The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-01-13
SHANNON AND CHESAPEAKE.
The British STORY Of the Battle. on the Sen,
of 1912.


tish burg and seaport of which Joseph Hume
was so long the Parliamentary representative.
that there still fingers among us a few survivors
who heard the roar of cannon at Trafalgar and
took part in some of the desperate sea-iights be-
tween British and American frgates in the I'M
happy war of lcl2, between this country and the
United States. On the Ith of January, I7s5. a
child was born at Ferryden, near Montrose,
james Coull, by name, who started life as a
cabin-boy, at the early age of six years. in one of
the Scottish fishing vessels, plying his craft off
the kincardineshire coast. The lad, born of
parents Immersed in the deepest poverty, was
Indenturcd as an apprentice on board the brig
Concord of MOntrose, in which he found his way
TO Copenhagen, when, in ls0l, Nelson was lying
off that port, which he shortly proceeded to
lombard. The Centaur, a seventy four gun
ship, commanded by Captain Broughton, was
under Nelson's orders, at Copenhagen, IN lSUl
and again at Trafalgar, in l5U5, and in both of
those glorious actions James COull worthily
bore his part among the Centaurs crew. But
the most notable engagement at which he as
sisted was the short, sharp, and decisive action
fought OIL Boston Harbor, on the first of June,
lsl3, between the United States frigate Chesa-
peake, commanded by Capt Lawrence and the
British frigate Shannon, commanded by CAPTAIN,
afterwards Sir Philip We're Broke The shannon
and the Chesapeake were regarded as typical
vessels of their respective fleets at the time when
their memorable encounter tack place, and even
to tins hour their names, when mentioned on
a trumpet" and recall in some measure the feel
ings of eSnlfati0n with which the almost soli-
tary triumph of an English ship in the Ameri-
can war of lSl2 was hailed this side of the
Atlantic.
The first few naval actions fought between
British and American ships in 1sI2 may fairly
be said to have electrified the country. Again
and again duels were fought at sea, in each of
which the British Union Jack was hauled down
in token of defeat and replaced by the saucy
>f.T- MI l..
had never seen before. Thus it came to pass
that, in the August of lsl2, the British frigate
Guerrero, commanded by Capt. Dacres was
compelled to strike her eolors to the United
States frlgate Constitution, commanded by Cap
tam Hull and the consequent modification of
Englishmen at home was but slightly assuared
when is was known that their vessel carried
only forty-six small guns in opposition to fifty
six guns of larger calibre on board the American
champion. In the following October the Frolic
and the Macedonian struck to the American
ships, Wasp and United States, and the wear
closed dislstrously for oar arms with the ire
mendous conflict between the Java and our old
enemy, the Constitution, which ended, after an
obstinate struggle, in the capture of the former.
Inc new year opened as inauspiciOnsy rs its
predecessor had concluded. seeing that on the
18th of February, the British slaop Peacock was
disabled and SINK by the American Hornet
Among those who chafed under the strange and
novel sensation of British infrri0riry upon Eng
Shannon, was by no means the least conspieu-
ous. Ii had long been his ambition to make his
ship distinguished for the excellence and smart
ness of her crew, and, unlike most British naval
officers of those days, he resolved to enforce DIS
cipline by winning the affections Of his sailors
When the Shannon was first fitted, in Is06, Capt
Broke had her guns laid under his own direc-
tions and nothing which conduce TO their eff
cheney escaped his notice. BY constant training
the men were taught TO manage their guns prop
n eaI t,r.ta Of
marks. The guns themselves. with sponges,
hammers, and all other accessories. in readiness
were accounted by Capt. Broke to b" the bright
est ornaments of the ShannOn's decks and at
moment when most other war ships of Great
Britain, trading upon the glorious memories of
Trafalgar, were in desperate state of ineifcien-
cy, the American war broke ont The ships of
the great Republic were. to q large extent
manned by British runaway sailors, who, smart
ing under the tyranny of discipline enforced by
aristocrats, were only too glad to transfer them
selves TO a service where they were treated with
distinction, and regarded instructors 1.-The
chief credit due TO the Americans" says Mr..
James, lin the naval conduct of the last war is
for the high state of preparation in which their
war-ships were turned out at its CONNIE cement
especially when compared with the generality of
our own Mt the same period" Stung by the hui
Mutations and reyerses inflicted upon his native
country, Capt. Broke drew near 10 the mouth
of Boston Harbor in the early summer of 1918.
The most formidable cruisers that carried the
Stars and Stripes were in the habit of issuing
from this port, and some of the best American
ships-as, for instance, the Constitution-had
been built in the yards at Boston and Marble
head.
Capt. Broke had not been living long in the
Shannon, off Boston lighthouse, before he became
aware that one of the finest American frigates
the Chesapeake. was getting ready for sea in the
harbor. The English Captain did not blind
himself to the fact that the antagonist, whom he
hoped to encounter. was more than match for
his own vessel and crew. Shortly before the
action which made the two ships So famous
Capt. Broke addressed letter to Capt. Law
renee inviting him ''to try the fortunes of their
flags and bidding him come forth TO
the combat. The American Captain-as gallant
an officer as ever paced the quarter deck-had
no desire To balk the wishes of his opponent and
shortly after noon, on the LIST of June, 1913
Capt. Broke deserted from his own masthead,
that the Chesapeake was preparing to come ont
the haTbor. The two ships were about equal in |
size, but the Chesapeake carried by far the heav-
Ter armament, and had complement of over 400 |
men, against 800 on board the Shannon. The |
American tngate bore down upon her adversary
in very handsome fashion, and at halfpast in |
the evening hauled upon the starboard side of |
the Shannon, which was steered by the veteran |
sailor, james Coull, who has just breathcd his |
last, in Scotland. The battle began exactly at |
a quarter to o'clock, and in fifteen minutes the |
Union Jack was flying above the Stars and |
Stripes, at the mainmast of the Chesapeake |
After exchanging two or three broadsides, tine I
two ships go. locked together. and Capt Broke, |
perceiving that his enemy's men were linching 1
from their guns, called upon his boarders to fol-
low him as he leapt upon the Chesapeake's deck. 1
In couple of minutes the enemy were driven I
from every post, and although The firing was l
maintained for awhile by tie Americans from /
below, the hattie was over. Capt Broke was |
himself knocked down by the butt-end of 1, mus
ket, and was almost sealped 10y the wound; and 4
his First Lieutenant. Mr.. Watt, was shot dead I
in the act of hoisting tho British cciors: but on
board the Chesapeake the slaughter was much 4
heavier. Capt Lawrence was n;ortally wound I
ed, and died two days later, and the total loss on
board the American vessel was sixfy-nine men I
killed and over 100 wounded. Every hill and 4
wharf at Boston, which commanded view of 1
sexes, who were in expectation of seeing the ,
British vessel brought into Boston harbor, with
the United States flag flying above the destined
mon Jack The disappointment with which
the result of the action was received at Boston
still lives in the memory of the few survivors
who were alive when il was fought; and in
England the name and fame of Capt Broke, as
modest in the moment of victory as he was free
from arrogance in anticipating it, were toasted
by the associates of Nelson and Collingwood- In
TACT, among the glorious deeds enacted by Brit
sh ships there is none more worthy Of enduring
reputation than the triumph by which the gal
ant commander of the Shannon arrested the
tide Of victory gained by American ships during
hat brief and eventual war, which showed that
the mistress of the seas bad at length found
IN antagonist more worthy Of her steel than the
frenehmen and Spaniards whom she had crushed
Il Trafalgar.-Loadon Telegraph.
PAY as you go.