The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1858-04-28
What was Done by "a Bottle o.
Brandy.
An EPISODE IN THE PATRIOT WAR"


1--WE came more than once very nearstigh ing
said the Canadian Colonel. as we watched th'
first sresuar train," crossing the Niasra suspen
5sion bridge.
ef" About the Caroline affair do you mean"
-" No, That was not the most critical time
though Sir Frances Head, the most wrong head
ed fellow in her Majesty's service, did his bes
to put things into amuddle"
. VAST when we caught that poor foo
M'Lcod and came near hanging hm"
"No. 1t was before that. Both Govern
rnents had time to get cool and saw that it was
folly to go to war about him."
me Still ifhe had been found guilty Of the mur-
der Of Duffy, we must have hung him: and as
your government had assumed the responsible
tiles Of the affair, how, could you avoid making
it a case ofwar?"
A little diplomacy settled all that. We
asree to find witnesses who would swear to an
ali5i and you agree to believe them. Upon my
honor, think you undertook the more diff
cult task"
How anl when was il that we came SO neal
coming to blows? and what prevented the cat.
astrophe?"
at was prevented by bottle Of bad brandy
The affair is portion of the unwrtten history
OF the times, and is worth the telling"
I" How was it, Coloncl?"
"It was not long after the burning Of the
Caroline, and there was excitement enough OF
both sides Of the line We had couple orthou
sand men, and the Patriots we're encamped on
Navy Island We had no very definite informa-
tion as to their numbers. Some said there were
five hundred: others guessed them three times
as many But few or many, they had plenty o
artillery and small arms as / once came neal
finding out my cost when | approached the
Island in command of reconnoitering force
They propped away at us, and it is wonder
that we were not blown out OF the water. We
had fitted out an armed Aotilla, consisting Of two
schooners and a couple ofscows, for the purpose
otcoverng a landing upon the Island. But a'
we could not at the time command II sufficient
the river Few miles above Your Government
had in the mean time sent General Scott TO The
frontiers to try and keep the peace LITTLE
follow is the General! He has saved you and u:
more than one war. Don't you think our Gov
ernment is acting rather shabbily about few
dollars more or less?'
y" 1t does look like it, Colonel. But depend
upon it, all will be right at last. The country
knows too we'll what it owes to the old veteran
to suffer any injustice to be done to him"
+" Well" continued the Colonel, "wc lay il
the river commanding the access to Navy Island
and General Scott had erected battery on tn,
shore commln1ing US, AMI within point blank
range. About this time the little steamer BARGE
Iona dropped down from Buffalo to Fort Schlos
ser, carryiny, as every body supposed recruits
and supplies to our ncighbors on Navy Island
However, we ascertained from our spies tina
her papers we're all regular-a peaceful trade
playing between two Amecican ports--and w
could not interfere. We afterwards learned
that she had commenced running between Scho
losser aud Navy Island on picnic excursions
and such like peaceful errands. We had nj
means ofhinIeriny that, AMI said nothing.
Zone day intelligence reached our headquar
ters at Chippewa, that the Barcelona was abou
TO ascend the river to Buffllo for further sup
plies. To do this she must como within reacl
Of our fotilla, and our commanler, Captain Ora
H., E., NJ
Captain Drew to arrest her. But on the very
day she was to ascend, Col Hughes of the 2ttl
arrived at Chppewa;and as he outranked M M'Nal
he took the command. His first step was t
forbid Captain Drew to interfere with any vesee
ascending the river under American colors
Much against his will the Captain was forced.t
send an order to this effect to the commander
Of the fotilla."
" "At-dinner Colonel Hughes changed hi
mind, and sent to Graham an order to stop tn
Barcelona, pcaceably, fpossible;but at all event
to stop ler."
The mess have had very good port" sug
sestsdwe
Very likely they did: and it came near cost
ing US dear, rejoined the Colonel. i am an ol,
soldier now, and may safely own that did no
at all relish our position. It was easy enougl
10 Be- surc,for us to stop the Barcelona. We coul,
have blown her out Of the water in two minutes
but. unluckly Scott's battery could do rs tn
same kind turn in about threefourths Of th
time. We soon had evidence that he was quit
determined TO do so il necessary. For hardl
bal We received the orders 70 stop the Barcslo