Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-12-24

| sea-room, tne hmeriDhn cnhnkiDk ono VI
her forward guns Ale. running u ou' oil
the cabin window 70 be ready for an Al
TACK IN ,ks rear.
1t was nearly calm until about noon.
uhes 9 light breeze gave the vessels
more hssdvf =. sHd by ,Sres O'Clock shey
had gained . sufiiciszi offing and
stripped 10 6gAung canvass. They had
shortened Lhslr d'st-nce. runp'n8 along
nearly sbreas., uu'il they bad approached
within pistol-sho, of each other.
AT twenty minutes past three the Box
or fired q gun and gave . loud cheer
which was imms dis,ely answered by ihe
Enterprise firing . musket. and giving
three hearty cheers 10 response. While
the Americans were cheering, 'he Eng
lish poured in their frs, brosdsids, which
the Enterprise quickly returned. and the
desperate battle row began 10 earnest,
the belching cannon pouring oui de-
struciion md death amidst The defiant
cheers which Iose nj times from ihe val
liant crews above the roar OF battle.
The Boxer. sner hAviog her maintop'
mast shot away. made two attempts TO
board The Enterprise. both OF which the
American skilltVliy sluded. AT ibe hrss
attempt the Boxers flying jlb came in
over the aern OF she Enterprise, tho yes
sells just grssips pr1i without ts,ns able
to grapple. The American With all the
spsrs jnlsc, IVES enabled 20 play back
aud forth in ron, Of the Boxer with
deadly effec, Po,h commanders were
shot early in lhs engagement; 'he crew
OF the Boxer stationed forward, find-
ing il too hol fur ihrm. abandoned their
guns and rushed ais. Capt. Blythe swore
tina. the forward guus should be
served, rallied The reireatiDg division.
and led them forward 10 the abandoned
guns. Here, as he, was met by perfect
torrent of ircu tails, he exclaimed,
"Greai God, wba, shoisP' and was in
staptly struck by an eighteen pound ball
which nearly cui him 10 twain, killing
HIM instantly.
Very nearly II, he same tiUlo, on board
the Enterprise, ,no commander, finding
ihat tho crew nf 900 of his carronades
WAS sadly reduced 10 numbers and un-
:blo to mSnsge the piece, stepped up
and seized hold II the gun 20 hep cle-
vate il, and was mCrlally wounded,
muskel ball striking him in The groin
aad ganCing uk~ rd into Ibe body. lie
refused 10 be carried below, but lay down
! on deck, leaning against q shot rack, and
continued 10 encourage his men to sc-
ton. which ast,d ioriy-hve minutes.
Tho Enterprise hsd DO. one killed aud
thirteen woundsd. The gallant Burrows
| lived till twelve O'Clock the next day.
Midsbipman WALTERS and one other man
died in Porilsud OF their wounds.
The number killed on board the Boxer
was never sscer,ained, as they were
tbtowd overheard "A fash as thoy fell
there were fcnltePn wo0uded. She went
! into AZ ton vi n hor colors nailed 10 the
mast, uselsss and foolish bravadO ,6st
doubtless csU.ed ne loss OF many
lives. Her ensign is smong the trophies
OF the Navsl Academy a, Annapolis.
while the tatiered folds OF the Euter-
prise are arrsyed With those Of Me Bon
homme Richard q, Fort McHeprY.
When the frs, Lieu enans Of the Boxer
came on board TO deliver up tbe sword
Of Capt. Blythe. Lieut.. Burrows laid his
hand npon it snd said. Keep Ii, sir, you
are richly worthg OF it,"
The armaments and crews OF the Two
brigs were abou, equal, the vessels were
in fact as equally matched as could well
be, and were both fought with despera-
lion. This was The first success that had
gladdened the American navy since the
loss of the Chesapeake. 1t revived the
confidence W hich that disaster had shaken.
This bsttle wes Witnessed from the
islands of Monbegsu and Seguin, and by
hundreds OF people on the main land
Alter the frs, discharge the Two vessels
we're enveloped in cloud of smoke,
which entirely hid them from The view OF
the spectators on shore.
Young Barnes was stationed at one OF
the after guns, No. 8, with but one gun
between him and bis commander.
The two vessels were taken into Port
land on the 7tb, where the bodies OF both
Burrows and Blythe were brought on
shore, draped with the flags each bad 30
brayely defended. The same Donors
were paid the remains OF each, and they
were inferred side by side in the ceme-
,ery at Portland. Blythe had been one
OF poor Lswrence's psll-besrers.
Capt. Barnes. from whom mos! OF this
account has been gathered. is now more
than eighty-one years of age, and quite
infirm. He WAS born in Berwick, York
County, Maine. Feb. Is, 1897, and has
followed the sea almost continually in
different capacities for forty seven years.
His las. voyage was as mes ster of the ship
Wabash, OF Bath. when she was lost in
1860. lie had commanded different yes
sells since 1923 He is q stsunch Demo
era, OF the j ,chool, has been men,
Der of our Legislature. and held offices
af ...,at and honor In the placa of bis