The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-04-10


pose. lie had given parting kiss to the Madden
had wept at his moher's grief, and melted to tears
at her tenderness, and bid her farewell perhaps for
ever. The torpedo was in readiness and he descen'
ded with uomulcus steps TO The shore, having
before him the alternative ofdeath the hand,
or afiluence and life the other The night chosen
rs most favorable TO was dark and gloomy
Not breath Of air stirring, thick clouds covered
the heavens, portcnding storm slowly approaching
few lights still glimmering from the shacps scattered
hnly over the bay, and the hoarse cry OF the watch
man heard in the deserted streets o'the city,
"ten O'clock and al's WE'LL as TIaIsey reached tho
place Of rendezvous. boat well manned was IN
readiness to transport him near to the enemy as
could be done with safety; and having received him,
oars vigorously applied to the completion of
this object. When they had arrived at the distance
of eighty rods from the encmy's ship, its towering
mas.s appeared family in the surrounding mist, and
their direction taken by the help of dark LIANT
ern, The torpedo, with its pppending mngnzine,was
loOsened from the boat; Ialscy took his place in the
fatal machine its entrance closed, its ballast
adjusted by the in the boat, and it gently sunk
it beneath the water, and began TO move slowly in
the direction of the British ship. The boats crew
hastily, but silently, rowed towards the place of rem
devious previously appointed, and waited the event.
But hardly had they proceeded to double their dis
lance from the enemy's ship, when the rain began to
fall in torrents attended by gust of wind and
the waves dashed the sides of heir boat with inceas-
cd violence .-. A. .
Constantly watching the British ship, they at
length unusual lights moving upon the (orecastle
and heard u confused noise like the cry or'all hands
deck" An alarm gun fired, betrayng the
fearful truth that the watch had discovered the ap-
proach Of the torpedo. Resting their oars, the
boatmen perceived that the whole crew were engaged
in sweeping the ships bottom and with direct orebo
ding they concluded that the enemy had been inform
ed of their danger and prepared to escape it At
length by the motion Of the lights it appeared that
boats manned by the ships crew, they moved
off from the vessel irregulary, rs in pursuit ofthe
torpedo They had proceeded some distance, and
met each other as if seize upon some object in the
water, when bright glare of light shot over the
horizon, explosion louder than the pealing thunder
reverberaed on the winter; vast hollow square
seen wncre moment before the boats of the enemy
were sailing, the ship reelcd if in hurricane; the
waves suddenly above the lights deck, and
foaming they advanced towards this ailAmerican
bark like feather in tho whirlwnd, and dashed
the distant Shore The torpedo had exploded, and
the boats which pursued it blown atoms, and
darkness again covered the sky amid the pcaling and
increasing storm The of the boat which had
carried out the torpedo had been anxious spectators Of
the catastrophe, and CLEAN Of hope remained that
Halsey had separated from the magazine, and made
his escape in the torpedo before that explosion took
place.
Under this impression, they returned to their place
OF rendezvous and waited for his approach; but the
hours gded by and still he was not seen. AT Ieugth
they procured party Of his friends shore to look
The rendezvous and went back in their boat to the
vicinity of the British ship. They rowed all round it,
and protected by the darkness, called loudly for
iIasey but there answer. Morning appear
ed, but he came not. Inquiries, were made on all
the adjoining shores, but he had nowhere been heard
Of The storm had passed. and the morning shone
out in all its glory, and its brightest rays gloom
to the maiden who loved him and the mother who
bore him; for with those rays the that he
whom they loved slept in watery grave. Still! there
was hope Days rolled away, and inquiries
were made, but with the result lie might
have been driven to by the Storm or might have
been taken by the enemy; and, under this belief, in
quiries made England after the close Of the war
by his afflicted friends, but never since he entered
the fatal torpedo has tlowden Hasey been heard of,
and the unavoidable conclusion is, that he persisted
by the accidental explosion Of the magazine and that
his manglcd limbs scattered in the ocean. His
requium is the murmurng hiow, and his dirge the
moaning wird of the midnight winter. But he fell
not unrevenged; Sampson like in dying he threw
down destruction upon his enemies, and they shared
common sepulcher. lie fell not in vain, for the
next morning after the explosion, the enemys ship
Withdrew from the harbor and left it to the use of
the Americans. Neither did he die unwept or I'M
honored. Prayers offered to heaven in his be-
half by the city of his birth, ard his in the
mouths of many people. One solitary young being
every morning, bathed in tears, by the side
Of newly erected urn in the churchyard in New
London, on which is inscribed the name Of Plowden
Halsey. But grief and anxiety withered the
roses on her cheeks, and she sleeps beside the urn