Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-07-13

nearly dead astern OF the disabled
Essex The long eighteens of thu
Englishman did great damage on boaro
the .. Essex" which, notwithstanding
her disadvantage, returned the fire with
gallantry and spirit. The "Cherub, >
then on the starboard bow of the
Essex" next opened fire also, but was
driven off by the guns of the American.
Three of the long twelye-pounders OF
| the Essex were then got out astern.
| and played upon the s'Ph9be' with
| such terrible effect that she, too, was
hauled off for repairs, many of the shot
having struck below the water-line.
Both the British vessels now closed
upon the American frigate, being on her
starboard quarter, and poured into her
fire so calling that the spars and rig
ging of the doomed ship were soon in a
tangle of wreckage. Porter slipped his
cable, and. hosting his hying-jib, bore
down upon the enemy. pouring broad
sides into them as the ship slowly drift
ed. The ''Cherub'' was driven off for
tired out of the reach of the guns of the
Essex" but near enough to worry her
with her long-range ordnance. After
two hours of fighting, Porter tried to
run his vessel ashore, to prevent her
falling into the hands of the enemy; but
change of wind prevented him, and he
anchored once more, making fast a
sheet-anchor with hawser.
Very shortly after, the hawser parted,
and, to increase the trials of these de-
termined heroes, the ship took fire be-
low deck. In this extremity, Captain
Porter told the men to save themselves
as best they could. Some threw them
selves into the sea and swan to shore,
some were drowned, and many were
picked up, while clinging to bits of
wreck, by the boats of the enemy. But
larger part of the crew staid by the
ship, and continued firing into the
enemy, in the midst of the smoke and
flames. Finally, the fire was partly
subdued, and men enough to work two
of the long twelves kept up a brisk fire.
But further resistance was useless.
Only seventy-fve men were left to do
duty, the remainder being killed,
wounded, or missing So. after an en-
gagement that had lasted two hours
and half, Porter, with sorrowful
heart, hauled down the American flag,
and the wreck of the gallant Essex
was surrendered to the foe. The Brit
ish lost four killed and seven wounded
on the Phoebe" and one killed and
three wounded on the Cherub." Both
ships were badly crippled, their sails
and rigging being riddled, and the
Phoebe" had received eighteen shots
below water-line from the long twelves
of the Essex Thousands OF specta-
tors crowded the shores to gaze on the
bloody encounter. The Spanish Vice
roy was vainly entreated by the Ameri-
can Consul to insist upon the mainte-
nance of neutrality. He refused to in
terfere.
Thus ended one of the most remarka-
bic naval engagements of modern times.
1t ended in disaster to the American
cause. But the heroic defense of the
8. Essex" in which officers and men
We'd with one another in determine
ton not to give up the ship, fired with
fresh enthusiasm all who heard the
story of their brave and obstinate fight.
And, when the young people OF this Re-
public shall celebrate once more the
deeds of the patriotic defenders of the
American Republic. let them give
hearty cheer for David Porter and his
Brooks, IN st. Nicholas.