Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-05-13

the EAurora also discontinued. and the
Jolly boat astern being still uninjured, the
second lieutenant was deputied to pull
albng side of the frigate to ascertain if
} she had struck. -
4 The beams of the light moon silvered
the rippling water as the boat showed off,
n and captain Wilson and his officers who
,Bwere still unhurt, leant over the shatter-
ed sides of the Aurora, waiting for re-
] ply. Suddenly the silence Of the night
was broken upon by loud splash from
the bows ofthe Russian frigate, then a.
bout three cables length distant. ~
What could that be ? cried captain
: Wilson Her anchors down. Mr..
} Jones lead over the side, and see what
water we have
Mr.. Jones had long been carried down
below, severed in two with round shot.
but man lcaped into the chains, and;
lowered down the lead, sounding in sew
en- faihoms.
: Then Isuspect he will give US more
trouble yet,' observed captain Wilson (;
and so indeed it proved for the Russian
captain, in reply to the second lieuten-
ant, had told him in English, that he
would answer that question witha broad
side,' and before the boat was dropped
astern, he had warped round with the
springs on his cable, and had recon-
menced his fire upon the Aurora.
Capt. Wilson made sail upon his ship,
and sailed round and round the anchored
vessel, so to give her two broadsides to
her one, and from the slowness at which
she worked at her springs upon her ca
bles, it was evident that she must be now
very weak handed. Still the pertinacity
and decided courage Of the Russian cap
tain convinced Wilson, that, in all prob
ability, he would sink at his anchor be-
fore he would haul down his colors, and
not only would he lose more of the Au-
rora's men, but also the Russian vessel
without he took more decided step
Capt. Wilson, therefore resolved to try.
her by the board. Having poured in a
raking fire, he stood off for few mo-
ments, during which he called the Off
GERS and men on deck, and stated his
intention. He then went about, and
himself coming the Aurora, ran her on
board the Russian, pouring in his reserv-
ed broadside as the vessels came into
collision, and heading his men as they
leaped on the enemy's decks.
Although, as captain Wilson had inn
agined, the Russian frigate had not ma
ny men to oppose the Aurora's the deck
was obstinately defended. The voice
and the arm of the Russian captain were
to be heard and seen every where, and
his men, encouraged by him, were cut
down by numbers where they stood.
Our hero, who had the good fortune
to be still unhurt, was for little while
close to captain Wilson where he board
ed, and was about to oppose his unequal
force against that Of the Russian captain,
when he was pulled back by the collar
by Mr.. Hawkins, the chaplain, who rush.
ed in advance with sabre in his hand.
The opponents were well matched, and
it may be said that, with little Interrupt
ton, a hand-to-hand conflict ensued, for
the moon lighted up the scene Of carnage,
and they were well able to distinguish
each others faces. At last the chaplain's
sword broke; he rushed in, drove the
hilt into his antagonists face, closed with
bin, and they both fell down the hatch
way together. After this, the deck was
gained. orrather cleared, by the crew Of
the Aurora, for few could be said to have
resisted, and in minute or two the fri
gate was in their possession. The chap
lain and the Russian captain were hoist
ed up, still clinging to each other, both
senseless from the fall but neither of them
dead, although bleeding from several
wounds. t,,.
As soon as the main deck had been
captain Wilson ordered the
matches 10 be put on, and left the party
on board while he fastened to attend to
the condition OF his own ship and ships
.a Il
1t was daylight before anything like \
order had been restored to the decks Of
the Aurora. The water was still smooth, +
and instead ofletting so her own anchor, {
she had hung on with hauser to the {
prize; but the sails had been furled, her.
decks cleared, guns secured, and the !
buckets were dashing away the blood I
from her planks and the carriages of the I
guns, when the sun rose and shone upon
Them. The numerous wounded had by 9
this time, been put into their hammocks, |
although there was still one or two cases ]
Of ofamputation to be performed.
The carpenter had repaired all the
,hot-holcs under or too near the water