The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-09-16

went below ruined and despairing man,
while the third lieutenant gathered the lau-
.rels which rightfully should have bedecked
his brow 4z,-.
The action was over and victory gained
within the next hour. The boats with their
howitzers and determined blue-jackets gave
the brig more than she could attend to COM
fortably, and she finally hauled down her flag
in sinking condition. But the victors were
unsatisfied so long as her consort maintained
the conflict, and they daringly steered their
sinking prize towards the English frigate.-,
Twenty minutes afterwards, the Stars and
Stripes hoated triumphant and alone over the
vast expanse of waters.
Cranston gained immense renown for this
brilliant feat, but his satisfaction was Infinite
| ly heightened by having feared and hated
rival in his power. His report to the com
| mandng officer asserted that Creighton had
evinced unwillingness to attack the brig, an
unwillingness due obviously to cowardice
alone, and poor Creighton could not disprove
| the charge, though no accusation was ever
more false His assertion that the first lieu
tenant had never been on amicable terms with
him since he was appointed to the frigate,
was met by Cranston's calm denial of any 9TH
er motive than the good of the country and
tbs service, and he cited the affair of the mu
| tiny to prove that his conduct towards Dreigh-
ton had always been most friendly. One or
the other told a baretaced lie, and appearances
were dreadfully against our hero.
So, too, thought the Secretary of the Ma
Wy, and there evident probability of
Dreighton's being tried for cowardice and dis
obedience of orders, and suffering the penalty
of death and dishonor. But his family was
powerful and wealthy, and many influential
persons both in Washington and Philade ell
phia made such representations in his favor
that the matter was finally hushed up, on
condition that the accused should quit the
service. Creighton indignantly demanded a
court-martial, but the tears of his mother and
father, joined to the counsels of his friends,
finally overruled his resolve. For their sakes
he sacrificed himself, his ambition, his peace
of mind. lie rendered his resignation and
left the navy, a ruined and heart.broken man.
Alas, this was not all! Creighton had been
engaged for three years to young lady, who
regarded him as the beau ideal of what brave,
frank man should be, and his suit was favored
by her friends as much as by his own father
and mother The day had already been fixed
for their nuptials, but Dreighton's appoint
ment to the frigate, and, still more, the call of
his country in her hour of need, had induced
him to put off the happy moment until the
return of his ship from hsfuSFuise. His forced
retirement from the service, in consequence
of Cranston's atrocious accusation awakened
him from this dream of happiness. Keenly
sensitive to the slur upon his fair fame, he re-
solved to give up all pretensions to the lady's
hand preferring rather to suffer alone than to
doom his love to share in his dishonor-
Terrible was the blow to her who had placed
all her happiness in his keeping. Evelyn
Sandford read and re-read his farewell letter
and vainly endeavored to obtain an interview
with her beloved; but Dreighton purI osely
avoided his native city, and Evelyn could OBJ
tain no clue to the place of his retirement
Six m nths after his resignation, Dreighton':
mother closed her eyes in death, and his faith
er soon followed her to the grave; both, alas
broken-h hearted at the misfortunes which hac
befallen their son.