Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-02

the liner was heavy one, carrying hundred
guns They had anchored al first in the centre OF
the bay, but now all had weighed again The frig.
ales stood down the bay, and anchored, one on each
side OF the mouth, aihwari-ships ofthe channel
outside, while the line of the battle sailed up to the
head OF the bay, put her helm down, and bringing
everything fiat aback, showed herself into The chan.
mel her own length, stern foremost, and then an.
chored head and stern in the middle of it.
Pretty good seamanship, Mr.. Bull" though, I,
as observed lhisplug2ing up manGuvre-for there
appeared scarcely room for her boats lopuII along
side OF her, much less for ship 10 pass: it will
not be easy to run by fellow as wide awake as
you sre."
had now ascerIaned all that was needful-so
returned 10 my boat, WHICH had laid snug under
the bushes, about half way down the channel. As
the Eng!ishman's guns commanded the whole of
II we were obliged 10 unshp our oars and scull I'D
stream, keeping we'll under the banks-and II was
well we did so, for just before we reached the an.
gle OF the river, we carele>sly shot inlo the middle
OF the stream, when quicker than thought six ,hir
two pound shots whistIed over our heads, followed
BY roar OF genuine English thunder. We were
| 'o' S>S''ooS
oars; giving way strongly we doubled the point
just as six more round shot kicked up the water
! asIern oi US.
Preuy good guanery, Mr.. Bull,n thought !, as
pulled alongside the brig, and made report 10
Seymour. 81 have no desire 10 play at short bowls
with you"
had scarcely reached the vessel when the En-.
gshman began to fire his stern chasers, ,one "a min
ute, up The channel and the thirty Two pound sho,
skipped along over The water, and dashed through
The forest, knocking trees and earth about in every
dreclion-and. of course, completely commanding
the whole length of The channel We were al frs
at loss for the reason of the firing but when nigh,
came on and palpable darkness iell upon US, and
! The Engshnan commenced rapid fire OF round
! shot, grape and canister, we knew al once that his
object was 10 prevent our playing any Yankee
shine" upon him. He had Obtained The proper
range before dark, and his shot swept the east
ern channel we were glad 10 keep very clear oil it,
About midnight, however, Seymour determined
| 10 try his hand at The game, and ordered me TO axe
| my men, armed with cuasses, pistols, and mus
ke's, and go down through The woods as near TO
EngIshman as-was prudent, and then sweep his
| deck with muskery Being landed on The LEFT bank
| OF The river, we silently wonnd our way through
| the forest, and approached 10 within half musket
| Shot OF him unhead and each taking Tree for a
screen, according 10 old Kentucky principles, we
opened upon him in fine Style directed by fash
of hls stern chaser with which he was still sweep.
ing The channel. Although The Englishman was
evidently surprised by our sudden allack, he took
it very cooliy, and wihou, knocking off from his
stern chasers a'moment, The marines and small arm
men were summoned 10 their stations, according 10
The regular routine of nautical war, and in five
minutes his ship was one entire blaze OF muskelry,
fore and aft. Here, however, we had all the ad-
vantage, being considerably elevated, and entirely
protected BY the trees; The flashes oil our guns
Cher only guide) was OF course small, but the
broad shee, Of fame from her stern chasers com.
pleiey Illuminated her deck, affording US every
| facility for accurate shooting
The Englishman soon found that this method of
procedure would not do but from our peculiar sit.
uaon it was somewha, difficult 10 tell what would
do The banks of The channel were qui'e bold,
rising al an angle of sixty degrees, and the place
we occupied was SO much elevated that the guns
OF her arboard battery could not be brought to bear
upon Us al all. While was consra,ulating myself
on the advantage we evidently had over them,
their lire OF muskelry, which had been unnerm
ted, suddenly ceased-and the next instant a lot of
hry-two pound shot were tossed al US, informing
US that John Bull had slowed around his starboard
spar deck battery This, however, did not annoy
me al all-for carronades are clumsy things, and
iba,r nbo 4 n
over, are thrown with 30 lille force that fellow
with stout ribs may laugh a, Them. Finding ,ha,
this die moi trouble US, they changed 10 grape and
canIsier-but we, still protected by our trees, kept
up our ire not being so easily scared
. When The failure OF this experiment became ap
parent, The increased bustle on the Englishman's
deck showed that now he was going about floggng
according TO sclence-and few minutes aier, her
stern chasers, which ill now had been sweeping
The channel, suddenly ceased firing, Thinking
something new was a coming: gave orders 10
change ground ; and the word being silently pass
ed from one 10 anolher we moved couple OF hnn.
dEed yards to the easlward-and il was well we
did so, for the next instant fire balls were thrown
by dozens into our former ground, followed by a
shower OF round grape and canister from the long
ahlrly-two pound sern chasers, which kicked up a
row among the trees in fine style. An instant alter,
few dozen oil Congreye rockets were thrown into |
the bushes in every direction, and some OF them |
CHANGING 10 a!ight in our vicinity, dispelIed my
doubts as 10 the proprety of retreat, so Instantly
lacking ship, We were of al len knots an hour
Well, Mr.. Garnet" said Seymour, when | had |
reported progress on board it's very plain that |
this EngIlshman Won't bulge tack nor sheet for all |
we eau do so since he won't go away, we must |
shall go to sea to-day in spite OF everything
therefore make your will, and holy-slone yonr con-
scehce-for though shall certainly succeed, who |