The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-05-22

OF the other officers, 60 up TO the Commo-l
dore during the action, and call his attention
10 the Niagara, and complain of her treach-
erous conduct. Well, them two ships gin il
to us hot and heavy, and in three minutes we
was SO e~nyelopedin smoke that we only aim
ed at the flashes Of their guns, for we might
as well have tried to trace a flock of ducks
in the thickestf fog onthe coast Of Labrador,
as their bulls. | was working at one of the
for'ard guns, and after she was loaded, the
captain of the piece stood waiting with the
trigger and lanyard in his fingers, ready TO
pub, one of the officers cries out, Il say, sir,
why don't you fre?'e 4 Nan't 10 make her
tell, SIR says the gunner-Iam waiting for
The flash! so here it %is,'--as he pulled trigger,
a cannon, shot came through the port and
dashed him TO pieces between us, covering
me and the officer with his brains. Their
fire was awful: the whole of the shot of the
two heaviest ships in the squadron pouring
into Us nigh two hours without stopping
Our brig became a complete slaughter house
1.-The guns dismounted-the cariagesknock-
ed TO ~pieces--some of our ports knocked in
to one--hammock netting shot clean away
Iron stancheons twisted like wire-and a
devllish more daylight than canvass in our
bolt ropes--the wounded pouring down so
fast into the cockpit, that the surgeons didn't
pretend to do more than apply tourniquets
to stop the bleeding; and many ofthem came
back TO the guns in that condition; while
others was killed in the hands Of the sur
geons. One shot came through the cockpit,
Just over the surgeons head and killed mid
Eshipman Laub, who was coming upon deck,
with a teurniquit at his shoulder, and another
killed a seaman who had already lost both
arms. Our guns were nearly all dismounted;
and finally there was but one that could be
brought TO bear;-and so completely was the
crew disabled that the Commodore had TO
work with his own hands. The men became
almost furious with despair, as they found
themselves made a target for the whole
squadron; and The wounded complained bit
terly of the conduct of the Niagara, as they
lay dying on the decks, and in the cockpit.
Two shots passed through the magazine
one knocked the lantern TO pieces and sent
tho lighted wick upon the floor; and if the
gunner hadn't have jumped ON it with his
feet, before it caught the loose powder-my
eyest but that ere ship and every thing on.
board would have gone into the air like a
sheaf of sky rockets, and them as on board,
never would have know'd which side whip
ped. Out Of one hundred men that went in
to action, eighty-three were either killed or
wounded, and every officer was either killed
or fIurt ezcePt the ~ccansnOdore. OuF leu
tenant of marines, lieutenant Brooks, him as
was called the Boston A~pollo--ihe handsom-
est man in the service, was cut nearly in two
b. a cannon shot, and died before the close
of the action.
KIT was nigh on all up with US. The men
was real grit though, and even the wounded
cried blow her up rather than strike. Well,
as things stood, there was an end of the Law
renee, so far as fighting went--and our Com
modore says, says he~--Lieutenant Yarnall,
the American flag must not be pulled down
over my head this day, while life remains in
my body. will go on board that ship and
bring her myselfinto action and will leave
it TO you TO pull down the Lawrence's flag if
there is no help for it, So we got our barge
alongside, by the blessings of Heaven, not so
much injured but what she'd float, and off
we pushed for the Niagara--the Commodore
standing with his motto flag under his arm;
but as soon as the enemy caught sight OF us,
they delivered a whole broadside directly at
the boat--and then ~peppered away SO brisk
| ". that the water all around US bubbled like
a duck pond in a thunder shower. There
Perry stood, erect and proud in the stern
sheets--his pistols strapped in his belt, and
his sword in his hand--his eyes bent upon
The Niagara, as if he'd jumped the distance
never needing the shot flying around him
like hail. The men begged him TO sit down
they entreated him with tears in their eyes
but it was not until | dragged him down by
main force--the men declaring that they
would lay upon their oars and be taken--then
he consented.
s.There's them as says the Niagara wouldn't
come down, and there's them as says she
couldnt-all L know is, that when our gall
ant Young Commodore took the quarterback,
she walked down into it quick enough-my
ewes! how we did give it to'em, blazing away
from both sides at once. We ran inbetween
the Detroit and Charlotte, our guns crammed
to the muzzle, and delivered both of our
broadsides into them at the same time, grape,
canister, and all, raking the others as we
passed: and the Niagara lads showed ii
wasn't no fault of their'n that they hadn't
come earlier to their work. | never seen
guns saryed smarter, than they sarved their'n
tin the end of the action--nor with better
effect. We soon silenced the enemy's, and
run I'D the stars agin, on the Lawrence, as
she Law a complete wreck, shattered and cut
I'm among them, for all the world like dead
whale surrounded by shirks. They struck
one arter another, much like you may have
seen flags of a feet run down after the even
ing gun; and as the firing ceased, and the
heavy smoke bank rolled otto leeward, stiv-
er my timbers! but it was a sight for a Yam