The Soldiers' journal. (Rendezvous of Distribution, Va.) 1864-1865, 1864-06-22
First American Sea Fight.

TO occupy muCn OF Cn0 atU0nUlOu OI NEW EHS-
land, and every vessel of any size carried
many light guns, the navigation of the period
had most of the characteristics of armed
trade. In addition to the ships and banks that
crossed the ocean, many decked boats or small
sloops, were used on the coast, especially by
those who dealt with the Indians for skins. The
first engagement that probably occurred between
inhabitants of the American colonies and enc
mics afioat, conflict between John Gallop,
who was engaged in trade of this nature in
sloop of twenty tons, and some Narragansett
Indians, who had seized upon a small vessel
belonging to a person by the name of Oldham,
known to have been similarly occupied. AS this,
in certain sense may be deemed the earliest
sea fight of the nation, we consider it worthy to
be related.
Some time in May, 1886, Gallop, in his little
sloop, manned by two men and two boys, him
self included, standing along the Sound
near Plum Island, when he compelled to
bear up by stress of weather, for a refuge, to
leeward, among the islands that form chain
between Long Island and Connecticut On near
ing the land he discovered a vessel similar to his
own in size and equipments, which was imme-
diatey recognized as the pinnace of Mr.. Oldham,
who had sailed with crew of two white boys,
and two Narragansett Indians GallOp hailed
on nearing the other craft but got answer,
and on running still nearer, less than four
teen Indians were discovered lying on her deck.
connOe, conveying goods and manned by In
dams, had also just started for the shore. Gallop
now began to suspect that Oldham had been
overpowered by the savages, suspicion that
was confirmed by the Indians slipping their
BILE, and running off before the wind, or in the
direction of Narragansett Bay. Satisfied that
robbery had been committed, Gallop made sail
in chase and running alongside the pinnace in a
spirited manner, he fired volley of duck shot
at the savages. The latter had swords, spears
and some fire arms, and they attempted resist
ance, but Gallop soon drove them below to a
man. Afraid to board in the face of such odds,
Gallop now had recourse to a novel expedient
to dislodge his enemies. AS the pinnace was
drifting with no one to manage her, she soon
fell to leeward, while the sloop hauled by the
wind.
AS soon as the two vessels were far enough
asunder, Ga1lop put his helm up and ran di-
rectly down the weather quarter of the pin
mace, striking her with much violence as to
come near forcing her over her side. The
shock so much alarmed the Indians, who were
on an element and in craft they did not under
stand that six of them rushed frantically on
deck, and leaped into the sea, where they were
all drowned. The sloop again hauled Off, when
Gallop dashed an anchor to her bows in such a
manner, that by running down on the pinnace a
second time, he forced the f1ukes through the
side of the latter, which are represented as hay
ing been made of boards.
The two vessels were now fast to each other,
and the crew of the sloop began to fire through
the sides of the pinnace into her hold Finding
it impossible, however, to drive his enemies up
Gallop loosened his fasts, and hauled up to wind
ward third time, when four five more of the
iurnn tho fat