Litchfield enquirer., 1845-10-16

dant materials for the pen of the bographer and we shall take pleasure in receiving for our columns occasional brief notices of men born here who have been eminent at home or abroad for their talents enterprise, or public employments.-Emq.
 1 WILLIAM RAY.
 l WILLIAM RAY was born at Salisbury, on the 9ah of December, 177l. At very early age he devel- oped poetical talents, which, under more favorable l circumstances, and with better advantages of edu- cation, might have placed his name among the most eminent writers of his day. His father re- moved to a remote town in the State of New York, where the son had little opportunity of gratifying his inclination for literary pursuits. At the age of nineteen, he left the paternal roof and removed to Dover, Duchess county, N Y., where he as- sumed the charge of a school, but afterwards eE- gagged in trade. His commercial speculatons pro- wing unsuccessful, to avoid the pressing demands ] of his creditors, he started for Philadelphia in search of some congenial occupation. He travelled through Pennsylvania under circumstances ofgreat distress. He was overtaken by sickness-his last 1 cent was expended-and he at length reached Philadcl phia Tn state of extreme Restitution, and but partially restored to health Here he failed to l procure employment, and, impelled by his necessi ties, on the 18th of June, 1903, he enlisted into the maritime service of the United States, leaving be- hind him wife unprovided for. Our author seems l to admit that s'imprudence, vice, intemperance and prodgality, were the primary causes of his | mistortunes."
 On the 3d of July, Ray and his comrades were ordered on board the frigate Philadelphia, Com. Bainbridge commander, destined to join ,ur squad ron against Trpoli She sailed in the same month, 1 having on board a complement of th:ee hundred men, and arrived ut Gibraltar on the 26th of Au- gust. In October the Philadelphia proceeded to the isle of Malta, nd from thence sailed for Trip l oli. On the 31st of the same month, she fell in with an enemy's vessel of the harbor of Tripoli, and gave chase. Having no pilot on board who understood the haIbor, and becoming excited by the pursuit. the Americans ventured in too far, and 1 when about three miles distant from town, their vessel struck upon shoal, andremalned fast. Ev- cry effort was made, though in van to release her, while the enemy, emboldened by her condition, sent off three gun-boats against her. It was llt-
 tie rast 12 o'clock when the rigate struck, and her crew continued firing at the boats, and using every means to get their ship ahoat, until I o'clock in the afternoon, when unable 10 escape or longer to resist, they struck their flag, and the Phade phia was consigned to her piratical victors The ene- my immediately boarded her. when convinced that | she had, in reality, surrendered. and the officers and crew were soon escorted into the presence of | their new master, the Bashaw of Tripoll.
 From this period, for more than a year and half, the history of Ray and his comrades Is tale cf sad captivity and hardship. Stripped of almost all their clothing, reduced to so pitul an allow ance of food that life could scarcely be sustained, they were driven forth in bands to the performance of the most incredible labors. At one time find many of them employed to raise the wreck of a vcs sel, deeply sunken in the sand. At the colGcst season of the year they fore ed into the water at suiIIse, Cunpelleu u su'cl ti,o sH"o HH'n ''s bottom, and carry it in baskets to the bank. Once throughout the day they are allowed scanty meal, when they resume their labors until sunset, and then return 10 their prison to pass the night upon the damp earth, and await the horrors of the suc- l cccdng day Again, at another season, many of 1 them are compelled, barefooted and almost naked, 1 to drag heavy wagon five or six miles into the country, burning sands, and back again, load ed with timber before any food was allowed them. l except perhaps raw vegetables Several were re- leased from their sutterings by death, and to the survivors life became almost insupportabe. Eve | ry cyertion in his power made by Com. Bain- bridge for the relief of his crew. and frequently, through the Danish Consul, he was enabled to send l them comfortable provisions He was himseli captive also and could effect put lte TOT thelf re- 1 lief
 The American government was not unm'ndtul l of the fate of its unfortunate defenders During 1 the summer and autumn of 1894, Commodores Pre- 1 be and Baron were sent to bombard Tripoll, who did much damage to the town, besides destroying 1 several gun-boats and much shipping. At length, | in the following spring, the Bashaw was willing to | treat for peace He was impoverished in his f- nances, and justly alarmed at the formdat le arma- 1 ment preparing against him. On the 26th of May, three American frigates appeared in sight. The smallest came near the town, and hosted the ban ner of peace, a signal to which tie Bashaw gladly responded The lrigates however disappeared, and hope and fear alternately agitated the breasts bot 1 of the Tripolitans and their miserable capives. 1 On the 29th, three frigates and brig bore down upon the town, displayed signals of peace, which | were immediately answered from the castle. From this period friendly negotiations went on rapidly, and on the Sd day of June, 1905, the articles were signed. At4 o'clock in the afternoon a salute was fired from the figatcs and batteries, causing trans ports of wild delight in many long desolae bo- som. Our author enthusiastically exclaims,
 "B But oh what joy when the saluting sound
 Was heard to thunder through the arches round l Enraptured lays the choral hundreds sang, | And that drear mansion once with gadncss rang P The {" saluting sound" of course spake frccdt m to 1 the American captives.
 | Our author now entered as captains clerk on board the frigate Essex, and returned home during the following year. Whatever may have been his conduct before entering the service. it was ire proachable during his connection with it, and he left with the good will of his commander and all 1 the other officers.
 | In 1909. Ray removed 10 town in Essex county, N. Y., and resumed his old mercantile occupation, but with no better success than before. In 1Sl2, upon the declaration of war with England, he was made Major in the detached militia which was stationed at Plattsburg After short term of mil itary service he resided in various parts of the of New York, and finally settled in Onondaga, where he held the office of Justice of the Peace. and Commissioner in Courts of Record. He died
 at Auburn in 1927.
 l The first work of our author was published in
 1908. entitled "H Horrors Of Slavery, or the Ameri- can Tars in Tripoli," from which we have derived greater part of the preceding particulars It is