The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-21
AN HISTORIC SEA BATTLE.

The Encounter between the Enter.
prise and Boxer on the Maine Coast.
The Lincoln County CMe.) News pub
fishes this account of the famous fight,
given by an old resident of Pamaouid:
"All along the coast the people we're
scared about the British vessels COM
ing and landing their men to burn the
houses, and some of'em really took to
the woods and hid. There were two
British vessels cruising off the coast, the
Tenedos and Boxer. Well do 1 remem-
Der seeing their boats filed with men
pulling past Pamaquid Point, and some
one, I don't know who twas, fred three
guns at 'em. I was running about the
hill here playing, / heard the report
and saw the flash, and the smoke drift-
ing away before the wind. The boa is
fred canister into the bushes, and an
awful rafting it made. Many a time have
| heard old Sam Mcintyre swear, when
he was in liquor, that he fired nineteen
shots at the boats, although some said
he was so scared on hearing the firing
that he ran of and hid under a bridge.
One Stature day afternoon, just after l had
driven the COWS home, l saw the Boxer
coming into Johns. Bay and another just
back o. the island, between it and Penn
aquid Point; and the folks were pretty
we'll scared about it, and some of 'em
was nigh going to the woods. But faith
er, who had seen the last of the Revolu-
ton and was a Freewitl Baptist besides,
was not q mite uneasy about the British
er. On Sunday morning she laid there
to an anchor, her black hull shining in
the sun. One OF her boats with an officer
had pulled owe to Monhegan. Our folks
were so unsettled on account of the ves-
sel that mono of 'em went to meeting. It
was nigh onto l o'clock, and boy-like, I
was mighty hungry and thinking about
my dinner, when all Of sudden l saw
they appeared to be in g great hurry
aboard the Boxer getting her under
weigh, and presently she was standing
out under all sail.
"'Climb upon the smoke-house and
tell us what you see,' said my father.
Our house was built on rising ground,
and the s~moke-house was about fifteen
feet high and built of poles. From the
top of it / could see all around. Away
to the w'st'd l saw a vessel coming down
under all sail, with the stars and stripes
flying. I commenced to feel pretty safe
then. 1t WAS not long before they neared
each ooiel, atiu AiillOsL ~ Llo SAuue
time a sheet of fame and smoke burst
water torn up in spray by the shot.
The American vessel was a good deal the
best sailer, and she out-manoeuvred the
Boxer. The firing was 80 rapid thatthey
were soon hid in smoke. Once in a
| while, through 8 rift in the cloud, I
could catch a glimpse of their tattered
sails and rigging. They drifted out to-
I ward Monhegan, looking like a cloud Of
| thick vapor, from which burst incessant
spouts Of fame. I guess the folks all
forgot dinner and everything else when
the deep boom of the guns woke the
echoes among the rock, and the win
dows ratified in their frames. Watching
the fight it seemed to be an age, al
though it lasted only forty.fve minutes.
l tell you, sir, I have never forgotten
that sight, though sixty years have
passed" and the old mans .withered
cheek flushed and his eyes kindled as
he spoke.
"By and by the firing slackened and
the smoke rolled away to leeward; one
of 'em had lost its mainmast head, and
sails of both hung in ribbons from the
yards. | almost strained my ey es out o"
my head to get a glimpse Of the colors,
but they were too far off to make them
out. BY seeing 'em drift away to the
es't'd the folks thought the Enterprise
was beat. The suspense among us was
awful, eve the folk catching
their breath with a sob, and many
prayed aloud. Presently l saw them set
their courses, tack, and stand to the
west'd; then we felt the Britisher was
whipped. l tell you l was a tired boy
when l came off that smokehouse lust
as if had worked hard
all day chopping klndling-wood. l re-
member Henry Tlbbets and his brother
pulled out in q dory from Christmas
Cove to see how the fight had gone, but
they could get no satisfaction in answer
to their hail. 1t was said that when the
Boxer was boarded her decks were slip
perry with blood. and numbered up with
splinters, coils of rigging, and bodies of
the dying and dead, many of whom had
been tossed overheard, just before her
colors were hauled down, to conceal
their losses.
81 heard that her boats crew watched
the fight from Mouhegan, and when her
m~aintop-mast was shot away n of them
| exclaimed, There it goes! and four of
our best men with it. mind, that's only
| what folks told around, but what I saw
I know, and I've tried to toll you about
the fight just as / saw it."
Near Harrington, Del, a locomotive
and three cars passed over a child as it
lay sleeping between the rails. The
child WAS blt slightly hurt.