The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-03-15
A MEMORABLE SEA-FIGHT.

The following account of the capture
ofthe British frigate Guerrero, by the
Constitution, which appeared many
years ago in the New York Evening
Post, will be read with interest at this
juncture. 1t was written by an eye
witness who was o prisoner on board
the Guerrero during the combat:
Having been an American prisoner on
board the Guerrero during the famous
battle between that frigate and the Uni
ted States frigate Constitution, pro-
pose giving you an account Of that i'm
portant action, which took place in
June, 1912.
About two weeks previous to the en-
gagement | left Boston in an American
ship, which was captured by the Guer-
riere some five days before she fell in
with the Constitution.
1T was about ten o'clock in the morn
ing when the Constitution was discover
ed. The Guerrero hove TO, to enable
her to come up. As the Constitution
neared us, Captain Dacres handed me
his glass, and asked what took her 10
he. My reply was, "She looks like
frgate." Very soon she came within
the reach of the long guns of the Guer-
riere, which were fired, but with no eff
feet, as the sea ran high. The Consti-
tuition made no reply, but, as l saw,w
manGuvring for position, during
which Captain Dacres said to me-" "Do
you think she is going to strike without
firingP" replied, II think not, SIR"
At this moment, seeing severe con-
test was about commencing, in which l
could take no part, being only n prison.
err, / raised my hat to Captain Dacres,
and said to him, with your permis-
sion, sir, / win 20 below, as | can take
no part"
80, certainly" said he, land you had
better go into the cockpit, and, should
any of our men chance to get wounded,
shall feel obliged if you will assist the
surgeon in dressing them. Certainly,
sir,n said !, and then descended into the
cockpit. There were the surgeons, and
surgeons mates and attendants, sitting
round a long table covered with instru-
ments, and all necessaries for dressing
the wounded, as still as funeral. With,
in one moment after my foot left the
lower round of the ladder the Conslitu-
ton gave that double broadside which
threw all in the cockpit over in o heap
on the opposite side of the ship.
For moment it appeared as if hcav-
en- and earth had struck together; O
more terrific shock cannot be imagined.
Before those in the cockpit had adjust
ed themselves the blood ran down from
the deck as If o wash-tub full had been
turned over, and instantly the dead
wounded and dying were handed down
as rapidly as men could pass them, til
the cockpit was filed, with hardly room
for the surgeons TO work. Mdship
men were handed down with one leo
some with one arm, and others wound
ed in almost jevery shape and condition
An officer who was on the table, having
his arm amputated, would sing out to
comrade coming down wounded, "Wel
shipmate, how goes the battlep" An
other would utter some joke that woul,
make even the dying smile; and SO con
slant and free were the playful remark
from the manned, and even dying, tina
I almost doubted my own senses. In
deed, all this was crowded into spac
Of not over fifteen or twenty minutes
before the firing ceased. then wen
upon deck, and what u scene was prc
scented, and how changed in so short
time!
The Constitution looked perfectly fresh
and even at this time those on board tb
Guerrlere did not know what shin ha
fought them. On the other hand. Nh
Gucrriere was q mere rolling lop. al
most entirely at the mercy Of the sea
Her colors all shot away, her mainmas
and mizzenmast both gone by the board
and her foremost standing BY the mer
honeycomb the shot made. Captai
Dacres stood, with his officers, sulye,
Ing the scene--ali, all in the most pei
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NNNI NiI'f| f....I .'