Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-01-07

and soon the stranger received his former
double shotted salute with interest.
Haul up the mainsail, thundered the
deck trumpet.
The order had scarcely died away, be
fore the heavy sail hung in festoons upor
the main yard. The fire of the WASP
now became dreadful-every shot told
and feeling that any risk was safer thar
the one he was then running, the captain
Of the British cruiser, at forty minute:
past three, ran the Wasp aboard on thC
starboard quarter, his larboard coming il
foul. The English commander now ut
tered the magic command-"Boarder'
away !'' and placing himself at the hoad
of his crew, endeaYored to carry the decl
of his antagonist. Three times in success
sion the attempt was made, and three
times the Americans drove the assailants
back with great slaughter. AT the third
rush, the gallant captain of the enemy fel
from the Wasp's mizzen rigging while in
the act of fourishing his sword-tHo bull
lets had pierced his brain, and he was
dead ere he touched the deck.
AT forty-four minutes past three, Cap
tain Blakely gave the order to board
them in turn. The American seamen
now started en- naasse, bounded over the
hammock nettings of the enemy like a
living torrent; and in one minute, amid
the clashing of cutlasses, the sharp reports
of boarding pistols, the groans of the dy-
ing and the yells of the wounded, were
master of the foe. AS the sword of the
dying Manners was laid upon the Captain,
the flag of Britain dropt suddenly upon
the bloody deck of the Reindeer; and ere
tbs tbs f6asHnfntggfqlsl 6snngfq fqg9dd a6a a6aad
tly in its place.
The Reindeer was an eighteen gun sloop
of war, and had complement of 10 souls.
She had 25 killed aud 42 wounded; while
the wasp had but five killed and twenty
two wounded.
After burning his shattered prize, the
victorious Blakely shaped his course for
L'Orient, where he arrived on the 9th of
July, with his ensign waving above the
tattered flag of England, and his vessel
crowded with prisoners of war.
On the 9th of August, having under
gone thorough repair, the Wasp drop
ped down to the outer anchorage, and de-
parted from the shores of France, Hav-
ing made few prizes, she stood farther
out to sea, and on the morning of the first
of September, found herself in the midst
of fleet of merchantmen, under convoy
of the Armada seventy-four.
With his accustomed skill and gallan-
try, Captain Blakely now beat to quar-
ters, and dashed in among the unsuspec-
ting fleet. A vessel loaded with guns
and military stores was soon captured,
and while the boarding officers were bu-
silly engaged with another, the seventy
four came down upon the wind and stop
ped the havoc with her heavy thun-
der.
Evening now crept in long and dusky
shadows along the silent waters, and the
look out man, from his airy height, watch
ed with eager eyes the horizon around.
The cry of Sail, OH' now reused the
officers from their evening meal. Busy
feet echoed along the cleared decks, and
the shot rack received further supply O
the iron messengers of death, while the
active powder boy stood with spare car
fridge in his leathern passing box beside
his gun. Four sail now hove in sight
but the nearest one seeming most like {
man of war, the Wasp run down to speal
to her.
At twenty minutes past nine, the chase
was on her lee bow within hail. A hea
Wy eighteen now hurled it's death dealing
shot in the enemy's bride port, and swep
his deck fore and aft. The shot wa.
promptly returned by the chase: whe1
Blakely passed under his lee, fearful les
he might escape, the wind blowing high
and the Wasp going ten knots. Having
reached the right position, the gallant lit
tie Wasp poured in a broadside which
ratified the enemy's spars and rigging
about his ears, and convinced him Of the
true character of the stranger. 1t wa!
now nine o'clock at night. Darkness res
ted upon the ocean, save when illumineC
by the flash of musketry; and the heavy
roar of cannon died away amid the din o
the swelling waves-Furious was the fire
of the Wasp, and warm was the turr
made by the enemy. 1t was almost i'm
possible to tell the officers from the men
amid the smoke and darkness of the hour
and the seamen slipped upon the bloody
decks as they ran out the long eighteen
The wind howled mournfully through the
rigging-the vessels plunged heavily along
the agitated deep. AS they came uPor
the top of CORES sponding waves the Prac
tised gunners fired, and when they rose
again discovered the damage they hac
done.
For one hour this terrible conflict was
kept up with unmitigated ferceness. A
ten the enemy's fire ceased, and Captain
Blakely, leaning over the quarter, hailec
them in voice louder than the roaring
OCEAN
"Have you surrendered !"
No human voice replied-but few
long eighteens thundered back the en-
phatic "No!"
A fresh broadside was now poured into
Il :. IL ~. ALn FIRE was not refur