The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-09-08
-, . hollow sepulchral voice close at hand,

/ INJURED hollow, sePulchrai voice close AZ hah''
Ia von witnessed the counienances Of the men
an ,he lower deck al the supper time that night you
would never have forgotten IL; never havej anu
although perfectly ignorant OF what was 10 eonl en-
pation, saw they were al the highest pi'en OF aes
nsration That night poor John simmons was sewsd
M in his hammock the officer OF The watch read 'he
funeral service over him, by The light Of lanlhorn.
and as the awful words We, therefore, comml
his body to the deep" pealed upon my ears ana me
suen roar of the waves they received the corpse,
which followed, the same voice before mentioned,
in a still more awful manner called out ffeme1ioef!
The officer Of the watch looked round him before
he recommended reading the latter parl OF me ser
vice. bu, all the men near him appeared 70 DC as "
norant as 10 whom the sound came nom as himself
solemn "Amen" was pronounced, echoed oy the
same voice. which concluded this melancholy cere-
mony think il was The next day, "a man-oi-war,
the D, was In company observed seyeIai
Of the men going from one mess to the DINER WIS
pering something One in particular, man who
had been boaswains mate, but disraied and dogged,
because the Captain thought he was not laying on
the lash he ought to have done, was very ac,ive.
Il was his voice, am almost certain that heard re-
peat the word" remember" but every thing was
so conducted that knew nothing Of what was brew
ing. II was the night for scrubbing and washing
clothes, always done in the middle watch. was
between two of the guns abaft on the main deck,
scrubbing pair Of duck trousers. ! thought there
was an unusual noise with the wash-deck buckets
and looking up, saw several OF the men apparently
larking, throwing the buckets at one another. The
Captain sent out Of his cabin word for the men 10
make less noise, but they took no notice Oh wha' was
said; on the contrary, they made more noise than
before, taking the shot off the racks and throwing
them about the deck. Al last The First Lieutenant
up inquire into the cause OF the disu oance,
when one Of the men insulted him.. He returned 10
his cabin and brought up sword, with which he
went forward amongst the men, and endeayored TO
restore order. He was knocked down. run through
the body with his own sword, and thrown out OF
port
Seeing this horrid murder, len my trousers I'M
finished ran on deck and alof to the main,op.-
From this place heard the shouts OF the Infatuated
muiineers, and the groans Of the dying and every
now and then the splash OF some mingled victim
committed to the waves. Themen had broken open
the gunners store-room, and possessed themselves
OF arms and ammunition. The Captain, hearing
the uproar increase, opened the door, and came out.
He was sooner seen than one Of the men gave him
a blow with handspike, and he retreated to his ca
bin. Four or five Of the men rushed in after him,
armed with cutlasses, boarding pixies, and muskets
with fixed bayonets. The Captain endeavored to
defend himself with short sword, and for time
kept them at bay. So much did they dread him, that
they shrunk back and were afraid to strike, when
one Of them-John Morris-called out What do
YOU fear, men spike the -,n and gave them an
example by running him through with bayonet.-
They all followed his example, each one seeming
anxious to satiae his bloody vengeance. He was
covered with hundred wounds, and aiter cutting
and hacking the body and treating 1t with every pos
sble contempt they threw him out Of the cabin win
dows. My late antagonist-if it was done on my ac-
count am very sorry-was another of their victims
and only two or three Of the officers were exempted
from the carnage; among them was mdshipman,
and at the time sick in his cot his life was saved BY
one Of the muiineers who was his countryman /
was soon joined by two three others Of the peace
ably disposed, who like me, were horror struck at
the bloodShed going on below and we did not quit
our station until after the day broke. The main
deck covered with blood il was the blood of our
officers, many Of whom were as good men as ever
lived / have often, since that time, stood upon a
bloody deck, and thought light OF il for it was blood
shed in our countrys cause, and in a fair fight As
lothe Captain ifhe had possessed thousandlive he
deserved TO have lost them but bood-thirsty cruelty
alone called for the murder of the rest A boat
swain's mate now took the command, and called
council Of war; Some were for cruising for prizes
as pirate some wished TO leave the West Indies
and take the ship into French port; but The greater
number voted to her into the rst port they came
to on The Spanish main, and give her up 10 the Spa
niards. The latter plan was carried into effect, and
the next day found US at anchor under the guns of
heavy battery.