New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-07-11

IN every flash, and streBing the ground WIN lpe
victims Of its wrath; only, in our case the sceiie
was rendered more horrible than that, Dy ltio
nresence of torrents of blood which oyeu ou'
decks. r, 80. &C i
Though the recital may be painful, yet as 1t
will reveal the horrors Of war, ana siloT 9. 1'
fearful price victory Is won or iosi' "'ii pc
sent the reader with things as lhes n,ee ny
dnrinq the progress Of that dreadful hgns. was
brsl, sunnving nv gun with powder, when
cav blood suddenly hv from the arm OF man
.,at;orcd at our gun. | saw nothing strike him:
- offact alone was visible; IN an instant the
bird lieutenant tied his handkerchief round the
wounded arm, and sent the groaning wretch be-
low TO the surgeon.
The cries Of the wounded now rang through
all parts Of the ship. These were carried to the
cockpit as fast as they fell, while those more
fortunate men who were killed outright, were
Immediately thrown overheard AS | was sta
toned but short distance from the main hatch
way, could catch glance at al who were car
ried below. a glance was all | could indulge IN.
( for the boys belonging TO the guns next to nine
were wounded in the early part Of the action, and
! | had to spring with all my might to keep three
or four guns supplied with cartridges | saw two
of these lads fall nearly together. One of them
was struck in the leg by large shot; he had to
SuI1cT d1npuldlOn ABOVE llle WOuuu lIeolisi nGsi
grape or canister shot sent throughhls ANGLE.
/ stout Yorkshrcman lifted him IN his arms, and
hurried him to the cockpit. He had his foot cut
off, and was thus made lame for LIE. Two Of
the bows stationed on the quarter deck were killed.
! They were both Portuguese. A man. who saw
! one of them killed afterward told me that his
powder caught fire and burnt the flesh almost OH
/ his face In this ptable situation, the agonlzed
/ boy lifted up both hands, If imporng relci,
when passing shot instantly cut him in two.
was an eyewitness to sight equally revolt
ing. A man named Aldrich had one of his
hands cut off by shot, and almost at the same
moment he received another shot which tore
open his bowels in terrible manner. AS he fell,
two or three men caught him in their arms, and,
as he could not live threw him overheard.
One Of the officers in nv division also fell IN
my sight He was noble hearted fellow, named
Nan kivell. grape or canister shot struck HIM
near the heart exclaiming '' Oh, my Sod" he
fell and was carried below, where he shortly after
died
Mr. Hope our first lieutenant, was also slightly
wounded by grumlnet, or small IRON ring proba-
b!v torn from hammock clcw by shot. lie
went below, shouting to the men TO fight on.
Having had his wound dressed he came up again,
shouting to RS at the top OF his voice, and bid
ding us fight with all our might. There was not
a man in the ship but would have reolced had he
been in the place of our masters mate, the I'M
fortunate Nan KvcIl.
The battle went on. Our men kept cheering
with all their might cheered with them, though
! confess | scarcely knew FOR what. Certainly
there was nothing very INSPIRING IN the aspect
of things where was stationed So terrible had
been the work OF destruction round us, 1t was
termed the slaughterhouse. Not only had we had
] he, pIcl
several OF the guns were disabled. The one
belonged to had a piece of the muzzle knocked
out: and when the ship rolled it struck beam
of the upper deck with such force as to become
damned and fixed IN that position. "A twenty
four pound shot had also passed through the
screen CT the magazine, Immediately over the
orhcc through which we passed our powder.
The SchOolmastcr received death wound. The
brave boatswan, who came from the sick bed to
| the din of battle. was fastening stopper on a
back stay which had been shot away, when his
head was sna shed to pieces by cannon ball;
another man, going TO complete the unfinished
task, was also struck down Another oil our
mldshipmen also received a severe wound. The
! un!ortun9 tie ward room steward, who attempted
10 cut his throat on former occasion was
killed. A fellow named John, who for some
petty offence, had been sent on board as pun
ishment, was carried past me wounded. dis
tinctlv heard the large blood-drops fall pat, pat,
pat, on ,Ac deck; his wounds were mortal
Even :, poor goat, kept by the officers for her
milk, did not escape the general carnage; her
hind legs were shot off, and poor Nan was thrown
overheard.
Such was the terrible scene, amid which we
kept on our shouting and firing. Our men fought
Ike tigers. Some of them pulled off their jack
cts, others their Jackets and vests: while some,
still more determined had taken oft their shirts,
and, with nothing but handkerchief tied around
the Wristbands Of their trowsers, fought like he
roes | also observed boy named Cooper sta
, toned at a gun some distance from the magazine.
He came 10 and fro on the full run, and appear
ing 10 be as merry cricket. The third
5 lieutenant chcered him along, occasionally, by
: saving, Well done, my boy, you are worth your
weight iii gold
have often been asked what were my feelings
during this fight. | felt pretty much as | sup
pose every one does at such n time. That men
are without thought when they stand amid the
dying and the dead is loo absurd idea 10 be
entertained a moment. We all appeared cheerful,
but / know that many serious thought ran
through my mind still, what could we do but
keep up a sembancc, at least, OF animation To
run from quarters would have been certain
death from the hands of or own officers TO give
way TO gloom, or 10 show fear, would do no good
and might brand us with the name OF towards
J and ensure certain defeat. Or only true phi-
losophy, therefore, was to make the best of our
situation, by fighting bravey and cheerfuly.
thought great deal, however, OF the other world;
every groan, every falling man, told me that the
next instant might be before the Judge Of all the
earth, For this, | felt unpreparcd BIZ, beng
wi'hon, any particular knowledge of religious
truth, | satisfied myself by repeating again and
again The lords PRAYER. and promising that if