Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-03-28
THE CAPTURED BANNER.
3 rAkN or THE MoNTEvIDEAN WAR.

Il TAIN OF THE MoNTEvIDEAN WAR.
.WHAr insolence!' These words were
uttered BY lovely woman whoss flushed
cheek, flashing eye, and knitted brow spoke
even more than the words OF Indignation
which filled her heart.
She was The young wife Of Commodore
Coe, the commander Of The small navy of
NarpieYideo. The lady was Spanish by
birth, rs we'll as in feeling; and the cause
OF her anger was the sight of ship which
had been standing of and on before the
harbor, using every signal of insul. and
defiance to induce the vessel oil Coe to
come ou, and fight him. This the later
could not do, for two reasons. The first
was illness which confined him to his cot;
the second, that he had not onethrd OF
crew; not even men enough TO work his
battery. e.
Attic moment when she uttered the
words which commence this sketch, Brown,
the commander of,he Buenos- s-4yrean ship,
had shnisted flag at his gait. whereon was
embroidered, in larg. legible letters, thu
inscription; 'CoE, TnE CowARD!' This was
more Than this noble. fiery wife could
stand: for she knew her husbands truth
and yalor.- After gazing one instant at
the flag, she raised her jeweled hand; TAX
ing ,herefrom diamond of great value,
she said to the officers and men who stood
around her on The deck, Il will give this
diamond 10 any man who will bring me
yonder flag.
For a moment there was no response.
The men looked at their officers, officers
glanced at each other; but volunteers for
q service so desperate seemed scarce.
sWhat! is there not one ofall you who
will dare the trial! Is my husbands ship
indeed manned with towards? exclaimed
the lady, while her beautiful lip curled with
scorn and hor flashing eye cleaned with
the FIRE Of contempt.
q young officer, on Englishman, who
had been lately appointed, stepped forward
and modestly said, 81 was only waiting fol
my seniors to speak, sonora. Had any o
Of Them volunteered, should have beggee
10 accompany him. AS it is, pledge my
sell 10 bring you yonder flag before the sur
rises again, or to die! But ask not youl
jewel as prize for my success; one tress
of your glossy hair shall be my reward,
you shall have both, brave ladF replied
,he lady: and her cold look Of scorn chang
"a into . sweet smile, as she asked his
name. ss,,.5-s,
III Il Frank Bennett, sonora, replied the
young man, and he blushed beneath the
earnest gaze she bent on him.
He was slim, but we'll formed; LOOKED
ysry young, but in his dark blue eye ant
compressed lips, an observer could read
ons whose manhood was not made by years
alone. .-..s5
The sun was setting beneath bank oi
siowly-rising clouds, which threatened
darkness and storm.
The moment that his services were &C
copied, young Bennett turned to the crew
and as he glanced among them, said, q
want six men to man the whale boat whict
hangs at the after r-dayits. $50
Struck by bis gallantry, nearly one hal
the crew started forward. Now that the.
had leader, volunteefs were plenty
Bsuneit glanced his eye over them, and
nsf6w moments chose six of fthem by name
men whom he knew to be both daring an
firm. They were Americans.
-lAGot sharpen your cutlasses,' said he;
sAall not have q. pistol or musket in tht
Eoat. s Il we fight, it must be steel to stet
md breast to breast, for we succeed or die
The men answered only with q alool
TASy were of that class whose motto !
'dssds, not Words They hurried belov
obey his orders, while others proceeded b