Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-10-30
Singular Intrepidity.

Singular Intrepidity.
In ire Admiral Watson, having sailed
with his squadron and the Kings troops
from Fort st. David to the assistance o
Calcutta, in the East Indies, stopped a
Mayapore, on the banks of the Ganges
where the enemy had place of which i
was necessary to secure before he proceeded
any further in the expedition. The actor
was begun by brisk cannonade from th'
squadron, which soon silenced the cannon
of the Fort; but the garrison not offering
to surrender, and continuing to discharge
ire-arrows and small arms, it was deter
mined in a council of sea and land officers
that Colonel Olive should endeavor to take
it by assault. For this purpose, at five IL
the evening the Admiral landed an officer
two midshipmen and about forty sailor;
from each ship, under the command Of
Captain King, to assist the Colonel II
storming the Fort. which he intended do
ing just before daylight, under cover of two
twenty -four Founders, mounted close to the
ditch. In the meantime, the Colonel had
given directions s tiiSs 4 the I'd ITh5ie army-the
/ necessary guards excepted-and the detaeh-
ment from the ships should rest on the
ground, in order to recover themselves as
much as possible from fatigues that they
had undergone in the preceding days SER
( vice.
All was now quiet in the camp, and We
on board the ships, which lay at their an,
chors out a small distance from the shore,
had entertained thoughts of making use Ol
sleep, but suddenly 'ud and universal
exclamation was heard from the shore, and
soon atte- an account was brought to the
Admiral that the fort had been taken by
storm. This was a joyful piece Of news,
and the more so as it ,,ygas quite unexpect,
ed, but when the particular circumstances
that ushered in this success were related
our exultation was greatly abated, bec~' ''SG
we found that the roles so indispensably
necessary in all military exploits had been
entirely disregarded in the present instance
and therefore could not help looking upon
the person who had the principal hand in
this victory rather as an object of chastise-
ment than of applause. The case was
this:
During the tranquil state sf the camp
one Strahan, common sailor belonging to
the Kent. having just been served with a
quantity of grog (arrsck mixed with wa
ter, had his spirits too much elated to
think of taking any rest; he therefore
stIayed by himself towards the fort, and
impcreeptibly got under the walls. Being
advanced thus far without interruption, he
took it into his head to scale at breach
that had been made by the cannons of the
ships, and having luckily gotten upon the
bastion. he there discovered several Moor
men sitting upon the platform. at whom he
hourishcd Lis eutlas and fired his pistol,
and then, having given three loud huzzas
cried out "7He place as mine!'' The
Moorish soldiers Immediately attacked him
and he deftnled himself with incredible
resolution, but in the encounter had the
misfortune to have the blade of his cutlass
cut in two about foot from the hilt.-
This mischance, however, did not happen
till he was near being supported by two or
three ether sailors, who had accidentally
to the same part of the fort on
which the other had mounted. They, hear
ing Strains cries, imm ediately scaled the
breach likewise, echoing the triumphant
sound. reused the whole army, who taking
the alarm fell on pell nell. without order
and without discipline, following the ex-
ample of the sailors. This attack. al
though made in such confusion, was follow
cd with no i'll consequence but the death
of the worthy Captain Dougal Campbell,
who was unfortunately killed by musket
ball from one of our own pieces in the gen.
eral confusion. Captain Ccot3 commanded
the fort for that night, and at daylight the
fort saluted the Admiral 1t was never
exactly known what number of Moors
there were in the fort when our PEOPLE first
We took in the fort eighteen
cannon, from twenty-four Founders down.
wards, and forty barrels of powder.
Strahan, the hero of this adventurous
action wss soon before the Admiral. who
the success that had at
tended it, thought it necessary to show
himself displeased with measure in which
the want of all military discipline so noto-
riously appeared. He therefore angrily
inquired into the desperate step which he
had taken.
"AIr. strahan, what is this you have
been dOing?"
The fellow, after having made his bow,
his head, and with one hand tWirl-
ing his hat upon the other, replied:
"Why, to be sure, sir, it was l who took
the fort, but hope there was no harm in
The Admiral, with difficulty, was pre-
vented from smiling at the simplicity of
Strahan's answer, and the whole company
we're exceedingly diverted with his awk-
wark appearance and his language and man.
ner in recounting the several particulars of
lis mad exploit. Mr.. Watson expatiated !
largely on the fatal consequences that might
have attended his Irregular conduct, and
then, with a severe rebuke dismissed him
but not before he had given the fellow some
distant hints that at proper opportunity |
he would certainly be punished for his tenn
Gritty. Strahan, amazed to find himself
blamed where he expected praise. had no
sooner gone from the. .AdmiraTs cabin, than
be muttered these words:-''If l am fog
yed for this ere action, will never take an
'ther fort by myself as long as live"
-@OS.S-
81. L. D." Russell is now the subject
If disparaging joke in Washington cir
lies. While walking leisurely up Pennsyl-
Vania avenue, short time since, where
omnibusses marked Seventh street. pass,
he was accosted by very pretty young
lady with the inquiry: will you please
tell me, sir. how far those stages go?"-
The special" who unfortunately exasper-