Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-04-20
Revolutionary RENIylSCENrFS

1t Is related by Marshall in his life of
Washington that in July, I776, while the
American army yet had possession of
New 1ork, Lord Howe. who had but re.
Gently arrived before that city with his
fleet, sent up two frigates, by the Ameri-
can batteries. which took their station in
the North river. aud thus put stop to
the communication between the armies at
New York and at Ticonderoga and that.
to remove this interruption, plan was
formed to set the frigates on fire by the
means of fire ships, which. though address
and courage were manifested in the en-
terprise, failed in the execution, and only
a tender was burnt.
a particular account of this daring act,
which we believe Is not even referred to
IN Cooper's Naval History" was publish
ed IN the newspapers some twenty FIVE
years ago. from information given by MIR.
Joseph Bass, of Leicester Mass. who.
commanded one of the fire ships MIR
Bass was brave soldier in the war of
our independence, and was, at the time
referred to, attached to the water service
under the command of Commodore Hon
kins. who was directed to prepare and
send up two fire ships to the British frig-
ates
Mr. Bass was selected to take charge
OF one. and the other was put under the
command of Captain Thomas, who belong
ed to New London The vessel comman-
ded by Bass was a sloop called the Polly.
of about one hundred tons burden. nearly
new. That commanded by Thomas was
of smaller size The frigate lay about
eight miles abbove Kingsbridge, bat hav-
ing had intimations that they might be
attacked, removed their station toward
the western shore of the river, where the
shore was bolder, and the water deeper
than on the east side. The vessels in
tended for fire ships were prepared at
New York, and moved up the river on the
day before the intended attack. to a creek
near kingsbridge, which comes in from
the east, called Spinking Devil Greek.
The vessels had been prepared with
fagots of very combustible wood which
had been dipped in melted pitch, and
bundles Of straw cut about Il foot long.
prepared in the same way These fag-
OTIS and bundles filed the deck. and com
municated with a trough of fine gunpow-
der which extended along under the deck
from the hold into the cabin and into this
was inserted a match that might be fred
by person in the cabin who would have
time to escape through a door cut in the
side of the vessel. into a whale boat that
was lashed to the quarter of the slOop.
Besides these combustibles, there were
in each vessel ten or twelve barrels of
pitch. and very great number Of yards
and rigging and extending down to the
a. W
the spirits of turpentine Every thing
had been SO prepared that moment was
sufficient to put the whole into a full
blaze
The fire ships started from the creek
about dark, with south wind and favor
able tide. The night was cloudy aud
dark. with occasionally little rain Bass
had nine men attached to his vessel. three
of whom be stationed in the whale boat.
acted as pilot. while he stationed himself
with match, In the cabin, to fire the ma
tcrIals.
Besides the two British frigates, there
were d bomb ketch aud two tenders in
company. and moved near them They
were anchored In line about north and
south first the Phoenix, of IA guns next
the Rose, of Sc guns; then the bomb
ketch, and next above that lay the tend
ers. As the night was dark, and the fire
ships kept near the middle Of the river,
they were not aware that they were near
the British vessels, until they heard i'm
mediately on their left the bells of the
vessels, and the cry of the sentinels, ''all's
well" from their several decks.
1t was II o'clock, and little did those
who were slumbering there imagine the
destruction that hung over them The
shore was bold, and rose above the masts,
so that the Americans did not perceive,
till that sound, how near they had APP
paoachcd nor could they distinguish the
situation of the vessels, enough to ascer-
tain their size or which of them were the
frigateS Bass was a considerable dis
tance in advance of Thomas. aud upon
hearing the cry of the sentlnels, immedl-
ately bore down upon the line of the
British feet He was already very near
the bomb ketch before he was discovered
by the enemy, who Immediately began a
severe cannonade upon bis vessel which
damaged her rigging and mast, and some
shot entered her hull. Bat he was now
under SO rapid headway, that he had 10
opportunity, even II he had been inclined,
to retreat.
As soon as he saw himself near enough
to the vessel toward which he was steer
ing to be sure that she could not escape,
ne gave orders for his men to take the
boat. and touching the match he leapcd
into tue whale boat and cast of from his
ship
Her direction had been too sure The
graphing irons upon the bowspit, yards.
&c became interlocked with the rigging
Of the bomb ketch and they were almost
Immediately in blaze. The panic struck
crew Of the ketch were seen pouring from
the quarters Of that ship in the utmost
agony of Consideration The fire Of the
burning vessels lighted NJ the surround
ing scenery with a horrid glare of. Splen-
dor The first one that reached the deck
of the ketch from the cabin, was her com
mander, who was struck dead by falling
sDar He was followed by two women.