The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-11-19

cd that the whole squadron had gone up
to Anton Lizardo, n tolerably secure road
stead, about fifteen miles from Vera Cruz
and our Captain at once determined to
proceed 10 join Ito Commodore.
Accordingly, the pondcrous anchor was
again hove TO the bow. the top.gallant
sails shce,cl lumc and hoisted, aud will,
hnc, fresh breeze we bcgaB slowly stand
ing up for Anton Lizardo. All wen,
smoothly and we'll for considerable time
but as wo began to draw near the AN.
| chorag", the wind which had been fair
suddenly drew ahead, and the order WAS
given to, "tnck ship"
| Accordingly, the Albany WAS put in
stays, and wen, down gailv, s,andn- :, over
like race horse towards the Mexican
| shore, but rs she drew near Il spot known
To ol'l cruisers rs tie "LimrkiIn Point" ="
we felt her keel suddenly CRATE upon the
nIy bottom, and were quickly made
aware that we wore ashore upon Nh enc.
mys coast. for the ship came to u stand
still, and k"cl"d over until her starboar,!
motds;de WAS nearly in the water. Whcw!
, here WAS II 90
Every thing was thrown f,t aback, the
guns were hu"lcl preparatory to throw.
ny them overheard, and all hands set at
work hosting out provisions, Shc,, &c.,
a"d lIa''Eg ,aom IN lighters n!oussiLe, in
order I" tighten the ship.
The Aih.ny Was truly in most dan.
gcr"as ar'l critical position, and it added
II" little =" onf p!agrin and modification
t" disc, v"r y ilh HE aid OF our glasses the
M"NleAr. gathered along the beach, laugh
laR aEi j""ring a, omr mj-hap, aud hai.iag
no douh' :ha, the ship might hc da-hc,!
mi" ten Thousand fragments, aud our
selves thrown into their power.
To add 10 the danger Of our situation,
p:Ic. Of gr"y clouds began 10 appear ia
the n"rth.n horizon. betokennrn. the
near arrr"ach OF one u: those ,rcm,n-
douS auh ilrlouS storms which sweep over
The great bosom OF the Gulf of Mexico
with sucl irresistible force and we all
well knew tha, should il come on while
the Albany was aground, We >houiL al!
mc t.h!y be lost.
1t WAS ,a"st fortunate, however, that
We were within sight oI the American
squadron. Commodore Conner, so soon
~ IL. discovered our dangerous situation,
at once despatched the Princeton steamer
20 onr rchcf, aud 10y her aid, and by the
most shr"rhnman exertions, the ship was
got at!oat again, aud lowed off into deep
water, winr, our anchors were let 90, and
'lrce of the hcsriicst cheers lha. il has
ever been my lo, to hear. toll 10 the eX.
ultaui M-xiCtns that Ike Yankee sIonp OF
war was safe.
IL was rN,rsaloly fortunate that We were
got "if just rs we were, Our anchors
had scarcely lcen III go in deep water, ere
nor;hcr, ono the most furious that
ever encountered, came howlinC down
over the surface Of the Gulf, and boa ii..,
us waters III mountains OF snowy foam
The top masts were Instantly housed, and
all the yarl- and gc!r sent on deck, ia
order TO present as little surface TO the
wind as POSSIBLE. a.d wN. Cuur anchor,
ahead, each with "a iull scope Of cable of
one hundred and twenty iarIrous, We lay
rolling and l'lunging about in the iremen
douS surgcs that came roaring and Kissing
'n like huge green mountains capped
with snow.
But We were comparatively safe, and
~ We watched the squadron tossed about
at their anchors, we r,jnced that we had
Succeeded in getting off the enemy's coast
and had saved our lives, and one Of The
finest vessels that ever bore our starry
bmner over the hcaving main.
Thus wore the long aud tedious night
away and the red sraisht once more
sepne upon the loDs aGd dSeaTy waste pf
wpess. liut The gale knew no abatement.
Steadily. and, il possible, with greater
fury. did the rude blast sweep with al.
most resist!css force over the beaving aud
tortured sea.
About noon, aud while the gale was
at its height, single sail, looking like
the wing Qf some diminutive sea bird,
came beari3g down before the Storm
Presently another made its appearance,
theu nnother, and another, until the whole
eastern horizon looked like wall Of I'm.
daun,ing canvas. Doubt and speculation
were now changed for certainty. II was
tile aeet Of transT oris containing General
Scott and his army, destined for the re-
duction Of Vera Cruz.
All was now excitement and hustle on
board the Albany. Officers and crew
rushed on deck TO watch the vessels as
they came bearing down, under closs reef.
ed top sails, before the tempest. aud as
our ship lay directly in the channel, they
were obliged to shave US pretty close in
passing, no that we hao nm opportunity Of
exchanging saluta,ions with many Of the
officers ofthe army as their vessels, ,throng-
ei with troops, came daslnng past us,
and scudding up to Anton Lizardo, an
chQred ia gigantic cluster about the
commodore.
The next day tie storm abated, aud
having sent up our yards and top-inasts,
and hove up our four anchors, to which
we had been riding, we worked mp against
a strong head wind, aud ''can,e to"
amongst fleet Of transports.
No sooner had General Scott arrived,
than tue most sciirs prefAfsticps si once