The Oxford intelligencer., 1860-06-27
From the gichmond Enquirer,
Don't Give up the Ship.
BV RoBT. JessELYS

BV RoBT JessELYS.
Twas in the war for sailors rights.
And freedom of the open seas;
Along New England rocky heights.
Her banner floating In the breeze;
With crew and captain, picked and tried
The naughty Briton's hope andpride,
4 noble frigate rode at ease.
Backward and forward, day and night
Wearing and lacking, still in sight.
Ready and eager for the fight
For, In that naval strife, as yet
Whcnc'cr the rival tars had met
In equal forc,, hal Yankee skill
And courage won the victory still;
And flin would gallant Brooke essay
To wipe the foul reproach away.
When came his challenge, brief and boll
As crrant knights, in days of old,
In Boston port, young Lawrence lay
Impatient ofthc long delay
Which kept him from the foe
His luckless lrigatc, scarcely manned
With raw recruits, could lily stand
4 broadside or Il blow.
o, for "a goody craft he sighed;
o, for veteran crewl
To curb yon lordly Briton's pride
And drive him from our view;
Sink him beneath the swelling tide,
OR bring him captive by our side.
Ready or not, the hero said,
I'll hurl the gauntlet at his head,
Whatever the odds nay be-
For better man had ne'er been born
Than live to feel foeman's Scorn;
Bett II to die on glory's bed,
With tears Of patriotsoer him shed,
A martyr for the free!
The anchor hoist, the canvass spread,
Unfurl alull the starry flag,
Wen stop this boaStcr's game Of braG
Put out brave boys to sea.
They met upon that fatal shore,
Amid the cannons deaf ming roars
Hard is the fight when Saxoa blood
Is fully reused on field or food.
Broadside to broadsdc quick were given,
Till shook the darkened vault of heaven;
But vain the efforts The brave
No skill the Yankee ship could save.
Her hull and bulwarks, shattered, torn,
Her masts and spars of rigging shorn,
She lay helpless, bloody wreck,
The dead and wounded strewed her deck.
One hope alone remained
The doubtful chance Of sword and pike,
Though few were left 10 thrust or strike
Yet victory might be gained;
For fortune, to the daring mind
And fearless heart, is often kind
The issue Heaven alone could tell
But in that shcHer Of iron bail,
Enough to make the boldest quail,
The gallant Lawrence fell
They bore him to his cot below,
Ills sparkling eve and waving hand
Still pointing to the coming foe,
And cheering on his little band
Nearer and nearer grow the ships
They close, arc held with IRON grips
And sudden, as the trembling crash,
Pike, sword and pistol CLEAN and fash;
4 struggled despair, at most,
The victors shout and allis lost
Below the dying warrior lay,
His life blood ebbing fast away,
1Iis dull cold eve and clammy hand
No longer fitted to command;
= Tet fingered the departing breath,
Though on his brow the dew ef death;
And. st the foes cxultant shout
a spark Of life shot brightly out,
And, midst the sllpburous smoke and flame
And tramp of armed men, there came
A murmur rom his quivering lip,
i'My comrades, don't give up the ship
4 fiercer war Is raging now,
4 war Of brother and Of kin.
Red faction reigns, with vcngrfl brow
That child Of hcii conceived in SIM
In fearful strife, the Ship of State
Seems drifting onward toher Fate;
Her hull Is pierced, her canvass rent
Her nasts arc splintcred, bare and benr;
Riratic boarleTs thrOngher deck.
Eager to rob and burn the wreck
What, shall the good old ship belosty
No. no, FIGHT on at every cost
United, let the cry 60 forth.
Prom Past to Wesi, from South TO North,
Frosn every paisiOt heart andlip,
God help us1 dOnit give up the sbipIn
Why did you leave yourlsst placer inqIhr
ed a young ghouselzeePcr, about % engage nev