The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-10-01
THE FIRST BATTLE or ADMIRAL FARRAeUT.

Aver lying some WeekS al Aoohanee-
yah, The Essex and the Essex, Junior,
| sailed, for Valparaiso, where Captain
| Pprter,was desirous Of meeting The En-
| glish frigate Puebe, which mad been sent
in search OF him; but when that vessel
at last appeared of the port, she was,
most Unexpectedly to Captain Porter.
accompanied by the Chernb, u sloop-of.
war, OF twenty-eight guns and one nun
dred and eighty men, while the Phoebe
| carried tCrty-slx guns and . crew olover
three hundred men.
For six weeks the hostile ships ma
| neuyered in and around the port Of VAL
paraiso, tue Essex being found TO Outsail
The enemy, SO that she could easily have
escaped, bat Captain Porter preferred
Instead 10 fight the Ph@be, if he could
engage her slngly;, this, however, Cap
tam Hillyar carefully avoided, being evil
IDENTITY under orders not 10 engage the
American snip except with the Cnerub,
iact which shows with what respect
English seamen now regarded the A mer-
lean navy, for never before this war had
such a thing been known as that an
English ship should avoid fight with an
enemy of equal force. But in this case
the importance OF capturing the Essex,
and tue doubtful result OF meeting her
with single ship and equal force, were
so apparent, that the enemy showed a
| warlness very rare in English marine.
After waiting several weeks Tor q fair
fight, and learning that y number of En-
gllsh men-ot-war were daily expected at
Valparaiso, Captain Porter finally con.
cluded to sailj but before he was quite
ready to put TO sea, a heavy wind from
the south made the Essex drag her
anchors to the mouth OF the harbor,
which runs north and south. Nothing
remained but to make sail, with the
hope of clearing the enemy's ships,
which were lying near the point Of am
giles at the western extremity of the port.
hut this is very dangerous headland,
squalls often coming off in heavy puffs,
and just as the Essex was shortening
sail when passing the bluff, a squall
struck the ship, carrying away the main
topmast, throwing u number Of the crew
overheard, and etectuaily gripping the
vessel.
Under the severe circumstances, Cap
tain Porter could only stand before the
wind to the northeastern side Of the
harbor, where he cast anchor within
half mile Of q Gillian battery, thus be-
ing in neutral water and protected from
OF nations. But Captain HIllyar, en-
tirely regardless of this circumstance,
or OF the honor shown by Captain Per
ter in not attacking him on a similar oc-
casion, at once took advantage OF the
disabled condition of the Essex to place
his vessel 'astern OF the American frig-
ate, where he could pour in terrific
raking fire, and at the same time be
scarcely touched by her guns.
The Cherub also hauled across the
bow Of the Essex, but finding that the
forward guns OF her antagonist could
play upon her, took up a position near
The Phoebe. The most Captain Porter
could do was to run three long twelves
through the stern ports, and these were
a'ained with such effect OH the enemy,
that in half an hour they were obliged to
move out oil range 10 repair the injuries
received. Three times during this first
fight the Essex was yeered around by
springs or hawsers drawing on the cable
from the. stern, with the purpose of get
Ting her broadsides to bear, but in each
case the springs were shot away, and
the batteries oil the Essex proved of lit
tie use.
Afler repairing, the. English ships
sailed down and took position on the
quarter of the Essex, where she cou. d
not get any OF her guns to bear. 70
stand their fire without making any re-
turn was very calling, and although,
such were the injuries she had suffered
in her rigging, the tlying-jib was the only
sail that could be hoisted on the Essex
to make her pay of before the wind, it
was spread, and the ship gradually bore
down to board the Phoebe.
The American crew, under the perfec-
ton of discipline, and not in the least
iishearteued, now opened a, tremendous
fire, which soon drove the Cherub out of
range OF her guns and forced her to re-.
main at a distance. The Phoebe also
kept out of reach Of the Essex, having a
leading wind and content to blaze away
with her long eighteens, which wrought
great execution on the decks Of The
American ship. Fifteen men fell in sue
cession at one OF the guns of the Essex.
Every expedient for saving the vessel
had now been tried in vain. She was
helpless before the tremendous fire of
the Phoebe, unable to return the fire on
account Of her position, and, in addition
to all these horrors, the flames were
bursting from her hatches. Captain
Porter, still unwounded and resolute to
ii ght it out TO the last, finally listened to
the entreaties of his crew, who rep
resented that further resistance was
| worse than useless, and he reluctantly
ordered the colors TO be struck.
Captain Hillyaf permitted the Essex.
| Junior, to be turned into a cartel-ship, ,
or vessel for carrying prisoners destined
TO be exchanged, and allowed the sur
yiying crew OF the Essex to sail In her
for the United States. OFF New York,
the Essex, Junior, was overhauled BY
an English frigate, and for tear he should
be detained by her, Captain Porter, while
still thirty miles from shore, made his
| escape in whale-Doat, being assisted
in the attempt by a fog which concealed
him from the English vessel. However,
the Essex, Junior, was soon allowed to
proceed, aud the gallant survivors of
| the crew of the ill-fated but glorious
frigate Essex once more stepped gladly
forth upon their native land.
Captain Porter afterward published
an account of his famous cruise In two
volumes, which contains many interest.
ing details, and is well worth perusal.
| Among other matters he mentions the
circumstance that there was on board
young mldshipman who was very desir-
Gus OF engaging in the foray in the Mar
quesas Islands, but was prevented on
account OF his youth. He afterward
distinguished himself for his untiinch-
ing courage during the trying scenes OF
the fight at Valparaiso, and would, for
his conduct at.that time, have been rec