Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-08-18
,7tTTLE BETWEEN THE UNITED
49, TIES AND THE MACEDONIAN.


"Thc> rqih came, and it brought with
1t a stiff brecN> We usually made sort
Of holiday Of this ~ 4 day. Aaer break
fast il was commonN ulster the eutir,
crew on the spar deck. IN "a as the fame,
of the captain might dictate r, e,imcs IL
blue jackets and blue irowscrs ~ othc
times in blue jackets scarlet vests ~ "a,
or white trowsers with bright anchoS ~
tons ganciDg in the sun, aud our blacA
glossy hats, ornamented with black ribbons
aud with the name Of our ship painted on
them. After muster, we frequently had
church service read by the captain; the
rest Of the day was devoted To idleness.--
But we we're destined to spend the sabbath,
Just introduced 10 the reader, ia very dill
icreut manner.
We had scarcely finished breakfast, be-
fore the man q. the masthead shouted.
sail no =
The captain rushed upon deck, exc ann
lug, Mast head there 2
'Snp
Where away is the sail =
The precise answer TO this questions ] do
not recollect, but the captain proceeded to
ask, What does she look likeP
A square rugged vessel, sir, was the re-
ply Of the lookout.
After few minutes, the captain shouted
again Masthead there
'Sirp
What does she look likeP
"A large ship, sir, standing towards us
By this time, most of the crew were on
deck, eagerly strniuing their eyes to obtain
glimpse Of the approaching shif aud muir
muring their opinions TO each other on her
probable character. Then came the voice
OF the captain, shouting, Keep silence, fore
aud at = Silence being secured, he hailed
the lookout, 10 his question of What does
sue look like 2 he replied, "A large irigale
be>sing down upon US, sir 7
A s5isper ran through the crew that the
stranger SHIP was a Yankee irigaie. The
thought WA confirmed by the command Of
An hands ciCsg the ship for action ahoy =
The drum and lie beat to quarters bulk
heads were knocketawa the guns were
released from their coslSaement the whole
dread paraphcrnaia Of b3h'e was produced !;
and the lapse Of few minut.A Of hurry and
confusion, every man aud boy vas at his
post, ready TO do his best service TO his
country, except the band, who, claiciug
exemption from the ARRAY safely slowed
themselves away in thc cable tier We had
only one sick man on the list, and he, at the
cry of battle, hurried from his cot, feeble
as he was, to take his post Of danger. A
few of the junior midshipmen were stationed
below, on the berth deck, with orders, given
in our hearing, to shoot any man who at
tempted to run from his quarters.
Our men were all in good spirits though
they did not scruple to express the wish that
the coming foe was Frenchman rather
than Yankee. We had been told by the
Americans on board, that frigates in the
American service carried more and heavier
metal than ours. This, together with our
Consciousness of superiority over the French
at sea, lead us to a preference for French
antagonist.
The Americans among our number felt
quite disconnected, at the necessity which
compelled them to fight against their own
countrymen. One of them, named John
Card las brave a seaman as ever trod plank,
ventured to present himself to the captain,
asaprisoner, frankly declaring his objections
to fight. That officer, very ungenerously
ordered him to his quarters, threatened TO
shoot him if he made the request again
POor fellow He obeyed the unjust COM