Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-05-13

tween them and their crews.
The English Commodore put out of port,
keeping his ships together, TO avoid separate
action, and regularly blockading Porter at
Valparaiso. In vain did the latter try to geto
fight out of either of his foes sngly. ITilyar
kept them snug, determined to give his enemy
no advantage Atlength, the gallant Yankee
put ont ! the foe bore down upon him, ard
after q most desperate S.,ogg,e against far
superior force, his gallant frigate, SO long the
terror and scourge OF the British Lion, was
captured. His loss was tremndous Nowhere
in the whole history Of naval warfare is there
any record Of an action more sanguinary, gal
liant, and obstinate. The battle was seen from
the heights of Valparaiso, and all the sympathy
of the spectators were enlisted in the cause of
the brave commander and crew of the gallant
little frgate defending herself so bravely a.
gainst greatly superior foe.
No battle ever fought upon the land or o.
cean more strongly and satisfactorily iliustrat ted
the true courage which is innate in the Ameri-
can character, than this same contest ofthe 'Es-
SEX with the 'Phebe' and 'Cherub' At its
termination Porter was liberated on his parole,
and returned. with the remnant of his devoted
crew to the United States, in the Essex Juni-
or Before he could come into the port of New
York, another British vessel overhauled him,
and took him prisoner, thus violating the terms
of the parole. Being then at liberty to act as
he should find occasion, the intrepid Porter
found means to escape, landed on Long Island,
and was received by his fellow citizens with
enthusiastic and grateful warmth. He was
hero in their eyes, his exploits for the last year
having filled all minds with the highest admira.
tion of his bravery and gallantry.
The subsequent career of Commodore Por.
ter is familiar to all our readers. Pence being
ratified, the life of the most gallant of our navy
was thcnceforth to derive its ,ustre by the re-.
Election from the past. The hero of the Saucy
Essex had gathered harvest of laurels, upon
which his fame could safely repose for all
time, and while he ever stood ready to vindi-
cate anew the high name his country had ac-
qulred in arms, il need should be, he yet needed
no new occasion to signalize his claim to the
remembrance of posterity, as one of her most
gallant defenders.
Being appointed by his Government to d.
plomatic sutton, at Constantinople, he had re-
sided near that capital for several years, during
which time he had discharged all the duties of
his position acceptably, when, on Friday, the
Sd of last month, precisely at meridian, he
breathed his last in land of strangers, but not
without warm and attached friends around him,
10 receive his last requests, and to perform for
him the last sad offices. His disease was pleu-
risy, and for some days prior to his decease, he
Letters from Constantinople, dated on the day
of his death, inform us that il was his last will
that his body should be buried at the foot of
the American flag. staff How like the last re-
quest of his compcer, the gallant Lawrence,
that that flag should be his shroud
a deep grave was accordingly prepared be-
meath the waving of the banner of his country !;
the diplomatic corps resident at the Turkish
capital, with all the Americans in that port,
followed the remains thither, and the earth now
covers them. But will they be permitted to
remain there No. The grateful country,
for which the brave Captain fought so long and
so well, will never permit his bones to lie in
foreign soil. The remains of the gallant
dead belong TO the land that has so much rea-
son TO be proud of the deeds of the living hero !;
and the period, we feel assured, is not far dis
tant, when that country will reclaim them, and
lay them to rest, until the last trumpet shall
sound, within the green and peaceful bosom of
that free home, which his youth and manhood
SO CALAMITY defended.
His splendid achievements shall long string the
nerves,
OF all who the blessings Of Freedom inherit;
A nd his be the honOrs such merit deserves,
And dear to each bosom his desth.daring spin,
The p"el's high strain shall such mem'ries main
tain,
And affection embslm them TO Times latest reign
Whe, roused by the story, our sons shall aspire
10 rival such deeds,-io glow with such fire
N, Y. Express.
EARLy POrAToEs.--I, is known that the eye
end of potatoe will yield a crop earlier by
some days than the root end. This appears to
be owing simply to the earlier growth of the
sprouts from the eye end. Earliness will be
greatly increased by placing the seed potatoes
in box OF moist sand early in the spring, in a
warm place in the house and then planting
them when the shoots are about two inches
L.. L. 81,