Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-11-09
| WHOLE NO. 1873.
From the Ns,o York Erprsss.
The Signal Gun

Amidst all the terrible incidents atten-
iant upon the destruction of the Arctic
which we have been receiving these two
days p,st, there is one that impresses us
with a feeling Of awe and admiration.
and shows all the world that the age Of
heroes is not altogether gone by. We
refer to the young man, whose post of
duty throughout all that trying scene was
the firing ofa signal gun. at intervals,
in hope of attracting the attention of yes
sells from distance 10 the scene of the
disaster. While all around him were
death and despair. in bold relief there he
stood. Qike hope herseIf) with the calm
determination of a true hero, dischar-
ging gun after gun, until the gallant ship
went down beneath the waves. Here
was courage and man,iness-a def
ance of death, and an adhesioa TO duty.
we n ght walk over the racst famous bat
tle-ffeldS in history TO look for. aud not
fad. The soldier who braves the king
of terrors at the cannon's moath. is ami
mated by the ''pomp and circumstances"
around him. There can be properly = o
towards when men are drawn up in bait
tle-array. with drums beating. coloTs
flying and thoughts Of reward sad promo
tion fitting through the brain of re-
ward if victory is won. DastaTds dare
anything then under such stimulantS.-
But the bravery of the battlefield is not
the bravery which was shown by our
young hero of .he wreck. The former is
a species of unnatural courago-it is of
au animl al nature; out the Halter 80 t...a-
al courage. Of the highest and no5lest
kind. With his lighted match he seemed
to stand on the quarter of that devc-
ted shir, hurling defiance. as il were.
in the very jaws of death itself
Others were desperately struggling for
life, be alone seemed TO have resolved 10
demonstrate how a man may die at his
post OF duty, without dread or fear in the
midst of horrors that would make most
men towards. Awfully impressive. in
deed-.erribly melo dramatc-wSs the
last scene of all. in which our young he
70 shone forth. wringing ordinations
Of admiration even from lips that were
buffeting the hungry waters then mnrmeT-
ing FOR their prey. Stuart Hoilins. (for
huat "ds MS udihc, tOutu uSL oo mutt
Gee to leave the ship; his pos; was a. the
gun. from first TO last. firing signals; lie
kept firing that gun at intervals 'ill the
ship went down We saw him IN the
sery Get Of firing as the vessel disapPear-
ed below the 1r1ter8."
In Greek or Roman days such man
if he had not awarded him the hoacrs OF
deifcation, would have had Sea- de-
creeing him statutes and mon.men;s
everywhere to commemorate his aeeds,
that his example might not be lost upon
posterity. His conduct is given q new
lustre. contrasted with that of the era
vens who. only anxious to save their own
lives. shut their ears to the shriebs OF the
helpless women and children that veIc
grappling with horrors all around and a
bout them. Honor, then, eternal honor.
TO him who went down TO death a con-
querer of death. That noble slip had
many noble spirits on board-bul none
nobler than he.
The brave man is not he who feels ao fea-.
For that were stupid and Irrational;
But he whose noble soul its fear subdnes.
And bravely braves the danger neture shrinss
frou;" Shakespeare