The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-02-22
REAR ADMIRAL PAULDING.
The Part uc Took tn the Bnttie OF Lake
amplain. f..
Commander r. W. Meade, in Harror's Magazine
for February,

IltTdu Il auiulHK, idtt tnt SeHlOT ftdT'
admiral ON the retired list of the United
States navy, was the son of the cele
brated John faulding, one of the captor,
of Major Andre, and was born in West
chester County, New York, on the 18th
of December, 1897. He was conse,
quently, at the time of his death, in his
eighty-frst year.
Brought up on his fathers farm, the
subject of this sketch led the usual life
of country lad, laboring at Framework
| in the summer and attending the village
school in the winter, until he attained
his fourteenth year, when Mr.. Pierre
Van Cortlandt, then member of Con-
gress, sent the father midshipman 1
warrant for his son. The boy, on re-
ceiying this appointment, September /,
1911, was placed with certain Master
Gibbons, an Irish exile, for the purpose
of receiving instruction in mathematics
and navigation but so soon as war was
declared with Great Britain his studies
were brought to close, and he was
| ordered to Join Commodore Chauncey +
squadron on Lake Ontario.
His journey northward in the summer
of 1872 was eventful enough to be re-
corded at length did space permit. 1t
| is sufficient to say, however, that,
making the voyage to Albany in an
oyster schooner, and from thence to
Utica in numbering old stage, at the
latter place he fell in with good
natured drum-major bound to Sackett's
Harbor, and the two joined en- route the
regiment of Colonel futile, which was
making forced march to the frontier
| The regiment reached Sackett's Harbor
! Just in time to repel raid of the Cana
| dian forces which had landed IN that
vicinity, and now for the first time In
his life the boy saw men bleeding from
wounds rs they were carried to the rear.
His short service had already impressed
Colonel Tuttle and his officers with the
idea that for one so young he possessed
in remarkable degree intelligence,
pertinacity, endurance, and pluck-the
four essentials TO a successful military
career.
His fortunes, however, were not to be
cast with Commodore Chauncey's COM
mand, though while with it he saw some
stirring service he was soon transferred
to the President, on Lake Champlain,
the flagship of the squadron of Master
Commandant Marlborough, an officer of
great spirit and experience, who had
fought side by side with Decatur in all
that officers brilliant achievements be-
fore Tripoli. Fortunate indeed was
young Paulding to have such leader
so early in his naval career,
But the years 1S12-13 were not for
Al. n
Growler and Eagle were captured
after sanguinary contest, and the
President was soon bockaded in Bur-
lington Bay by the British squadron,
Macdonough having but this one vessel
originally transport-to oppose to
the power of the enemy on the lake.
Being a man of indomitable energy, he
set to work during the winter of 1894
to build squadron which should con-
troll the lake. During all this time our
American seamen had many sharp
skirmishes with the enemy on land and
water, in which Paulding participated,
and thus became Injured to the vicissis
tudes and dangers of war. Meanwhile
the Saratoga, of twenty-six guns, and
the Ticonderoga, of seventeen guns,
were built, other lake craft purchased
and adapted to service, and by Septem-
Der Marlborough found himself with
his improvised squadron anchored in
Plattsburg Bay, where he was joined by
the brig Eagle, of twenty guns, which
had been built with unexampled rapid
ity by the celebrated Henry Eckford, a
Scotchman in our service.
About the same time the British
army, admirably equipped, and nearly
twelve thousand strong, appeared before
Plattsburg, held by General Macomb
with less than fifteen hundred men.
The object of the enemy was doubtless
to penetrate, if possible, as far as AL
bany, and the control of Lake Cham
plain became matter of vital import
ance. One of our gunboats, in oppos-
ing the march of the British troops
along the shore, became disabled, and
with some of the cutters of the squadron
Midshipman Paulding, now attached to
the Ticonderoga, was sent to tow her to
position of safety. In the teeth of q
gale and under heavy fire, with great
difficulty and some loss of life, this, bis
first responsible service, was accom-
plished to the satisfaction of his supe-
riors. Sir George Provost now merely
awaited the arrival of Commodore
Downie's squadron to make a combined
land and water attack on the Americans.
At last, on the 18th September, 1914
calm and beautiful Sunday morning
its signals were deserted, and shortly
after It rounded Cumberland Head, and
with true British pluck, following Mel
sons tactics at Trafalgar, "bows on"
steered boldly for the American an
chorage.
CAS- they drifted On their path
There was silence deep a. death,
And the boldest held his breath
A light breeze set in, and soon the hos.
tile squadron was within range of Mac
donough's broadsides-
'sBy each gun the lighted brand,
In bold, determined hand"
While the flower Of Britain's land
Led them on. Fl
The sequel is known to history
Though greatly superior in force, the
enemy was completely crushed, his com
modore killed, and all the large vessels
captured, some row-galleys, which had
previously struck their coiors, only
escaping because there was not mast
in the American fotilla which would
bear the pressure of canvas, 80 riddlet
were they by shot. At the close of thu
fight, of the seventeen British banner,
which had previously been displayed u
vauntingly, not one was to be seen.
The sanguinary nature Of this mem
orable battle may be appreciated whel