Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-03-25
his own. which operation being perform-
ed, he proceeded to undress himself, hang.


for sleep, and in less than FIVE minutes
after he touched his mattress, he began to
snore. f .9fsf s..a.a.a
'.Now, or never,' thought Tom, ais
my chances" and with this. idea in his
mind, he slipped quietly ou. from his
hammock, and proceeded to divest him
self of his own clothes. which having
been accomplished, he very unceremoni-
ously substituting those Of the snoring
corporal in this place, and then sat down
upon the breeching of a gun to mediate
further upon his plans.
One bell struck, and the sentinels pass
ed their usual "all's WE'LL" Then Tom
heard the corporal, as he started to 90
his rounds, and ere long he descended
the main hatch ladder to visit the posts
below. No sooner had the marine of
ficer passed beyond the galley, than our
hero sprang up the ladder and gained the
spar-deck. The officer of the deck was
aft upon the s.arboard side, the sen,ries
were walking their posts with regular
tread, whilethe old quarter master stood
upon,rhe poop, with his night-glass un-
der his arm. The lsentries performed
their walk upon gang boards raised even
with the bottom Of the hammock-nettings.
and running forward from the ladders.
The larboard gangway was shaded from
the light of the moon by the awning, and
walking deliberately up the ladder. Tan
looked over the ships side. .31t. i,i7
g "Sentry," said he, in a mumbling sort
of tone, "what boat is that a, the
boom?" 8u3a.i se& r,f,aasr a4E
"The second cuuer,'' returned the
marine, showing by his manner that he
had no suspicious of the spurious cor
poral. gls
Tom Immediately walked aft to where
stood the officer of the deck, and being
quite assured by the mistake of the SEN
try, he pulled his cap down over his eyes,
and, touching his visor respectfully, re-
marked: gr..s EssE nna.a..
IL should like to overhaul that second
cutter, sir, for think there is rum aboard
of her."
Tom knew he was playing desper-
ate game, but liberty was to be the re-
suit OF success, and he flinched not hair.
.IIa! the villains" uttered the lieuten,
ant, "Up to their old tricks again. Go.
corporal. get down into the boat, and il
you do iiad rum in her, they III catch H."
- Tom started quickly. forward, bat just
as he got, abreast Of the fore-ha,chway
he saw The Simon pure corporal's head
rising above the combings. The marine
aseended no higher, for with one blow
of his fist. Tom sent him back from,
whence he came, and then sprang quick
ly out through the port upon the swing
ing boom, and having reached the place
where the seco nd cutters painter was
made fast, he hauled the boat up and
leaped into her. The flood tide was set
ting up the river very strongly, and quick
as thought Tom cast off the painter, and
rapidly dropped astern. lilE 90 slaa
"Help. help!" shouted our hero, at
the top Of his voice; "the boats got
loose" s5s1 Hf3toa asg
SECT out a couple of oars. you lubber. "
cried the officer of the deck, as he jump
ed upon the poop on hearing the cry,
where he arrived just as the cutter was
sweeping past the quarter. "You can
hold her against the tide"
Tom did get out a couple of oars, but
the moment he 60. them balanced in the
rowlocks, he commenced pulling for dear
life, and, to the utter CONSERVATION of the
lieutenant, the boat began rapidly to
shoot up the river. All the septries on
deck were Immediately called upon the
poop, and their muskets were fired at
The deserier, but though two of the balls
whistled near the boat, yet none of them
did any harm, and on the next moment
Tom heard the third cutter called away,
but he knew the men were all sound a
sleep in their hammocks, and so he. felt
secure. ~
II was ten minutes before the third
cutter cas-, off from the ship, and long ere
they reached Tom he had gained the
shore, and was running at remarkable
speed, towards the city, where he reach
ed in safety. and before two o'clock he
was on board his own brig. e ,e.'p
The nextmorping the Sarah dropped
down with the ebb tide, and as she pass
ed the frigate Tom saw the second cut
ter swinging in her usual place, and as
he gazed upon the proud flag that foated
at the Englishman's peak, he murmured
to himself:
"IfI live, I'll some day take the pride
from those proud tyrants." as
How literally was that saying fulfilled.
Tom MacGonough had been Decatur's
favorite midshipman at the seige of Tri-
poll, and "wha,ever Dec atur led he dar-
ed to follow" Subsequent to that bril-
liant chapter in the page Of our history.
occurred the event which is embodied in
our sketch; but five years afterwards, on
the lth Of September, 1914. Thomas
Macdonough met one of England's proud
fleets on Lake CAamplain. At ahe first
broadside, the British Commodore Dow
ME, fell. and at the end Of a fight which
lasted two hours and twenty minutes,
without intermission. Commodore Thom.
as Macdonough was ihe vconqueror aof
Champlain. He had gained proud VIC
tory---he had indeed humbled the pride
Of the yran. and that days achievement