Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-19
LONG TOM BROUGHT.
Arrival OF the Famou. Gun OF the General
Armstrong.


The famous gun, "Loug Tom" which PLAYED
such part in the history OF this country i, tas
war Of 1912, arrived in New York late last night
on board the Portuguese steamship Vega. Capt
Ross. from Lisbon via the Azo-e Islands. The
Vega came into port with her decks covered
with snow.
Long Tom is a forty-two FOUNDER, and did
great service for the Union while mounted on
the private armed brig General Armstrong.
The gun was brought over from Fayal, where
j. had been mounted in the castle Of Santa Cruz
Tor the last seventy-nine years.
IL was the intention OF this government to
send one Of our ships of war over for tine gun,
but no warsbIp available Messrs. Ben
saude < Co. OF the Insular Navigation Steam
ship Company os Lisbon offered to bring 1t
over free o. charge and the proposition was &C
cepted
This relic Of the last war with England vas
once Fart of the armament Of the French line
of battle ship Hoche. which was captured in
October, 1913. by British squadron under Sir
John B. Warren and sent into an English port
where she was dismant!ed- Her armament wss
afterward sold, her main battery OF 42-pounders
being purchased by John b. Murray of New
York. wno then happened to be in England
ard was shipped TO New York.
These guns were subsequently sold to the
United States government and mounted in the
harbor OF New York One gun of this battery
the present LONG Tom" was rejected on ac-
count of an indentation at the m Izze caused
by solid shot. and was retained by Mr.
Murray. who had it reamed out SO as not to
affect the bore.
Mr.. Murray. by a contract with the Emperor
of Hayt. fitted out three vessels OF war at New
York in 1901 for the defense Of that island in
the conflict with France. one of which was the
Sampson. Capt Palmer, OF fourteen guns and
the rejected Long Tom was mounted on a
or rarAf Lob o-,I =.
ton in the conflict with the French privateers.
The Sampson afterward returned to New
York and was Gis2=med. Long Tom being
dismounted. and II iay idle until war vas de-
ciared against England in 1872
on TIE ARMSTRONG.
While the forces Of England's mighty hosts
were concentrating TO strike blow TO conquer
Louisiana and the south n little brigantine of
ONLY 2t6 tons called the General Armstrong.
was being reftted and remained for a cruise
against the enemy. Her commander was Capt.
Samuel Chester Reid. The Armstrong carried
six long mines, with "Loag Tom" amidships.
making seven guns. with total crew OF ninety
men and officers
The Armstrong ran through the blockade Of
the British on the night of September 9. 1914.
On September PC, ls14. Mt noon. the Arm
strong ran into the bay of the town OF Horta,
in the island Of Fayal. to refill with water.
At shutdown a British squadron under Com
its way to reinforce CochrGnes feet at ia
maica-
There was a tremendous encounter, in which
the little priyateer fought the entire squadron.
The Americans would not surrender. and after
their vessel was rendered helpless they retreated
to the shore in good order. Long Tom" did
terrible WORK. II took the English ten DAYS to
bury their dead. Their loss numbered 900
killed and wounded. while the American loss
was only two killed and seven wounded.
The British fleet was DELAYED so long at Fayal
that the movement against Louisiana proved
unsuccessful. Gen jackson being able to win
the memorable battle at New Orleans. Long
Tom has laid dismantled in Fayal for nearly
a quarter of a century.
The return OF the gun to the United States
was arranged through Col. Samuel c. Reid of
this city, who was in Fayal IN 1870. Col. Reid
is the son of the commander of tine Armstrong
He went to Faysl with view of obtaining a
sketch of the harbOr and bay for his work on
the memoirs of his father. When he visited
the castle Of Santa Cruz he saw Long Tom"
On his return to Washington he induced Presi-
dent Harrison to Cause our then minister to
Lisbon. Gen. Batcheller. TO be instructed to re-
quest the transfer of the gun to this govern
ment, to which the King of Portugal. Dom Carlos
J. consented