Smyrna times., 1891-09-30

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United States which Delawareans
should recall with peculiar pride.
Among these anniversaries should be
that of the victory of Commodore
Thomas MacdOnough, won from a
superior British force on Lake Cham
plain, September IL, 1914. COmmO-
dOre Macdonough was born in this
state, at or near the present village of
McDOnOugh, near Odessa December
%, 1888. He was the son of an emin-
ent revolutionary soldier of Delaware,
and entered the navy as a midshipman
when he was Is years of age. He
served under Decatur in the expedi-
ton against Tripoli, and was made a
commodore July "a, 1913.
Losing, in his Pictorial Field Book
of the war of 1912, described scene
which occurred on the deck of the
slOop of-war Saratoga, MacdOnough's
flagship, just on the opening of the
fight on Lake Champlain, that ought
to live in art and story, as long as pic
tOrial art and printed story inspire
men to great efforts.
The fight occurred on Sunday. The
British land and naval forces were
were about 10 make combined at
tack on the Americans at Plattsburg
bay. The British Outnumbered the
Americans; they had more vessels,
heavier guns, and more men. The
American forces consisted of four
vessels and ten gunbOats, carrying
eighty six guns and manned by 1872
men. The British force, commanded
by commodore DOwnie, consisted of
five vessels and twelve gunboats, car
rying ninety-fve guns and man.
ned by more than 1000 men. The
American line of battle had been
formed at o'clock in the morning
and extended entirely across the en-
trance to Platttsburg Bay, so that the
British vessels in rounding Cumber-
land Head would be compelled to ap-
prOach the American squadron bow on.
When the British began to move tow
ard the American position, Macdon-
ough cleared his decks, placed springs
on his cables, and calling his officers
and crew around him near one of his
biggest guns, knelt with them on the
deck of the Saratoga and in few rev.
erentlyspoken words of prayer asked
the aid of Almighty God, and conf
IDENTIFY placed issue of the battle in His
hands.
The battle began almost immediately
after the commodore rose from his
knees. The American brig, Eagle
opened by abrOadside from her four
long eighteen Founders, and was fol-
followed by long twenty -four pound
er of the Saratoga, which was sighted
by MacdOnOugh himself. The battle
ragged for two hours and twenty min
utes. The British flagship and the
brig Linnet struck their colors to the
Saratoga. The schooner TicOnderoga
drove the British gunboats out of the
fight, and they, finding that they could
not be pursued, ran away and escaped.
In his report OF the battle Macdon-
Ough said: There was not mast in
either squadron that could stand to
make sail on the lower rigging be-
ing nearly all shot away, hung down
as if it had just been placed over our
mast heads."
The commodore was twice reported
as killed during the action. His ship
was twice set on fire by hot shot, and
was punctured by fifty round shot.
scarcely any of the officers of the
American squadron escaped unhurt.
Fifty-twO Americans were killed, fifty
eight wounded, and the British loss
was over 200 men. The Vigor of the
contestants and the destructiveness in
this fight had, perhaps, not been excel
led in any preceding naval battle.
The news Of this victory set bells to
ringing and bon fires to burning all
over the country. On Sunday, Sep.
TENDER, IL, one week after the battle,
the troops at arsenal camp in Whining
ton held a Notification in honor of the
event. Next day the Wilmington ar
tillery, in camp near Elkton, fired a
salute in honor of Marlborough. On
September 20 another company of Will
mingtOn artilleTists, at another camp
near ElktOn, fred salute in honor of
commodore MacdOnOugh. On October
l the Veteran Corps of Wilmington
assembled at the corner of Fourth and
French streets and fred another salute
of honor for the victory.
A story illustrative of the spirit and
daring of Commodore Marlborough
when young man and captain of the
schooner Enterprise was printed in
a recent number of the New York
Ledger.
The incident occurred during visit
of the schooner Enterprise to the Bay
of Funchal. An English feet had
gathered there and press gang at
tempted to impress one of MacdOn-
Ough's sailors into the British navy.
The outrage was committed on boats
crew, which had taken the Yankee
captain ashore to attend a ball, and
which he had left on the beach with
orders to wait until he returned
There were only two men with the
boat and when the "press gang" at.
tackled them, one escaped. He waited
for and joined his captain at the boat
telling the story of the capture of his
comrade.
Captain MacdOnough Immediately
planned a rescue and set about carry.
ing it out. He returned to his schooner
mustered and armed picked crew
whom he told of his intention to rescue
| buDiI NJ u IlSk OL u ukuL WIN
English sailors in an open boat in the
presence of an assembled English feet
He impressed them with the necessity
of quietly and promptly executing
every order, and their crew with thei
captain at the tiller, started under
cover of night and heavy fog which
hung over the bay, rOwed quietly to 9
position in which they would intercept
the English boat on its return and a
some distance from its own ship anC
the rest of the feet.
The Yankees waited in silence. Thu
: EDglishmep tarried until daylight, Lu
y the fog was dense and the half ligh
] was better for their purpose than ever
the darkness would have been, WheT
the stroke of their oars was heard anC
the direction of the English crew wa
correctly ascertained the Yankee
bending to their oars with all thei
strength drove their boat toward it and
deliberately run it down.
When Yankees prov went crashing
among the Englishman's oar blade
and into the side of his boat he roare,
with anger at what he thought was
lubberly accident. The Yankees drop
ped their oars and before the English
man could recover from his surpris,
every man of his crew was looking int
the muzzle of Yankee musket.
"You have a man on board belong
ing to an American schooner and W