The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-02-24
OTTAWA, ILLINOIS, FRIDAY. FEBRUARY

path. As the smoke cleared away, the
fore-topmast Of one of the enemy's yes
sells was observed to be shot away. and
several seamen were engaged in clearing
the wreck. Now ensued moment o.
anxious suspense, as the defenders of the
fort waited to receive the hostile broad
side. A stream of fire burst from the
portfolios of the ships, and they poured
in their tremendous broadsdes on the for!
A large forty-two pound shot entered one
of the embrasures, dismoun,ing gun,
killing two men who stood beside it. and
struck the opposite side of the fort
With this exception, the fire caused
trifling damage, for the green palmetto.
composing the outer wall of the fort. was
not splin,ered by the shot, but the wood
opening received the balls, which buried
themselves in the sand--filing up the
space between the outer and inner pal
metto walls Of the fort, (about eighteen
feet.)
At them again, my lads, shouted Moul-
trie; point your guns lower, and don't
throw away a shot.
The guns Of the fort were in an instant
sponged, charged, and pointed; and
again, at the word " fire." Numbered forth
their IRON storm with more effect than at
first. The guns being pointed lower,
every shot told upon the hulls of the YES
sells, crashing through their bulwarks and
knocking two portfolios into one. The
ball from the gun pointed by Sergeant
Jasper. struck the foot of Sir Peter Par
ker's bowsprit, SCATTERING it to pieces, and
throwing the splinters in every direction
ono of which, striking the second Lieu
tenant, killed him on the spot. The fight
had now become general; the hostile
ships were completely enveloped in thick
clouds of smoke, from which almost in
cessanty a stream Of lurid flame would
burst fort, succeeded by the crashing of
the cannon balls againstthe palmetto walls,
beyond which they did little injury, ex-
cept such as entered the embrasures, or
being fired over the sea wall of the fort,
struck against the inner side of the oppo-
site wall. wounding and killing our sol
ders in the rebound.
The guns of the fort answered well
so long as the ammunition lasted IN in
cessant sheet of fame flashed from the
embrasures, and the heavy lorty-two
pound shot of the Americans tore through
the BRUSH vessels, destroying every thing
in its course and covering The decks with
dead and dying. Sir Peter Parker's yes
sci, the Bristol, was completely rlddlcd by
shot, and the blood poured from the soup
pers in streams. During the hottest of
The fight, twenty-four pound shot from
he Bristol carried away the American
lag, SCATTERING the staff to pieces. A
shout was set up by the British but as
he colors fell. Sergeant Jasper caugh,
hem in his arms--then fixing them on
he point Of his hayonet, he leaned upon
he breastwork amid a voley of grape
'hot, aud driving the point Of his bayonet
nio the palmetto wood, pinned the colors
o the fort. A shout rose from the Ameri-
'ans at this daring feat, when Jasper, Ia
ting Off his hat, waved it towards the
enemy. exclaiming-" Liberty and my
country forever"
Victory, my bravc"-shouted Ser
,eant Mcdonald, waving his sword, when
1t that moment a thirty-two pound shot
entering one of the embrasures, dismoun-
ed agun, and glancing, struck him in the
,reast. leaving him mangled corpse,
with the unfinished words yet upon his
Ups.
Marion, said Moultrie, the day is ours
If our ammunition only lasts, we shall
sink every ship before the fort"
Eyes, replied the latter, we shall do i,
f our men only point their guns properly"
MarionRpw went through the fort pon-
ing eve GIN himself that he possibly
'ould; no, shot was thrown away, and
he British finding they could make no
impression on the fort, terrified by the
number Of their wounded and slain, and
lreading the excellence of the American
yunnery and the appalling effect of our
heavy mental, Just after sunse, began to
ship their cables and move off in CRIPPLED
and disabled state.
A shout ofvictory burs, from the Ameri-
,an troops as the cheering intelligence
was announced-doubly cheering, indeed,
rom the fact that our ammunition was al
nos, exhausted. and it would have been
almost impossible much longer to have
ield the fort against the tremendous broad
'Ides which were continually poured in.
l. L.