St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-06-08
THE MAN BEHIND THE GUN.



In the records of all naval powers NO
act of heroism can be found To surpass
that of Capt. Nicholas Biddle of the
United States thirty-two-gun friRate
Randolph, who. one hundred and sew
enteen years ago (March y. perished
with three hundred and ten of his men
in an attempt to protect Eve American
vessels sailing in his company from .
superior English naval force. The
Randolph was . new frieate, one Of the
first ever built by the United States.
In February, t777, she sailed from Phil
adelphia ON her maiden cruise against
the enemy. but when only . few days
out she was overtaken BY . violent
gale. in which her masts were SO &C.
riously weakened that Capt Biddle
was compelled to put into Charleston
for repairs. This mishap was due to
the fact that her rope stays and
shrouds had been fitted during cold
weather in Philadelphia, and on get
ting into the warmer air to the south
they slackened and left the masts al
most unsupported. The Randolph was
blockaded in Charleston, but in March,
IT'S. she got to sea in company with
the South Carolina state ships, Gen
eral Moultrie, Notre Dame, Polly.
Fair American, and . schooner in
search of some British war ships which
had been cruising OF the coast On
March 2. while eastward OF Barbsdoes.
they fell in with the British sixty
four-gun ship-of-the-line Yarmouth,
In tN -
weaker consOrts time to escape Capt.
Biddle signaled them to make all sail
before the wind while he boldly stood
down to engage the ship of the limo
When near enough to
hail Biddle shook out his colors and
poured = broadside into his hpge an
tagonist. The Englishman promptly
responded, and for an hour the two
ships ran along side by side. the
Yankee seamen maintaining . superb
fight against hopeless odds. Finally
shot entered the Randolph's magazine
and the ship blew up and sank almost
Immediately. Out of her complement
of three hundred and fifteen only four
escaped. sCapt- Biddle had been
wounded early in the action. but re-
fused to be carried below. At the time
Of the explosion he was on his quar-
ter deck. having his wound dressed
and ani0ataag His men BY his heroic
exampls. Tho Aoes1Da sccounts
Of this Extraordinary set q Asr0tsa
are fully e0a6rmed through Ra9lisA
soureeA An English histoeinn says
that con March 2. st z. -, tAe sixty
Soar-Srn ship Yarmoath. eruising sast-
ward % hnsb~Aoes. got sight a .
squadron OF six saiAaS coaA.isAi.T Of two
ships, three brigs, and s~eaA,osnax.
The Yarmouth made sail to close on
the strangers, and 1t o q m. was near
enough to hail the largest, which
proved to be the American thirty-two-
gun frigate Randolph. Capt Nicholas
Biddle. The Randolph Immediately
hoisted her colors and fired . broad
side 1T the Yarmouth. which, being
returned. u fight of an hours dura-
tion ensued, when the Randolph
blew up. The Yarmouth. being to the
fortunately escaped being
involved in the catastrophe, but sew
eral pieces Of the burning wreck fell
ON her deck. An American ensign,
rolled up. was blown from the Var
forecastle not singed. The
of Capt. Biddle in thus at
lacking = ship SO much superior TO his
own deserved . better fate. Five days
later the Yarmouth fell in with . piece
Of wreck Of the Randolph on which
was found four men, the only surviv-
ors of the ill-starred ship. The poor
fellows had been ON the wreck four
days and had subsisted ON rain water,
which had been imbibed by means of .
piece of blanket" Capt. Vincent re-
ported five killed and twelve wounded
American vessels escaped.-N. Y. Sun