The Sunday herald., 1886-10-03
HEROIC NAVAL STRUGGLE.


HEROIC NAVAL STRUGGLE.
Seventy Anniversary OF the Battle OF fayal-
The Wonderful Naval Fight Between the Brig
General Armstrong and British Fleet.
The most G Extraordinary, brilliant, and bloody
battle fought the seas was that between the
United States private armed brig General Arm
strong, belonging to New York, and large British
squadron In Fayal Bay, one OF the Azores, on the
night Of the Goth and 9th OF September, 1914,
seventy-two years ago.
on the 9th September, 1874, the General Arm.
strong, named after the then Secretary of War, and
one OF the fieetest vessels that ever skinned the
ocean, carrying only seven guns, and OF but 2aO
tons, set sail from the harbor OF New York, under
the command of Capt Samuel C. Reid, (who had
been midshipman under Commodore Truxton,)
with crew OF ninety men, including officers. She
successfully ran through the blockade Of English
frgates of Sandy Hook, and on the Goth day Of
September ran into the Bay OF Fayal for fresh water
About sundown Of that day British squadron, con-
sistlng Of the shlp.of-the-line Pantagenet, of "a
guns, the frlgate Rota Of ~ guns, and the brig
Carnation, of Is guns, making total force Of 1886
guns, with over two thousand men and officers, un-
der the command of Admiral Lloyd, came to anchor
In the bay This British squadron was on It's way TO
Jamaica to reinforce the fleet concentrating there
under Sir Admiral Cochrane, for the capture Of
New Orleans and Louisiana, and Lloyd, who had
been Informed at sea by the plot that the Armstrong
was in the harbor concluded to seize the American
brig TO aid In this expedition.
The unparalleled herolsm OF Capt. Reid and his
officers and men Is conspicuous in the history of the
country 1t deserves place In all school-books.
II evidently enabled Gen. jackson to win the battle
OF New Orleans and save Louisiana from British
conquest, contributing, no one can estimate how
much to the fame and promotion Of that great man.
t.rtNr
September, 1914, which LIT up with Its sllvery sheen
Mount Pico and the whole Bay OF Fayal. At about
O'Clock p. NJ. four armed boats, or launches, con-
tainlng about forty men each, were seen pulling
toward the Armstrong. AS they approached Capt.
Reid hailed them repeatedly and waved them to
keep on to which they paid no attention, but rap
idly pulled alongside and attempted to board, when
Capt Reid opened fire, killing and wounding large
number Of their men. The fre was returned from
the boats almost simultaneously, killing one man and
wounding the first lieutenant Of the Armstrong, who
was brother OF Gen. Worth. The boats then re-
treated, when about midnight the British renewed
the attack with fourteen boats containing over i've
hundred men, which ended In their total defeat, with
great slaughter and the destruction of many Of their
boats.
AT daylight on the morning Of the 9Ith of Septem.
Der the enemy's brig Carnation, of is guns, ap-
preached the Armstrong within gnnshot, and opened
heavy fire with all her force, dscharging several
broadsides. The IRE was most spiritedly returned
by the Armstrong g crew, with cheer after cheer,
when, the enemys brig having received shot In her
hull, her rigging much cut up, and her foretOpmast
wounded she hauled OF. Capt. Reid, perceivlng
that further resistance would be unavailIng, then
ordered the Armstrong to be scuttled to the
enemy from getting her of, and went ashore with
his officers and crew. The enemy soon after
boarded her and set her on fire, which ended her
destruction.
The loss OF the enemy was over three hundred
men and officers, killed and wounded. 1t Ia almost
incredible that after an unparalleled defense In naval
warfare, the Americans lost only two killed and
seven wounded. The historical fact Is well estab-
shed that by the detention of this British squadron
at Faya In rettIng and the succeeding delay of the
neet at Jamaica, Gen. jackson was enabled TO reach
New Orleans lust four days before the arrival of the
British forces, thus proving that the gallant defense
OF the Armstrong was the consequent means Of saw
Ing that city.
