Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-08-15
FIGHT AT ATHENS, MO.
Congressman Ely 'Ditching.'
POSITION OF GENERAL LYON.
BURNING OF HAMPTON.

haFboT, and the crews beheld with tears and
curses Spartan garrison of seventy men sur
rendering to seven thousand rebels
One week ago, the conspirators in Fort
Sumpter looked out upon the sea, and beheld
forty men of Charleston, in sinking vessel at
the mercy of the waves, and under the guns of
an American frigate, about to be carried to a
Northern city under the flag they bad insulted.
The parallel is good The pirates and the
patriots were equally reckless the riddled
classmates of Sumpter correspond to the splin-
tered hulk of the privateer aud in she end of
the two parties of prisoners alone may we look
for the dissimiar features.
The rebel vessel in this case, was the priva-
teer Petrel formerly the reVenue cutter Gener-
al Aiken. The captor was the United States
frigate 81. laurence, and the remainder of the
pirate crew is by this time, safely ensconced in
in the county prison, on Passyuuk road.
To give the circumstances in full, we will
commence az the beginning. The frigate 81
Laurence, which had laid at our navy yard in
ordinary, condition stripped of rigging, and, ap-
parently,a useless hulk was prepared for sea late
in June, and placed in commission about the
Goth ofJune. We noticed her appearance on the
day she sailed in this wise
"No words can describe the appearance of
the frigate ST. Laurence as she now lies off
the navy-yard pier at anchor, with the black
muzzles of her guns in line, and the port holes
ajar.
A bull dog with set teeth wild eagle,
with all the rigging of feathers, and plumes,
and talons a spotted snake, poised in the sun
shine and ready to strike anything that is
jaunty and beautiful, yet deadly and ripe for
blood, will represent the 81. Laurence, with
her three tiers of cannon pointing to the east
and west, and over her high spars the flag of
the Union streaming. As she sits on the sur
face, bucyant and trim as a skiff or a yawl,yet
massive, and capable of sailing with an arma-
ment abroad, few fail to feel instinctively the
strength of our navy and the power of our
shipbHilderS
"She carries fifty guns, and her crew, con-
siSting Of seamen, ordinary Seamen, and boys,
numbers four hundred and eighty in all. Her
marine guard consists of fifty able bodied men,
chiefly Pennsylvaniaus She is in first rate
condition, and will no doubt render effective
service"
The 81. Laurence, thus in trim, sailed down
the river, took in powder, shell, and shot, and
went off to join the blockade.
Her officers wisely judged that many priva-
teersmen would not know her true character,
and, to still further conceal her armament and
object, the port holes were kept closed and
the men put out of sight.
She cruised for month along the Atlantic
coast, between Cape Henry and Savannah,
and on the morning Of the first of August,
while just outside the harbor of Charleston,
espied a long, rakish schooner, filled with men
and mounting three or four guns, sailing rapid
ly down upon her The portfolios were still
shut, but the flag was at the peak, aud the
50. Laurence looked not unlike a great, lum-
herly merchantman becalmed in strange lat
itudo, and too unwedly for any purposes save
the holding of big cargo for the avarice of
an enemy to court and daring priVateeF to
secure.
AS the stranger came down, the 81. La1C-
renee hoisted all sail and affected to be anxious
to get out to sea- In reality, however, she
was edging closer in to shore and making ar
rangementS below to receive the reckless visitors
with appropriate largess. Directly shot came
skipping over the water, falling into the sea a
few rods ahead OF the frigate, and number
followed it in quick succession, but nearly all
either striking beyond or passing over The
final discharge consisted Of grape and canister
which made some little dalliance with the fri
gates rigging and admonished the commander
that the play was growing serious.
At this time the vessels were within speak
ing distance and man in uniform was seen
mounted upon the pirates deck, who shouted
to the 81 Laurence to lay to and send over
boat The crew were distinctly seen flourish
ing their eutlasseS, and the gunners ramming
and pointing their guns. She carried three
guns, supposed to be rifed cannon. Then the
81 Laaorencs threw up her ports, and disclos
ed whole broadsdc of cannon, with the gun
ners at the breech of the guns, holding lighted
fuses, and directly the broad decks were filed
with seamen in blue jackets armed with mus
ketS, who Sprang into the Shrouds and ran out
the yards, laying prone in the maintop, on the
bowsprit, in the forecastle, and at every point
where aim could be taken with advantage In
word, the ugly merchantman was metamor-
phosed into briStling war ship, with man
at every point, and broadsde of cannon look
ing into the eyes of the pirates. The latter,
taken back, reC0iled q moment but before
they had time for action, even for thought, the
guns belched forth iron and fire, ,spliDtering the
masts, cutting the rigging and the sails as with
knives, breaking the Spars and the boOms, and
literally carving the schooner into pieces, and
opening gulfs into which the waters rushed las
through sluces, filling the hold, and admon-
ishing the rebels that their sole hopes of life
lay in the ships boat CT in wrestling with the
sea-
The fire still continued, and the water was
full of driftwood. Many of the men jumped
overheard, and the rest launching the lifeboat
jumped in and held up white handkerchief
as a sign of surrender
But one man had an opportunity to go down
into the cabin for his property, and he was the
lieutenant, fellow named Harvey, formerly