Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-06-18
A Trick OF war.

ucciuenily got possession OF some OF TIE
signals OF the British Navy, which he put
~ the hands of Com. Rodgers; and be thus
concludes his article: a
Soon after The conclusion of peace, din.
ing with Com. Rodgers at bis bouse in
Washington, he related to me the following
circumstances, which give nearly in his
own words:
acknowledged the receipt of your let
ter, he observed, and was determined to
have the Signals made on board, and to Try
lhe experiment, none of my officers under.
standing for what purpose they were in-
tended. cruised some time without meet
ing an enemy, until one afternoon we fell ia
with schooner, some six or eight miles to
wiudward of uS We hoisted the British
ensign, which was answered by displaying
another, aud at the same time signal at
her maintop gallant mast head, which i'm
media,ely discovered was like one of those
you had given me. From the lists of Eng
lsh frigaies. / selected the number of the
Sea Horse, one of their largest class, and
known 10 be on onr coast, and hoisted it,.
She bore down at once and came under our
stern; | ordered her 10 heave to, aud
would seed boat on board her
This order was obeyed, and despatched
Lieutenant 10 bring her signal book, en-
joining on him aud the crew, the stric est
secrecy respecting our character, He was
politely received by the Captain whose
schooner proved to be the lligbfyer. Our
Leuteuants coat attracted bis attention,
not being of the latest London fashion, al
though The crown and anchor was on the
button; but casting bis eyes on the frigate
seeing he British ensign, and now and then
the red coat of marine appearing above
the hammock netting, his MUD was appar.
emily set at ease.
The Lieutenant in formed him that he
was requested TO bring bis signal book on
board the Sea Horse, n order to have some
alterations made, as there was rumor that
the Yankees had possession of something
like the signals, and it was therefore ncces.
sarv to change the numberl This ruse
bad the desired effect, and our Lieutenant
returned with the book, " hich placed me
in commaud Of Ihe achoie correspondence of
The British Nary | sent the gig for the
Captain, requesting him to come on board,
and bring any dispatches he might have in
charge
On reaching our deck he seemed surprised
at the size of the vessel, praised her clean.
illness, aud the order in which everything
appeared; admired the red coats Of the
marines, aud on being invited into the cab
in handed me bundle of dispatches for
Admiral Warren. whom he observed must
be within forty miles to leeward l order.
nH rnfrnsit m nj opH in ux,,ith tau
eral OF my officers, we entered into gene
raj conversation.
asked him what object Admiral War.
rem had in that neighborhood? He said to
intercept American pIivateers and mer.
chantmen. bu, particularly TO catch Com
modore Rodgers, who, be uuderst ood, had
command Of one of the largest and fastest
sailing frigales in the American Navy. ]
manfred Of him what kind of man this
Rodgers was, aud if he had ever seen him?
He said no; hut be had understood that he
was an old character, and rather hard to
catch A ter conversing on several other
sui jects, ab upty put the question to
hm:
Sir, do you know what vessel you are on
board Of?
Why. yes, sir, be replied, on board His
Majestys ship Sea Horse!
Then, sir, you labor under very great
mistake. You are on board the United
States Frigote President, and l Commodore
Rodgers, at qoar se'cace.
The dying dolphin never assumed a
greater variety of coors than did This poor
fellows face Sir, said he, you are dlspos
| ed to be humorous, aud must be liking. i
assured him that it was no joke; aud TO
satisfy him on that head, handed him my
commission. At The same moment the
band struck up Yankee Doodle, on our
quarter deck; on reaching which, he saw
lne America ensign flying, he red coats
turning blue, and the crown and anchor
button metamorphosed into the engle
This affui', observed the Commodore,
was of immense importance 10 our country
We obtained ia foil the British signals; The
operators tf Admiral Warren. by the non-
receipt of his dispatches were destroyed
for the season; and it probably saved the
frigate, for the course was running at the
time Of my falling in with the Higbfyer,
would have brought me into the midst of
his feet during the night.
Grace Greenwood, in her late lecture in
Chicago drew the following picture of the
future:
Back ON those troublous times will our
children Look in reverance and awe. The
s)ns of the brave soldiers will date ihtil
parents OF nobility on grander battle fields
than Agincourt or BAunockbuln. Such
parents Of nobility as no royal herald'S Of.
fee has symbols sufficiently glorious for.
Many coat of arms in those days will have
one sleeve hanging empty.