The Sierra citizen., 1854-04-22

day. lie should not, say the critics, have
struggled up to the enemy, but formed his
line compactly, at distance, and come up
all together. But the enemy was not far
from his place of refuge; the opportunity
was not to be lost, and Perry was not
willing to give him time to change his
mind. The failure of the wind, too, could
not be anticipated. 1t should be remarked,
also, that if he detracted from his advan-
tages by his preliminaries, the fact only
enhances his subsequent victory.
As it was, the American line was some
what irregular; and when the battle began,
the schooners astern, having less light
canvas, were lingering in the distance.
At last, the sun shining in the zenith
over the scene, the first gun was fred
That is moment which men who have
been in battle can alone appreciate. The
die is cast; the hour of fate has come; an
ticipations of victory or defeat, of death
or escape-how they thicken in the brain
at that moment The first shot was
thrown from the Detroit, the British COM
mander's ship, at the Laurence, on which
waved the flag of Perry, who had reserved
to himself a commanders privilege of en-
gaging the principal vessel of the oppo-
sing squadron" The next sound was
Perry's trumpet ringing over the waters,
and ordering the vessels which were yet
astern into the prescribed order, and in a
few minutes the long gun of the Scorpion
sent back to the British array the answer
of the Americans. And now vessel after
vessel let loose its fire, the Americans
bearing down gallantly upon the British
line. Perry again signalled from the Laac
renee for all his squadron to close in the
prescribed order. The tagging vessels
pressed along into firing distance, their
guns began to play, and the action became
general
The aim of the British commander was
to overwhelm the Laurence, which bore
Perry. He seemed to calculate that sue
cess in that direction would be general
victory. He did not know the character
of his enemy. Not only his own fire from
the Detroit, but also that Of the Queen
Charlotte and Hunter were concentrated
on the Laurence. But the American brig
bore herself courageously against the odds.
She ~endeavored to close says Cooper.
"and got within reach of canister, though
not without suffering materially"
4 long-continued cannonade deadens
the wind; it was so in this case; for about
two hours there was scarcely any breeze,
and the contending squadrons had to make
the best of their positions; meanwhile, they
poured upon each other their thunders
without abatement. The scene must have
been terrifcally grand, especially on board
the Laurence. This devoted vessel, bearing
the destined hero of the day, bore up in
domitably against the continued, concen-
trated weight of the enemy's fire. Blood
flowed everywhere OH her decks; she was
almost dismasted; her men were falling at
nearly every post; still she fought on;
Perry was determined to conquer. The
heart is appalled, at the horrors of war
when listening to the details of the de-
vastation on board the Laurence, amid
this overwhelming sweep of fire and thun-
derbolts. at seemed" says some one, "as
if she had been launched into hell ITSELF"
"The manner" says Cooper, "in which the
Laurence was cut up, is almost without
an example in naval warfare cal
though," he adds; "much has been Justly
said of the manner in which the Bon Hon.
me R,chard and Esser were injured, neither
of these ships suffered, relatively, in de-
gree proportioned to the Laurence" The
continued fire broke in her starboard
bulwarks, and injured also her larboard.
The heavier shot passed through both
sides, scattering destructive splinters,
human fragments, and blood in all direc-
tions. The brave commander, still feeble.
in health, stood fearlessly on his deck; he
saw his commanding marine officer shot
down; his first and second lieutenants, his
ship-master, his midshipmen carried away
wounded, and of his one hundred and three
men of every description, Gall who were
fit for duty in the action,) no less than
eighty-three were killed or wounded. 1t
was baptism of fire. Every gun except
one (on the side on which she fonght,) was
at least disabled and this Perry himself
helped to fire in person at the final dis
charge, before he left her dilapidated deck.
This state of things could not last
Fortunately the wind freshiencd, and the
two lines drew ahead, thus leaving the
crippled Laurence astern- Two hours a1d
a half of desperate conflict had passed
The British commander had about
achieved his design of demolishing the
Laurence. She was falling out of the
combat. Perry took to his boat, and was
rowed along through the perils Of the
scene to another vessel, the Ni1gurd.-
Other instances of "the feat OF shifting a
flag" are on record, but they are rare, and
none has been more nobly done than this.
Perry struck his fag,it has been remarked,
not to submit but to conquer.
He had no sooner reached the deck Of
the Niagara, than Captain Elliott was
sent in row-boat along the line, within
hail OF the small vessels astern," ordering
them to "close within haifpistol shot Of
the enelay. and to throw in grape and
canister" Such was the first measure OF
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