The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-05-17

HE BATTLE Or FAvAl..
er a.ssA sAs sGsrSss DssssAsss .,
Ae.t"tesa- sftl Z" s9s
| Written for the Times -Uafon.l
Th, remarkable event narrated in III,
Ve'os Herold Of the 2sth Of April, from
ne \ ew York Times, connec.ed with Oh.
ese .tation to Congress Of the sword o.
jspt IN Samuel Chester Reid, the hero O.
he e counter At Fayat on September II
1914, is associated with historic iscadent.
md .en Of Florida pertaining 70 th,
anne var with Englsnd in which the ves
sci Captain Reid was engaged. O
these men General Andrew Jackson
was the most conspicuous figure
| The ,rning point Of the attempt of the
Engli TO recover Louisiana wss the
battle of New Orleans on the eth OF
January, 1915. The engagement at Fayal
In September, 1914, was the first disaster
TO the purpose Of immediate conquest.
When it ia known there wss great feet
assembled At Jamaica to effect this con
quest, aud the vessels defeated at Fayal
were ship of the line, frigate and .
sloop Of war, with 1875 guns and 1000
men, the extent Of the arrangements viii
10 eoejse<~-eA. = a.s-.....
The delay at Jamaica, owing to the
meeting with the "demons" At Fayal.
extending from early in September, 1914,
to December of the same year, was the
result Of this "demoniac" encounter.
The landing in Louisiana was in Decem-
Der, but there was no further delay, for
the battle of the 9Th of January follow.
ing, scattered the broken forces of Pack.
enham to their ships the Thefmopy-
l@" of the land followed the Thermopy.
lac" of the sea, and denied to the grand
armada foothold to invaders, even upon
the Threshold of the realm to which Eng
lish exile had given to the Acadians an
Inheritance of peace and security until
Longfellow lived to sing their history.
Jackson broke up Spanish and English
intrigue in Florida. He was made Gov
ernor when it became American soil.
Several Of his comrades-in-arms became
citizens of the Territory, among them two
Of the most notable of his staff at New
Orleans, General r. X. Call aud General
Robert Butler. Both of these made
homes on the beautiful Lake Jackson.
near Tallahassee, lived forty years in the
State sfser the acquisition, and are buried
at or near their chosen abodes.
Governor Call received his title from
being Governor of the Territory. General
Butler for long time held the Office of
Surveyor-General of the public lands of
the State. From military companionship
ard social sympathies, age made these
veterans loving brothers. Nothing en-
thused them more than to recount the
deeds of their commander. Governor
Call, being man of fine presence, and an
eloquent speaker, with an enthusiasm too
spontaneous and patriotic to be immodest
f'r Successive years conmemorated the
/ tie of New Orleans on the 9Th Of Jan
uary In the capitol at Tallahassee, the
custom being anticipated and the speech
rewar led with appreciative audiences.
1t was his wont to have General Butler
seat of honor behind the desk. When
tine g ow of language warmed the orators
heart, and the incidents of the New Or
leans campaign crowded the lips for ut
terance, he would turn gracefully to the
CUmrauc .-S~,l Ivi.:..1 L:--. a. &c fnr veri-
ficaticn of something which the impetu-
osity of speech might have confused.
Then the old fire would CLEAN in the eye
Of Bu' Ter, and the smile aud nod of assent
would approve that which, he felt touched
the understanding and heart of the audi
ence as we'll as his own.
"There was q prominent man of Pen
sacola, once," said General Call, "named
John Iuerarity. He was q large mer-
chant, connected with the Indian trade
of the interior at the time of the approach
of the English feet. He could see the
approach toward the mouth of the Mis-
sissippi, either through his fine telescope,
or from his Gulf messengers who spread
their sails at his bidding, at the eventful
time. Mr.. Iuerarity's sympathies were
with the Americans. He knew General
Jackson, and of his movements. Jackson
was in the Alabama territory, gathering
and hurrying forward as fast as possible
his almost impoverished forces toward
New Orleans. He scarcely hoped suc-
cessfully to cope with the British, or to
make up in time his promiscuous force.
John Iuerarity, by swift couriers, sent him
word of the delay of the fieet-that there
was time for Jackson to organize and
strike. When the feet was nearing,
Jackson was entrenched at New Or
leans" At this allusion, General Butler
was almost lifted from his seat, as If he
must share with his comrsde the story as
we'll as the struggle it revived.
We are entitled TO connect our men of
the early history of Florida a. Territory
with the defence of Louisiana. If the
sword of Captain Reid can be placed up
on the desk of Congress, there are swords
in Tallahassee worthy of comparative
honor which might have proper place
in our State capitol. When Admiral
Lloyd, in command Of the ships at Fayal,
met with the fatal surprise, and resumed
his rough voyage to Jamaica, he might
have mused upon the legend of Fayal,
that it was once brazil island, an isle of
fire. He was probably never after dis
posed to visit the health resort of the
Furnas of San Miguel. another of the
Azores group, where it is claimed you can
cit with one foot in q hot sulphur spring
and the other in molten iron.
Popularity we do not hear much of .Ad-
miraf Lloyd or Admiral Lord Cochrane
at the battle OF New Orleans. The IA
miliar histories set before M Packenham
jackson. The 6rst became the last.
I'e vas blown of the shore by the brazil
blast of Jackson's batteries. d.
4
=" Miss Kactus," said the young man
the Arizona ball, casually resting his