Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-04-24
The STORY Telter.
TALES OF THB PAST.
INTERESTING HISTORIC RELICS.

l1HLO VI L LII 4AoA
INTERESTING HISTORIC RELICS
Boston is famous for its wealth Of
historical associations, and its old land
marks and buildings make it one of the
most interesting cities in the country
to visit. In the many museums oi
that city, too, may be found hundreds
of articles of the greatest historic in.
terest, about which most people know
but little. Some of the most interest.
ing of these, as noted by writer in
The Transcript, are to be found at the
Naval Lyceum at the Charlestown
navy yard. About the most interesting
thing in it is the fgurehead of the
General Armstrong, ship about which
there is comparatively little mention
in history, and yet which played q
most importont part in the battle ot
New Orleans, one of the principal
fights of the war of 1872.
The General Armstrong was noted
American privateer, and at the time
of the occurrence which had such an
influence on this fight was command.
ed by Captain Samuel G. Reed. On
the 26th of September, 1914, she was
lying in the harbor of Fayal, when
three British vessels were sighted
bearing down for the harbor. They
turned out to be the "a Plantagenet,
the Rota, 3S, and the sloop Carnation,
IS guns. Although Portugal was
neutral power, Captain Reed knew
that she was not of sufficient strength
to enforce neutrality in her harbor
against these ships, and anticipating
trouble, he got up his anchor and
hauled the Armstrong as close to the
shore as possible, anchoring her with
springs, 80 as to bring her broadside
to the British ships. His fears proved
we'll grounded, for that night they
attacked him in boats. The boats
were discovered some time before
they reached the ship, and broadside
of grape was poured into them, repel'
ling them with fearful slaughter,
More boats were launched, however,
and a second attempt was made.
This time, in spite of the grape. the
boarders succeeded in securing a foot
hold ON the Armstrong, but were
finally driven from her.
The Caranation was then brought
up, and a long-range battle between
the two vessels was begun, but Reed
mounted "Long Tom," his 24.pound
gun, on the main deck, and used it to
such good effect that the Caranation
was crippled and driven of.
After this third attempt, Reed real
lied that the British ships would get
the better of him in the long run, and
scuttling his vessel, he escaped to the
shore, and made his way inland.
In this fight the Americans lost 2
killed and 7 wounded, while the British
loss was more than 800 officers and
men killed and wounded.
The damage to the Carnation was
SO great that the ships, by reason OF
the necessary repairs, and the short
handedness resulting from the great
loss of men, were detained for 10 days
They were on their way to New Or,
leans, and this delay of 10 days gave
Jackson time to gather his troops and
strengthen his position, so that the
gallant fight made by the General
Armstrong probably won the battle
When the ship finally broke up, the
fgurehead came ashore, and it was
sent by the council of Fayal to Wash
ington, and later presented to the
Lyceum.
Another interesting relic in the
same museum is an umbrella which
was used by the Constitution in max
ing her escape from the English fleet
in July, 1912. This is all that is told
by the card attached to it, and the
umbrella is a complete puzzle to near
ly every one who visits the museum
In the first place, it is utterly unlike
any umbrella that anyone ever saw
before, and, in the second, not one
person in a hundred is able to figure
out how the Constitution made use Of
it in making her escape from the Brit
ish vessels. 1t is exactly like an um'
brella frame in general shape, but the
stick is about 10 feet long, with q
heavy iron ring at each end, and is
about 3 inches in diameter. The
frame slides up and down on it, just
like the frame of an ordinary umbrel'
la, and is made of stout iron bars
Some people think that it may have
been set up on the deck to give the
officers little shade on hot day, but
they cannot see how this helped in
the escape. The purpose for which il
was intended and used was as sea
anchor, and its story is as follows:
On the 18th of July, 1872, the Con
stitution, then cruising under the com
mand of that famous old fighter, Isaac
Hull, was surrounded by Brooke's
squadron of five vessels. Before they
could close in on him, however, it fell
calm, and Captain Hull at once made
use of the umbrella, of which there
were two aboard. A cable was bent tc
one of the umbrellas at what would be
the handle in one of the ordinary kind
and the umbrella was folded up, and