The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-08-29
aWASP" AND REINDEER.
A Stirring Engagement Between British
and Americans.
-bnIr,

Iiot. HtchOtusl
II was this spot (the English Cllannel)
right in the teeth of the British naval power,
that the Wasp chose for her cruising ground.
Hither and thither she sailed through the mar
row seas, capturing and destroying the mer-
chantmen, and by the seamanship of her crew,
and the skill and vigilance OF her commander,
escaping the pursuit of frigate and ship-of-
the-line. Before she had been long on the
ground one June morning, while in chase OF
a couple of merchant ships, she spied sloop-
of-war, the British brig Reindeer, of Is
guns, and 120 men, The Reindeer was a
weaker ship than the Wasp her guns were
lighter and her men fewer; but her COM
mander. Capt Manners, was one of the most
gallant men in the British navy, and he
promptly took up the gage of battle which
the Wasp threw down.
The day was calm and nearly still only a
light wind stirred across the sea. At l
O'Clock the Wasp's drum beat to quarters,
and the sailors and marines gathered at their
appointed posts The drum Of the Reindeer
responded to the challenge; and with her
sails reduced to fighting trim, her guns run
out and every man ready, she came down on
the Yankee ship. On her iorecastlc she had
rigged light carronade, and coming up
from behind she five times discharged this
point blank into the American slOop. Then,
in the light air, the latter looted around, fir
ing her guns us they bore and the two ships
engaged yardarm to yardarm. The guns
leaped and thundered as the grimy gunners
hurled them out to fire, working like demons
For few minutes the cannOnade on both
sides was tremendous, and the men i'll the
tops could hardly see the decks for the wreck
of fiving splinters. Then the vessels ground
together, and through the open ports the rival
gunners hewed, hacked, and thrust at one an
other. while the black smoke curled up from
between the hulls. The English were suffer-
ing terribly; Captain Manners himself was
wounded, and, realizing that he was doomed
to defeat unless by some desperate effort he
could avert it. he gave the signal to board.
At the call the boarders gathered around,
MANY of them naked to the waist, and black
with powder, holding cutlas and pistol in
their hands But the Americans were ready.
The marines were drawn up on deck, the pike
men stood behind the bulwarks, and the ofli-
GERS watched cool and alert for every move
ment of their foe.
Then the British sea-dogs tumbled aboard,
| only to perish by shot and steel. The COM
batants slashed and stabbed with savage
| fury. and the assailants were driven back
Manners spIang to their head to lead them
again himself when ball fired by one OF the
sailors in the American tops crushed through
| his skull, and he fell sword i'll hand, with
his face to the foe dying as honorable death
rs ever q brave man died in fighting against
odds for the flag of this country. As he fell
the American officer passed the word to board
With wild cheers the fighting sailor-men
sprang forward, sweeping the wreck OF the
| British force before them, and in a minute
the Reindeer was in their possession. All of
her officers, and nearly two-thirds of the crew
were killed or wounded. Twenty-six of the
Americans had been killed or wounded.