The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1843-08-03

Our men were al in good spirits. though
i they did not scrupla 10 express tho wish that
The coming foe was Frcnohman rather than
/ Yankee. We had been told, by tho Amer
leans on beard that frgatus in the American
I service carried moro and beaver metal than
ours. This, toge her with our Consciousness
Of superiority over the French az soa. led us to
/ a preference for q Ffonch antagonist.
The Americans among orr number felt quite
Disconnected, attbc necessity which compelled
| tscm % fight against their own counirymcn.
Ola ofthom. named JOHN Gard, as brave sea-
mal gs ever ,r'5 plank, veniurud 10 present
himself 20 The captain, AZ prisoner frankly dc.
claring hs objections 20 fight That officer,
very ungenarously, ordered BIN 10 his quarters
threatening % shoot himif De made the request
again. Poor fellow lie obcYed the unjust
command, and was killed 81 shot from his
oWn cuuuuymep Vh1s fact = more Disgrace
FOL 20 the captain Of the Nacodohien,than even
The loss Of bis ship twas gross and palpa.
be violation Of che rights ol man.
As the approaching ship showed American
colors, AN donbt Of her character was al On end.
awe must fight her," was the conviction Of
every breast Every possible arrangement that
could insure success. was accordingly made.
The guns were slouod; lae matches hghtedi
for although oug guns were furnished with first
iato locks, theywore also provided with mitch
esailached By liuyaris, 10 case the lock should
miss fge. a lieutenant thea passed through
The ship, directing the marbles and borders
who wefo furnished with pixies. cutloescs and
pistols, how 10 proceed litshouId be necessary
70 board tba enemy. NJ was followed BY the
captain, who oxor,ed them 10 fidelity and cour-
ace, urging upon their consideration the wen
known motto OF The brave Nelson. England
expects every man 10 do his duty" In addi-
ton 10 al these preparations on deck, some
men were stationed in the tops with small
arms whose duty It was TO attend to trimming
The sails, and 10 use their muske,s, provided we
came 10 close action. There were others also
below, calico sail triulmers, 10 assist in working
The ship, should il be necessary to change her
position curing the 1attle.
Ny station was at the 9Th gun on he main
deck. 10 was my duty TO supply the gun with
powder, o boy being appointed TO each gun in
the ship on the side We engaged for tins pur-
pose. A woollen,scrcen was placed be'dre the
entrance 10 the magazine. with a hole in &c,
through which they were passed TO the boys;
we reserved them there, and covering them
with our jackets, hurried 20 their respective
guns. These precautions arc observed 10 pre-
vent the powder TAXI g Gre before breaches the
gun.
Thus we an stood, waiting orders, IN notion
ios uspenso. At hsl we fred three guns
from che arbmri side Of ho main deck; TINS
was followed by The command, "Cease firing;
YOU are throwing away your shot !"
Then came The orders to swear ship, and
prepare % attack the enemy with our starboard
guns. Soon after This ! heard a firing from
some Other quarter, which at first supposed
20 be q discharge fom our quarterback gmsyI
thong proved 70 be the roaro OF the cnemy's
cannon.
A strange noise, such as never heard before
next arrested my attention; it sounded lko the
earring o, saI'e, just over our heads This
soon ascertained 10 bottle wind ofthe cnemy's
shot. The tiring, a0e- a few minutes cessa-
lion, recommended. The roaring Of cannon
could now be heard rom OH parts Of our ircm
bling ship, and mngmg as u did with That Of
or iocs, i made a m7s' hdeous n5so. By
aud-hy heard the shots strike tle sides Of or
ship; the whole scene became indoscfIbsby
confused and HORRIBLE . was IKE some awful
tremendous thunder storm' whose doalonng
roar IS attended b7 lneessant slTcaks q light
Ming. carrying death in every lash, and strew-
ing the ground with the victims Of Us WRATH
only. in our case ,hcsccuo was rendered more
horrible than mat, by Che presence OF torrents
Of blood which dyed our decN.
Though The recital may be painful yet as q
vii reveal the horrors OF war, and show Of
what o fearful price a victory % won or lost, |
VIII present The reader with things as theym9l
my eye duung .ha progress OF That dreadful
fight was bus.ly supplying my gun with
POWDER when l saw blood suddenly ily from
the arm o. man Stationed al cur gun. saw
nothing strike him; the eiieci alone was visible;
IN an instant me thud lieutenant yea his hand
kerchle Tound lhe Wounied ARM ana sent the
grooming wretch below 70 The surgeon
The cries OF The wonnced now rang through
AZ parts o. NE ship lhese were carried 70
the cockpit as last as they iel' Wine nose
more fortunate men VINO were haled outright
were Immediately thrown oVcf1o2fu' Asl was
stationed bus q Snort distance rom tue maui
haichway, couid catch giaHca a. an VINO
were carried below. q glance was an could
nlulgc %, for The boys belonging 70 lhe guns
next 20 nine were wounded il me cary paft OF
The action, and ] bad TO spring With all my
might TO keep three or iour guns supplied with
cartridges. ] saw two oithose lads iall near
ly together. One Of them was struck 10 The
log by large shot; he bad tos suffer ampuialion
above the wound The other had grape or
canister shot sent through bis ancle. A stout
Yorksaireman lifted HMM his arms, and bur-
lied aim 70 the cockpit. lie had bis fo-t cut
od, and was thus made lame for life. Two OIL