The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-10-11
AN HISTORIC SEA BATTLE,
The Encounter Between tho Ent crnrIss
nnd Boxer on tho Main Coust.

The Lincoln county (NIe.) Ncus
publishes this account of the famous
fight. given by an old resident of Pema-
quid:
"All along the coast the people were
scared about the British vessels coming
and landing their men to burn the houses,
!! ana some OF EN- really took to the woods
and hid. There were two British yes-
sells cruising off the coast, the Tcnedos
| and Boxer. Well dol remember seeing
their boats filled with men pulling past
Pemaqnid Point, and soma one, I don't
know who it was, fired three guns at
EN-. L was running about the hill here
playing. beard tho report and saw
the flash, and the smoke drifting away
before the wind. The boats fred canis-
ter into the bushes, and an awful rattling
| it made.
Gone Saturday evening, Just after Ihad
driven the COWS home, / saw the Boxer
coming into Johns Bay and anchor Just
back o the island, between it and Pema-
qu!d Point; and the folks were pretty
we'll scared about it, and some Of 'em
was nigh going to the woods. But
| father, who had seen tho last of the
revolution, and was Freewill Baptist
besides, was not mite uneasy about the
Brltlsher. 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.
Our folks were 30 unsettled on account
| OF the vessel that none of 'em went to
meeting. was nigh onto 1 o'clock,
and boy-like was hungry and thinking
about my dinner, when all of q sudden
| they appeared to be in q 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 p said my father.
"Our house was built on rising ground,
and the sIuoke-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 saw vessel coming down
under all sail, with the stars and stripes
flying. commenced to feel pretty safe
then. 1t was not long before thew
neared each other, and almost Mt the
same time sheet of flame and smoke
burst from their sides, nnd could see
tile water torn up in spray by the shot.
The American vessel was a good deol
the best sailer, and she out-mannnyred
the Boxer. The firing was so rapid
that they were soon hid in smoke.
Once in while, through q rift in tho
cloud, | could catch glimpse of thci,
tnttered sails and rigging. They Glriftets
ont toward Monhc%an, looking like
cloud OF thick vapor, from which burst
lncessant sponts 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 an
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 check flushed and his eyes kindled
as he spoke.
"By ana by the firing Stacked and the
smoke rolled away to lceward one of 'cm
had lost his mninmaSt head, and sails of
both hung iii ribbons from the wards. !
almost strained my eyes out O. my head
to get glimpse of the colors, but they
were toe far off to make them out. By
seeing EN- drift away to the e'st'd the
folks thought the Enterprise was beat
The suspense among us was awful, even
the women folk catching their breath
with a sob, and many prayed aloud
Irea entity saw them set their courses,
tack, and stand to the vest. then we
felt the Britisher was whipped. 1 tell
you was a tired boy when came down
off that smoke house, just as if 1 had
worked hard all day chopping kindling-
wood remember Henry Tibbets and
his brother David pulled out in dory
from Christmas Cove to sec how the
fight had gone, but they could get no
satisfaction in answer to their hail. 1t
was said that when tho Boxer was
boarded her decks were slippery 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 we're
hauled down, to conceal their losses.
81 heard that her boats crew watched
the fight from Monhegan, and when her
maintop-mast was shot away one of them
exclaimed, 'Therc it goGs and four of
our best men with it, Mind, that's
only what folks told around, but what I
saw know, and I've tried to tell you
about the fight just as I saw it."