Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-10-01

but then some ACCIDENT HtiSnt happen, and va
should be in blight, il the signal-halyard'
would not render.
THE order was obeyed by all except D.,
Flanagan, an Irish fore-topman, who was sen,
aloft to set the ensign at the fore. He took IN
some nails, and marln-spke for hammsr
and nailed the ensign 10 the fag-pole, in tbre.
places.
s'There,' says Pat, as he came down into II.
foretop, I'll be id if that flag shall be strucL
unless the mast goes by the board
'Then the drums beat to quarters, and as Soon
as they had done, the saucy Englishmen repea,
ed the call with full band, and rolled off with
Rule Britannia and, both luffing suddenly in
the last strain, the music was drowned with the
thunder of two broadsides fired altogether
plump at us. never heard such music before
! and hope never shall again, especially in a
moonlight night.
Then came the orders for bringing the shin
to action. Both batteries were cast loose, TOM.
pions out. aprons off and loaded, with each a
round shot, a stand of grape and canister.
MAN both batteriesn sung out the first hF
they were manned.
sDepress your guns for close fire. wait for
the word of command; silence, fore and-alln
He stopped, and hardly brcathed; our deck,
were as still as death, and as was only about
eighteen wears old and had never been in ac
ton, be- gan to feel little streaked was STA.
toned at one OF the quarter deck guns and Of
course could see every thing, and standing stil
alongside my gun, | had nothing to think Of
but the question whether the fiat fish wouldrn,
be clubbing their ugly noses into my carcass. a,
the bottom of the sea, before long, and, can tel
you, felt little queer as the shot from the En-.
gIishmen flew around us: didn't like standing
still to be shot at.
Right ahead, about mile off, were The
Cyane and Levant, under easy sail. The LevaR
was little head of the Cyane, and as it was
bright moonlight, we could see every thing as
plain as day, and they blazed away at US with
stern chasers and quarterback guns at The same
time, but we took no notice Of it.
wait for the word Of command says the
first huff, again; mot a shot must be thrown
away.
AS We -neared them, their fire grew hotter
and hotter, till, when we were on the Cyanes
larboard quarter the sea was all in blaze.
"Portr hailed the first luff in voice so loud,
that We heard it plain in spite Of the Engish.
mems broadsides. Their game was TO keep
both on our larboard, so that we should be Obig.
ed to divide our larboard battery between them,
but Commodore Stewart knew better than that
I'VE passed the starboard side OF the Cyans,
and luffed too, so that We should not rake them
and then the first lieutenant hailed again,
.'Mlnd the roll-fre!"
EVERY gun aboard was fired the minute the
word passed his lips the larboard. battery into
the Cyane and the starboard into the LevaDt
and as the kick of one battery met the kick Of
the other, the ship didn't heel an nch but
tembled like leaf from the keelson to the
trucks. | never shall forget how felt them the
noise of our batteries was enough TO split
mans head open; but the most awful sound 10
me was the. crashing our shot made aboard The
EngShnen; il was as if every mast had gOneby
the board; every shot told; and the yells OF the
wounded! it makes my blood run cold to think
OF it,
'They gave us as good as We sent and tried 10
rake u.s. but they found We could fight both
batteries, and work ship too; so atit We went
hammer and tongs; and shot and splnteIshe'
well, fore and aft.
i was loader Of my gun, and as u was
in the larboard battery, my mark was the Cyans
After we had been at it little while, round shG
took the man next me in the head, and dasnea
his blood and brains all over me: but ~ my ski
tishness was gone after the first broadslde, ana
| did not mind this trife at all.
The next minute, as had finished LOADING
her and was stepping back. my left arm droPpeo
numb by my side. | felt of il, but there wasnO
skin broken, nor so much as the sleeve Of ny
'spose twas the wind of shot passing close 10"
The Lieutenant Of my division seeing some
thing was foul, told me to go below to the Doc
tor.
"IfI do, Pm be id says I, touching ny
hat so that he needn't call it insoence, but 'es
my station at the train-tackle, for cond haO'
in and run out the gun with one hand, as weIIa
dozen; and the man | relieved took my posi- 81
loader, and in minute after round shoI G"
him in two; so there was my luck.
Well, after while, the enemy's tlre oes'"
to slack little, and that made us work away
the harder, and pretty soon the Cyane haOs.
down her ensign, (guess 'twasn't nailed 10 ''
NASTY but the Levant made sail to get away
old Ironsides fell off from the wind to bring Da
larboard broadside to bear on her. and gave
to her so solidly, that she, too, hauled do"hM
flag
We gave them three cheers, and them oo''
being lowered, the Commodore sent lIeun
ant and prize crew aboard each Of them
take possession Of them, and receive Their W
render; for neither Of them had boat ~
would float, to send their captains aboarddH
Well, we bore away towards Madeira at
ing along easy, repairing damages; and wa
that was done, we spliced the main brace, 'O'
if grog erer tasted well, it did then.
About six bells, in the first watch, the IeUS
nant in charge Of the Cyane hailed, to say U"
he wanted the carpenter and his gang, lOI I"