The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1851-10-21
A SLIGHT MISTAKE
OR,
Eniaiging the Flag Captain.
ny O. $. RAYMOND.

following little adventure; becanse III tue nfsl
place. IL borders very nearly on the ridiculous.
aud for several years after the affair happened,
| was sensitive enough to feel good deal NOR
4 tilted whenever the event happened to become.
the topic ofconversationa among M few friends,
who were acquainted with the particulars of
| the rather comic adventure.
But moro than ten years have gone by since
| the incident occurred. aud in that time, my
deieacy upon the subject has very much d-
ninished; and will tell you the story just as
il occurred. as nearly as | can remember, pro-
vIded you agree not TO laugh at my expense.
Ii was 10 the darkest rays of the Texan
struggle for Independence, that two OF us luifs
were detached from the Lone Star sloop-of-
| war Galveston, and appointed To a couple OF
lnuIe eugsheIlpiiaifs which Commodore Moore
chose to designate as the Texan man. of-war
schoorets Bonita and Formosa; with orders 10
| cruise along the coasi between the Neuces and
! Gaves,on in order TO watch the motions Of
two or three Mexican cruisers, aud afford pro-
| lection To several vessels that were expected
from New York aud Baltimore with provisions,
arms. ammunition, etc, for The use OF the young
repnblc,
Oufnew commands were well enough for
the purpose they were originally intened but
they we're rather slim affairs to act against a
heavy fourteen gun-brg ana a crack sloop-of.
war. They were what we generally term bay
craft, that is, such small, light draught OF wa
ter vessels. as are used for the shallow harbor
along the Delaware aud Chesapeak Bays.
The two schooners were exactly alike, being
about sixry tons burthen, aud carrying thiee
lore and aft sails Their armament consisted
of three ordinary six pounds each; which
some ingenious log-barn jniner had mounted
on machines which resemble mode marine
gun-carriage about as much as they did the
model Of the great Washington monument.
Comodore Moore gave fifteen men each.
with permission 10 ship ten more five could
find them, aud after giving us our Instructions
10 common to keep bright look out and not
get caught, he ordered US to sea, with provis-
IONS and water for months cruise.
We lett Galveston about noon. with strong
breeze growing square off the land and alter
we had run down along the coast for couple
Of hours, until we were out of sight Of old
hard-a-ee, we hove TO, and pulled aboard OF
ivy consot for the purpose Of arranging with
her commodore the mOmentus question as to
| who was 10 be the flag officer during the cruise
Nv friend Lieutenant James q. Parkes OF
the Fe1mosa, was my senior by couple Of
years and was much the Oldest cruiser in the
| Gulf:'bnt mine was the oldest commission, and
SD we agreed that our right to prelerment was
about equal. | proposed 10 Jim TO assume
the command of the squadron, aud he declin
cd The homo, in favor OF myself, Finally il
was amicaby arranged by he toss ola haf
dollar. Heads for The Formosa, tails for the
Bonita.
jim hauled out bright half dollar, aod spun
it up into the air, nearly as high as the little
schooners main mast head. Down cameithe
gliuerins coin, missing the schooner altogeth-
! er by about a fathum. | head chuck in the
water and spruug 10 the side just in time TO
catch the las: glimpse of Uncle Sans crcu-
lating medium, as it disappeared beneath the
blue waters OF the Gulf
who's won, Jim!' said l. pointing over
the side.
Nobody this time. But I've lost, reckon.
"Got another half about you, old fellerP'
sNo. by Santa Annals left leg; haven't seen
one three weeks before yours"
"And that was bogus" said Parker, "but
what in thunder shsl! we do! Who's got a
piece of money! continued he, addressing
the crew.
Alter much searching, dime was found,
which Parker passed ovei TO me, saying:
you try this time. Pm afraid I'll toss the
confounded little ashore
| gave the piece a modest jerk upward, and
il fell close TO our feeS, where upon close in
specton. the diminutive goddess of liberty was
found TO be turned 10 the zenith; and James
g. Parker, Esq, was elected cOmmander-n-
chief Of the Texas gulf squadron for the space
of thirty days. This important question be-
iue decided, | saluted my new superior, after
which | Immediately returned To my own
craft aud both vessels filed away on their
course 10 the southwark and westward.
We continued 10 stand on along the coast
until dark, when we lost sight Of each other
and as the wind began TO battle all around the
compass and the weather threatened fOul,-l
I guessed that we should have another before
morning, so run close ia under the low san
DIV beach. aud anchored 10 two lathoms water;
intending to ride out the gale.
About eleven o'clock II came on as ] had
expec,ed, at iiist blowing a stiff gale at n. n.
i W., and towards mornIng veeIing round to
north and then ii blew for ten hours perfect
tornado Bul was all righI; had happened
to get io,o little open bay; the northern
beach OF which Irended away about T.. n. T. ,
forming an excellent shelter la a northern, and
lay there in perfectly smoolhe wafer, like a
duck in "a mIil-pond.
The gale last until about noon on the fol
lowing day, when il suddenly died away aud
came out at southwest, light al FIRST, with a
sort Of drizzeliog rain, sod concluded that II
would be good plan TO get under way, aud
dig of shore before il came on TO blow hard.
| had Just got my anchors, and made sail,
whenI discovered large top-sail schooner
coming dead down before the wiod, not more
+ that three miles distant, looming up through
Tire dim mist, like first class double banker
lrigate.
AT the first glance | made her out TO be a
Mexican armed schooner, and was soon con
,, , yincod by the way she came down, and heI
spread OF canvass, that my chance ofoutsaine
{ her and escaping was extremely doubtful; and
I so determined to heave 10. and fight her while
5 bad a spar left stupding, man 10 work
|, my batteries
The Bonita was accordingly hove To. head
of shore; and | called my crow Of ocean heroes
at, gave them double allowance OF whiskey,
= and asked them if they would sand by me
and fight for Texas and glory.
By The time that had finished my three
, minnrcs speech, the generous whiskey ha6