Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-07-24
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AN INTERESTING EPISODE

was suggested to it by the "Hango aassa-
erc,' TIE .Natiosal lRte.iigeacsr publishes
the following interesting episode Of Ameri-
] can history, as Illustrative OF the mistakes
( which may occur in a time OF war. The
account was written cut by an old friend oil
the editor, who bore conspicuous part IN
the negotiation which became necessary
for the explanation Of the difficulty
/ during the summer OF 1914, while the
British squadron lay just within the Capes
i ofyi-ciaia, their intercourse with Norfolk
by Digs Of truce became so frequent, and
often upon the most frivolous pre,ences,
/ ths, Gen. Moses Porter, Who then COM
manled the iifih military district, holding
/ his headquarters al Norfolk, found it neees-
/ sary to designate a particular spot, nearest
I to the flagship Of the enemy. NJ which such
exneG;t.ons should land. On one occasion
f it SO happened that The guard a, this post
was composed entirely Of militia, most OF
all OF whom were raw from the mountains,
and had nerhaps never seen ineate
! tender or a ccckhoat in their lives. In the
afternoon of the Day on which they had
i hsen thus stationed they deserted some.
flfao moving rapidly towards the shore ana
sn.d as they believed, with armed men. Ii
/ they were ignorant they We're brave; and,
/ hiainq themselves behind huge sani-bank,
they determined 10 remain concealed until
/ the boat should approach near enough 10 be
within certain range Of their muskets.
/ When this moment arrived they started to
/ their feet, brought their nluskets to a pre-
sent. and. running towards the shore, fred
"a they ran. This unexpected reception
produced an instant retrograde movement in
i The boat, and in few minutes she was
i fortunately beyond the reach of the hot fire
OF the militia. When the report of this gal
j Ian, repulse OF the enemy was made the
nex, aay 10 Gen. Porter, he at once unrid-
| died the mystery, ana felt nest painfully the
ajs,ureeable and awkward situation in which
] the yaisfate had placed him. II was import
/ ant 10 his honor as a soldier that il should
be explained to the British commander; but
II was barely possible that the bot might
/ rot have borne flag Of truce, and in that
+ case to attempt 10 explain or TO apologize
for her repuIse would be but 70 render his
] position still more unpleasant In this d.
+ iemma he sent for enc OF his statf officers IN
/ whom he could caufie, and made the case
+ known to him. Having done so. and express
i sed his belief that the enemy would not re-
sort 10 retaliation without previous demand
Of explanation, he dispatched the officer
fovthwiih on board the small tender Of the
Constellation frirate, then lying in the har-
Dor. with lieutenant and three or four men
Of the frira.e, and no other credentials than
his verbal instructions 10 90 the best he
could. In less than an hour the Flag was
under way, and about suasetshe came with
in sight az the Ocean Castle that loaned
within the Capes. The weather being hazy
and drizzlins the officer had gone below, but
was soon reused BY the loud report OF can
non and the rapid descent of the lieutenant
to say that the ship had fred at the Flag.
NAV il not be her sunset gun j asked the
officer. I think not, sir; the gun was shot
ted. and evidently aimed at the tender. What
shall do Before this question could be
answered another report pat the object Of
the enemy beyond doubt, and the Flag was
ordered 10 let 90 hsr anchor. There she
remained all night, those on beard oil her /
being In n 0 very enriable state Of doubt as to |
what the morrow won d bring forth. Al
DAYLIGHT next morning the ship tender was
discovered beating up towards the Flag
arains. stiff breeze and heavy rain. A
little after sunrise she had app-oa With
in the sound Of her trumpet, and the order
was announced that the F.sg should imme-
distely get under way and proceed to the
ship. In less than an hour the little Flag
schooner had CALAMITY rounded 20 under the
lee Of the giant sayenty-fogr, boat from
which boarded her Immediately, bearing an
order that the Flag officer should deliver his
de.p.tches 10 the uifcer o. tile boat. BAT,
sir, the Flag officer has no daPatches. VIII
you be pleased 10 report that he is sent TO
request a personal interview aith Capt. b.
This was done and soon Afterwards the boat !
returned with permission for the officer to /
re pair on board. The manner in which he I
was received On board bore every mark Of
predetermined disrespect. He was taken
to the larboard gangway, no b3aiswan's
pipe To signa.ize his ascent, no Officer TO
greet him as he stepped Oh deck, Every
tiiing indicated that he had hard task be-
fore him. Bot, upon applying TO the officer
Of the deck who stood near to be shown to
the Captains presence, be was silently
backoned on TO the door OF the cabin, which
stood open, and there left. Several gentle
men occupied the room. one Of whom rose
to his feet and thus abruptly accosted the I
yisiter: "a id pretty business this, sir,
you have come upon You may think YOUR
self lucky | did not sink you last night
Nothing Lut the iatercessioa Of these gen
tlenen prevented il. After such an unheard
Of, brutal outrage, ! wonder how Won ex-
pectcd to escape Win all this buster Of
language there was an expression III the
eye OF Capt. B. tia. somewhat relieved lis
harshness. 1t Ut least saved the officer from
any dtpl9mGey to find oat the correctness OF
Ger. Porter's suspicious. Am to under.
stand, or, that the boat which was fred up
on yesterday by one II cur pickcts bore
aag OF truce = he asked. so be sure it did,
landing at the very spot indicated by your
General. Sir, such & - outrage has no
precedent; but we viii say no more abou,
II AZ present You have not bre1klasted, !
suppose 7 A negative reply was followed
by an ivitation 10 Join the company, and
they I'll proceeded 70 an outer apartment,
+ where large table was spread. bearing up
/ on il every delicacy which the shores or the
waters around could supply, and real ole
English hospitality asserted its supremacy
over all the contingencies Of war during the
4 luxurious repast. That over, NV, sir, to
business said CaPtain B.; and leading the
way 10 his drawing room, accompanied by
several yisiters tae affair was very soon