The Hawk-eye and Iowa patriot. (Burlington, Iowa) 1839-1843, 1839-11-14

city and the troops in the. vicinity.
Mr.. BushnelFs machine had been in
vented, and some experiments tried
with it at New York, which augured
tavorably to its success. A secret
|tund was raised at New London, and
a large sum privately offered to the
Ipersen who would blow up this ship
by means Of the torpedo. At length
brave, patriotic and ambitious Young
man offered totattempt its execution.
His name was Plowden Halsey, the
youngest son Of large and honora-
bic family, most of whom had sunk to
the grave by hereditary consump-
ton, and left his mother nearly child
less. Hazardous as was the enter
lprise, it was with much difficulty that
this youth could obtain permission Of
his parents to venture his life, so dear
to them, till at length that patriotic
mother, with tears in her eyes devot-
ed her darling son for the good of her
country. Immediately and secretly
the necessary preparations were made
for this hazardous undertaking, and
the most confident hopes Of success
were entertained by all who had any
knowledge Of the project. But there
was one who felt more deeply inter
ested in the success Of this scheme
THAN the venturous hero himself or his
afectionate mother, one whose pillow
was nightly bathed in tears at the bare
apprehension of the danger to which
her lover would thus voluntari-
! |y expose himself; while she esteemed
him the more highly for the courage
and boldness he evinced in his noble
undertaking. She, the young, the
beautiful aud amiable, who had scarce
ly been willing to make the slightest
return for the passion which he had
SO constantly cherished during along
and intimate acquaintance, now, that
danger approached in its most fright
| full form, no longer scrupled to ack-
knowledge her reciprocal affection, and
to beseech him by his love and regard
for her not to expose himself to the
perils of his project. But the noble
youth, while his eye beamed with a
tear Of tenderness, held more firmly
his resolution to make himself worthy
of so grateful an attachment. At
length an evening arrived suitable for
! his fixed purpose. He had given the
parting kiss to the maiden; and wept
at his mothers grief, and melted to
tears at.her tenderness as he babe her
fare well, perhaps for ever; the torpe-
do was in readiness, and he descend
ed with tremulous steps to the shore,
having before him the alterna tive OF
death on the one hand, or atduence
and glory on the other. The night
chosen rs the most favorable to sue
cess was dark and gloomy. Not a
breath of air was stirring, and thick
clouds covered the face of the heav-
ems, portending a storm slowly APP
proaching. A few lights Still glimmer-
ed from the shallops, scattered thinly
over the bay, and the hoarse cry of
the Waterman, was heard in the de-
serted streets Of the city, 'ten O'Clock
and all's WE'LL" as Halsey reached the
place of rendezvous. A boat we'll man
ned was in readiness to transporthim
as near to the enemy as could be done
with safety; and having received him,
the oars were vigorously piled to the
completion of this object. When they
| had arrived within the distance of four
score rods from the enemy's ship, its
towering masts appearing family in
the surrounding mist, their direction
was taken by the help ola dark Ian
tern; the torpedo with its appended
magazine was loosened from the boat;
young Halsey took his place in the ia
tai machine, its entrance was closed,
its ballast adjusted by the men in the
boat, and it gently sunk beneath the
water, and began to move slowly in
the direction Of the British ship. The
boats crew hastily but silently row.
ed towardsa place of rendezyous, pre-
viously appointed, and awaited the
|event. But hardly had they proceed
ed to double their distance from the
enemy's ship when the rain began to
fall in torrents, attended by severe
gust of wind, and the waves lashed the
sides of their boat with increasing vi
olence. Constantly watching the Bri-
fish ship, they at length saw unusual
lights moving upon the forecastle, and
heard confused noise like the call Of
call hands on deck" An alarm gun
was fired, betraying the fearful truth
that the watch had discovered the ap-
proach Of the torpedo. Resting on
their oars, the boatmen perceived that
the whole crew were engaged in
sweeping the ships bottom, and with
the direct foreboding they concluded
that the enemy had been informed Of
their danger and prepared to escape
it. At length by the motion Of the
l I 4 ! a. IT,