Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1895-08-29
WASP" AND "REINuEER.-
q stirring Esx.<----s B~rw~-n British
and Americans.

ah8
II was this SPOT (ths English chan
nell. right in the teeth Of the British
naval power. that the Wasp chose for
her cruising ground Hither and
thither She sailed through the narrow
seas, capturing and destroying the
merchantmen. aud By the seamanship
- her crew. AMI the skill and vigil
lance Of her commander. escaping the
pursuit % frigate and ship-os-the-iine-
Before she had been long on the
ground. one June morning. while IN
chase Of a couple q merchant ship>.
she spied a sioop-of-war. the British
brig Reindeer % eighteen guns and
hundred and tx-utv men The
Reindeer was weaker ship than the
Wasp. her guas were lighter and her
men fewer: bat her commander. Capt
Manners. was one of lac most gallant
men ia the British navy. and he
promptly took up the gauge Of battle
which the Wasp threw down
The day vas calm and near,T still;
only a light wind stirred as.ru~s the
sea- Al one o'clock she Wasp's drum
beat tn quarters. ansi the sailors ami
marines gathered az their appointed
Posts The drum Of the Reindeer -
spoudef 70 the challenge anil with
her sails reduced 70 fighting trim. her
guns run cut. and every nan ready.
she came down on the Yankee ship.
On her forecastie she had rugged a Light
esrronade- and coming mp from b.
hind. see five times discharged this
point blank into the American sloop-
Then n the light air the latter lu.fe,f
around firing her guns as they bore
and the two ships engaged yar'iarm &c
yz.viarrn The guns Ieaped and thun-
dered. as the griny gunn-rs hurled
them out IN Ere. working like
demons For few minutes the
eannOnade on both sides was tire
mensous- and tire men in the topx
could hardly see the decks for the
wreck 81 flying spiinters- Then the
vessels ground together. and through
the open ports the rival gunners hewei.
hacked and thrust at one another.
while the black smoke curled up from
between the huiiS The English were
suffering terribly Capt Manners him
self was wounded. and. realizing that
he vas doomed - defeat unless BY
Som- desperate efur. he could avert
H. he gave the signal ~ board At
the call the barriers gathered around.
many Of them naked tn the waist, and
black with powder holding cutIas ami
pistol in their hands Bat The Ameri-
cans were ready Their marine were
drawn mp on deck. the pilzemen stood
behind the bgiwzrks and tn. officers
watched. eool snd alert. for every
movement % their fos.
Then the British sez-,in-s tun16lesl
aboard only - PERISH by shot and
steel The oomh&taus> >laShed and
STABBED with savaxe fur~. and the A.
s1il@ntS we're driven back Manners
~Prang - their bead - l-zi them
again himself. vh-a bal fired BY one
Il the sailors N the Auerieza top
crushed through his sSn zzi he fell.
sword N hand. with Bis fz.-- 70 the fss.-
DYING a. honorable = i-1th a. ever .
brave mza died in s-ht5az against
o-isis tar ;h@ lag ot his eusztrv- A.
- TEL The America oszr-r u2S=rd thu
v5rvs % bad WITH WI & sh-~r- the
n<htiHE sai,or-nea sV-za< forward.
s7Tespl1z ta- urrrs - the British
fss-cr before them ant ia a minute the
Eei1ss-~r vas IA fh-ir psr-se~siol- Al.
- her ueicerS ant mari t7vo-thI-sss u
the crew we're killed. ~ rxsansi-,L
Tx-utv->ix 4 the Aas~-fczus hzs h~er
killed ~ vrosnd--l r Tseosi1r- Rose