Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-25
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officers on. board one of their ships.
remained with the executive officer, VINO
who was wounded. whom ! went to see
just as She officers were leaving II II
had not been Cor that, it is very prob
able that l would have gone with the
rest OF them, but fate had fixed It dif-
forently for me. After having escaped
the carnage Of that fearful night, / was
doomed TO run the risk Of shlpwreck
and drowning. The vessel was I'm de-
plorable state, cut down like n pontoon'
without sails or rigging There was no
boat on board that was ut to be launched.
The ship had been pierced like sieve
by bullets, and there were two big hoies
in the starboard bullock, through which
the water az times flowed I'm barrelfus.
The exhaustion Of the remnant OF the
crew. the characterization resulting from
defeat, the cries OF The wounded and
dying, the rise Of the water, that reached
the spar-deck, from which we were
obliged to take the unfortunate wounded;
the refusal OF the sailors to work tho
pumps, the desire OF each one 20 ma
some way of saving his own life, so
cruelty threatened-all these scenes OF
horror made that night the most fright
full that it Is possible to picture.
"When morning came our position was
still more desperate. The water was
gaining. 1t was on a level with the
lower battery. 10 was now probably 8
O'Clock. Seeing that there was no help.
and that the vessel could not much
longer remain afioat. l looked around
and noticed a boat with a crew Of Eng
lishmen rowing. / decided Immediately
20 try to reach the boat. As j did not
want the men on board to see me jump
into the water, and IL Is well for me
that they didn't, L went down to the
magazine, took off some Of my clothes,
and passing through one Of the port
holes. I dropped into the water. with
difficulty l managed 70 reach the boat;
but what was my surprise when. just
as l was about 20 put my hand on the
gunwale, ] was pushed and struck with
the oars, while the midshipman threat
ened me with his poniard or sword
In spite Of all that l managed once more
90 put my hand on the gunwale. and.
despite the blows that l received and the
other efforts that they employed 70 get
rid Of me- I managed 70 hang on, and
soon 1 noticed by their anxious looks
that they could not discontinue rowing
The midshipman seemed 10 encourage
them 10 pull hard Taking advantage
OF this moment of anxiety, l dragged
myself into the boat. Then l found out
lish sailors. About forty men OF the
crew. having seen me 80 overheard, were
also endeayorlng 20 reach the boat Hap
PLY for my safety, ] had a great lead
on them and the unfortunate French
men, Witnessing the departure Of their
last hope, endeavored TO regain the sink
ing vessel but the greater number or
them became exhausted ami perished
in the waves.
1--WE were now about six miles from the
English vessel, and the sea was getting
very rough. We would have been I'm an
situation il the English ship
had not manOeuvred I'm a way 10 app
preach the boat At last we succeeded in
getting on board. She was the orion. Of
Is guns, commanded by Commodore Med
son, as well as L can recollect his name.
My first care was to present myself be-
fore the Commodore and call upon him
in the name Of humanity to save the REM
nant Of the crew OF the FaugleuK he
was on the quarterback. walking up and
down and chatting with one OK his Off
GERS. He paid no attention 20 me. Once
more / returned 10 him. with the same re-
suit as the first time. / approached himI
the third time almost on my knees, beg
cling him 10 reply TO my suppIcation.
he was at last annoyed by my
Importantly. for he turned around sud-
denly, and in that kind of French which
tho English speak, he said: "Monsiou.
when ] am speaking 10 an Englishman l
do not speak to a Frenchman." Then,
turning his back upon me, he went into
his cabin About an hour afterward he
had the pleasure Of seeing the FouguouX
go down. OF her crew of 500 men only So
or 40 were saved. Sublime English hui
manity! How grand how chiyalrous and
noble the English are.
ION the Goth Of November. with other
French prisoners. L was transferred on
board the Prince Sovereign. There 1
found one OF my old comrades. Thomas
Butot. our boatswain, a brave soldier and
a good sailor.
"On the eth OF December, 1895. we an
chored in the harbor of Plymouth, and
on the 9th of that month l was put on
board the pontOon Bienfalsant. a horrible
floating prison. well worthy OF English
humanity. l remained there until 1909