The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1873-08-20

were tar above the navy-yard, and com
nenced to drop down quietly upon then
from a direction they least suspected AT
enemy TO appear, and from which theil
own guard boats were in the habit O
\ coming. The ruSe was successful, fol-
with long, steady, quiet pulls from our
steady oarsmen, with Palpitating hearts
and nervous clutehings Of our sma ! arms
we were within twenty yards Of the bat.
terv and schooner before we were discov-
cred The wells and cries and shouts
from the bafied sentries, the long roll
from the rebels drums, and our defiant
. yell from the boats, seemed to occupy but
4 moment We were quickly alongside
the schooner and the wharf, and Chamber
ed up their sides amidst murderous fire
from the rifles of the enemy. Gaining
the sehooner's deck from the bows We
fought the surprised crew, many of them
ca disk05iHs, hand to hand from the deck
TO the shore, and overheard into the wa
ter, passed up bags Of shavings from our
boats, then threw them into the fore hold
Of our schooner, sprinkled them with
gallons Of turPentine, applied the match,
and took to the boats. John H. Smith. 4
marine, in gaining the srhooner's deck,
lost his cap, and after receiving two balls
in his body from the rebels, was pinned
to the bulwark by one Of our own sailors
with sword bayonet. His body was
quickly passed into the launch. Lam
phere aud Herring were shot through
the heart while in the boat before board
ing the schooner. The two cutters at the
wharf were equally successful They
drove the rebe.s from the columbiad, while
Lieutenant SprotSon and Gunner Borton
spiked ii aud brought away the compton
as trophy. The rebel sentry perched in
the shears, who had first discovered us,
WAS brought down by a ball from Fitz-
simmons rife, his body falling with a
heavy thump into the water, "foOd for
sharks" With three killed aud fifteen
wounded, many of them seriously, we
struck ont hurriedly for Santa Rosa
Island, and 50 complete was the surprise
that we were far out IN the middle of the
bay before they commenced to rally their
scattered forces in any considerable nun.
Der.
The flames were by this time shooting
up from the interior OF the Judah, leap
ing wildly around the rigging, and cast
ing fttul shadow out upon the placid
waters Of the bay. Keeping behind this
shadow, we were enabled to see every
thing going on, and not be seen ourselves.
Then again we surprised them, for they
that we had left. "never to
return" received from our howitzers four
rounds Of ! little more grape" and shrap-
mel, that wildly scattered their detach- /.
ments, which were strung along the .
wharf, peering into the darkness in order 4
% catch a glimpse OF our r-treating boats.
In the full blaze OF the flames we could
zee the havoc the four rounds created; and
Lieut.. Russell, perfectly satisfied with the
'esult, ordered a speedy return to the ship.
still inside the bay, and the sig
lals, rockets and cri's from the main land
old Us the enemy were fully aroused and
ipon the q,a rire. We boldly pushed for
he channel, and succeeded in again pass
ng safely out under their very guns into
he gulf
At dayligh. we reached the ship, and
Fere received cordially by Captain (now
Idnirall Bailey aud the crew. The dead
nd wounded were hoisted on board and
roperly cared tor; the main-bracer
piced, the battle fought over again =
or the benefit of admiring listeners, and
sleep. that kni,s the rsveled sleeve Of care"
nbraced by the tired-out participants.
hat night our dead companions were
uried on the island with the honors of
ar. A sandy hillock near the foot, with
cad and foOt-board, with inscriptions.
arks their resting-place to-day.
Hadley, in his " Great Rebellion" says
this exploit: 1t was one of those
airing, gallant actions for which our navy
IS always been distinguished = Clarence
{ Barton.