The New York herald., 1868-03-08

scarcely 7eteran left to respond to this appeal to
the sword. This especially true OF the navy, the
whose service and professional experience had been
limited to the brief and protless wars with France
and TrpOl; but they q class OF men wh0 gradu-
ating from the schools OF Truxton, Barry, Dale,
/ Prebe ant Bainbridge, were possessed OF knowl-
edge OF mrlinspike seamanship ana the evclutions
OF perfection. Every oficer was practical sailor
with whom not to know the most minute details OF
conceivabis emergency was disgrace, associated in
its magnitude with timdty in battle. The history Of
| therefore, become the text book OF the nautical
student OF to-day and we turn to its pages to gather
mating ea Of ns
Nearly gil the sea fights which occurred may be ap-
propriateF called .v.v, nrv,sr
/ wherein iuccess was dependent upon combining
good gunlery with good tactics 1t was the practice
deavor to ocrippe or dismante him. and then ''force
| the fighting" at close quarters so as to make the
eve With the desk am and
the top Of the wave, watching carefully the lee and
weather rolls Of the ship. The British gunners. on
the other nand invariably opened fire at long range,
and paid 50 much attention TO their breech and dis
part sights to estimates Of distance, &C.. that much
Without with regard M to the angles Of the pitching motion
or the urches OF the ship. The capture OF the Pea
In the acton between the Gaerrere and the Con.
sttution there was good deal Of manguvering, and
upwards Of an hours distant cannonadng occurred
when both bore on before the wind, within
pistol shot of each other, and kept up
fired low, and so completely riddled her antagonist
that she sunk soon after her colors were struck.
two frgates nearly equally matched But the Guer-
rere lost the battle by manHuvring too much. These
rapid changes Of position fighting first one 6roadsids i
| ranges were destroyed, and produced random fire
| that was inefective and measurably harmless.
Being the leeward ship at the outset OF the engage
| ment she had all the advantage of compelling her
| enemy's approach.
| In the action between the Macedonian ana the
United States the tactical circumstances were diff
ferent from either Of the preceding cases. for the Brit
ish ship was to windward and had the choice Of po
| error Of running down directly upon the American
frigate, instead OF manGuvring to come down In her
| wake The consequence was, she was so disabled BY
the raking fire Of her antagonist (which lay steadily
to leeward) that when the ship approached within
| musket range the Macedonian was In condition 10
The capture Of the Cyane and Levant by the Con-
sttuton under Commodore Stewart is classed among
the most brilliant examples Of mannuvering in naval
annals, 1t being considered impossible for single
ship to engage two others without being raked. The
Constitution not only avoided this, but she actually
raked both Of her opponents In succession. The en-
gagement opened with the two English ships to lee
ward in line with each other and the Constitution
| to windward and abeam between the two at q dis
tance Of about cables length, thus forming an
battle is as folloWs:-"I this mastery position the
| action commenced, the three vessels keeping up
hot and unceasng fire for about quarter Of an hour
sea being covered with an immense cloud OF smoke,
and 1t being now moonlight, Commodore Stewart
the smoke had blown away, when the leading ship OF
the enemy was seen under the lee beam Of the Con-
iuang ' up as as If she Intended TO tack
and cross her stern: Giving broadslde to the
er % aez tas w
sails SET fiat aback, shook all forward let fly her b
sheet and backed swiftly astern, compelling the
ing ship attempted to tack to- the OOnsti
tuton's forefoot when the latter filed, boarded her
fore tack shot ahead forced her antagonist to wear
! under rak1ng broadside and to run of to leeward
to escape from the weight Of her fire. The Constitu-
tion perceiving that the largest ship was wearing,
also wore n'her turn, and crossing her stern raked
! her with effect though the enemy came by the wind
Immediately and delivered her arboard broadside.
weather quarter she struck. The prize proved to
be the British ship Cyane, Captain Falcon. In
had no intention OF abandoning her consort but had
been forced out OF the combat by the crippled condi
Of the CONSTRUCTORS dre. she was ignorant of the
| fate OF the Cyane, but at the end OF about
up and met the Constitution coming down in
quest OF her. 1t was near nine before the two ships
to windward, and exchanged broadsides. The Eng
lsh Ship inding her antagonist too heavy, immedi-
ately bore up in doing which she got raking broad;
made sail, keeping up most effective chasing fire
from her two bow guns, nearly every SHOT OF which
told. The two ships were SO near each other that
the ripping of the enemy's planks was heard on
! board the Constitution. The former was unable to
support this long, and at ten P. NJ he came by the
wind, fired gun to eeward and lowered his ensign.
| The prize proved to be the Levant Is, Hon. Captain
| DougIas.n Three hours later the Constitution was
ready for another action.
| ESCAPE OF THE CONSTITUTION
But the masterpiece OF nautical skin and seaman.
ship, combined with tactical strategy during the whole
1 war, was exhibited by Commodore Hull, in the mem-
orabe escape of the Constitution from the British
fleet in July, 1872. Coming suddenly in sight OF the
enemy whose vessels appeared in the horizon
at almost every point Of the compass, cap
fectly smooth and all parties were vexed
/ with Gains or light bafliing airs. Under these
resorted To- he noVe expedent of kedainr by
OF a series Of long light lines and the OF his boats
ahead. For some time the cause Of this marvellous
movement Of the Constitution through the water was
undiscovered by the enemy, who were not slow to
initiate the experiment. At every ''cat's pawn the
to keep her pursuers astern n and to eeward As the
| enemy gained and opened fire, heavy guns were
every piece OF standing rigging was fitted with light.
ing shoppers; the yards were provided with extra
sings hayards racked alof sails wet down fore and
the boats up In moment. Thus for three days and
three nights the chase maintained, until finally
Constitution her sails were clewed up and clewed
down in an instant, as II overwhelmed by Its force,
sheetcd home set iopgalant sails and ew on before
| the wind with spanking breeze, while the English
vessels were laying by on different tacks to reef
THE CRUISE OF THE ESSEX
| Among oil the officers In the navy, no one resem.
bled more closely Paul Jones in character than Com
modore Porter. Possessed with the same indomita-
bic courage and the same inexibility OF purpose he
courted danger on every occasion. To rare know
ledge OF seamanship he added great physical strength
q constitution Of iron, broad measure OF 0ld-fash-
| ioned common sense and the views OF practical
| statesman. Nothing, perhaps during this whole
sooner quickened the disposition for peace In Eng
land than Porter's cruise In the Essex and the inju
ries he inflicted upon British commerce In the Pacific.
! Without money or supplies, or even friendly port
for shelter he successfully eluded the vigilance OF
the enemy, broke up the whaling interests In that
| distant ocean and not only largely increased the
force and efficiency OF his own command, which he
| maintained without cost to the government, but
| when the inevitable hour OF his capture came he
fought his two antagonists with the dauntless cour-
age OF hero The cruise OF the Essex and the daring
exploits OF her defender have passed into history and
many youthful aspirant for naval honors will feel
thrill OF generous emulation when he recites the
| deeds OF David Porter.
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