New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-05-21

nd AaeuT BETWEEN THE SHANNON AND CHEsA.
p, e% PEAKE.
n stirring story of the war of 1872 is retold in
biography Of Admiral Broke, just issued by his
family in England. Broke was captain in the
British navy in 1872, in command of the frigate
Shannon, and the only notable exploit he ever per-
formed was the capture of the Chesapeake His
biographer claims to have thrown new light upon
that short and bloody fight. After years. cruise
with no important result, Broke appeared off Bos-
ton and sent in challenge to Lawrence to fight
the Shannon with the Chesapeake. The challenge
was accepted and in this book we have, for the
first time, the British captains full version of the
story. The speech he made to his men, lust be.
fore the vessels closed in battle, is thus given:
Shannons! you know that, from various causes
the Americans have lately triumphed on several
occasions over the British flag in our frigates This
VIII not daunt you, since you know the truth that
disparity of force was the chief reason. But they
nave gone further; they have sad and they have
published it in their papers, that the English have
forgotten the way to fight. You will let them
know to-day there are Englishmen in the Shannon
who still know how to fight. DON'T try to dsmast
her; Fire into her quarters; main deck into main
deck; quarter deck into quarter deck Kill the
men and the ship is yours. Don't hit them about
the head, for they have steel capSon; but give it
them through the body. Don't cheer Go Quietly
TO your quarters. feel sure you will all do your
duty, and remember you have now the blood of
hundreds OF your countrymen to avenge.n
The narrative continues
AT this stirring and touching allusion TO the
rate OF the Guerriere the Macedonian and the Java
many OF the hardy seamen Wept A dead and
heayy silence (the voiceless calm of do or diel
rested over the Shannon's decks; but it was twice
broken before shot was fired. Jacob West, late
OF the duerriere, said / hope sir, you will give
us revenge for the Guerriere to-day To which
Broke replied: You shall have it, my man; 90 TO
your quarters Another seamen, eyeing the rusty
eiue ensign which tuttered at the Shannon's mizen
peak, asked: Mayn't we have three ensigns sir
like she hasN No. said Broke we've ALWAYS
been an unassuming ship All now went silently
and resolutey to their stations"
Some incidents of the fight are thus told
When Capt. Broke was lying on the Chesa-
and covered entirely with lime and blood, he had
straggle for life with huge American who was
beside him, and also wounded. The American
was the stronger of the two-both were weak,
and the struggle was faint At last the American
managed to get uppermost; he had picked up a
bayonet. Capt Broke had tried to find his dag
ger but could not do So The American had
hited hls arm and weapon to strike. At this mo-
ment John Hill, marine, came up. Hill took it |
Tor granted the undermost one must be the enemy.
lie pointed his bayonet accordingly, and was on
the point to thrust when Capt. Broke called out /
. Pon. poh,, you fool! don't you know your cap
tdlSeu HIS arm run Llle American
through. Now, SO critical was all this that had /
capt. Broke lost his presence of mind, and spoken
IN a manner and voice unusual to himself Hill |
would certainly have made a wrong and fatal
attack. But Capt. Broke spoke as calmly and as
naturally in voice and manner as he had been
used to do for years on board the Shannon and /
before the man who now delivered him Zone NAV
say as consequence of that presence of t
mind"
, Ihrty-tWo British subjects were found on board
me chesapeake, and, as Captain Broke said,
after IL was ali overin and it was said at the
lime, as well as believed by ALL that the resistance
made against the Shannonis boarders was by Eng.
lshmen! who, it captured, would probably be |
lnng at the yardarIn as traitors to their country
Three men who attacked Captain Broke and +
wounded him were British subjects.
When the Chesapeake was boarded, most Of the
men u the fore and maintops fed to the deck and
70 dld one out OF the mizentop; the seventh man
n this top Kept up his fire on the boarders and
nuch annoyed them. He was closely watched
'Qt no one could get shot at him seaman, a
all, strong man (hs name not certain but perhaps
Formantl stormed the top, and threw the Ameri
AN out into the starboard quarter boat of the
chesapeake. This was done Just as the forecastle
contest was ending
The loader of the ninth gun on the quarter deck
u the shannon was struck by grape shot 1t
inferred just below the stomach and fell into the
aVlty OF the body; but the brave fellow loaded
is gun although thus wounded. He would not 90
elow, and was led to the arm chest abaft the
fter gun, and there he lay down in dreadful agony
nd begging those about him to put their hapds
ITO the wound and take the shot out saving. II
hall do well enough if you will only do that" OfIt
curse he died.