Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-05-20
SOUTHPORT WISCONSIN. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1915

head, Salem, Newburyport, Boston, and
some other beautiful towns and villages
plainly in sight. The Chesapeake standing
right in the wake Of the shannon and com
ing up fast. When about three miles off
ard rapidly overhauling the British ship,
Captain Broke turned the hands up (every
hing being prepared for acton and in a
short add'ess 10 his men, reminded them
that they were not going TO engage with
French or Spaniards, but those who had
Anglo-Saxo blood in their veins. and that
the severe discipline 10 which they had
been subjected for years, would be found
beneficial TO them that day. The Ameri-
cans he said, were proud people, descen-
dants of our own, who were flushed by
victory over several Of our Frigates-you
have not Frenchmen or Span.ards to cope
with, and it is no use for you to think that
you can't take her, you must or go 10 the
bottom-the men answered by repeated
cheers. The Chesapeake rapidly approach
Ing, and when about mile distant, he
again turned the hands up and gave dlrec-
tons TO the officers OF divisions-ihe fire.
men-the small armed men the boarders
the captains OF guns; and again they
cheered three times which was answered
by the crew of The Chesapea IKE. which now
approached fearfully near. Every gun
in the Shannon being treble shotted, viz:
a round shot, a stand Of grape, or a double
headed shot, and keg of muske, balls 10
each gun. In which kegs for the 81 poun-
ders carronades was SIS, for the long Is
Founders $50 musket balls. There were
four kegs of This description 10 each gun in
the ship.
The Chesapeake csme calamity on with
five ensigns or flags streaming in the air
from various parts Of her, on one Of which
a large white silk flag of immense size
there was painted in conspicuous bold re-
lief, Which could be read for miles
"Sailors Rights and Free Trade" Both
ships were now within half musket shotds-
lance, and on board of both vessels, from,
lhcir proximity to each other, the power OF
discipline was so perfect, YOU might have
heard a pin fall This was about half past
5 O'Clock, p. M. The Chesapeake stood
on until her flying jib boom passed over the
taffrails of the Shannon, Immediately pre-
vious 10 which Broke ordered his men 10
lie down fiat on the decks, expecting a
raking broadside from the American Frig-
ate. Both vessels were going free sud-
denly the Chesapeak lutIed up on the wealth
er quarter of the Shannon-upon which
BroMe ordered the helm Of the Shannon To
be put down, which brought The Shannon
rouad suddenly and necessarily placed
her almost in a raking position TO the
American Frigate. Immediately the awful
orders to .Trr, micn poar guns bear" was
given, and the whole destructive and terri
bio broadside was poured into the Chesa-
peak at half pistol shot distance, before she
could bring a gun to bear upon her oppo-
nent. The terrific discharge no doubt, de-
cidcd the battle. for by it five guns were
dismounted and rendered uscles, and near
ly one hundred men and officers killed and
wounded.
In the meantime, the Chesapeake was
rapidly shooting ahead-having carried
more sail than the Shannon--now so close
that their sides nearly touched -when the
starboard best bower anchor caught in the
mizen channels or chain plates of the Ches-
apeake, previous 10 which the Chesapeake
delivered her broadsde--one half of her
guns appeared to have been pointed be-
tween wind and water, the other half at the
rigging and masts of the Shannon. Not a
man was killed or wounded by this first
broadside, bat almost every shroud fore
and aft, in the foreman and miZen rigging.
were nearly cut TO pieces, while several
"a and b pound shots struck and penetra-
ted the vessel below the water line, and had
the engagement lasted a few minutes lon
ger than it did, the Shannon would nave
gone down like the Peacock. The ships
being in contact as stated. they were dashed
ami made fast in that positions Five or
SIX of the foremost guns on The main deck
and lorecastlc OF the Shannon played upon
the quarter deck and aGtermost part Of the
Chesapeake, while her after guns and
quarter deck guns played on the bow of
the Shannon; rope spunges and hammer rs
had necessarily 10 be used. The second
and third discharges of the Chesapeake
struck down, killed and wounded, great
number OF the Shannon's crew. Her fore
most guns had to be manned by fresh men
several times. About this period Ca tain
Lawrence was mortal1y wounded, he was
slightly wounded, however, at the first
broadsde. Lieut.. Ludlow, the first lieue-
nan, oil the Chesapeake, called the boarders
of his ship from the main deck 10 follow
him, and fully believing that he had thirty
or forty men at his back-whe ceas only
three or four followed him, the remainder
having followed cowardly Portuguese
boatswain's mate down below, out of the
reach of III, fire-boardeG the Shannon on
her forecastle but he received IA bayonei
wound in his breast, and not being supported
by his boarderS, had 20 retreat TO his own
ship. A, this particular period there was
great confusion in the fore part of the
Shannon, main deck and forcastle, from
the number of men struck down suddenly,
killed and wounded. and notwithstanding
the insuperable difficulties, as already mar
rated, that the Chesapeake labored under,
had thirty men boarded with Lieut.. Ludlow,
the Shannon must have been taken, as
numbers of her crew were taken from the
forecastle and bow guns. by the fire of the
Chesapeake's quarter deck and aftermost
guns; confusion reiSned for a short time,
several ran from their guns, and one par