Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-09-21
MISC f l. l. A y Y.
A Barring Adventure.

There was some sharp and serious work
occasionally on board our ships of war and
merchantmen during the suspension of the
friendly relations between this country and
France, upwards Of forty years ago. Ma
ny instances might be cited, Illustrative OF
the courage Of American tars. Among the
most conspicuous was the rccapture OF the
ship Hiram, Of CastIne, Captaln " hltney,
as described in the letter from the captain
published at the time, dated
Fort ROYAL. MARTINIco.
November Is, 1900.
Arrived here On the 18Th inst, after be-
ing twice taken and retakcn; and lO2 days
at s-a. left Liverpool the 2nd Of Aug,
and on the 18th Of September, being in
longitude 50, and latitude %, was taken
by French sloop Of war; aud all my Peo-
pie taken out except Hurry one man,
and boy of ID years of age. an app:en-
tee of mine; and manned with 10 F.ench-
man, and ordered for Cayenne.
being determined to attempt to retake
my ship, on first discovering Il soop Of war
to be French, loaded my pistols and hid
them in a crate Of ware, which had not
done, should have lost them, for DOT less
than three different times were my trunks
searched for them, as were the cabin and
all parts of the ship, which they could
come at; they found my ammunition, but
my pistol were secure and such was their
extreme caution, that they would not allow
any man TO be Oft dcch; eat, drink, and
sleep on deck.
Finding that could not obtain any ad-
vantage Of them by getting them below, |
determined to attack them openly 10y day
ght. Therefore at about four O'Clock, on
the fourth day after being taken, | secured
NY pistols in my waistband, having previ-
ousIy told Harry and my man my deter
minaton, and directed them TO have a cou-
pie of handspkes where they could clap
their hands upon them in an instant, and
when they saw me begin, to come to my
assistance.
The prizc-master was now asleep on the
weather hen coop, lis mite al the wheel,
and the crew on different parts u the main
deck. Under these circumstances | made
The attempt by first knocking down the
mate ut the wheel f.; the master started so
quick, that | could get bat Il very slight
stroke at him; upon which he drew his
dirk upon me, but closed in with him,
sailed him out Of the quarter rall, and
threw him overheard. But he caught by
the main chains and So escaped going IN
to the water BY this lime had the re-
naming eight men upon me, two OF whom
knocked backwards off the quarter deck,
and Harry and my men coming aft at this
time with handspikes, played thcI part so
well among them, that soon got relieved.
| then drew pistol and shot Il black le-
low in the head, who was coming at me
with a broaGaXe; the ball only cat him to
the bone, and then glanced, but il had an
excellent effect, by letting the rest know
had pistols, Of which had no idea. By
this time, the mate, whom | first knocked
down had recovered, and ran down to his
trunk and got pistol, which he fired at
my mans face. but the ball missed him.
The prize-masicr, whom hove over
the quarter, got in again and stabbed Hen
~ in the side, but not so bad as 10 ob,ige
him to give up till he had conquered. In
this situation we had it peH nell, for about
quarter Of an hour, when he got them a
running, and followed them on, knocking
down the hindmost, two or three times
aronnd the deck, when par, of them es-
capped below, and the rest begged for mer-
cy, which consisted Of a discharged pistol,
mdshipman's dirk, a broadaxe, hand
saw, &c. We then marched them aft IN
10 the cabin, and brought them up, one at
a time, after strckly searching them, and
combining them down forward"
Ten days after this daring action, Capt.
Whitney was again captured by priva-
tcer schooner, from Guadalupe, who plum
dered their ship of or fl0, 600 sterling,
put on board a crew Of fifteen Frenchmen,
and ordered her for GuadaIoupe. After
being in their hands forty-sx days, he was
retaken by an English frigate and sent in
10 Marinico.
Second mate, brother of Capt Whitney, aged
seventeen wears