The Arkansas banner., 1848-03-07

dressed as the fancy Of the CnPfain might dictase sometn,cs tn blue iuekeis and white tfoWssss, nr
 uS jacket and blue tfoWseFsJa al ether tes Ia hluS jackets, scuElet vests, and hlue cr white tsousrfs with our bright anchor butons kianciug h ths sun and our hIack g.ossy hais orHznsHtsd wills black ribbons, snd with the nalc of oar ship printed on ihsm. Afler mdg,sr We fregueaiiy bad church ssF- vice read by tho cspsaia; the rest of ths day was devoted to ldlsnesa. Bat were drstined to spend the ahbash joat iniredDesd to tss sePdes h vesy different unanney. x9s8 70 89sss " :
 We had scarcely finishsd kfss, hsfors the men s, th1 mast head shpuied. 'sSali, he:r ,J
 The caf,ain fcsiaaHRsnd ndeek, ,saclEains' "sl.ss l. head there eS
 akhf' E@lh aSi | "Where away is the sea v ..s..svsa | The rrec.e answer to this question do not re- collect, but the Captain proceeded to ssk. "Whnt does she look likef" s'1 % 1 Aner few minutes the captain shouted again.. "Mast-head there!'
 | sSir:p .G4.
 | sHhat docs she look iks'' taI aA large ship, sir, standing toward us." E | By this lime most Of the were ea decks ea- gerly st aiming their eyes to obtain gimpse of the approaching ship and murmufiag their npiniens to each other on her probable character. TnaR canse the voice of tho captain, shouting, @kecP silence fore and afr Silence being srcured, he hailed the l losk-out who, to hs question of 'sWhat does she look ikea' replied, ''A large f,gate. bearing down upon us sif.' As t.f aes ? wlsixser ran along the crew that the stranger ship was a fsnkee fTisHte- 1he thought was ceii-s firncd by the canuand of "Ail hands clear ship for action, aboy.'' The drum aua fife beat ts quar- trrs bulk. dds were knocked away, the guns were relsased from their confnemeot, the whole drcad of battle was produesds and afer the lapse of few minutes of hurry aw confusion, ever " aud boy al his post. ready to do his best service for his country, bands who clsim-
 
 selves away in the cable tier We had only one sick man on the list, and he, at tho cry of bsttie, hur- ried from his cot feeble he was, to take his post | of danger. A few ot the junior midshptneH were stationed below the leFth deck, wiih orders, given | in our heaiing, to shoot any man who attempted I 10 run from Lis quarters.
 | As the approaching ship showed American ec!ors. all doubt ef Ter character was at an end. -We must ght her, the conviction oi every brcast Every possible arrangement tkat could insure sue cess was accordingly made. The guns were shot ted the matches lighted; for although our guns were all furnished with rst locks they were also pro- vided with matches, attached by lsAyards. in case the lock should miss fire. A lieutenant then passed through the ship. directing the marines and board- ers-vFho were furnished vith bikes, cutasses and pistos-how to proceed fl 1t should be necessary to board the enmey. He was followed by the capsaia, who exhoricd the men to fidelity and couiage. ur. 1 ging upon their consideration the well known mot to of the brave Nelson England expects every man 10 do his duty" In addition ts at theaA prepara- tiens on decE some men were stationed iB the cps with small srma whoss duty sto attend to trisn ning the sails, and to uss their mHskefs provided We came 10 close action. There were others also below called sail tfimmefs e assist in working he ship sould it Do necessary to slsl her position da- | ring the battle. S tt est e
 Siy station was at the fifth gun on the main deek l It was my duty to supply my gun with powder, Soy being appointed to each gun tn the ship on the side we engaged for this purpose. A wooisn screen wus paced before the entrance to the iBsgaxne with hoe in 1t, through which tue c4rtTdges were pass cd to the boys; rcceived theG thcrc, and coEev@ | ing them with jackets hurried 10 our respective | guns. These precautions arc observed tO psevcnt the powder taking fire before it reaches the gun. l Thus we ali stood awaiting orisrs in moiiOuiess susrense. At last VIC fired three guns from the ar- board side of the main dock; this was followed by the command, ''Cease firing; yea are throwing | away your shot.
 Then came the order to "wsar ship" and pre- pare to attack the enemy yfh our starboaTd guna. Soon aer this heard hEins from some other guar our quarter guus but 1t proved to be the rear of the enemys c.lnon. e.a | A strange noise, such as I had never heard be- fore next arrrsed my attention; it soanded like the tearing of sails just our heads This soon as l certained te be the wind ofthe enemy shot. The firing, aiser few minutes cessation. commenced. 1 The l1aIiRg ot could now be heard from ell party oi trembling ship, and minghag as it did wSfl that of foes. Il made most hieous noise fly and by heard the shot strike the sides oi our 1 ship; the whole scene grew indesegbshly confused and horrible; Il was like awful trethe Bdous thunder storm, hose deafe nng is attended by incessant streaks of tightening, carrying dfath m every flash. and shewiRg the g'ound with the sie- | tims of its wrath; oniy in case the scene was rendered more horrible than ihss. by the presence ol torrents oi blood which died our deeks. ss&.e
 Though the recital may be painful. yet as it will reveal the horrors of war; and show ct what fear fal price A victory won lost, will present the reader with things as they met my eye daring the progress of this dreadful fight Twas basiiy sup plying my gun with powder. when saw blood sud- deaiy fy from . man stationed at ay gun. saw nothing strike hin; the effect alone vas yisibes n an instant the third lieutenant tied his hsndke roaaa the wounded afm, and seat the pess fellow below to the surgeon. 4s .s e
 The cries of the wounded now rang through sii parts el the ship These were carried to the eoek- nit as fas4s they fell while those Rore for,anste men who were killed we're outright immediately thrown overheard. As was stationed bu, short disianec I fIoa the main hatehway, could cstch glance a; all wiio were earritd below. A glance was all I next b mine were wounded ia ke early pat of ihe action. and had to spIing wiSA all ny might to keep three of four guns supplied wits csstFidges- saw two of these lads fall nearly together Oneot them was struck ia tue leg by large shot: he had to suffer lmpuiaiioD above the wonnd. Toe other had grape or canister shot sent through his ankle. | A stout Yorkshireman iiiied him in kis asms and hurried with him 10 the cockpit. He had his loot cut ee, and was thus made lame for life. Two of the boys stationed on the qaarer-deek were kiiet | They were both Portuguese. A nan who saw oae of them killed sfterwards told me that his powder caught fire and burnt the fiesh almost off his face. In this pitlabe stnaiioa the sgonlsed boy ited up both hands. as If impionng relief. when passing shot instantly eai him in two.
 | vas eyewitness to sight equally revol'iny. A man named Aidneh had one of his hands cat of by shoi, and almost at the same moment he reeeis- cd another sboi, which tore open his bowsls in . terrible manner. is he fsa twe ns three men caught him in their arins, and a be eoald not live threw him overheard
 One of the otScen in my division also feil m my ssht He wss a noble hearted fellow, anne Nan lKiveii. grspe or canister shot struck him scar 1 tbs heart He fsa, and ~ss carried below, where he shortly s5fer died