Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-14

The action began about O'Clock and it
was long after midnight when it ended
and the Frerchmaa drew ont of the com
bat. Meanwhile, for more than five hours,
the vessels ran free side by side, often
within pistol shot. The guns Of the Con-
soellation were well handled, and the en-
envy, which proved to be the Vengeance,
received nearly two hundred shots in her
hull. She was too heavy and substantially
built to be wrecked by the terrible cutting,
and succeeded In getting away.
When TruxtQn saw that the Frenchman
was hauling of he ordered everything
made ready to resume chase. Just then it
was discovered that the mainmast of the
Constellation was in danger OF falling, all
the rigging supports having been cut away
in the engagement. The men were ordered
from the guns 20 repair the rigging and
secure the mast. for without that the YES
sci would be useless in the chase. 1t was
too late, however, and in few moments
mast and all fell with crash. Several
men were in the rigging, and shortly be-
fore it went down an old sailor called to
the midshipman-Jsmes Jarvis-a mere
boy and tie youngest officer on board
that the mast would surely go. The young
hero answered with the spirit of the hour
Il cannot leave my station" said he. IF
the mast goes we must go with it"
AL hands went over the side with the
spars, and little Jarvis was lost. The Con
stellation was now out Of the race, and the
Vengeance WAS out of the fight because
she hsd spars to enable her to run off
The French vessel had suffered severely
in her crew, losing SO killed and 1l0 wound
ed The Constellation had "A killed and
p wounded, II of these mortally, so that
the deaths proved % in ALL The French
commander made the best fight he could.
He Was able to place twenty-six guns in
broadside and when his crew was disabled
lie mustered the passengers on board to
quarters.
The Constellation won a glorious vic
tory, for the Vengeance was the superior
vessel in SO far as men and material count
The Vengeance was reported to have
struck her colors several times during the
action, but owing TO the darkness this was
not observed on board the Constellation,
and the fight went on. Truytun would
have captured her but for the loss of the
mast of the Constellation, and of course
the Frenchman got the credit OF robbing
her CT that important factor in the con
test.
The battles of Truxtun with the Insur-
genie and the Vengeance made him famous
on both sides of the water. For the first
victory the London merchants sent him a
present OF plate valued at COO guineas. For
the action with the Vengeance congress
ordered gold medal to be struck. 4 reso-
luton Of congress also approved the gal
lartry Of young Jarvis, "wno preferred
certain death TO an abandonment OF his
post"
Commodore Tru1tun was forty-fve years
old at the time Of his engagement with the
Vengeance.
A few months after the affair with the
Vengeance a treaty was made with France
and hostilities ended.
The troubles with France ended in prom
Use by Napoleon OF indemnity for losses
sustained by merchant vessels on account
OF the privateers. In Jackson's time the
indemnity had not been paid, and "Old
Hickory" favored issuing letters OF maraue
in retaliation. Eventually the sum was
paid, but batch of claims has been hand
ed down through several generations, and
was finally disposed OF favorebly to the
claimants at the close of the last congress.
GEORGE l. KrINER.