Litchfield enquirer., 1832-05-03

N"upUeN B MGtVOpUIttuH uVs CO"tu" y ln an article describing some interesting incidents n the life of saiIor," relates the following affecting anecdOte.
 We have had nearly enough of battles, and should have withheld the following account of a skirmish on shore, had not some of those touching scenes occurred, over which the mind delights to wander, and memory confers a favor when she startleS them into existence. We were a. bout ten miles to the eastward of Marseil- les. when we saw a small vessel at anchor in narrow bay. Prize money is like blood to bloodhound, once tasted never relinquished, without superior force inter- feres. To see the vessel. small as she was, and to know that certain sum, however small, would follow her capture. were suf- ficient excitement. Captain Parker, who had then succeeded to the title in conse- quence. of old Sir Peter Parker's death, having reconnoitered tho bay which seem-, ed totally defencelcss, manned the boats, and desired the lieutenant to bring ont the prize. We had three boats only employ ed in this expedition for as we could not distinguish the slightest appearance of a fortification. or any thing approximating to a battery, this small force was deemed am- ply sufficient; aud we left the ship, just as sure of bloodless prize as we were of our existence. In each boat, however, three mariners had been placed to amuse people on shore, while we lowed out the vessel. We approached the land about noon, and shortly were within pistol shot. Not soul was to be seen, excepting an old woman who sat at the door of small hut erected on the further end of the bay {; she sat spinning and seemingly without no- ticing us. It was dead calm, and ," ocean slumbered like an .unwean'd child" The bowman was corpse; a musket had been fired from behind rock on the left hand entrance, and that first shot was fatal; it was succeeded by another nearly from the same place. and one marine was disabled {: third came and tore the cravat from tho lieutenant's neck, but did not touch him {: a fourth and the ccckswain lost his arm.- There was no standing this,i was deiiber- ate murder; for ensconced, behind the rocks, the Frenchmcn fired in perfect se- curity; and SO small wcre the apertures from whence issued their destruction, tint they were imperceptible to US. Wo gave three cheers, and pulled right for tho place. Only one more shot came, and that struck an already wounded man. A small sandy cove offered landing, ,and one and all, sav- ing the wounded, jumped on shore and be- gan search. The lieutenant, myself, f,and a marine, took one direction; the other marine and some of the boats crew were left to search the rock near which we had landed. Ours seemed hopeless attempt to discover the enemy; we wound along the narrow path, which sometimes offered view of the water, and tlien suddenly turned inland. We examined every place with the utmost precaution, &nd search was useless, until another shot, which miss ed its mark, convinced us we were not far from our foes. We pushed on, one after the other, for the road was rugged and narrow, until, coming in a broader and more open view, we saw a man and lit- tic boy rytreating in much haste. The in- stant we hailed him to stop, he turned round and fired. It was again harmless shot, it grazed the marine, bu. no mischief was done.. The lieutenant instantly fired :, but missed his mark and he desired the marine to do the same, taking care not to hit the boy. The Frenchman again fired, and the little boy instantly gave him car- fridge; it was a running fight, and little harm likely to be done from such wild fir- ing. The marine suddenly stopped, and resting his musket against the rock, shot the child he fell in the act of offering an- other cartridge. The father instantly re- linquished his firearms, and fell by the side of his son :; of course he was prison- CT in moment. Our seizing his musket he disregarded; even of our approach he seemed unmindfnl. He had seated him- self, and, placing the boy head upon his lap, was wipiug away tho blood which ooz- ed from the wound in the fanahead, On desiring him to follow us n not the slightest attention, he ncI wept nor spoke, but watched the afs lnsIling shiver of his boy, as he reliafuished lifey~Rilh m eye of inexpressible sadness. Ths
 contraction of tho eye, tho distended jaw, the motionioss lip, announced his death. I stammered, for I could not speak the dreadful truth. The father jumped from the ground with frantic air, the marine brought his bayonet to the charge, andthe Frenchman endeavorcd to run on its point, but the marine dropped his muskes and en- circled him with his arms. Wa immedi- atsly secured his hands, and 6ssirsd him