Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-06-10
From The Ladies' Companion
The Escape of the ATLANTA.
BY w. S. MAYO, NJ. D.

lemolaZoneu IN the page OF hiSlory-tne
memory oftheir triumphs preserved in
the hearts of their countrymen, but the
feats of our commercial marine, the
gallantry, courage, and skill Of its Of
ficers however strikingly evinced, pass
unrecorded and unknown-We will
relate one authentic fact, which, if it
had occurred in the public service,
would have rendered. the name Of the
actors famous in the annals Of the
sea.
It was few years previous to the
last war, that the giant strifes Of
Christian Europe had reached their
highest point. The flood of battle roll
ed its redest tide, desolating the fair
fields of civilized man, and tinting with
its sanguinary hue the waves of every
sea. Then was carried out to the full
est extent, that stupendous system of
aggression upon the rights of neutrals,
in which the two beligerents We'd
with each other in acts of violation and
Injustice, and which reduced our grow
| ing commerce to a precarious strug-
Cling with national bucanneers.-Pap
blockades, Berlin and Milan DEGREES,
and orders in council, furnished excu
ses for all kinds of insults and piracies,
and embarrassed our communication
with more than half the ports of the
Globe. Among othar places thus in
terdicted to US, was the port of Vera
Cruz, which, as spanish possession,
was included in the comprehensive
blockade of all the coasts of France and
her allies, by England. This place,
then. as now sustained important COM
mercial relations with the United
States, which were, for time, Interrupt
ted: and large quantities of gold and
silver, the produce of the Mexican
mines, had accumulated there, the ex-
portation Of which had been prevented
by the strict watch kept up by the
British cruisers. At last, however,
its want began to be severely felt. Ex-
tenSive commercial transactions, which
had this blockaded specie for basis
had taken place, and it was resolved,
by those most interested, TO attempt
getting it at all hazards. For this pur-
pose, a clipper schooner was expressly
constructed; and a commander being
required, combining activity, energy,
prudence and skill, Captain M,
was selected. His good lnck was pro-
verbal, having never cost the under
writers dollar, and good luck in sea-
mans life is generally but another
name for good conduct. His own
maxim was, that there is no accident
happening at sea, which cannot be at
tributed to want of either prudence
or skill. Does a sqall strike ship
unexpectedly?-there has not been
a proper look out. Is spar ,ost?-
the rigging is bad or badly set up, or
THE spar was defective, or sail had not
been reduced in time. Is a ship un-
easy in heavy sea-way?-her sto-
wage is bad; or, does she find herself
in dangerous proximity to land, or an
iseberg?--the reckoning is bad, or
the lead and the thermometer have been
neglected.
In going out to Vera-C Cruz, gu her
first voyage, the schooner was over
hauled BY and English sloop Of war,
and carried into Nassau, New Provi-
dence, as prize; but as there was cir
cumstances to justify her capture, the
courts were compelled to set her free.
Without further adventure, she arrived
off the port, and showing her speed to
an English frigate, upon the station,
easily slipped in. The officers of the
frigate, knowing the object for which
she had come, and confiding in the
speed of their ship, were not unwilling
to entice such prize to sea, but it was
several weeks before an opportunity
that was thought available, occurred
At length, getting under way late in
the evening, Capt. M ran boldly
in the offing, without suspecting that
any saw him. For several days the
schooner ploughed her way before
good stiff breeze until the 5th, which
closed with the usual order to the man
at the mast head to "take a good look
around the horizon for Sails" and the
responce was "that nothing was in
sight" In the middle of the night,
while lying awake in his berth, the
Captain fancied that he heard the
swash of the water against the sides OF
a ship, and starting instantly on deck
IT.. a. II. -aroa;vad che hill 81