The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-10-10
AN HISTORIC SEA BATTLE.
Tho Encounter Between tho Enterprise
md Boxer on tho Main Coast.

The Lincoln county (Me.) Mems
publishes this account Of the famous
fight. given by an old resident Of Pema.
quid:
"All along the coast tho people were
scared about the British vessels coming
and landing their men to burn the houses,
and some OF EN- really took to the woods
and hid. There were two British yes
sells cruising off the coast, the Tenedos
and Boxer. Well do remember seeing
their boats filed with men pulling past
Pemaquid Point, and soma one, | don't
know who it was, fired three guns at
EN-. I was running about the hill here
playing. heard the report and saw
the flash, and the smoke drifting away
before the wind. The boats fired CAMS.
ter into the bushes, and an awful rafting
it made.
"One Saturday evening, Just nfter had
driven the COWS home, saw the Boxer
coming into Johns Bay and anchor just
back o the island, between it and Pema-
quid Point; and the folks were pretty
well scared about it, and some OF en-
was nigh going to the woods. But
father, who had seen the last of the
Revolution, and was Freewill Baptist
besides, was not a mite uneasy about the
Britisher. On Sunday morning she laid
there to an anchor, her black hull shin
ing in the sun. One OF her boats with
an officer had pulled over to Monhegan.
n,,r f,,llya ,,panttlnI nt
Of the vessel that none Of 'cm went to
meeting. was nigh onto ! o'clock,
and boy-lik was hungry and thinking
about my dinner, when all of sudden
they appeared TO be in great hurry
aboard the Boxer getting her under
weigh, and presently she was standing
ont under all sail.
"'Climb upon the smokc-house and
tell ns what you see? said my father.
Courthouse was built on rising ground,
md the smokc-house was about fifteen
feet high aud built of poles. From the
top Of it could see all around. Away
to the w'st'd / saw vessel coming down
under all sail, with the stars and stripes
flying. ] commenced to feel pretty safe
then. II was not long before they
nearcd each other. and almost at the
same time sheet OF flame and smoke
burst from their sides, and I could zee
the water torn up in spray by the shot
The American vessel WAS n good deal
the best sailer, and she out-mannuvrcd
the Boxer. The firing was so rapid
that they were soon hid in smoke.
Once in while, through rift in thu
cloud, ! could catch glimpse Of theh
tattered sails and rigging. They driftcG
out toward Monhcgan, looking like n
cloud Of thick vapor, from which burst
inccssant spouts Of flame. I guess the
folks all forgot dinner and everything
else when the deep boom OF the guns
woke the echoes among the rocks and
the windows ratified in their frames.
Watching the fight it seemed to be nh
age, although it only lasted forty five
minutes. / tell You, sir, / have never
forgotten that sight, though sixty years
have passed." and the old mans with.
cred cheek flushed and his eyes kindled
M he spoke.
"By and by the firing Stacked and the
smoke rolled away TO lecward; one of EN-
had lost his mainmast head, and sails of
both hung in ribbons from the yards.
almost strained my eyes out o my head
to get glimpse Of the colors, but they
were too far of to make them ont. BY
seeing EN- drift away to the estd the
folks thought the Enterprise was beat.
The suspense among us was awful even
the women folk catching their breath
with n sob, and many prayed aloud.
Pres entity saw them set their courses,
tack, and stand to the wcst',.; then We
felt the Britshcr was whipped. I tell
you was tired boy when came down
off that smoke house, Just rs if I had
worked hard all day chopping kindling
wood remember Henry Tibbets and
his brother David pulled out in dory
from Christmas Cove to see how the
fight had gone, but they could get nc
satisfaction in answer to their hail. II
was said that when the Boxer was
boarded her decks were slippery with
blood, and numbered up with splintcrs
coils Of rigging, and bodies of the dying
and dead, many of whom had been tossed
overheard, just before her colors wer,
hauled down, to conceal their losses.
81 heard that her boats crew watches
the fight from Monhegan, and when he
maintop-mast was shot away one of then
exclaimed, There it go.s and four o
our best men with it, Mind, that's
only what folks told around, but what
saw | know, and I've tried to tell you
about the fight Just as ! saw it.