Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-10-16
THE BATTLE OF FAYAL.
The Most Wonderful Naval Battle
on Record.
Cincinnati Enouirer

The Most Wonderful Naval Battl
on Record.
1 Cincinnati Enquirer.
We feel it a duty we owe t,
1.-THE generation following after II
to keep green and fresh the mem
|ory of the most important histor
Iieal events of our country. Thos,
Iglorious actions which so brill
iantly adorn the history of oul
Republic, and have given to tn.
American character SO proud {
record, should never be lost sigh
of, or permitted to fade into for.
getfulness.
The 9th day of September
was the sixty-fifth anniversary
of the Battle of Fayal, the most
desperate, heroic and romantic
naval action that ever took place
! on the ocean. 1t was toward the
close of the last war with En-
gland, in 1914, that the reyerses
which had attended our arms on
land, the bankrupt condition of
the Government, and the capture
and burning of Washington, on
the Oath of August, 1914, had
thrown general gloom and de-
spondency over the country. 1t
was under these circumstances
that the news of the battle of the
United States priyate-armed brig
General Armstrong (named after
the then Secretary of War; and
her extraordinary victory, sent a
thrill of joy and enthusiasm thro'
the hearts of the American peo-
pie.
On the 9th of September, 1914,
the General Armstrong, of only
246 tons,carrying but seven guns
and ninety men, including Off
GERS, sailed from Sandy Hook,
New York, on cruise. She
was commanded by the late Com
modore Sam. G. Reid, then only
thirty years old, who had been a
Midshipman under Commodore
Iruxton. On the 26th of Sept.
the Armstrong put into Fayal,
one of the Azore Islands, for
water. About sundown large
British squadron, consisting of
the ship Of the line Plantagenet,
of seyenty-four guns; the frigate
Rota, Of forty-four guns; and
the brig Carnation, Of eighteen
ns,commanded by Commodore
Lloyd, were discovered entering
the harbor. The total force of
the squadron was 136 gums. and
about two thousand men.
This squadron was part of
the expedition then assembling
at the island of Jamaica for, the
capture of New Orleans, under
the command of Sir Admiral
Cochrane, who had already sue
ceeded in burning Washington,
and was awaiting the arrival of
Lloyd, both expeditions having
been planned at the same time
by the British Cabinet. Lloyd,
considering that the Armstrong
would make a useful auxiliary to
the expedition, resolved upon her
capture. The brig Carnation
came to anchor, and from the
exchange of signals and the
throwing out Of four large boats
or launches, into which men and
arms were being passed, it be-
came evident that an attack was
contemplated. 1t being about full
moon, and the night perfectly
calm and clear, every movement
could be distinctly seen. AL
though Captain Reid had been
assured of the safety of his yes
sci by the authorities, he being
in a neutral port belonging to
the dominion of Portugal, he
nevertheless prepared for action.
About 8 p. m. the boats, con-
tanning about forty men each,
were seen rapidly approaching
the Armstrong.
As they neared his vessel, Capt. |
Reid hailed them repeatedly, and
warned them to keep off, to
which they paid no attention, but
pulled along side. when the Brit
ish officers cried out, "Fire and
board, my lads!" and IS the men
rose from their seats, Captain
Reid ordered his marines also to
fire, which was almost simulta-
ncous on the part of both. One
man on board the Armstrong
was killed, and the First Lieu
tenant, Fred A, Worth, a broth
er of the late General Worth, of
the United States Army, was
wounded. The men in the boats
met with great slaughter, large
number being killed and woun-
ded, when they hastily retreated.
The Armstrong now slipped her
cables and pulled i'll under the
jaws of the castle for protection,
the Portuguese Governor having
sent n remonstrance to Lloyd
protesting against any further
attack. Lloyd answered that
he was determined to capture
the American vessel at all haz-