Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-27

battery. The IRE was snort. As ein
Garden edged in. the United States also
closing In. When at distance OF LOU
wards the American opened IRE from
his gun-deck battery. His fire was d.
rscted al the sails, and the sound OF MS
sbots was not unlike the swish rip OF
canvas reRdiDg.
The Macedonian was now firing from
from every gun that could be brought
10 bear, but without apparent erect
Garden ordered the firing ceased ana the
vessel run closer in. AT 500 yards ne
again opened with every gun. Ten
minutes later and the mizzentopmast
went by the board. The enemy's fire
now appeared to be directed at the
mainmaSt, for the slaughter among the
marines drawn up in the waist was De-
ginning TO be something frightlul.
Garden ordered the marines shifted for
ward and then dispersed as sharp
shooters. The maintopmast now went
by the board, and wreck clearers
were called away. The fighting at
this point was something terrible. The
American FIRE, from being directed at
The main mast, was now playing along
the gun deck. Its effect was not I'M
like the crash and booming OF thun-
derstorm. The whole heaven was oo-
scured by smoke, and from the Amerl-
can ship the constant stream OF IRE
made that vessel look as ii on lire.
On the gun deck Of the Macedonian
the slaughter was awful. One shot had
killed outright and wounded seven men.
A sponger In handing his rammer 10
his opposite was cut IN two. Two pow
der monkeys, rushing TO the ammunI-
ton hatch together, were bodily lifted
by a shot and their manged and life
less bodies dashed against the carlins
overhead. One bluejacket stopped
over a group Of seven dead men In his
search for mate, but after turning
each body found the object OF his hunt
AZ the bottom OF the heap. He gave one
crv OF "Oh, Tom" when his division
officer ordered him back to his gun with
the shout TO avenge his mates death.
On the main deck some thirty marines
lay dead or writhing la their wounds
about the mainmast, while down in the
cockpit the wounded lay in heaps about
the door, their yells and cries reaching
clear 10 the quarter deck, despite the
terrible roar Of the guns.
Throughout IL all the British captain
stood his post on the quarter deck Civ
ing orders. lie felt that the only hope
for the Macedonian was close action.
The guns Of the enemy were too heavy
for him and the crew too we'll practiced
in their service to permit OF long range
work. With this belief in mind the
Macedonian's captain kept constantly
closing in, with the American keeping
well off. The sea aud wind were
in the Macedonlan's favor, and
Decatur, fearing that the latter
might get too close aboard OF
him, shot out of the smoke ahead at
time when the Macedonian was distant
not more than a pistol shot. Every sail
on the British ship was completely gone
save the ioresail, and Decatur, with the
view OF destroying this canvas, ordered
sections Of chain and bags OF bolts fired
through II. This was done by some OF
the forward guns OF the United States,
with the result that the foresail was
completely blown TO pieces. Having
the Macedonian thus crippled, Decatur
lufTed up into the wind and shot under
the stern Of his adversary. He raked
the Macedonian just once, and being
now in q position 10 do the greatest de-
struction, the Macedonian's flag was
hauled down.
When Lieut.. Allen Of the United
States bearded the Macedonian he
found the decks OF that vessel fairly
running with blood, and on the gun
deck could DE heard the constant drip,
drip OF the blood from the slain OYER
head. At least twenty bodies had been
thrown overheard by the British sailors
early in the fight TO give more room
about decks, aud OF this number there
is a certainty that some were only push
cd through the ports to put
them out OF misery. In
the cockpit the two British sur
geons were still working with zeal
that knew no rest. The frightfully
mangled limbs were amputatad in a
xuIck, mercleSS fashion. There was
slash OF the knife, saving OF the bone,
a turning back OF the flap, and then the
application Of hot pitch or tar TO scar ALL
No wonder Lieut.. Allen called the Ma
cedoniau a slaughter pen. Out OF 800
men the British snip had lost liz. The
mizzenmast and ma.ntopmast had been
carried away, and over 100 solid shot
had pierced the hull.
1t took Decatur's men two days to rig
the Macedonian up as bark. Under
this rig Lieut.. Allen carried the vessel
into port, both ships going to Newton
don. When Capt. Garden boarded the
United States be was shown every def
erence and respect by the gallant Deca-
tur.
Both men had met each other prior TO
the war and had learned to respect one
another mutually. 1t was, consequently,
with no little feeling that Decatur ad-
yanced, his both hands outstretched, u
meet Carien. In stature both men
were much alike, powerfully built, vet
wiry aud active. The British Captain,
the tears almost rolling down his face
from the sad sight Of his men lying torn
and mangled aboard the Macedonian,
advanced toward Decatur and mutely
held out his sword. The warm-hearted
Decatur was just the man to do at such
a time q noble act.
Capt. Garden" he said. II could
never forgive myself that l took the
sword from the hands Of man who
has US il with the bravery and cour-
age you have displayed. l decline to
take it,"
There are numbero OF descendants Of
Capt. join Garden in the British Navy
to-day The name is one that has long
been associated with the British colors,
and 10 the writer's own knowledge
every man Of them bears in mind the
maguanimity once shown member Of
the family by an American naval OIL
Ger.