New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-02-05

NeWYork Evening Post, to which paper it was
furnished by a 50 valued correspondent p:
Having been an American prisoner on board
tne uuerrlere during the famous battle between
that frlgate and the United Ststes frivate Con-
ssitut.on, propose giving you an account Of
1llat important action, which took place in
About two weeks previous to the engsqement
l ieit Boston in an american ship, which was
| captured by the Guerriere, some FIVE davs he.
| fore she fell in with she Constitution.
lt was about ten o'clock in the morning when
| the Constitution was discovered The Guer-
r1ere move to, to enable her to come up As the
Constitution neared us, Captain Dacres handed
me his glass, and asked me what took her N
be. My reply was, 81 She looks like frigate.''
Very soon she came within reach Of the lono
guns Of the Guerriere, which were fired, but
with no effect, as the sea ran high. The Con-
stItution made no reply, but as / saw, was ma
noeuyring for position, turing which Captain
Dacres said to me- .. Doyou think she is going
to strike without iring!'' I replied, :" / think
not, sir"
AT this moment, seeing a severe contest was
about commencing, in which could take no
part, being only prisoner, raised my hat so
Captain Dacres and said to him, Sc With your
permission, sir, will go below, as can take
no part 'sOh, certainly said he, g and you
mad better 60 into the cock pit, and Should any
OF our men chance to get wounded shall feet
Obliged you will assist the surgeons in dfess-
ing them " Certainly, sir,'' said |, and then
descended into the cockpit There were the
surgeons and surgeons mates and attendauts,
sitting around long table covered with instru-
ments and all necessaries for dressing the
wounded, as still as a funeral. Within one mo-
ment after my foot left the lower round Of the
ladder the Constitution gave that double broad
sside, which threw all in the cockpit over in a
heap on the opposite side of the ship. @ 8
For a moment it appeared as M heaven and
earth had struck together; more terrific shock
can not be imagined. Before those in the cock
pit had adjusted themselves, the blood ran down
from the deck as freely as if wash-tub full
had been turned over. and instantly the dead,8
wounded and dying were handed down as rap-
IDLY as men could pass them, till the cockpit
was hlled, with hardly room for the surgeons to
work Midshipmen were handed down with one
ieg' some with one arm, and others wounded in
almost every shape and condition An officer
VINO was on the table, having his arm amputa-
ted, would sing out to comrade coming down
wounded, sc Well, shipmate how goes the bat
tes - Another would utter some Joke that
would make even the dying smile, and 40 con-
stant and freely were the playful remarks from
the manned and even dying, that almost
doubted my own senses Indeed, all this was
crowded into space Of not over fifteen Or twenty
minutes, before the firing ceased then went
upon deck, and what a scene was presented. and
how changed in so short q time! q jF .1sss
Y The Constitution looked perfectly fresh-and;
even at this time, those on board the .Guerriere
did not know what ship had fought them. on
the other hand, the Guerriere was mere rolling
entirely at the mercy of the sea-
Her colcrs all shot away, her main-mast and
mizen- mast both gone by the board, and her
foremost Standing by the mere honey comb the
shot had made. Capt. Dacres stood, with his
officers, surveying the scene-al1, all in the most
perfect astonishnient Atthis moment a boat
was seen putting off from the hostile ship for thes
Guerriere. As soon as within speaking distance
a young gentleman (aidshipman Read, now
Commodore Read hailed and said, al wish to see
the officer in command of this ship. - isN eii,
AT this, Captain Dacres stepped forward and
answered Midshipman Read then said: aC0m-
modore Hulls compliments, and wishes to know
if you have struck your flag ,''
AT this Captain Dacres appeared amazed, but,
recovering himself, and looking up and down. he
deliberately replied; Well, l don't know 4 our
mizen- mast is gone, our main-mast is gone;
and upon the whole, you may say we have
struck our hagH' ~ = 'lS '3ss
Commodore Hulrs compliments, and wishes
to know if YOU need the assistance of surgeon
| OF surgeons mate r. o. ss,lS s.ss "a sssg.
| Captain Daeres replied SIS Well, I should sup-
pose you had on board your own ship business
enough for all your medical officers
| Midshipman Read replied :: :. Oh, noswe have
only seven wounded, and they were dressed half
| an hour ago.
! Captain Dacres then turned to me, deeply af-
fected, and said: 50 How have our situations
been suddenly reversed You are now free, and
q prisoner p .yI .'.G- HAJ 10 isoss
All the boats of both ships were now put in
requisition to remove the wounded on board the
Constitution. So dreadful was the condition Of
many of them, that two days were nearly con-
sumed in the removal: : after which the Guerriere
was burned. with all her stores, armament, etc.
The Constitution having recently come out of
port, had no room to take scarcely an article,
Who can imagine the joy experienced in 6nd-
ing myself again under American colors, or the
pride felt, at finding, from Commodore Hull
down to the most humble man on board, an entire
absence of everything like boastful or even a.
triumphant look, at their wonderful victory
Captain Dacres kept his state-room till we ar
rived in port. About two hundred of his men
were necessarily ironed. as the ship was so
crowded Charles Morris, now Commodore,l
the first officer of the Constitution, had a ball
through his body, and for several days his
recovery was doubtful during which he sent
for me to come to his room, and we'll remember
his perfect unconcern for himself, although the
surgeon had apprised him of his danger. Every
courtesy and kindness was by Captain Hull and
his officers extended to their prisoners
On Sunday, about noon, the Constitution arr
rived in Boston harbor. | was sent on shore in
the boat. The harbor between the ship and
wharves was now covered with boats to learn the
news To the first boat that we neared, we
hailed, The Constitution has captured the
tSuerriere.' Instantly the two men in the boat
took off their hats and violently struck them on
the side Of the boat, and, rising gave cheer upon
cheer. They hailed other boats, and thus the
air was rent with cheers. and the victory passed
along till it reached the wharf, and then spread
| like wild-fre all over the city and country. "
| 1t is now nearly forty years since the trans
aetion of that day proved to the Americans that
British frigates were not invincible. Who can
remember that day, without feeling a glow of
pride, that so early in the war, and in a manner
so unpretending. victory perfect should
| have been achieved | write this statement
without notes, but believe it to be, in the main,
accurate. 'r,. .-..ss ..5 q Ill
| In justice to Captain Dacres, add. that there
was none of the boasting on his part during the
action. which has to him been attributed. as he
did not know the ship. till Midshipman Read
announced her name and commander. u =T
Coop BIRD DSroRY.-Every body has heard or
read the story of the Maid and the Magpie,
wherein that thieyish bird purloined so many
spoons, that the maid had to be sent to prison.
am happy to say that the honor of the feather
hna,, ~.