Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-08-31

ni>hrd with first-raic lnrks, they were
nlss provided with matches, attached by
linyards. ia case the lock should miss fire
A lieyenant then passed through the
ship directing the marines aud bnafders,
who were furnished with pixies, culnsse>
aud pistols, how ID PROCEED IT It should be-
necessary to board The enemy. Hs was
followed by the captain, who exhorted
the men to fidelity and courage, Urging
npon their consideration the wsll-known
motto of the brave Nelson, England ey'
poets every man 10 do his duty" ln adj.
diiion 10 all these preparations on deck,
some men were stationed 10 the tops with
small arms, whose duty it was to attend
10 trimming the sails, and 10 use their
mu.kets, provided we came to close ac-
tnn. There were others also below
called suil irIm'ners, To assist IN working
The ship, should Il be necessary to shift
her position daring the battle.
My station was at The fifth gun on the
man deck. Ii was my duty to supply
The gun with powder, boy being ap-
p ,nleJ io each gun IN the ship on the
s'de we engaged, for this purpose. 4
woollrn screen was placed before the
entrance To The magazine, with "a hole in
II, through which the cartridges were
passed H. the boys; we received them
there, and covering them with our jackets
hurried tn their respective guns. These
precautions are observed Ia prevent the
pnwder taking fire before II reaches The
gun.
Thus we all stood, awaiting orders, in
moiionlesI suspense. AT last We fred
three guns from the Inrboard side of the
main deck this WAS l"llowcd by the
command, Cease firing you are throw
ms away your shot
Then came the order 10 Swear shin"
and prepare to attack the enemy with
our siarbonrd guns Soon after this ]
heard firing from some other quarter,
which ! nj first supposed To be a dis
charge from our quarter deck guns
though j, proved to be the roar of the
encmy's cannon.
a strange noise, such as never heard
before, next arrested my attention it |
sounded like the tearing OF sails, jus, over
our heads. This ! soon asccrlained to
be the wind of the ene,ny's shot. The
firing. after few minutes cessation, re.
commenced. The roaring of cannon
could now be heard from all parts of our
trembling ship, and mingling as it did
with that Of our foes, it made most
hideous n"se. BY and by | heard the
shot strike The sides Of our ship The
whole scene became ind"scribably con-
fused and horrible it was like some aw-
fully tremendous thunder storm, whose
deafening roar is attended by incessanl
slreaks of lightning, carving death in
every Fash aud sirewng the ground with
the victims of its wrath only, in our
ease, the scene was rendered more hor.
rble than that, by The presence of tor
'ents Of blood which dyed our decks.
Though the recital may be painful,
yet as il will reveal the horrors of war,
aud show at what fearful price victory
is won or lost, will present the reader
with things as they met my eye during
the progress of that dreadful fight |
was busily supplying my gun with pow
der, when saw blood suddenly fly from
the arm of a man stationed at our gun. -
! saw nothing sjrlEe him ; the effect alone
was visible; IN an instant the third leu
tenant tied his handkerchief round the
wonnGcd arm, aud sent the grooming
wretch below TO the surgeon.
The cries Of the wounded now rang
through all parts Of the ship. These
were carried To The cock pit as fast as
Ihey fell, while those more fortunate men
who were killed outright, were imme-
IiIatelv thrown overheard. As | was
stationed but "a short distance from the
main hatrhway, could catch glance
III all who were carried below. "A glance
was all could indulge in, Tor the boys
brlong,ng 10 the guns next TO mine were
IN the early part Of the action,
and had to spring with all my nigh TO
keep three or four guns supplied with
cartridges. | saw Two of these lads fall \
nearly together. One of them was
truck in ;he l"g by large shot he had
% suffer ampuiatlon above the wound. =
he other had grape or canister shot
ent through his ancle. A stout York.
hh'hdh ii'Su b'h w nts dIUlS, HUp nuT-
led him to the cockpit. lie had his foot
,nt oil, and was thus made lame for life.
Two Of the boys stationed on the quarter
leck were killed. They were both Por-
uguese. A man, who saw one Of them
killed, afterwards told me that his pow
lrr caught fire and burn, The flesh almost
off his face. In this p,iable situation,
he agonized boy lifted up both hands as
{ imploring relief, when a passing shot
instantly cut him in two. Ii
| was an eyewitness to n sight equally II.
revolving. A man named Aldrich had
me of his hands cut off by shot, and
almost at the same moment he received
mother shot, which tore open his bowels
n n terrible manner. As he fell, two or
luee men caught him in their atms, and
- h. could not live, threw him overheard. H.
One al the officers in my division also
cl ir my sight. lie was a noble heart.
ID fellow, named Nan Kivell. A grape
f" canister shot struck him near the
l"art, cxclaiiulng, ooh my God ~ he
I'll, "nd was carried below, where he
horly after died
Mr.. Hope, our Grsl lieutenant, was
lSo sliuhily wouutlrd nv n % Ti,Dtuet. or