The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-08-21
cAsAB1ANCA AT THE BATTLE or THE

I SaSh "a 800 O''A NAS ~ 1900
NILE.
Isuppose that onehalr the school boys in
the United States, during the last forty years,
have learned Ivy heart Mrs. Hemans' poem OF
Casabianca, the boy who stood on the burn
ing deck, whence all bat him had fled! Some
of them may like 70 know the truth of the
story.
SCENE FRsT-Timc, the month Of June,
! 1893. A great French fleet, consisting OF
thirteen ships of the line, four frigatcs and Il
vast retlnue of ransports--in all not less,
perhaps than 100 vessels-ls sailing in the
Mediterranean Sea toward Egypt In the
van there is q huge vessel of 800 guns, called
ILOrient, with the Admiral's flag at her mast
head. Upon the quarterback of this mag
niicent vessel tour persons would have par
! ticularly attracted our notice if we had been
present: Admiral Brueys, who commanded
the fleet; Louis Casabianca, the Captain of
the vessel; Gen. Bonaparte, in command of
the land forces, then just 30 years of age,
short, meager, sallow and silent. These two
officers, Capt. Louis Casabianca and Gen.
Bonapartc, were both natives of the island Of
Corsica and for this reason, we may suppose
there was an attachment between them. Capt,
Casabjanca was IN the prime of life, being
then Az years of age, though old IN the ser
vice of his country
Besides these conspicuous personages we
should have remarked young Casa5anca,
son of the Captain, Il mldshipman, mere
child in years, though OF gallant bearing
full of enthusiasm tor his profession, and 4
fayorite on board, 1t was custom then in
all countries to admit mere boys INTO the
naval service, and very barbarous custom II
was Our noble and glorious Farragut was
mIdshpman in active service at the age OF
-. u h.,, hafg hn
thirteen.
Young Casabianca's age is stated various
'ly. In Gen. Bonaparte's official report he is
styled boy of nine. Recent French bio
graphers give HIM ten years. and Mrs. Hem.
ans more literally allows him thirteen. The
reader can take his choice. All Will say Is
there he 1dS; not creature of the poet ;
Imagination, veriable boy, but living MD
shipman, son of Capt Louis Casabianca,
of distinguished Corsican family.
SCENE SECOND July tie first, l,9S.-The
fleet has arrived off the Egyptian rort of
Alexandria The ancient harbor being in
ruins, the ships cannot enter ii, and are
obliged to anchor on the open coast near by,
while Gen. Bonaparte lands his twentyone
thousand troops destined for the conquest OF
Egypt country innocent of any oHense
against him or France, and where he has not
lup SMALLEST DItkCAk VI I4SILs ~ bts ilN - AZ
hot haste to land for he has learned that there
is powerful British feet, under the com
mand of Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, with
in three days sail of him. In just twelve
hours-S A. If. to Z. M.-he has landed his
whole force The Lext day, he was master OF
Alexandria, issuing his lying proclamation;
s"Inhabitants Of Egypt. They viii tell yvj
that come to destroy your religion. Believe
not! Reply that come to restore your rights,
to punish usurpers, and that res peet more lah
the Mamalukes do, God, his Prophet, and the
Koran
Thus he began his career OF spoli4tion and
massacre in Egypt.
SCENE THIRD.-EXactly month has pas
sed. Admiral Breuys has made up his mind
where is the best TO meet the English fleet
which he could hardly hope to avoid. 4. the
mouth of the Nile there is the shallow bay of
,AboukIr, with reefs and islands, and in var
ious ways difficult of navigation Across the
mouth of the bay lie has anchored his ships
IN curved line, far enough apart 10 enable
each TO swing clear and free OF lis neighbo
On the first of August, about two o'clock "a
the afternoon, Nelson comes in sight OF this
formidable line of seventeen vessels, carrying
eleven hundred and ainty.siX guns, and eleven
thousand men. The English fleet consiste
of fourteen vessels, armed with one thousand
and twelve guns, and carrying nearly nine
thousand men.
Nelson's plan of attack was simple, and
il was formed on the instant. He merely or
dered his ships to approach the enemy In Us
even a line as possible, and, on coming to
close quarters, TO anchor ship against ship
as far as his line would extend, and bang
away.
SCENE FoURTu.-Slx o'clock the same
evening. The English fleet Is getting within
range. The French opens FIRE upon them
Without replying, they continued ,hen course
until they are within the required proximity,
when they cast anchor, and furl sails. The
battle then really began. Imagine pro.
digious roar of carnons, huge clouds OF
smoke the fleets scarcely visible, noise oil
falling masts, and crashing spars, and Shrek
ing men, and all the other hideous circum
stances of naval combat. The victory was
not doubtful even for single moment; for the
French are not a sea-conqucring race, ana
they have never succeeded well in naval mat
tiers Some of the French ships were silenccd
within fifteen minutes, and the main WORK ~
the battle was done by O'Clock, which was
Just thirty minutes after the firing of the frs,
| English gun There were STILL however,
several French ships little injured, and some
of the English, slow sailers, had not va gone
into action.
BY ! O'Clock, IN that tropical Latitude, inc
sun has set: there is little twilight; and cark-
ness settles down upon the scene. Bat the
battle continues, and even with increased iu
~, lighted by the fash of its own gurs, and
guided by their noise.
SCENE FIFTH.-The quarter deck of LOT
/ lent which had been In he hottest Of the
| fight from the beginning. Admiral Hueys,
/ lust as the sun was sinking, was wounded IN
Tho check and soon after In the hand Re
naming at his post, at S O'Clock a cannon ball
struck him in the body, and almost cut him
/ in halves. When approached TO carry him
below. he had just strength 10 say:
| "a French admiral ought TO die upon has
quarter deck -
! In a few moments he brcaihod his last.
! Captain CaSabianca, upon whom The com
mand then dcvolved, was wounded soon alter
| by a musket ball. Not yet disabled, he vas
j struck down some minutes later by "a spln.
ter, which hit him upon the head and laid
HIM upon the deck, siill breathing, but NOR
tally wounded and inscnsiblc. ~ nine
L., 4, l,fft. Sf.rn NJ ig vessel which