Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-07-20
TILE BATTLE OF FAYAL.
The Most Wonderful Starlight IL,
History.

The fight of Sir Richard Granville. in tn
Revenge. against Spanish feet, at -Flore!
in the Azores" has been celebrated by tn
English laureate in one Of the most stirrin
ballads of the language; but grander bat
tie even than that OF the Revenge was tough
In the same waters sevehty-fve years age
and has never been commemorated in SON
or story. 1t was q more important engage
ment than that OF Sir Richard, because
directly influenced the result Of one Of tn
decisive battles of history. and insured vic
tory to America in what has been called tn
second war of Independence. the war o
1872. The Revenge gaIlantly fought ant
lost, but the American privateer. Arm
strong. more CALAMITY fought and won.
It was about a month after the burning O
Washington. in August. 1914. that the British
feet, destined for New Orleans, had sailed
from the Chesapeake for the island of ia
maica. to wait reinforcements from England
when the United States private armed brig
General Armstrong. commanded by Captain
Samuel G. Reid. sailed from New York on
cruise. and put into the harbor of Fayal. one
Of the Azore Islands, September g. Cap
tain Reid, then hardly thirty years of age
had served as midshipman under Commo.
dOre Truxton and was a man of indOmitable
courage and splendid seamanly qualities.
Inc Armstrong was small brigantine, OF
only 246 tons. carrying but seven guns and
crew of ninety men all told. including Of
ficers.
Captain Reid had dined that day with the
American Consul. Mr.. John B. Dabney,
who. with number OF other gentlemen,
returned with him on board his vessel To-
ward shutdown the British brig Of war,
Carnation. Of eighteen guns. hove in sight.
stood up the harbor. and anchored within
a half cables length of the Armstrong.
Soon after the frigate Rota. of forty-four
guns. and the ship of-the-line Plantagenet.
oil seventy-four guns. came to anchor in
lhe roads. Admiral Lloyd, who commanded
the feet. had previously been informed BY
the pilot that the Armstrong was in the har-
Dor. and he ut oncs determined upon her
capture. The brig Carnation Immediately
began Signalling with the fleet. threw out
four large launches or boats. and COM
menced passing arms into them. All these
movements could be seen. and the orders
given were distinctly heard on board the
Armstrong. At the same time the British
brig made every preparation to intercept
the privateer should she attempt to escape.
Although Captain Reid had been assured of
the perfect safety of his vessel by the Amer
lean Consul. being in neutral port, he now
felt certain, from the maneuvers of the
heet and the preparations going on. that
there would be trouble. and he accordinply
told the gentlemen that they had better 90
on shore. After their departure a council
was held among the officers of the Arm
should make an effort to get out to sea; but
the wind being very light it was determined
TO haul close in under the guns of the castle
for protection.
Capt, Reid Immediately gave secret or
ders to clear the deck for action, and eau
toned the crew to make as little noise as
possible. He then cut his cable. got out
sweeps and commenced pulling in shore to
the castle. The Carnation Immediately
dropped her top-sails and made sail. to pre-
vent the privateer from going out of the har-
Dor should she attempt it. while the boats.
In chase Of the Armstrong. It was now
about eight O'Clock in the evening. The
moon. which was near its full. was gradu-
ally rising. and silver-sprinkling with its
beams the beautiful bay. while not ripple
broke the stiffness OF the glittering surface.
save the splash Of the oars OF the four large
launches. well-armed. carrying about for
ly men each. which were pulling swiftly
toward the privateer. Capt. Reid immedi-
ately ceased pulling towards the shore. let
20 an anchor. and got springs on his cable
10 as to bring the vessel broadside to the
fnemv.
At this time one Of the large launches,
which was considerably in the advance,
pulled up under the stern of the Armstrong.
when Capt. Reid. with speaking trumpet in
hand. being IN his shirt-sleeves. and all
hands at quarters, hailed the boat three
times. No answer was returned except by
one o. the sailors. who asked in a gruff
voice what was the matter. The officer re-
piled: Make no answer, sir; pull away. my
lads. and the next moment the word was
given to toss oars. and with their boat
hooks they hauled alongside under the port
quarter Of the privateer. The officer in the
boat then cried out: Fire and board. my
ladslr And. as the men rose from their
seats. Capt Reid instantly gave the word to
his marines to fire. which was almost stimuli
taneous on the part Of both. One man on
board the privateer was instantly killed.
and the first lieutenant. Fred A. Worth. a
brother OF the late Gen. Worth. Of the
United States army. was wounded. The
men in the boat were severely cut up, and
they cried out for quarter. while the other
three boats. pulling up at full speed on the
starboard side. immediately opened their
fire. They were received with full broad
side Of grape and canister. which was fol-
lowed by the shrieks and groans Of the
wounde and dying. A fierce struggle now
snsued. in which the enemy made a des-
perate attempt to board; but. staggered
and appalled, by the CALLING fire OF the
privateer. they cried out for quarter. aad
the boats pulled OF in q sinking condition
with great loss. Capt. Reid refusing to take
them prisoners.
The Gen. Armstrong then weighed anchor
pistol shot from the castle. where she was
moored head and stern near the beach. with
her port side next to the shore. The Car
nation. in the meanwhile. sailed down to
the feet. and it was soon evident that they
had determined on a more formidable at
tack. The American Consul at this time
had written q note to the Portuguese Cover
nor. demanding protection for the privateer.
but the Governor simply dispatched note
to Admiral Lloyd. requesting him to abstain
from further hostiiities. To this note Lloyd
replied that as the Americans had first fired
into one of their boats without any provo
cation, he now determined to take the pri-
vateer at all hazards. and. If protection were
Afforded her. he would fire into tbs town.
About D. M. the wind having breezed
up. the enemy's brig was observed standing
In with large feet OF boats in tow. num-
berfng fourteen. and carrying between forty
and fifty men each. When within gun-shot.
the boats cast OF from the brig. and took
their stations in three divisions under cover
of small reef or island of rocks. within
musket-shot Of the privateer. Tho brig
kept under way to act with the boats. in
case the privateer attempted to escape. In
the meantime terror and CONSERVATION had
spread through the town. The Windows OF
the houses nearest the scone were 0lled