River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-11-23

the schooner, now all but invisible in
the white smoke of her first broadside,
gives them another.
The freboeters, as brave as they are
desperate, now return and make an
attack on the schooner. The fight
thus commenced is long and fierce !;
but, seeing they are unable to capture
their vigilant opponent, they divide
their forces, and, part remaining to
engage the schooner, the rest make an
attack upon the nearest vessel, which
they capture, after slight resistance
from the crew, and tow off.
Another soon falls into their hands,
and, emboldened by their success, they
resolve to attack brig directly under
the guns of the Experiment. A short
resistance is made by the hapless
crew, but the pirates, ten to one,
swarm over the sides and Stay all on
deck. A party of them rush below to
plumber the cabin, and, finding there
the skipper, they murder him and pro-
coed to ransaek the lockers.
The schooner, seeing the brig in the
hands of the pirates, turn her guns
against her, and with rapid broadsides
| proceeds to tear in pieces the vessel so
lately occupied by friends and now
swarming with enemies. 4 few min
utes suffices to render the richly-laden
vessel wreck, and amid the lettering
masts and falling spars, the pirates
hastily abandon the prey they can no
| longer hold.
Finding the barges encountered with
dead and dying, they retreat to the
shore, where they can be seen landing
their wounded and such plumber as
they have succeeded in securing. TAX
ing on board fresh supplies of men and
arms, they advance again for anew at
tack. This time they advance boldly
and commence furious canonade.
Grape and round shot plow the smoke
covered water in every direction, tear
| ing planks and striking down all in
| their course. Lieutenant David Por-
| ter and number of men having been
| disabled and the schooner's fire Slack
ems a moment, the pirate make a
rush but, being again driven back, re-
tire to land for repairs.
The last attack by these stubborn
| robberS is made against the Expert
ment alone. Their boats advance in
| three divisions of three boats each, land
| from different directions. The assail-
ants rush forward and disappear with
in the clouds of smoke surrounding
| the schooner, out of which come the
bright flashes of the guns.
For four long hours the fight RACES,
and to the anxious ones looking on
| they appear ages. At length, towards
evening, the fire slackens, hearty
| cheer from the schooner announces
victory, and one by one seven of the
defeated boats make their appearance
out of the battle.cloud, and put for the
shore, followed by the schooner Elk.
pertinent, urged in pursuit by the
sweeps of her gallant crew. The pi.
rates, in full flight, are followed by a
| few shots from the schooner, which is
unable to overtake her more nimble
enemies, who have lost two of their
boats, and over fifty of their number in
killed and wounded.
In this way did these active little
cruisers, manned by brave sailors and
skillful officers, render efficient service
| in preserving our merchant marine
from capture at home and abroad
! The skill and spirit which character
lied these fights soon made our men-Of
war respected among the pirates on oul
own coast and their more honorable
adversaries abroad, so that shortly
after we hear of the same gallant little
vessel, and how she captures and brings
into port the French privateer Les
Deux Amis and La Diane, much larger
! than herself.