Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-02-06

on tho night Of The 29sh December, 1887. The
steamboat Caroline was lying at the wharf at
schinsser n Y III peace and quie.ncss. 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 a ferry
boat, by her proprietor, a citizen Of Buffalo, aud
had carried men, whp from motives Of curiosity
or business, had chosen TO visit the adjacent
| island. Her crew were asleep after the tolls Of
| The dav, and several strangers TOO who had sought
a refuge on board OF her from the imcieinency OF
tho weather, were reposing p~eaceably on board,
thanking Heaven probably for the hospitality ex-
tended TO them. About midnight boats filled with
armed men left The British shore, and with NUT
fed oars approached the devoted vesssel. The
watch on board saw them, but 10 could have no
idea Of The destruction intended. The boat had
DO n engaged in & harmless trade. and anticipating
none, was totally unprepared for a mufderous at
tack. In a moment aftor, British officers, ana
British soldiers. sprang upon her DECK, and
Knocked at the flag Of our country, and despising
it's boasts Of protection, commenced With insatiate
the work Of death. The sleepers were
aroused from their beds by the sharp hte OF PTS
tolls, the ciangor Of swords, the oaths and impre-
Cations Of tho assaiIants, and the hoffid cry AZ
they butchered TIE American. Of give thod---d
rebels 30 e%uarterl They rushed on deck, aud a
| frarfuI picture presented itself. All was contn-
sion, terror aud bloodsaed. One American, "a MI
| Darfae had reached the wharf in safety, is his
flight, fur tike his fellows. he was totally nnafned,
when q bullet pierced bis brain, and wsha leap
and o groaia Of agony he fell and expired. How
nany were thus inhunauly buichered, tho records
of eternity alone can show. Some were a1le to
| drag themselves, wounded and mutIlated, TO a
place Of eafety. One. a eir2en OF buffalo, whose
only crime was that he bad slept that right on
board the Caroline, was found deal upon the shore,
and it is coajectursd that several INST Their doom
ia d still more terrific way, by remaining concealed
on board tho boa. during the massacre. The
British boast that 10 this pa!efons attack upon
sleeping aud unarmed ms:l, they slew SIX or se'"
eli! So be it. They are welcome TO the g!ory-an anu
we hope our citizens will never forget II! The scene
did not end here: When the boats crew were
all escaped OF mutdered-or petchaneo concealed
10 her, she was cut loose, towed into the stream
and set on FIRE, and a signal light was seen on the
I British shore to guide the boats on their return
from their expedition. The scene now became
one Of awful subiimity. The Caroline was in
flames, and tho RESTLESS food was bearing her on
toward the cataract AS the fires curled about her,
ter engine began TO work by the heat OF the burn
ing vessel, ard the pilchy flames threw a red glare
on the wide scenery around her. 1t showed the
| wintru forest, and gloxed upon she waiers--Is re-
| veaied the rebel island, AID the barracks OF the
British soldiers, and showed too, the ghastiy
corpse and c,o,ted gore Of the murdered Durtee.-
Onward The burning vessel was borne, ard nearer
aud nearer the mighty precipire. From Que SIDE
she was viewed with exnltalion-irom the Other
with deep threats Of vengeance; and as she neared
the faaming gulf the Falls of Niasara-tl they Tell
of dark forms that were seen amid The flames
and death shrieks, that rose sLIi!l aud pietc-
ing above the noise of the rushing waters. Still
she rushed on, and still the scene increased III
grandeur until her burning timbers were extin-
suisacd in the food, and a few blackened flag.
ments, were thrown upon the shore, were oil that
! -Amained of the Caroline Amidst the horrld
eranisnf Of this scene, a shout Of triumph from
The other shore announced the return Of The mid
night murdercrs, They had with them two boys
as prisoners!