Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-08-09

fearful ret,ibution. with no hope OF reward
except death for tho defense OF tho AmerI-
can flag. while leap TO tho shore held out
TO them the induccment OF safety. 1t is re-
mnrkable that they stood SO firm. and their
wonderful discipline may be imagined.
At length. ut midnight. tho enemy seemed
were observed In motion. Instead OF mp
proaching by divisions. us Captain Reid OK
pected. they came on In solid column In a
direct line. When about Twenty-Five yards
OIL. Captain Reid ordered his mon to stand
by inter the fro. to run in tho guns and
lush in tho ports. In order to prevent tho
enemy from getting through tho PORTFOLIOS
on boarding. as they would not have timo
to reload tho guns before tho enemy would
10 alongside. Tho men wore then eau
tioned to wait for tho word. and to DO sure
Of their object. Tho Long Tom.- henvy
H. FOUNDER. plnced ona pivot amidships.
was sighted with fearful accuracy. On
came tho British boats with undauntod In
trepidlty. whom they were again hailcd by
The fatal command was then given. and n
tremendous fire was opened on the enemy,
tho thunder and crash OF which broke tho
o,arned stiffness OF tho before quiet mid
from tho missiles OF dcath. thoy warmly
returned the lire. remannod thoir oars,
and. giving three checrs. camo on
vateer. nskod II they shoull return tho
cheer2 NO" replied Captain Rod: mo
cheering until we havo gained victory"
In Il moment they succeeded in gaining thu
DOW and stacboard quarter of tho Arm
strong The cry OF tho officers command
ing the boats was. up and aboard. my
Hus-give tho enomy no quarterl" At tho
same Instant they opened terrific fro with
cunnonades. swivcls. blunderbuses and
muskotry. They were calamity mot by tho
crew OF tho privatoor in their black lcnther
boarding caps strapped with steel. looking
iiko demons. with boarding. pixies. muskcts,
bnttlc-aNos. pistols and cutlasscs. The yes
sci soon became ono broad sheet of flro,
tho red glaro OF which strangely contrasted
with the brilliant light of tho moon. now
yeils, orders and oaths. amid tho clang of
sabres, were heard on both sides through
tho din and roar Of the musketry. Agnin
and again tho enemy. led by their officers.
attempted to gain Tho decks of tho priya'
teer, but were repulsed at all times with i'm
mense loss. Tho battle now ragged with the
greatest fury. Tho Americans fought with
tho desperation OF fiends. Making n last
desperate effort to board, tho enemy gained
the spritsail-yard and bowsprit Of tho
privateer. and were pressing their
way to her decks. when tho Amori-
with tho skill and might Of knight of old,
drove back Englnnd's best and brnvest
m-n with horrid slaughter. Tho second
Lieutenant OF the Armstrong, Mr.. Alex q.
Williams, WINS killed at this moment whilo
calamity lending on his forward division;
ana tho third lieutenant Mr. Robc., John
son. niso foil dangerously wounded. At tho
tho n'ter division. was engaged beating n
two large launches. tho mon and officers OF
which had succeeded in climbing up tho
sided Of the privatoer., Ono OF tho latter.
engaged Capt. Reid in hand to-
hand fight with cutlnsses, and onco
or or twico came near empowering him.
his right in firing pistols. which tho
powder boys handed him. while no contin
ucd TO light with tho British Licutcna,t
with his lett hand. disdaining to shoot down
his adversary. At last. tho british iieutcn-
ant. making 1cint. brought down dcspcr-
ate blow. which Capt Reid had Just time to
Drenk tho iorco of, cutting the Captain
slightly across tho hond and ncarly sever
ing his thumb and forcfnger. Before tho
Englishman could recover. Can't. Rcid
struck him down. and he fell bnck corpse
into the bont.
II was at this critical iuncture that Cap
tain Reid was informed of tho death Of his
second lieutenant and that his third
lieutenant was badly wounded. Hnv-
Ing succeeded in beating tho bonts of
inc quarter. and thus left tho only oilleor
on the deck, he perceived that the fire had
siackened on the lorccastle. AT onco rally
Ing tho whole OF the after division thoy
rushed forward with II shout and opened
lire. Willie no ordered the forward division
to hoave cold shot into tho boats and sink
them, rs those men were out of cartridges
Tho enemy. appalled, with Consideration
and dismay; fell bnck to their boats and
Long Tom 10 bear upon them. fred the
gun himself (Which flow off tho cnrriucol.
doing fearful destruction. and ending in tho
totai defeat of tho British. Then it WAS
TINT Captain Reid cried out. Now is the
time. my boys. 10 cheer" and three wild.
onthuSiastio chaers re- echoed over tho bay
from shore TO shore. Tho Americans
among tho crowd OH tho beach hailed the
privatocr. and asked II Captain Reid was
sac. and. being answered in tho ALTERNATIVES
gave three tremendous chccrs in return
The scene which now presented itself was
ono of Understandable horror. Tho silvercd
waters of tho bay were crimsoncd with
blood. Dark forms OF numerous dead bodies
iloated around on every side. while the
groans and death shrieks OF tho wounded
struggling around tho bouts pierced tho
very mir. Many OF the boats had boon sunk
Two largo launches belonging to tho frignte
Roth 10y alongside tho privateer. with two
othor boats. literally loaded with their own
dead. In boat belonging to the Plan
tngonet all were killed savo four In nm
Other boat which hnd contained fifty souls,
but ono solitary officer escaped. and he wns
wounded. -Four bouts floated nshore full
OF dead bodies. Some of the bonts were
lett with but single man. while others hud
but three or four to row them. Tho ter
mination was noarlY n total massacre. This
action lasted about forty minutes Tho
boat. was about $50 men. The English
themselves acknowledged n loss in this Mt
tack OF 100 killed and 100 wounded but 1t
must nave been lar greater. The loss OF
tho Americans In this action was but two
killed AMI six woundedl
Tho dock OF tho Armstrong. which was In
such confusion and slippcry with human
gore. was now cleared up. tho Long Tom
remountod. and preparations made for a
fresh action. should tho enemy again at
tack her. About this timo Capt. Reid re-
coived tine following note from tho Ameri-
can Consul:
CAPT. REID-DEAE SIR: You have per-
formed n most brilliant action in boating
on fourteen boats OF the British ships in
this road. They say they will carry tho
brig. cost what it will. and that tho English
brig will haul close in TO attack you mt tho
Same time the boats do. My dear fellow.
do not uselessly expose yourself if attacked
by, an overwhelming force. but scuttle tho
brig noar the beach and come on shore
with your bravo crow. Yours truly.
u. j. DADNEY.
Two o'clock. Tuesday morning. Sept 81.
1911"
Capt. Roid then went on shore. and, after
receiving tho congratulations OF tho Consul,
was informed that tho Governor had again
written to Admiral Lloyd. demonstrating
ngninst any further attack. but Lloyd sent
for answer TINT no was determined on the