Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-01-22
The following is a brief sketch Of the out
rage in winch Mcleod participated, and
for which he will be tried -


rage in which Mcleod participated, and
for which he will be tried:-
BURNING OF TIE CAROLINE.
This outrage took place on the night of tho
29th December, 1887. The steamboat Ca
roline was lying at the wharf at Schlosser,
N. Y. in peace and quictness. She was an
American boat, was owned and managed by
American citizens, and carried an American
flag. She had been employed during the
day as ferry-boat by her proprietor, CT
tizen of Buffalo, and had carried men, who
from motives Of curiosity or business, had
chosen TO visit the adjaccn. Navy island.
Her crew were asleep after the tolls Of the
day, and several strangersto too who had sought
a refuge on board of her from the inccmen-
cy of the weather. we're reposing peaceably
on board, thanking Heaven probably for the
hospitality extended to them. About mid
night, boats filled with armed men left the
British shore, and with muflled oars APP
preached the devoted vessel. The watch or
, board saw them, but he could have had no
idea of that destruction intended. The boat
! had been engaged in harmless trade, and
anticipating none, was totally unprcparcdtor
: a murderous attack. In moment after,
+ British officers, and British soldiers, sprang
upon her deck, and mocking at the flag of
our country, and dcspsing its boast of pro-
lection, commenced with nsatiate greatness
: the work of death. The seepers were
] aroused from their beds by the sharp fire Of
, pistols, the clangor of swords, of the oaths
! and imprccations Of the assailants, and the
| horrid cry as they butchered the Americans
t of 'give the id rebels no quarter !" The,
d rushed on deck, and fearful picture pre-.
n scented ITSELF All was confusion, tcrrors ant
bloodshcd. One American, Mr.. Durfce
Il had reached the wharf in safety, and like
his fellows, he was totally unarmed, when ;
S bullet pierced his brain, and with leap ant
S groan of agony, he fell and expired. How
n many were thus inhumanly butchcred, tho
!, records Of eternity alone can show. SOM
s were able to drag themselves, wounded ant
y nulila,cd, TO place of safety. One, a CT
tizen of Buffalo, whose only crime was tina
d he had slept that night on board the Caroline
was found dead upon the shore, and it is con
o ccturcd that several met their doom in
n still more terrific way, by remaining con
a ccaled on board the boat during the massacre
e The British boas, that in this ualorous attac
le upon sleeping and unarmed men, they sic,
10 six or seven So be it. They are wclcom
= to the glory-and we hope our citizens wi
C. never torgctit The scene did not end here
IN "When the boats crew had escaped or wer
~ murdcrcd-or pcrchauce concealed in he
i she was cut loose, towcd into the stream an
at Sc, on fire, and signal light was seen o
IN the British shore to guide the boats on the
l. return from their expedition. The seen
lc now became one of awful sublimiiy. TIL
L. Caroline was in flames, and the resistle
nj flood was bearing her on toward the catarac
g. As the fires curled about her engine began
he work BY the heat of the burning vessel, an
y the pitchy flames threw a red glare on II
c, wild scenery around her. 1t showed II
s. wintrv forest, and Clowed over the rapids
n it revealed the rebel island, and the barracl
ID of the British soldiers, and showed too, Il
CHASTITY corpse and clotted gore ofthe murder
r cd Durlce. Onward the burning vessel W;
L. borne, and nearer the mighty prccipic
m From one side she was viewed with exult;
tion-irom the other with deep threats
or vengeance and as she ncarcd the foamir
gu!f-the Falls of Niagara-they tell of dar
~ forms that were seen amid the ilamcs-ar
lie of death shricks, that rose shrill and pie
m cling above the noise Of the rushing water
Still she rushed on, and still the scene il
,c creased in grander until her burning tmbe
It were cxtinguishcd in the flood, and fe
blackcncd fragments, thrown upon the shor
Oh were all that remained of the Caroline
Amidst the horrid grandeur of this scene,
shout of triumph from the other shore a
,lf nounccd the return ofthe midnight murderer
They had with them two boys, as prisoners
at Philadelphia Times.