Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-23
Gales and Sktttllss.
A BATTLE At SEA.

4 III An FL l. W llNESS.
My ship, the Genoa (seyentv-four guns J
was fine ship, with good officers, and u
brave crew. and with not quite so much
holystoning to do aboard OF her as there
was on board some other ships of the fleet.
Our captain was Walter Barthurst, fine
grGy'hea,led old gentleman, beloved by
every seaman under HIM During the mtl-
tiny of the More, Parker forbade, under
, pain of death, any officer coming on board
any OF his vessels, except Captain Bathurst.
On the forenoon Of the 18Th of October,
1927. the Genoa made the island Of Zante,
and bore up the harbor Of Navarino In the
Morea, before which the English, French,
and Russian ileets were cruising. We had
scarcely pot in the middle Of them, about
one O'Clock, before signal flew at the
nizzen top-gallant masthead of the Asia,
the admiral Sir Edward Coddington 5 flag
ship.
You need not look at the signal-book, =
said our captain. Il know that signal
Well. 1t is to tell US to clear for action
The brave old boy then called the drum
mcr and tiier, and ordered them to beat to
quarters, and also told the gig crew to get
ready, as he was going on board the ad-
| miral's vessel.
The fleet. which lay in a calm and CLASSY
sea, consisted OF ten line-of-battle ships,
! three English three Russian, and four
French; with fi'igates, sloops of war, and
gun-ships. making in all total of thirty
two sails, all cleared for action. The Rus
| sian ships, finely new-looking vessel,
. strongly built. but clumsily rugged, were
commanded by Rear Admiral Count Hey
den; the French by CheYalier de Rimney
We soon got the Genoa ready for fight
! ing. Nothing left ON the decks but what
was wanted for the guns-rammers,
] sponges, handspikes, and match-tubs. The
chests and mess things cre'stowed down
! in the hold. Tables Were ranged i'll the
! tiers forest the wounded upon: fire screens
were hans g on the magazine hateh-wayS
and two casks of water for the men to
drink were lashed to the Stanchions on the
deck anidships. Boxes of grape (each
shot as big as walnut) and canister shot
/ were placed between each gun, with large
4 checses of Wads braced to the breast OF
each; every bulkhead in the ship was
/ taken down by the carpenters. When all
/ this was done, the men went to work ill
different corners of the main-decl1; the
| gunners crew to mike wads; the armorers
4 10 clean gun-loGks E; the top-men to get the
top chains up, with which to string the
yards.
The morning of the 18th was beautiful
ly calm. The high lands on the shore
gradually, one by one, shook off the sui
try mist, and stood out blue and sharp.
We were about three miles from the en-
trance to the harbor Of Navarino, and at
the distance, if seemed scarcely wide
enough to admit q single line-of-battle
ship. Our squadron, now obeying signal
were lying with their sails furled, and in
close order. Presently we saw the Dart
mouth trigate, all sail set, pass into the
bay with our ndmiral's final proposition TO
lblsthim Pasha. 1t was just sunset when
she was seen coming out Of Nayarino
with all sail spread, but coming very slow
ly. owing 10 the calm She hoisted the
signal. 1--WE shall wait for better OPP
purtunity of entering the harhor to-mCt-
row Furl sails, and lie to for the night
Our sails were soon flrled, and every
thing made snug. The men not on watch
spent the evening drinking, sleeping, or
writing home. After rest of four hours,
the sleepcrs were reused by a cry of the
boatmans mate, "both watches pass up
shot" \ line OF men WAS formed for the
purpose from the shot-locker to the main
ladder. We soon had the tubs filled and
everything prepared; the sun was Just
rising when we were called on deck to
make sail. The English squadron had
kept nearly abreast of Nava,'no hartor
during the night, hut the Russian and
French ships had dropped four or five
miles to lceward, so we made a stretch
ont from the land to give our allies time to
| come up before we stood in for the bay.
At six bells (eleven o'clock the drum
beat to quarters with the stirring tune of
"lIcarts of Oak" The lieutenant of my
| quarters was young man named Broke,
son of that brave captain who fought the
Chesapeake. His words to us were;
"NoW, my men, YOU see we are going
into the harbor to-day. | know you'll be
glad Of it; at least suppose YOU will be
as much against cruising OFF here, all the
winter, as | am. So | say let's in to-day,
and fight it out like British seamen. and if
we fall, why there's an end to our cruise.
You'll be at your stations
We chccred the drum beat 'retrcat, and
in few minutes some of the men, tired
with their night work, We're stretched fast
asleep between the guns. Haitian hour af-
terwards, a whisper passedround, "the cap
tain" | and some of the rest, seeing his
grey head appearing, started up, and tried
to rouse the others but he good natwed-
| ly said, LET them be-, let them be, poor
fellows; they'll have enough to do before
night!N and, walking forward, he stepped
over them with great care.
We We're soon within two miles OF the
entrance to Navarino Bay, when all the
| tboatswains piped to dinner. We We're
qleter than usual at mess that day. The
piper played Nancy Dawson the we'll
known call for the cook of each mess to
go up with his monkey" (wooden meas
me) for the grog. The toast that day was
the usual one before hattie, MAY we all
meet again tomorrow | was on deck.
carrying kettle of pea-soup. We We're a
quarter of a mile from the halbor fort, and
with such Il gentle breeze that we were
scarcely moving knot an hour. All at
once man jumped from one OF the fore
castle guns and roared out, ''There it
goes! There's two pieces Of bunting at
the Asia's masthead. That's the signal
to engage. Take good look at it, ship
| pies, so you'll know it again"
! The l,1,n, hanf 10 .,,,artar- I ,o, IN