Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-12-30

sci towards which he was steering to be sure
that she could not escape, he gave orders for
his men to take TO the boat, and touching the
match he leaped into the whale boat, and cast
off from his ship. Her direction had been too
sure. The graphing irons upon the bow
spirit, yards, &c., became interlocked with the
rigging of the bomb ketch, and they were both
almost Immediately in blaze. The panic
struck crew of the ketch were seen pouring
from the quarters of that ship in the utmost ag-
ony of CONSERVATION. The fire of the burning
vessels lighted up the surrounding scenery
with horrid glare of splendor. The first one
that reached the deck of the ketch from the cab
In was her commander, who was struck dead
by a falling spar. He was followed by two
women, and one or more children, whose cries
were heard amidst the din of battle that now
ragged, and the imprecations of the crew, many v
of whom threw themselves overheard and per-
ished, while those who remained on board, re-
treated TO the point most distant from the
flames, but soon sunk down into them, suffo-
Gated, bewidered, and exhausted.
Capt. Thomas had not been so fortunate, he
was so far in the rear that the light of the
flames from Bass's ship showed his position to
the enemy, and partially prepared them to
meet his attack. Not, however, daunted by
being discovered, he Immediately bore down
upon the Phenix, and became grappled with
her. He then applied his match to his COM
bustbles, but in such way that he became en-
tangled in his own fire, and was obliged to
leap overheard TO escape from the flames, but
not being able 10 reach the boat, he persisted
in the river. He also lost five men, while
Bass escaped without the loss of one. Al
though on fire in several places, the Phenix
escaped from destruction, by cutting her rig
ging and slipping her cables, with the loss of
but few lives. OF the crew of the ketch few
escaped. Nearly seventy men, besides some
women and children, were the victims of this
merciless attack We can scarcely conceive a
scene more terrible than the one we have at
tempted to describe, or one So calculated to
awaken fear in the breasts of those engaged in
1t. The hour of the night, the uncertainty of
success, the almost certainty of destruction,
would be enough to awaken pain in the
stoutest heart; while the awful destruction
that awaited the victims of success would stag
ger the resolution of the bravest. The dark
ness of the hour, the nnearlhly light that
CLEANED upon the wild scenery around, the
roar of artillery, and the groans and shrieks of
those perlshing in tortures at which humanity
shudders, must have made it scene unrivalled
in sublimity and terror. Yet the feelings of
that day were of a kind to delight in such an
exhibition of vengeance Upon the foes to our
country. 1t was spectacle which hun
dreds, and we may say thousands, of the
Americans gazed that night with the deepest
interest. And this band, allhons sh',hey had in
good degree failed in the accomplishment of
their plan to destroy the frigates, were re-
ceved with the warmest acclamations of graft
itude on their return from their perilous enter
prise.
The attempt, however, was not without its
effect. The frigate moved down the river the
next day, and joined the English fleet and left
the river for short time open for the commu-
nication Of the Americans.