The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-02
re passed by trumpet from vessel tc

The light wind having nearly dice
away, the Lawrence suffered severely
before she could get near enough tt
open. with her carronades, and she haC
scarcely taken her position, before the
fire of the three. vessels was directed
against her. --f.z--.er .s...5.
Enveloped in fame and smoke, Perry
strove desperately to maintain his GROUND
till the rest of the feet should close, anC
for two hours sustained this unequal
contest without finching. ,,, s,9e.s
The balls crashed necessarily through
the sides of the ship, dismounting the
guns and strewing the deck with the
dead, untilsat length, with" every brace
and bow-line shot away )" she lay an un-
manageable wreck on. the water. But
still through the smoke, as it went be
fore the heavy broadsides, her colorf
were seen flying and cleaned forth in
that glorious mottot--" DON'T give alr
the ship i' -. ,e,eg =, .ls:ra7f sft 10
Calm and unmoyed at the slaughter
around him, and his own desperate po.
sition, Perry gave his orders TRANQUILITY,
as though executing a manavre. iisl17
Although in his first battle, unaccus-
toned to the scenes of carnage, his face
gave no tokens of the emotions that
mastered him.. Advancing to assist
a sailor whose gun had got out Of
order, he saw the poor fellow struck
from his side by twenty-four pound
shot, and expire withouta a groan. His
second Lieutenant fell at his feet.
Lieutenant Brooks, a gay dashing
young officer of extraordinary personal
beauty, while speaking cheerfully to
him, was dashed by cannon ball to the
other side of the deck, and mangled in
the most horrid manner. His shrieks,
and imploring cries to Perry to kill him
and end his misery, were heard above
the roar of the guns in every part of the
ship.
The dying who strewed the deck,
would turn their eyes in mute inquiry
upon their youthful commander, as if to
be told they had done their duty. ''
Lieut.. Yarrel, with handkerchief
tied around his head, and another around
his neck to staunch the blood flowing
from his wounds, his nose swelled to a
monstrous size, from splinter having
passed through it, disfgured and COW
cred with gore, moved among this ter
rifle scene, the very genius of havoc and
carnage. Approaching Perry, he told
him every officer in his division was
killed. Others were given him, but he
soon returned with the same dismal til
dings.' Perry then told him he must
get along himself, as he had no more to
furnish him, and the gallant man went
back to his guns, Only once more did
the shadow of any emotion pass over the
countenance of this intrepid commander
He had brother on board, who was on
ly twelve years old. The little fellow
had had two balls pass through his hat,
and had been struck with splinters, was
still standing by the side of his brother,
stunned by the awful cannonading and
carnage around him, when he suddenly
fell. For moment Perry Thought he
too was gone, but he had only been
knocked down by hammock, which a
cannon ball had hurled against him.
At length every gun was dismounted
but one; still Perry fought with that till
at last il was also knocked from the car
riage. Out of the one hundred. men
with whom he had gone to battle, only
eighteen stood up unwounded, Look
ing through the smoke, he saw the Nj
agara apparently uncrippled, drifting
out of BATTLE zai 2 " 2 So 5-rss as5
Leaping into his boat with his young
er brother, he said; If victory is to be
gained, / will gain it % and standing
erect, he told the sailors to give way
with will. The enemp, observing the
movement, Immediately directed their
fire upon the boat. Oars were splinter
ed in the rowers' hands by musket balls,
and the men themselves covered with
spray from the round shot and grape
that smote the water on every side.-
Passing swiftly through the iron storm,
he reached the Niagara in safety, and as
the survivors of the Lawrence saw him
go up pthevessel's side, they gave hearty
cheer. Finding her sound and whole,
Perry backed his maintop sail, and flung
out his signal for close action. From
each vessel the answering signal went
up in the sunlight, and three cheers
rang over the water. He then gave his
sails tothe wind, and bore steadily down
to the centre of the enemy's line. Re-
serving his fire as he advanced he passed
along through the hostile feet, within
close pistol range, wrapped in fire as he
swept on. Delivering his broadside
right and left, he spread horror and
death through the. decks of the Detroit
and Lady Provost. Rounding to as he
passed the line he laid his vessel close
to two of the enemy's spips and poured
in his rapid fire. The shrieks that rung
out of the Detroit were heard even above
the deafening cannonade, while the crew
of the Lady Provost, unable to stand
the fire, ran below, leaving their wound
ed and bewildered commander alone on
deck, leaning his face on his hand, and
gazing vacantly on the passing ship
The other American vessels having come
up, the action at once became general.
To the spectators from the shore, the
scene at this moment was indescribably
thrilling. Far out on the calm water
lay white cloud, from out whose tor
tured bosom broke incessant flashes and
thunder claps-the loud echoes rolling
away over the deep, and dying amid the
silence and solitude of the forest.
An action SO close and murderous
could not last long, and it was soon ap-
parent that victory inclined to the Amer
leans, for while the enemy's fire slack
ened, the signal for close action was still
flying from the Niagara, and from every
American vessel the answering signal
foated proudly to the wind. In fifteen
minutes from the time the first signal
was made, the battle was over. A white
handkerchief waving from the taffrail of
the Queen Charlotte announced her sur
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