Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-08-15


men on the priyatocr supposed that the
llritisher had struck her nnr and ceased
firing. The lull was followed by u sudden
bruada.do from tho CoquCtto that nearly
swept the Armstrong from the seas Her
masts and rigging were cut up or shot
away. her hull was pierced at the water
line, men were killed aud 10 wounded
and the surviving crew dcspaircd OF saving
her.
The captain. @. Il, Chsmplin, was re-
vcrcly wounded, and while under trcnt-
mcut In tho surgeonb cabin below no
heard tho men On deck talking OF surrcn.
der. Tho powder magazine lay Just he.
meath him, add holding loaded pistol
ready TO carry out the awful threat, no
sent word to the crew warning them that
the moment the Armstrong; coloru were
struck he would fire into the chests II cx.
plnsiycs and blow up vessel, crew and all.
Tho colos remained flying aud the dis.
nblcd ship was slowly carried out Of gun.
shot.
So Captain Reid lcnpod 20 n deck that
was battle SCARED and battle hungry when
hu tool; tho privateer upon her glorious
last cruise. lie was tho BON Of British
OAlcer who had become Anne. icanizcd dur
ing the Revolution, and 40 eleven years Of
age began his carccras a sailor. lie fought
the French Ia liJ3-g aud was prisoner O.
war while In his teens. Before his advent
on tho Armstrong; deck-wlich was IN
his thiFticth ycar-hc served with Com.
modoro Truxtun's naval squadron.
For his exploit At Faya! he WIS toasted
and honorcd and appointed to a position In
the regular navy. His whole llfe WIS
passed In public service, and ho remained
active until his death, In 1851. The present
/ form OF the s'--s and stripes, with star
for every IT. and a stripe each Tor the
original thirteen. was designed by him ia
| 1878
The brilliant fight Of the General Arm.
strong at Faynl had deeper results than tho
mere display Of Yankee pluck, although
that was u good thing In itself IN Eng
llshman among the spectators on shorc ct-
claimed ut the close Of the action, GOD
save us from our enemies II this Is tho way
Americans nghtm
The British were crippled by the loss OF
nearly 200 men. Their killed numbered
l20. The crow Of the frignto Ruta lost 20
men. Instead NJ sailing directly for the
| West indies to the rendezvous OF Admiral
Coohrancs fleet bound for New Orleans,
| the vessels encountered by tho priyateor
| lay ut fayal week hurying the dend and
caring Tor the wounded. Cochrunc await
/ I'd their tHrdy arrival, nnd when he reached
the mouth OF the Mississippi, Jucksou's
| motley army of defense lny In readiness
| behind their mud forts aud bru.,stworks
Of cotton bales.
The General Armstrong wns only pri-
| vnteor, and COMES OF with scnnt notice In
| the histories Of naval deeds, but In prpsl-
dent Madison's call to arms, In lsl2, the
| FREQ and Independent turs were appealed to
l lfsH Ha "a IA Al al. HHssa q La
| Ineiny' anywhere upon the high seas.
| They were deemed good enough to fight,
| but not respectable enough 10 bear the GU
| logies Of history.
| Ii was the luck of the Armstrong to en-.
counter British hHttlcalips, aud her Gu
| rccr was one OF brilliant warfare rather
than OF plundonng conquest,
GLOHGE J.. KlINiEh