The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-02-06

a fleet of English ships of war appear
ed off the harbor
/ They seemed not disposed to ente
1 but sent in boat which on its way t,
the shore passed close by the brig. 5,
/ that Captain Reid bowed to the Brit
ish officer in charge. There was NJ
| answering nod, however; and the lieu
tenant Of His Majesty's ship sat in the
stern, sheets. looking very sour. N
doubt he wOuld have exchanged ever
50 common a courtesy with a Yankee
privateersman.
Presently the boat returned to thl
shipping, and a few minutes later DR.
Dobney, 5he American Consul, came
up to the Armstrong. saying that the
English officer had dropped some
menacing words while ashore, and
that. possibly. there might be trouble
He hoped, however. that the Portu-
guese authorities would interpOse It
protect the vessel from attack. Never
theless, both himself and Captain
Reid, aware Of the poverbial disre-
gard to the English for the rights OF
a neutral port. felt some uneasiness as
to what course the enemy might adopt.
The masts Of three ships were Wis
ible beyond the land, and the consul
had been informed that the vessels in
sight were the Plantagenet seventy
fOur and the ROta and Carnation frig-
ates. There We're also others farther
ont to sea. The squadron made up a
portion of much larger armament,
which was conveying the army of Sir
Edward PackinghaIn to New Orleans.
The Plantagenet was q very active
snip during all the war, and no one
more frequently crossed the path of
our sailors.
Not knowing what might happen
the Armstrong was made ready for
action. her commander distrusting
John Bulls honor and being deter
mined not to be caught asleep.
1t length there We're discovered en-
tering the harbor, four heavy launches
such as weIe used for the transporta-
ton Of soldiers. They were full of
men, there being on board Of each not
less than thirty red-coats and sailors
and the bayonets were seen to bristle
fearfully.
There they come. boys" said Cap
tain Reid Much they care for a
neutral port, Now stand to your sta
tons and attend orders. l know |
can depend on every man Of you"
'Ay ay sir. you can do that" shout
ed the men: well stand by you, sir"
The boats came on, with their one
hundred and twenty men, and the
sound Of the oars in the rowlocks,
could be distinctly heard.
Il won't fire upon them" said the
American captain. without giving
fair warning" Then standing mp by
the rail. he called out
"Ahoy, there, keep off, or [ shall fire
into your'
There was no answer. They pulled
straight on.
Keep of, ! say, OF l shall fire"
repeated the captain. Il warn you
for the last"
Still no reply was made and time
was precious.
Then take the consequences" call
ed ont the Yankee commander in a
voice OF thunder, And turning to his
men, he shouted.-
All ready the long TOM
All ready, sir"
Aim. fire.
The Armstrong shook to her kelson
as the terrible thirty-two FOUNDER tore
the sir with its cOncussion. The charge
of round shot, grape, and canister
struck one Of the boats in the bow,
and swept through her from end to
end. She came to a full stop, with
everything in confusion. Men were
leapihg up and tumbling about in
her: piercing cries We're uttered by the
wounded. and oars and mUskets were
all mixed and clattering together
The remaining boats returned the
ii g with voiley of musketry. and
their men with genuine British pluck
pulled furiously on, IN order to board
before 50 dreadful a discharge could
be repeated
As the enemy approached on the
quarter, the broadside battery could
not be brought to bear. but the fire
from the American small arms was
awful. One hundred and twenty mus
kets had been placed on the deck. and
these, handled by some seventy oI
eighty men poured cut a continual
rain of bullets.
The smoke was so thick that no
doubt much of the firing became wild
Had not this been the case every man
Of the enemy must have been killed
The affair took place in the bright
moonlight Of an autumn evening, but
all about the vessel there hung for {
moment a pitch darkness. Again and
again the thirty two FOUNDER sent oui
its storm of iron, though not, perhaps
with such prOdigiouss effect as at first
In few minutes the assailants gave
over their rash attempt: and when tht
smoke had passed away it was founC
! that two Of the four boats were aban
doned, all the living having been col
lected on hoard the others previous t
the sudden retreat
Thus far the priyateer had not los
/ q SluSAt IdlI. bll' III Itilt VI tIltl
good fortune her officers and crev
felt a painful suspense. 1t SCENE,
by no means probable that the fo
would abandon his attempt, but il
what manner the attack would mex
be made could only he conjectured.
Thus the brave fellow waited; bu
they had not to wait long The nigh
was almost as light as day, and 500
| beneath the mo0n-beams another tiot
lila was seen approaching. This tim
there were counted fourteen Launches
and as each probably had thirty mer
| the Yankee tars realized that the
were now to enter upon a struggl
with force Of at least four hundre
and twenty Britons.
This was indeed the fact: and thes
chosen sailors and soldiers were con
ing perfectly prepared. Some OF th
launches mounted swivels and howir
ZprS on The bows. and everything wa