The Wichita daily eagle., 1893-12-20
A LEAF FROM THE PAST.
rhe First Battle of the Revolution and Its
Outcome.
Especial Correspondcnce.l

lSpeciaI correspondence.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec Some naval men
were talking here today of the modern de
velopment Of the warship, apropos of the
splendid performance of Uncle Sans new
ships and of the improvised navy of Brazil
"You may not know" said one, that
cared vessels We're used in warfare less than
100 years ago between the United States
and Great Britain. In the early part of the
war for American independence Mary land
ard Virginia began to provide for the de-
fense of their coast by building barges.
Each Of these vessels was trifie longer
than SO feet and was impelled by both oars
and sails, as were the galleys of the Phoeni-
clans and the fighting craft of the Morse
men. IL took from so to Is men to sail
and work the guns Of each boat, and pieces
Of considerable caliber were carried.
Virginia built at least two Of these
barges and named them Accomac and Dill
gence Maryland built more, but do not
know how many or what they were called.
They were all kept in active service till
near the close Of the war, but as they could
not put TO sea they did not acquire much
fame. They were stationed in Chesapeake
bay off the eastern shore and the Mary
land feet was com manded by Captain Wha-
ley.
Notwithstanding the small amount Of
attention these fleets of barges attract, it
was left to their com nmanderS to fight the
last battle OF the Revolution. 1t took place
Nov 50, l7S2. The British forces numbered
six sail aud the American but four, the
odds being decidedly in favor OF the enemy.
Captain Whaley's vessel got within range
of the English boats ahead of the remainder
of his fotilla and engaged his adversary
single handed, fighting with such vim and
spirit that in a comparatively short time
he had captured or silenced in rotation
four of the English boats. The other two
were about to strike their colors when the
tide of battle was turned against the stars
and stripes by the blowing up of Whaley's
magazine.
The battle had been bloody enc before
this-bloody almost without precedent in
fact and this disaster added greatly to the
number of killed and wounded Many of
the American officers and crew were torn to
pieces, and so close was the disabled vessel
to one of the English oarges that number
of the British suffered also, and the barge
was disabled. Victory was now in the grasp
of the Americans, Cor but one of the Eng
lish boats was then capable Of fighting,
while three Yanks were still in good shape,
but, alas. they had not yet reached the scene
OF action.
LAS soon as their commanders saw what
had happened they turned tail and sailed
away. not even stopping to rescue the Amer
leans who had been thrown into the water
by the explosion. The English set about
saving their men, but with their cutlasses
they cut the hands of such Americans as
tried TO cling TO anything about the British
barges.
The Americans who were left on the
wreck of the blown up barge would not
surrender. but fought 10 the last, and it Is
related OF Lieutenant Levin Handy that,
his right hand being blown off and his arm
lost, he distinguished himself until killed
by throwing grapeshOt with his left hand
at the uninjured British barge.
This sea fight is not mentioned IN all
the histories OF the revolution. but dim
traditions Of the battle of she basges were
still current On the eastern shore the last
time was there, some eight or ten years
aga, and i; is duly referred TO il the official
records" JOSEPH W ADLEiGH.