Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-11-10

paler than before, but answered quietly. |
quite understand


The letter written under the foregoing cir
cumstances, which lett Lieut. King reading
by the pinnacle light, ran thus: captain
Horton directs Lieutenant King to take the
command of the Curlew's boats Immediately
on receipt Of this note, and ascend the river in
his front for, Captain H.. calculates, about six
miles, where he will find slave-brig, which
he will carry by boarding. There are, also,
a large number of negroes in an immense bar
racoon on the shore, whom Lieutenant King
will prevent being driven away inland The
resistance will be, no doubt, desperate, but
Captain H. feels quite satisfied that, under
Lieutenant King, the attack will be prompt,
daring, and, with the blessing Of God, crowned
with success Instantly that he had finished
the hasty perusal of this note, Lieut. King
seized and bclted his pistols, jumped into the
pinnace, and we were off-about hundred
men in all-in a jify. The oars were muffled,
and the profoundest silence was enforced, in
the hope Of at least nearing the enemy unob-
served. For something more than league
this appeared likely to be the case, but when
about that far on our way a confused tumult
OF voices began to spring up along the left
bank of the river, followed by dropping fire
of musketry, obiging US TO keep the centre of
the channel, as ii would have been folly to
have wasted time in returning it. The tumult
of discordant noises-shouting, shrieking,
musket and pistol firing, roars of brutal merri-
ment and deadly defance-grew louder and
louder as we neared the goal. Presently fame,
at first Pickering and uncertain, threw lurid
glare over the scene, and as we swept round
bend OF the river, burst into volume Of fire.
rendering every object within the circuit of a
mile, l should say, distinctly visible But we
had no time to note these objects minutely a
well-armed brig, with boarding MEETINGS traced
up, opened fire upon us, though without much
effect. She was boarded and carried with
one pealing hurrah! and leaving Burbage and
a sufficient number of men in charge, Lieut..
King jumped into the boats again with the
others and made for the left shore, which was
lined with crowd of variously y-accoutred ras-
Gals. The flames Ihave mentioned proceeded
from huge canvas-covered building, which
was blazing furiously; and although happen
ing to be in the hindmost boat, | discerned the
figure of man, erect and motionless, upon
its summit--how or why there / could not inn
aglne. The next moment the wnd-whirled
flame and smoke hid him from my view, and
heard Lieut.. King stentorian voice exclaim-
ing, Give way, men give way, for Gods
sake, the devils have entrapped the captain,
and are burning him alive With will, now,
hurrah' The boats quickly grounded, and
we sprang on shore, headed by the frst-lieu-
tenant. The resistance, desperate as it was,
was broken through and dispersed with leap
and a rush (; and then sight-the sublimest,
the most terrible ever witnessed, clearly pre-
sented itself Capt. Horton, pale, ay, and
calm as death, was standing bound, erect, and
bare-headed, upon the flaming slave-house,
with a book in his hand, what one could
easily guess. Frantic were the efforts made
to save his life-gratefullv acknowledged by
repeated wavings of his hand-and vain as
frantic the devouring flames could not be at
rested, the building collapsed, fell in, and
Captain Robert Horton was buried in the fiery
ruinl
1t is needless to say how amply he was
avenged, or'dwell further upon the savage and
terrific contest-not long contest, properly
SO called, although the ringing pistol-shot, the
| eb aol
deserved continued far into the night enough
to say, in the words Of the official report,
that the attack was entirely successful, the
number of negroes released from bondage
eight hundred and seventy-six, and the break
ing-up Of the slave settlement complete. '-
This was quite true, but like another para
graph in the same report, not all the truth -
Captain Horton died as brave man should
during the attack upon the armed slave-gangs
on shore Why the exact cause and manner
of his heroic death were not officially set forth
I never rightly understood.
He was quite dead when dragged, as speed
lily as it could be done, from under the burn
ing embers of the monster save-tent, and much
scorched, yet his countenance had remark
ably composed expression. His Bible was al
50 found, not much injured, and is, believe,
now in the possession of the family of Lieut..
i King, who with swimming eyes pointed out
to US, few days afterward, in the cabin Of
the Curlew, the following passage, written
with penciLin the inside of one Of the leaves:
Tuesday, halfpast P. NJ. The Curlew's $
boats are approaching thank God shall die
in my duty, and not in vain. Should this ever
meet the eye of her officers, they will by that
time know, that man who is afraid Of Offend
ing God may not fear Death =