That no charge of national prejudice and exagner-
alton OF this bloody conflict may be made, we give
the following vivid account by an English gentle
man. who was an eyewitness OF the scene, In a let
| ter to William Goblet, ESQ, at London:
- The authorities all considered the
American prlvateer perfectly secure, and that His
Majesty g officers were two well acquainted with
the respect due TO natural port to moest her; but,
to the great surprise of every one, about nine In the
evening, four boats were despatched, armed and
manned from His Majesty sshps, for the purpose OF
cutting her out. 1t being about full moon, the night
perfectly clear and calm, we could see every move
toward her, when, 1t appears. the captain Of the
prlvaleeI hailed them, and told them to Keep Of,
snS The u Boarding. beiore any deiense
| was made by the privateer. warm contest ensued
on both sides. The boats were nnaly repulsed with
great loss. After the first attack all the Inhabitants
were gathered about the walls, expecting q renewal
OF the light At midnight fourteen launches were
discovered to be coming In rotation for the purpose
tremeQdDua
electual discharge was made from the privateer,
which threw the boats into confusion. They now
returned spirited fire. but the privaeer kept up so
continual discharge 1t was almost impossible for
the boats TO make any progress. They finally sue
and attempted toboard at every quarter cheered by
by the oincers with shout of mo quarter which
we could distinctly hear a. well a. their snIieks and
| sacre. Three Of the boats were sunk. and but one
poor solitary ocer escaped death In boat that con-
tained nifty souls. lie was wounded. The Americans
fought with great nrnness Some OF the boats were
left without single man TO row them; others with
three and four The most that any one returned
full OF dead bodies. With great reluctance state
that they were manned with picked men. and com
manded by the first, SECOND, third, and fourth lieu.
tenants Oi the PantaRenet Tst, second, third, and
fourth ditto OF the frgate, and the first oicer Of the
brig; together with a great number OF mldshipmen
| Our whole force exceeded four hundred men. But
three officers escaped, two OF whom are wounded.
This hloody and unfortunate contest lasted about
forty mlnutDa Nothing more was attempted until
daylight next morning. when the Carnatlon hauled
| In alongside and engaged her. The privateer still
| veterans reminded me OF Lawrence's dying words,
| OF the Chesapeake. 'Dont give up the ship The
Carnatlon lost one OF her topmasta and her yards
were shot away. She was much cut up In her rig
gings and received several shots In h6r hull This
Obliged her TO haul OF to repair and 10 firing
tLon5 fS1aI and several others dismodntsd % deemed
II folly 70 think OF saving her against 20 superior a
sean hep aeq hep wsn.
from our vessels, which went on board,
took out some provisions. and set her
ployed Ia burylng tho dsad that washed on shore
in the surf. The number Of hrlllsh killed exceeds
noumodore ana osa made e aeaana % lie Tie Governor
10 deliver up the Americans a. his prisoners, which
| the Governor refused. lie threatened 70 send 500
| men on shore and take them by force. The Ameri.
cans Immediately retired. with their arms, TO an old
Gothic GoDyegt, Knocked away the adjoining draw
| ridge, and determined 10 defend themselves to the
ss ssud s sast ssadroa
detained sn days at Fsyal repairing damages and 4
| and Calypso. whinb arrived two days afterwards
were sent back 70 England with their wounded"
At the last session OF Congress senator MGPher
son introduced from the Committee on Library q
bill providing for the erection OF statue and monu
| ment 10 the memory OF John Barry, the nrst Com.
modore OF the United States Navy, In some suitable
place In the City OF Washington. The bill appropr
ss6 900 for thp work and empowers the Library
Committee 10 designate the ss and make contracts
| for the statue.
| II ever man deserved statue to commemorate
| the most unexampled act OF bravery and chyalTy
AZ well W the most distinguished services rendered
TO our county. surely Congress owes II as debt o
national honor To Taiao statue to the hero OF Faya
who not only defended ths old Dag 80 gallanlly, bu
designed the present form our rag w adopted b,
Congress In 1918. We hope the MePhSrson bill
win be amended this coming session to include q
statue TO Commodore Reid.
| A Much Needed Reform.