uoout va -OTeAks anu tnen
make vigorous attack upon the for
tress.
About ten o'clock that evening. a
solitary figure, in the garb Of British
tar. the circumgyrations Of whose mo.
ton. gave evidence that Arrack punch
had by no means improved the awk :
wardness of his sea legs-was seen
working his way towards the enemy's
Notifications, yccring now TO the right
and then to the left, like boat row
ing against shifting winds and eddics.
Ii was none other than Straham him.
self, evidently too much elated by the
influence ofgros to reason coolIy upon
any thing. lnsensible to fear, but with
no very definite purpose in his mind.
he staggered onward until he found
himself directly under the walls of
Bougee Forts "a strong fortific alton,
defending the town of Mayaporc -
Straham, after vainly endcavcripc TO
press onward, and thereby bringing
his head several times in contact " ith
the wall. looked upward and began TO
realize his situation. The wall at this
point had been greatly exposed to the
cannon Of the British feet, and huge
breach had been laid open, just before
the spot where Straham was stand.
ing. partially revealed BY the lamps
and torches which flashed n wild light
from the interior of the fortress, The
drunken sailor looked at il with as
much GOODNESS as inebriation would
admit OF. Burns says somewhere in
his Tam O'Shantcr,
"Wi twopenny We fear no evil,
WI usquebaugh We face the devil"
and the conduct Of Straham certainly
verified his assertion. Bestowing a
hearty curse upon his Admiral for "a
land -lubber and q coward, he clam.
hered up the breach and mou nted upon
the bastion. Several dark visaged in
hdels, rendered still more hideous by
the CRIME Of gunpowder, who were
sitting quietly upon the platform.
sprang upon their feet at the startling
apparition Of Straham. Discbarginc
his pistol at the nearest Of his enc.
mics, who rolled back with fatal
wound upon the platform, the sailor
fiourished his cutlass, and shouted IN a
tone which thrilled through every nook
OF Mayapore, and reached even the
camp Of his comrades,
"liurra.-The pace is mine!"
Phe startled garrison returned the
shout, and sprang TO arms. Straham
gave three cheers, and put himself up
on the defensive. At that instant half a
dozen OF Straham's shipmates, who had
also strayed away from the camp, hear
ING the cutlery, and recognizing the
voice Of one Of their fellows sprang up
the breach, and repeated the cheering
hurra. The whole British camp was by
this time in motion, the orders OF
Col. Give were disregarded-all dis
cipline was forgotten, and officers and
men rushed promiscuously to the at
tack. They scaled the breach, and
the bayonet and cutlass did bloody
work among the infidels Of the garr-
son. In ten minutes all was over ;
and British salute from the guns oil
the Bougec fort, told the astonished
Admiral that Mayapore was his own.
The nextmorDing, Straham, the hero
OF the affair. was brought before Ad-
mIral Watson. The Admiral was q
stern, dark-visaged man,-a severe
dIsciplinarian,-and, however gra.ified
he might have been at the capture OF
the tor. he was sadly shocked at the
total want Of discipline manifested in
;hc desperate undertaking.
Strabam," he said, somewhat stern
ly, " what have you been doing."
The sailor bowed stifly, scratched
his head with one hand, and twirled
his tarpauling in the other. "Why,
dye see,' said he with the utmost
simplicity Of look and tone. Ito be
sure twas ] that took the fOrt-but
hope there was no harm mt" A roar 81
laughter burst from the subsliefn oil
GERS, and even thr Admiral bit his lip
but cXeftIng himself 90 command hi.
countenanoe, he cxpatiated on the ia
tai consequences which might have at.
tended such a mad exploit. and dis
missed the offender with a severe re
buke, aud a distinct threat ihatat som,
proper opportunity he should Certainl,
be punished for his tetneriiy.
Straham was amazed. lie had ex
Peet.d praise and promotion, he fount
tebukes and threatening Of punishment
Indignant at such treatment. and 10
tally forgetting the respect due to hi,
commander, hc thrust bis head ini,
bis iarpauiing and hiss hands inio De-,
poe keis. aud res'cd out at the Adm
RAILS cabin, u'ultering a. he went
" llafk'ec, old boy, q tn hogged ior
THIS ere action. msy the devil fuasr
ne u ever take another fort by nv.
self. a. long a. am abavc patches
Tits ~as too much. Tie grin, si.ag,
% tie Admiral released and be- ioine,
loudly ~ the laugh which followed a.,
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