The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-11-07
A LEAF OF HISTORY.
Dauntless Bravery of an American
Sea Captain.

years ago. We condense the &C
count given by the Press as follows
Commander Ingraham, com
manding the "St. Louis" rounded
into the roadstead of Smyrna at
o'clock in the afternoon of June
%, 1853. At that time all Smyrna
was seething over the seizure of an
alleged American citizen, one Mar.
tin Koszta by the Austrian Consul
who wanted Koszta to fill one more
of the hundreds of cells in which
the followers of Kossuth and MAJ
zini, the patriots of Hungary and
Italy, were slowly rotting. Koszta
claimed that he was an American
citizen. He was not. He had only
declared his intention; he had no
passport; he had only his court
certificate. Born an Austrian sub
ject, he had shared in the rising in
Hungary. and Austria wanted him.
Our Consul in Smyrna boarded the
"St. Louis" and laid the facts be-
fore Captain Ingraham. He man.
ned his gig and went aboard the
Austrian brig-ofwar "Hussar,n y
where Koszta had been taken. After
some lying, which stirred Ingraham
to sharp words, he saw Koszta. The
man told his story; it gave no right
to action until word could be got
from the American Legation at Con-
stantinople. 1.-The was still an Aus
trian subject, the Austrian Consul
had, under the "capitulation," full
legal right, and he proposed to send
Koszta to Trieste on the next Aus
trian steamer. The account then
proceeds in thePress in these words
The "St. Louis" got under way,
worked up into the inner harbor,
and with guns shotted and run out
anchored under the "Hussar's"
stern. "Captain Ingraham's COM
pliments, and Koszta must not
leave the 'Hussar' until word comes
from Constantinople." The month
wore on. The Austrians gathered
their forces. The "Hussar" was a
vessel of about 400 tons, and had
eighteen guns. The "Artemisia,"
an Austrian sloop, sailed in and
outside of the "St. Louis"
with twelve guns. Three Austrian
Lloyd steamers, under naval Off
GERS, each with a gun apiece, were
in the harbor, and they moved up
to berths raking the "St. Louis"
fore and aft. In all the little Aus
trian fleet had five vessels, thirty
three guns and $50 men. The "St.
LOUIS the flag which was then
known in all seas streaming at her
peak in the morning breeze, had
twenty guns apd 22O men. Her guns
were heavier-thirty-two Founders,
against the Austrian twenty-fours-t
but at short range, yardarm to yard
arm, with vessels at anchor, range |
vas small matter.
With July 1st the answer came
back from Mr.. Brown, our Charge
PAfaires at Constantinople. He
vas good man and did fifty years.
aithful service. He was kin to a
,reat naval family, the Porters, but
le was not equal to that emergency.
Captain Ingraham was. Mr.. Brown
pointed out that there were no pre-
edents for action. Captain Ingra-
lam made one. At s o'clock, the
morning of July 1st, he sent on
'oard the "Hussar" a peremptory
emand for the surrender of Koszta
y 4 o'clock or he would take him.
The Austrian fleet made ready.
he solitary American vessel pre-
jared for action. There was no
reeze. The broad, round harbor
TODD smooth. Bulkheads came
own. The decks were sanded. The
igging was "snaked down." The
opsail yards were mastheaded.
he sails were stopped with rope
arm, ready to break out without
ending men aloft if the evening
un, as it sunk in the Egean,
rought breeze. The "St. Louis"
ny at anchor, springs on the cables,
ut with every chance of a fight,
rithout moving. The "Artemisia"
OF out her sweeps and slowly moved
ack and forth across the bows of
he "St. Louis" ready to rake her.
he steamers all had steam up, sent
ashore and lay
18th their cables ready to slip. The
warped closer to the "St.
,ouis," and lay broadside to broad
ide.
The day wore on. The steep hill
ehind Smyrna, up which Polycarp
as led to martyrdom, was black
ith spectators. Merchantmen slow
2 warped here and there out of
ange, or were towed out in the off
,g. On shore diplomacy was at
ork. A compromise was reached
nder which Koszta was surren- {
cred to the French Consul. Eight
ellis were just ringing and the
runs on the "6t. Louis" were beat
,g to quarters as Koszta went down
1e side of the "Hussar" free man. /,
The work was done. For years
O American walked a Mediterra-