The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-15

saw the Protector thus disabled. Up to
that incident the enemy had suffered 80.
verely, for the FIRE OF the Americans had
already been SO severe and we'll directed
as TO cause four OF hi. boats to strike.
The reader may now understand the
reference made above to the absence of
many Of the facts connected with this
engagement In some OF the accounts
given OF 1t.
Whaley and most Of his officers were
either killed or wounded. Upon the
death Of the former Colonel Chopper was
left in command. He, too, was seriously
wounded after the fail of the Commo-
dore, and was a. last compel ed to sur
render the shattered Protector and the
remnant Of her heroic crew to the enemy.
Croppe- would himself have been killed
but for the timely interpostion of a ne
gro who had been his slave, and had been
carried off by Kidd at previous date.
While engaged fighting by the side Of the
Commodore he received several severe
wounds, one Of which was a sabre-cut
which had lain his scalp open several
inches. In this condition, ana while de-
Tending himself with "A musket aud bayo-
net, he was set upon by two whites and a
brawny negro. Oae OF his assailants,
while ia the act Of dealing him a blow
with heavy gun-rammer, had his lower
Jaw entirely carried away by shot; but
in the agony Of death, as II by violent
spasmodc effort, he brought down the
whole force Of his strength upon Crop
per's already wounded head This sent
10, 10, of tho la "a n
parently dead At this moment the
negro advanced. cutlass in hand, to
make sure of his destruction. but
in an instant he recognized the biancned
features of his former MASTER and break
ing out into EXPLANATIONS of surprise and
affection, begged of his companions that
his life might be spared. The remains OF
the brave Commodore Whaley were
allowed to be deposited by his comrades
under the lonely beach of one OF the
neighborng islands, where they perhaps
now rest unhonored, except by the ssv ID
ing sea" as its waves break and moan
along the shore. Out OF sixty-fve men
the Protector lost fifty-four, killed and
wounded, eleven only being left unhurt
as prisoners of war This is sufficient to
show how obstinalely they had contested
the victory and how important to them
would have been he aid Of those who
had so inglO iously left them 10 their tate.
CAPTAIN Kidd, not being able 10 care for
the wounded on board his own fleet, en-
tered into an agreement with Colonel
Chopper by which the prisoners were
parolcd and the wounded of both parties
sent ashore TO be taken care OF by persons
selected for that purpose. II is proper to
state here that the galleys engaged IN
this affair were capable OF carrying seg-
enty five men each, and mounted geaer-
ally two ~ FOUNDER guns, besides pieces
Of lighter calibre
This detailed account OF the Battle OF
Barges" might end here, but it is deemed
proper 10 fOrtify the statements made by
putting upon record letter written by
Chopper himself 10 Colonel William
Davies, the then Secretary Of War Of Viz
rinia II is dated "Accomac. 9th Deem
Der. 1882" was forwarded by Major |.
POusOn, and reads as follows
Dear Sir-On the 2Sth ultimo | re.
ceiyed letter from Commodore Whaley
requesting a number Of militia 10 full
man his fleet, in consequence OF his in
tentOn to attack the eDemy's barges then
off Onancock. In compliance with which
request. on the 29th ! went on
board his fleet myself with twenty
five volunteers of the Accomac militia.
On the Both, At the head OF Cageys
Straits Cor Hedges, we fell in with and
engaged the enemy. When We ap
preached them, within about three hun
bred wards. and the fire began to be Seri-
Gus, our barges all ran away, except che
the Protector, in which
was Major Smith Snead, Captain Thomas
Parker, Captain William Suead, myself
and five other volunteers. This das.
tardly conduct of our comrades brought
ON our barge the whole fire of the enemy,
which was very severe and it was as ST.
yerely answered by the Protector, until
the enemy six harges were within ilfty
yards, when, most unfortunately, the
cartridges Of our short Is FOUNDERS
caught ire amid ships, the explosion If
which burned three or four people 20
death, and caused i've or six more, all
atire, % leap overheard, and The alarm of
.he haTgcs blowing mp made several
others swim for their lives The enemy
almost determined TO retreat from our
fire, As they told US afterwards, took new
-piri, al tbs disaster and pushed ur with
rcd0ubled fur, On the other hand, our
people opposed hcm with She most dar
ing solution ! here was one continued
,DOHct %. l.ashci .a.s, boarding -plGcs,
cold shot and iron sjansaiis for
eight or ten minutes, till greatly over
come by number, and having all the OIL
GERS OF the barge killed and wounded, we
struck 30 them after having wounded
their commodore, killed Que captain
and wounded another, hil.et and wound
pd several # their inferior officers, and
killed and wounded fifteen OF the K.d.
nappers crew of the barge which first
boarded Us. Commodore ~ haley was
shot down a LITTLE before the enemy
boarded, acting tie part OF "a cool, in
trepid, gallant officer Captain Joseph
Handy fell nigh The same time, noby
fighting with one arm after tDc loss ci
lLe oiu.r Captain Lew. Handy was
badly Nouu.. d. There Wcat Co. action ia
.ne Protector sixty five men. twenty
live oi them were billed and drowned,