Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-07-27

can ilas. while q leap to the shore held out
TO them the inducement of safety. it is re-
markable that they stood so firm. and their
wonderful discipline may be imagined.
At length at midnight. the enemy seemed
resolved upon tia attack and thu bhats
were observed in motion. Instead OF ap-
preaching by divisions. rs Captain Reid eX-
pected. they came on In solid column in a
direct line. When about twenty-five yards
on. Captain Reid ordered his men TO stand
by after the fire, to run in the guns and
lash IN the ports, in order to prevent the
enemy from getting through the PORTFOLIOS
on boatdin', rs they would not have TING
TO reload the guns be'Hre the eheniy would
be alongside, he tien were then eau
toned to wait for the word. and TO be- sure
OF their object. The Long Tom" heavy
lo-p@ under, placed on PIVOT amidshps.
was sighted with fearful Accuracy. On
came the British boats with uhdatint6d in
trep dily. when they we're again hailed by
Captain Reid. hut no answer was returned.
IN" fdtal comm md was then given, and u
tremendous fire was opened on the enemy.
the thun !cr and crash 81 which broke tho
med Stiffness ~ the before qjiiet mid.
night Scene. Keeling back and recoiling
from the mi. siles OF death. they warmly
returned the ii'e. renamed their oars
most spiritelly The crew OF the pri-
vateer asked il they shoull return the
cheert NO" replied Captain Re id: mo
cheering until We have gained IL victory"
bow hrd sthrbo nd quarter of tho Arm
Strong. The cry OF the officers command
ins the boats was, Up and aboard. my
lIds-Sive the enemy no quarter!" At the
same instant they p2ened a to rliit fire with
eannOnadcs, swivels, blunderbuSes and
musket y Til were calamity met by the
crew OF tho privdteer in their lack leather
boarding caps strapped with steel, looking
like demons. with boarding pixies. muskcts.
battle-aHes. pistol, and cutlasscs. The YES
cal Ia. al,.. . Ga.
the red glare OF which strang " contrasted
with the brilliant light of the moon, now
riding high in mid heaven. Shricks and
yells. orders and oaths. amid tho clang of
sabres, were heard on both sides through
tho din and roar OF the musketry. Again
and again the enemy. led bv their officers
attempted to gain the decks of the privi-
teer. but were repulsed at all times with i'm
mcnse loss. The battle now ragged with the
greatest fury. The Americans fought with
the desperation of ilends. Making last
desperat effort to board. the enemy gained
the spritsail"ya and bowsprit OF tho
priva,eer' and We're pressing thor
way to her decks. when the Amori-
can sailors, welding their battl.-axes
with the skin ard m Ght OF knight OF old.
drove ! ack Engl nd's bet and bravest
III n with horrid slaughter. The second
Lieutenant OF tho Armstron-. Mr.. Alex. -.
Wi liams. was killed at this moment while
CALAMITY leading on his forward division:
and the third Lieutenant. NJ. Robert john
son. also fell dangerously wounded. At the
same instant Capt. Reid. who commanded
the alter division. was engaged beading D II
two sc launches. the men and officers of
which had succeeded in climbing up the
81 led o. the privateer One Of the latter.
tn, first lieutenant OF the Planta.enet. had
engaged Capt. Reid in hani-tp-
hand fight with cutass"s. and once
Capt. Reid Icing left handed used
his night in firing pistols. which the
powder boys handed him. while he cOntin-
ued to fight W tn the British LieuteEa,t
with his lett hand. disdn'ning to shoot down
his adversary. At last, the British lieuten-
ant making ieint. brought down desper-
ate blow. which Capt. Reid had just time to
break the force Of cutting the Captain
slightly across the head. and nearly sever
ing his thumb and foretinger. Before tho
struck him down. and he fell back u corpse
into the boat.
1t was at this critical juncture that Cap
tam Reid was informed Of the death OF his
second lieutenant and that his third
lieutenant was badly wounded. Huv-
ing succeeded in beating the boats OIL
the quarter. and thus left the only officer
on the deck. he perceived that the fire had
slackencd on the 'orecastle. At once rally
ing tho whole OF the after division, they
rushed forward with Il shout and opened
fire. while he ordered the forward division
to heavc cold shot into the boats and sink
them. as those men We're out OF cartridges.
The enemy, appalled, with CONSERVATION
and dismay, fell back to their boats and
retreated. when Captain Reid. bringing the
Long Tom to bear upon them. fred the
gun himself (Which flew off the carriage),
doing fearful destruction. and ending in tho
total defeat of tho British. Then it was
that Captain Reid cried out. Now is the
time, my boys, to cheer" and three Wild
enthu 'iastic cheers re-echoed over tho bay
from shore to shore. The Americans
among the crowd on tho beach hailed the
privatccr. and asked if Captain Reid was
safe, and, being ans wered in the affirmative
gave three tremendous cheers in return.
The scene which now rrsented itself was
one Of indeScribable no ror. The slvered
waters Of the bay were crimsoned with
blood. Dark forms OF numerous dead bodies
ioatcd around on every side. while the
Groans and death shrieks of tho wounded
struggling around the boats pierced the
very air. Many of the boats had been sunk.
Two large launches belonging to the frigate
Rota lay alongside the privatecr. with two
other boats. literally loaded with their own
dead. In Il boat belonging to the Plan
genet all were killed save four. In an
other boat which had contained fl ty souls.
but ono solitary officer escaped. and he was
wounded. Four boats floHted ashore full
of dead bodies. Some of the boats were
left with but single man. while others had
but three or tour to row them. The ter
mination was nearly a total massacre. This
action lasted about forty minutes. The
English force, estimating forty mon to
boat. was about $50 men. The English
themselves acknowledged a loss in this at
tack of l2J killed and 1870 wounded. but it
must have been tar create. he loss OF
the Americans in this action was but two
killed an six wounded!
The deck of the Armstrong. which was in
such confusion and slippery with human
gore. WAS now cl. AIRED up. the Long Tom
lemounted. and Preparations made for n
fresh action. should the enemy again at
tack her. A out this time Capt. Reid re-
ceived the following n ote from the Amer-
can Consul:
CAPT. REID-DEAE SIR: You have per-
formed a most brilliant action in beating
off fourteen boats Of the British ships in
this road. They fay they will carry the
brig, cost what it will. and that the English
brig will haul close in to attack you at the
same time the boats do. My dear fellow.
do not uselessly expose yourself if attacked
by an overwhelming force. but scuttle the
brig near the beach and come on shore
with your brave crow. Yours truly,
y. i. DABNEY.
Two O'Clock, Tuesday morning. Sept. 81
1914"
Capt. Reid then went on shore. and. after
receiving tho congratulations OF the Consul.
was informed that tho Governor had again
written to Admiral Lloyd. demonstrating
against any further attack. but Lloyd sem
Tor answer that he wai determined on the
capture OF the privatcer. and that il the
Governor suffered tho Americans to in lure
her in any manner ho ould consider the
place an cncmv'S port and treat it accord
ingy. Returning ON board, Capt. Reid gave
up all hope OF saw g is vessel. but deter
mined to ds'cud h~r TO the last. H accord