The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-07-11
CASABIANGA.

Hemans' soul-stirring but rather roman
tic poem hardly gives the real facts of
the story; nor are his antecedents men
toned. Perhaps the young readers of
Golden Days would like to know more
about him.
Giocante Casabianca was native of
Corsica, on which island he was born in
the year 1887, He was descended from
q very distinguished family, whose
chiefs occupy prominent places in Cor
siean and French history His grand
father, Rahaello, was a senator and peer
OF France, and commander-in-chief of
Corsica in 1898.
Louis, Giocante' s father, was Corsican
| deputy to the French convention in
1896, the friend of Napoleon-who, you
will remember, was also Corsican-
and an able naval commander.
OF young Casabianca's mother we
know little, save that she was a young
and beautiful Corsican lady, and devot-
edly attached to her son. Giocante was
her only child, a handsome, manly little
fellow, with her beauty in his flashing
eyes and dusky hair. She died while
he was yet very young, and when the
/ green sod YVES placed above her grave,
the boy left the pleasant valley and the
beautiful chestnut groves OF, Venzolasco
to go with his father and tread the
| hard deck of war vessel.
The elder Casabianca was Captain at
this time of the Orient, one of the larg-
est vessels in the French navy, mag
nificent ship-of-war, carrying one hun
dred and twenty guns, aud i've hundred
seamen.
Giocante soon became favorite with
all on board and as he was a bright,
active lad. ever willing to do his duty,
and above that, to be trusted in al ae
undertook, he was often called to do
what many older than he would not
have been expected to perform. a
He was made midshipman, and st
the early age of eleven years partiei-
pated with his father in the greas naval
battle of the Nile. stes
1t was the summer of 1898. Napole-
on Bonaparte had been placed st the
head Of the armies Of France, and was
meditating a colonial conquest to coun-
terpoise the great power of England in
the East. Egypt-with its ancient re-
nown, its fertile valley, capable of sus-
tanning one-quarter of the human race,
its harbors and commercial affiliations
presented itself to his view.
The republic acted upon his sugges-
tions. A large force was raised, Bona
parte was placed in command, and q
fleet consisting of thirteen ships of the
line, four frigates, and a vast retnue of
transports all not less than a hun
dred vessels sailed over the. Mediterra-
mean Sea toward the land of the ancient
Pharaohs. The Orient led the van, with
the Admirars flag at the masthead. Il
The voyage was made in safety, and
on the first day of July the fleet arrived
off the harbor Of the Egyptian Alexan-
dria. Bonaparte was in hot haste to
land, for a powerful English feet, under
Horatio Nelson, was in close pursuit.
In twelve hours he landed his entire
force of twenty-one thousand men, and
began his invasion, which ended in the
complete subjugation OF that Eastern
land. Napoleon rushed on from victory
to victory, but his fleet was not So sue
cessful.
Admiral Brueys, scion of that great
Norman family which, in another age,
had produced the Hero-King OF Scots,
commanded the French armament.
| Having a superior force to Nelaon in
ships, guns and men. he had no fear of
an encounter, and was confident of
victory. aa4aIs 0l
He had moored his ships in Aboukir
Bay, and had formed them in so strong
and compact line that he believed be
could bid defiance to force double his
own. But the French are not a great
naval people; their triumphs hayt been
won on land rather than upon tho sea,
Besides this, they were to meet I'm OPP
ponent now, who, for genius anG indie
fatigable energy, never had bad
superior in maritime warfare. Admiral
Nelson stands head and shoulders above
all other sea commanders, ouT own
Paul Jones, Perry and Farragut not ex-
cepted.
At six o'clock on the morning of
August l, 1898, the English fleet came
within range and the battle began.
Nelson's plan of attack was sirprle but
efficient. 1t was to put ship against ship
as far as his line would extend AMI fire
away without intermission.
The battle lasted fifteen houls, snd
was probably the most terrible conflict
the ocean ever witnessed. The play of
cannon was terrific. Huge cloutI5 Of
smoke rolled over the combatantS, MAR
" shrouding the engaged fieetg tfom
view. By seven O'clock at night half
of the French ships were silenc3d. and
the main work of the battle done. At
that hour, in that latitude, the hight
came on, and darkness settled over the
scene, unbroken save by the fire that
flashed necessarily from the guns os the
hostile feet.
All the while the Orient had ooen
foremost in the fight, and her decks
were covered with the dead and dying.
Admiral Brueys saw that all hoke of
victory was lost, but like a gallant
Frenchman he resolved never to surren-
der He had already received three
wounds, but would not leave his post.
A fourth cut him almost in halves, and
he fell upon the deck, where he desired
to be left to die.
Louis Casahianca now took the COM
mand, and. his young son, brave and
gallant as man of mature years. was
given post at once of the batteries.
The issue was now no longer doubt
fui. Anchored fast in their position,
the English fleet poured in the shot and
shell upon the remnant of the French
armament. But the battle was not
yet ended nor the victory won SO long
as the Orient still sailed. Everything
that could be done by brave com
mander was performed by Captain
Casabianca at this gloomy jEncture.
Alas both fate and fortune were
against him. Scarcely was Brueys
dead, when fire broke out on board
the ship, and soon the lofty stern was
all in flames.
Shortly after, the Captain was
wounded by a musket-ball. Not yet
disabled he was struck in the head,
some minutes later, by a splinter,
which laid him upon the deck insensi-
BILE.
The crew, utterly demoraIized, now
all at once began to abandon the vessel. |
The gallant Giocante. unaware of his
fathers death, still held his most at the |