Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-08-12

by The Americans OF board. that Ffigates
the American service carried mere n
heavier metal than ours. This. togetl
the French nj sea, led Us to a preference
n French antagonist.
The Americans among our number r
quito Disconnected, .at the necessity viii
4 compelled them 10 fight against their ov
eountrymen. One of them. named Jol
Gard, ne brave n seaman as ever trod
plank. yentuted to present himself 10 Il
captain, as prisoner, frankly declaring Il
objections to fight. That officer, very tt
generously, ordered him TO his quarter
threatening 10 shoot him ifhe nude tho r.
duest again. Poor fulIowl He obeye
tho unjust command. and was killed by
shot from his W eountFymen. This fat
10 more ~disarnceful TO the captain Of tn
Macedonian. than even the loss Of his shil
It was II gross and paIpable violation Of III
rights Of man.
Az tho approaching ship showed Amer
lean ooIors, all doubt Of her character wa
al nm end.
"Wo must fight her, was the convic
ton Of every breast. Every possible ar
rangement TINT could insure success, wa
accordingly made. The guns were shot
ted; the matches lighted; for although oul
guns were furnished with first rate locks,
they were also provided with matches Of.
tached by linyards, in Gaze Tho lock should
miss fire. A lieutenant then passed through
the ship, directing the marines and beard.
ers. who were furnished with pixies, cut.
lasses and pistols, how to proceed if it
should DO necessary TO board the enemy.
lie was followed by the captain, who OK.
horted them to fidelity and courage, urg.
ing upon their consideration tho well
known motto of tho brave Nelson. 'Ifng.
land expects every man to do bis duty y
In addition to all these preparations on
deck, some non wero stationed in the tops
with small arms, whose duty it was to ut.
tend TO trimming tho sails, and to use their
muskets, provided we came TO close action,
There were others also below. called sail
trimmers, to assist in working the ship.
should 1t be necessary TO change her posi-.
ton during the battle.
My station was at the fifth gun on the
mnin deck. II was my duty TO supply the
gun with powder, a boy being appointed
TO each gun in the ship on the side we en-.
gagged, for this purpose. A WOODEN screen
placed before tho entrance to the
magazine. with n hole IN it, through which
he cartridges were passed to the boys; we
'eceived them there, and covering them
With our jackets. hurried to their respec.
i've guns, These precautions arc observed
Q prevent The powder taking fire before il
caches the gun.
Thus we all stood, waiting orders, ia
botionless suspense. AT last we fred three
.nns from the Iarbord side Of the main deck;
was followed by the command, 'Ceuso
you are throwing away your shotl'
Then catne the orders to swear ship"
nd prepare TO attack the enemy with our
tarboard guns. Soon after this | heard Il
ring from some other quarter, which | Mt
lrst supposed to be a discharge from our
uarter.deck g,as; though it proved to be
he roar ofthe enemy's cannon.
A strange noise, such as | never heard
next arrested my attention; it SCUM.
ed like the tearing of sails, just over our
eads. This / soon aseertained TO be the
ind of the ennemy's shot. The fire after
few minutes cessation, recommended.
he roaring of cannon could now be heard
ON all parts of our trembling ship, and
as it did with that Of our foes, il
lade a mos. hideous noise. By.and.by
card the shot strike the sides of our ship;
'e whole scene became indescribably
onfused and horrible; it was like some
sful tremendous thunder storm, whose
eaiening roar is attended by incessant
reaks Of lightning. carrying death in eve.
flash, and strewlng the ground with the
Ictims of its wrath; only, in our case the
enc was rendered more horrible than that
the presence of torrents of blood which
9ed our decks. {
Though the recital may be painful, yet
it will reveal the horrors of war, and ,
at what a fearful price II victory is I
on or lost, | will prese OF the reader with t
ings as they met my eye curing the pro !
of that dreadful fight. was busily t
'pplying my gun with powder, when |
W blood suddenly fly from the arm of n !.
an stationed ut our gun. / saw nothing !
rlke him; the effect alone was visible; in .
instant the third lieutenant tied his q
indkerchief round the wounded arm, and
nj the groaning wretch below to the sur Y
b
The cries Of the wounded now rang !
rough all parts Of the ship. These were J
rried to the cockpit as fast as they fell. q
those more fortunate men who were q
lied outright, were Immediately thrown i
erboard. As | was stationed bu, a short a
stance from the main hatehway, | could o
Itch a glance at all who were carried be. v
'. A glance was all | could indulge in .
the boys belonging to the guns next to !,
me were wounded in the early part of y
e action, and | had to spring with all my b
Ight to keep three or four guns supplied t
tn cartridges. | saw two of these lads v
nearly together. One of them was v
'uck in the leg by a large shot; he had to n
fer amputation above the wound. The u
Ter had grape or canister shot sent through E
ANGLE. A stout Yorkshireman lifted I
m in his arms, and hurried him TO the
He had his foot cut off. and was n
US made lame for life. Two of the boys S
oil the quarter deck were killed.
ley were both Portuguese. A man;who
one of them killed, afterward told me L
at his powder caught fire and burnt the I
sh almost off his face. In this pitiabIe :
u~ation, the agonized boy lifted up both o
IDS, as finn IoFing relief, when a passing o