The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-02-17
gingraphies,
iron THE pREss.l
Nicholas Biddle.
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AS it was too small to carry them all off, they
drew lots to determine who should remain, and
young Biddle was among the number. He, and
his three companions suffered extreme hardships,
for want of provisions and good water, and al
though various efforts were made for their relief,
it was nearly two months before they succeed
ed
Such scene of dangers and sufferings in the
commencement of his career would have dis
couraged youth of ordinary enterprise and
perseverance. am not sure Mr.. Editor, but
that your honor would have caFed in in such
case as this, although doubt not but that you
possess good sprinkling of courage and brave
ry. On him, it produced no such effect. The
GOODNESS and promptitude with which he acted,
in the midst of perils that alarmed the oldest
seamen, gave a sure presage of the force of his
character and after he had returned home, he
made several European voyages, in which ne ac-
quired thorough knowledge of seamanship
In the latter end of the year 1776, Capt Bid
die was appointed to the command of the Ran
dolph, Frigate Of thirty-two guns. With his
usual activity he employed every exertion to get
her ready for sea- The difficulty of procuring
American seamen at that time obliged him, in
order to man his ship, to take number Of Brit
iSh seamen, who were prisoners OF war, and who
had requested leave to enter.
The Randolph sailed from Philadelphia in
February, 1777 Soon after she got to sea her
lower masts were discovered to be unsound, and
in aheavy gale of wind all her maasts acent by
the board While they were bearing away for
Charleston, the English sailors, with some
others of the crew, formed design to take the
vessel When all was ready they gave three
cheers on the gun-deck. By the decided and
resoute conduct of Capt. Biddle and his officers,
the ringleaders were seized and punished, and
the rest submitted without further resist
ance.
After reftting at Charleston, as speedily as
possible, he sailed on cruise, and three days
after he left the Bar he fell in with four sail of
vessels bound from Jamaica to London
One of them called the 'True Briton mount
ed twenty guns The commander of her who
had frequently expressed to his passengers his
hopes of falling in with the Randolph, as soon
as he perceived her, made all the sail he could
from her. but finding he could not escape, he
hove to, and kept up constant fire, until the
Randolph had bore down upon him and was
preparing for broadside, when he hauled down
his colors. (The coward y
d IL
abled to capture the rest of the vessels, and in
one week from the time he sailed from Charles
ton Capt. Bidde returned there with his pri-
yes, which proved to be very valuable, even more
so than the prize your honor helped to bring in
to New Bedford year or two ago
Encouraged by his spirit and success the
state of South Carolina made exertions for fit
ting out an expedition under his command
His name and the personal attachment to him
urged forward a crowd of volunteers to serve
with him. and in short time the ship Gen.
Moultrie, the briggs Fair America, Polly, and
the Notre Dame were prepared for sea; they
cruised about for several days without any thing
remarkable occurring to the little feet, uutil they
fell in with some British cruisers.
They took an English schooner from New Y ork
bound to Grenada which had mistaken the Ran
dolph for British Frigate, and was taken pos
session of before the mistake was discovered.
On the night of the It'll of March, 1778 the
fatal accident occurred, which terminated the
life of this excellent officer
For some days previously he had expected an
attack. Capt. Blake. brave officer, who COM
manded detachment of the second South Caro-
lima regiment, serving as marines on the General
Moultrie, (and to whom am indebted for sew
eral of the ensuing particulars, dined on board
the Randolph two days before the engage
ment.
At dinner Capt BiddIe said, awe have been
cruising here for some time, and have spoken to
number ofvessels who will no doubt give in
formation of u.s. and l should not be surprised
if my old ship should be out after u.s. AS to
any thing that carries her guns upon one deck,
think myself match for her.
About three o'clock p NJ, of the 18th of
March, a signal was made from the Randolph
for sail to wind ward, in consequence of which
the little squadron hauled up before the wind
in order to speak her 1t was four O'Clock be-
fore she could be distinguished, when she was
found to be ship, though as she neared and