Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-09-12
An Historic Sea Blttle.

An old man gives the following ac
count of the memorable fight between
the American brig Enterprise and tn
English brig Boxer during the war o
1872. All along the coast of Ney
England the people were scared about
the British vessels coming and landing
their men to burn the houses, an(
some of 'em really took to the wood.
and hid. There were two British yes
sells cruising off the coast, the Tenedo:
and Boxer. Well do L remember see
ing their boats filled with men pulling
past Pemaquid Point, and some one,
don't know who it was, fired three
guns at 'em. | was running about the
hill here playing. l heard the report
and saw the flash, and the smoke drift.
ing away before the wind. The boats
fired 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 50 scared ON hearing
the firing that he ran off and hid under
bridge. One Saturday afternoon,
just after L had driven the cows home,
L saw the Boxer coming into Johns
Bay and anchor just back o. the ISL
and, between 1t and Pemaquid Point,
and the folks were pretty well scared
about it, and some of 'em 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 shining in the
sun. One of Ter boats, with an officer,
had pulled over to Monhegan. Our
folks were so unsettled on account of
the vessel that none of 'em went to
meeting. 1t was nigh onto l O'Clock,
and, boy like, / was mighty hungry
and thinking about my dinner, when
all of a sudden | saw they appeared to
be in great hurry aboard the Boxer
getting her under weight, ard 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 smOke-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. L commenced to feel
pretty safe then. 1t was not long be-
fore they neared each other, and al
most at the same time a sheet of flame
and smoke burst from their sides, and
L could see the water torn up in spray
by the shot. The American vessel was
a good deal the best sailer, and she
the Boxer The firing
was SO rapid that they were soon hid in
smoke. Once in while, through a
rift in the cloud, L could catch
glimpse of their tattered sails and rig
ging. They drifted out toward Mon.
hegan, looking like a cloud of thick
vapOr, from which burst incessant
sprouts of flame. L guess the folks all
forgot dinner and everything else when
the deep boom of the guns woke the
echoes among the rocks, and the WIN
dowS ratified i'll their frames. Watch
ing the fight it seemed to be an age,
it only lasted forty-five min
utes. l tell you, sir, have never for
gotten the sight, though sixty years
have passed." and the old mans with
cred 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 his mainmast head, |
and sails of both hung in ribbons from
the yards. l almost strained my eyes
out o. my head to get glimpse of the |
colors, but they were too far off to |
make them out. BY seeing 'em drift |
away to the e'st'd the folks thought |
pense among us was awful, even The |
folks catching their breath with !
a sob, and many prayed aloud. Pre-
sently l saw them set their courses, |
tack, and stand to the weSt'd; then We
knew the BritiSher was whipped. | !
tell you | was tired boy when | came |
down off that smOke-house, just as If |
| had worked hard all day chopping
lindling-wood. L remember Henry
Tibbets and his brother David pulled
)ut i'll doTy from Christmas Cove to |
see how the fight had gone, but they
could get no satisfaction in answer to |
heir hail. 1t was said that when the |
Boxer was boarded her decks were
slippery with blood, and numbered up
with splinters, coils of rigging and bod
es of the dying and dead, many of
whom had been tossed overheard, just
before her colors were hauled down to
conceal their losses.
Il heard that her boats crew watched
he fight from Monhegan, and when
Ter maintopmast was shot away one of
hem exclaimed: There it goesl and
our of our best men with it.. Mind,
hats only what folks told around,
,ut what 1 saw | know, and I've tried
o tell you about the fight just as l saw
t.''