The National tribune., 1882-04-22
A HEROIC INCIDENT REVIVED.

After sixty-seven years Of litigation and ex-
pense, the House Of Representatives took from
the Speakers table, on Monday, the bill for the
relief of the heirs of the captain, owners, Off
GERS, and crew of the late United States private
armed brig General Armstrong. When the vote
announcing the passage of the bill had been
made by the Speaker, Mrs. Samuel c. Reid
who, with her husband, the son of Captain
Reld, who commanded the Armstrong was sit
ting in the House gallery watching the proceed
lngs-burst into flock of tears at the joyful
news, which made her and her husband the
happy possessors of SIC, ,739, the amount named
in the bill The particulars of this most inter-
esting bill, and the circumstances upon which
this claim for relief is based, occurred in the
harbor of Fayal in the month of September,
1914. Scarcely one of the original claimants
survives Their heroism is conspicuous in the
history of the country. 1t evidently enabled
General Jackson to win the battle of New Or
leans, contributing, no one can estimate how
much, to the fame and promotion of that great
man.
From the official documents in this case, the
facts appear to be that the General Armstrong,
an American privateer, commanded by Captain
Sam. G. Reid, put into the harbor of Fayal, on
the 26th of September, 1914, for fresh water
About sundown of that day British squadron,
consisting of the ship of the line Plantaganet,
of seventy-fou guns; the frigate Rota, of forty
four guns; and the brig Carnation, of eighteen
guns making total force of 136 guns and
about 1000 men and officers under the COM
mand of Admiral Lloyd, came to anchor in the
harbor. The General Armstrong was small
brig of only 240 tons, and carried but seven
guns and ninety men, including officers.
This British squadron was on its way to
Jamaica to re-enforce the fleet concentrating
there under Sir Admiral Cochrane, for the cap
ture Of New Orleans, and Lloyd concluded to
seize the American brig to aid in this expedi-
tlon The first attack was made by four large
armed boats, or launches, containing about forty
men each. As they approached, Captain Reid
hailed them repeatedly and warned them to
keep of, to which they paid no attention, but
rapidly pulled alongside and attempted to
board, when Captain Reid opened fire, killing
and wounding large number of their men.
The boats returned the fire almost immedi-
ately, killing one man and wounding the first
lieutenant of the Armstrong. The boats then
retreated; when about midnight the British
renewed the attack with fourteen boats, con-
tanning over 400 men, which ended in their
total defeat with great slaughter and the par
tial destruction of their boats.
At daylight on the morning of the 9th Sep
tember, the enemy's brig Carnation, eighteen
guns, approached the Armstrong within gun
shot, and opened heavy fire with all her force,
discharging several broadsides. The Armstrong
most spritedly returned the fire, when the
enemys brig-having received shot in her
hull, her rigging much cut, and her foretop-
mast wounded hauled off. Captain Reid,
perceiving that further resistance would be
unavailng, then ordered the Armstrong to be
scuttlcd, to prevent tho enemy from getting
her off, and went ashore with his officers and
crew. The enemy soon after boarded her and
set her on fire, which ended in her destruction.
The loss of the enemy was nearly three hun
dred men and officers killed and wounded.
After defence unparalleled in naval warfare,
the Americans lost only two killed and seven
wounded. Tho historical fact seems to be es-
tablished that, by the detention of this British
squadron at Fayal in reftting, and the sue
Jackson was enabled to reach New Orleans just
four days before the arrival of the British, thus
proving that the gallant defence of the Arm
strong was the consequent means of saving
that city.
This claim was the subject of earnest diplo-
matte correspondence between this country and
Portugal for forty years, which finally resulted
in peremptory demand on that government,
which, not being complied with, orr minister
requested his passports and withdrew. The
emperor of the French sat in arbitration upon
it. The Court of Claims heard the great law
yers, O'Conor and Phillips, in its advocacy
twenty-five years ago, and Chief Justice Gill
christ pronounced an able opinion in its favor,
afterwards reversed on a technicality based on
a mistake of the facts, by the withdrawal of the
assent of one of the judges
Senate committees and House committees
have many times reported in its favor, and
never against it, and yet it is an unquestion-
able fact that the owners of the privateer
General Armstrong burnt by British squad
ron in the neutral waters of Fayal, in Septem-
Der, 1914, after a defence by her crew which
won the admiration of the world and the graf
itude of their country, have never been paid
for the property they then lost. The bill only
awaits the signature of the President to be-
come a law.