The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-14
FARRAGUT,s FIRST FlGHT.
Tumbled Down a Hatchw way by a
Tw0-Hu "dred Pound Man.
I

EOuu0
New York SUM-
Farragut was sent to school at Chester,
Pa, and in his tenth year was appointed
midshipman in the army. He sailed
with Porter in the Essex, which, on the
declaration of war with Great Britain,
made cruise in the Atlantic and took
numerous prizes. So destructive was
the cruise Of the Essex, that the Admi-
ralty sent Captain James Hillyar. with
two powerful vessels-the frigate Phoebe
and the sloop Cherub-under orders to
capture or destroy her at all hazards.
This was finally done. March 2Sth, 1914,
in the harbor of Valparaiso, in fragrant
disregard of neutrality. 1t was Farra-
quits first battle. His biography tells
us:
Some gun primers were wanted, and |
was sent after them. In going below,
while l was on the wardroom ladder, the
captain of the gun directly opposite the
hatchway was struck full in the face by
an eighteen-pound shot, and fell back on
me. We tumbled down the hatch to-
gether. struck on my head, and fortu-
nately he fell on my hips. l say fortu-
nately, for as he was a man of at least 200
pounds weight, | would have been
crushed to death if he had fallen directly
across my body lay for some moments
stunned by the blow, but soon recovered
consciousness enough to rush up on deck.
The captein, seeing me covered with
blood, asked if was wounded, to which
/ replied, "I believe not, SIR" "Then,"
said he, "where are the primers?" This
first brought me completely tn my Senses
and I ran below again and carried the
primers on deck. When / came up the
second time / saw the captain fall, and in
my turn ran up and asked if he was
wounded. He answered me almost in
the same words, "I believe not, my son;
but l felt blow on the top of my head" J"
He must have been knocked down by the
windage Of a passing shot, as his hat was
somewhat damaged. H...
1t was wonderful to find dying men,
who had hardly ever attracted notice
among the ships company, uttering SEN
timents, with their last breath, worthy of
a Washington. You might have heard
in all directions, "Don't give her up,
Logan"-a soubriquet for Porter
"Hurrah for liberty" and similar ex-
pression-. One of the crew Of bow gun
told me Of singular act Of heroism on the
part of a young Seotchman named Bis
lev, who had one leg shot off close to the
groin. He used his handkerchief as a
tourniquet, and said to his comrades:
Il eft my own country and adopted
the United States to fight for her. Ihope
have this day proved myself worthy of
the country of my adoption. am not
of any ue to you or to her, so good
hyew With these words he leaned on
the sill Of the port and threw himself
overheard.
Many of our fine fellows bled to death
for want of tourniquets. An old quar-
termaster named Francis Bland was
standing at the wheel, when / saw shot
coming over the foreyard in such di-
rection that | thought it would strike
him or me, so | told him to jump, at the
same time pulling him toward me. At
that instant the shot took off his right
leg, and I afterward found that my coat
tail had been carried away. helped
the old fellow below, and inquired for
him after the action, but he had died be-
| fore he could be attended to.
l escaped without injury, except the
bruises from my fall.
Lieutenant Wilmer, who had been sent
forward to let 60 the sheet anchor, was
knocked overheard by shot. After the
action his little negro boy, "Rutf" came
on deck and asked me what had become
of his master, and when impaired tO
him the sad news he deliberately jumped
into the sea and was drowned.