Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-07-04
- H'.
NOW AN ENGLISH MILL.
Captain Lawrence's FrIgate, the Chesa-
pealse, Stands In WiciSham, Hants.

Captain Lawrcnce's Frigate, the Chesa-
peaise, Stands In Wickham. Hants.
In tho spring of 1913 the Chesa-
peake was ordered to Boston, and
Captain James Lawrence had proved
himself an efficient officer Willie in
command Of several frigates. About
the last of May tho British frigate
Shannon, Captain Brooke, appeared
at anchor at the outlet of the bay,
evidently inviting an attack--in
fact Captain frooke sent a challenge
to Lawrence to meet him in mortal
combat. Prompted by the ardor
which pervaded tho service, Law
renee promptly accepted the chal.
lenge without sufficiently examin-
ing his strength. With a new and
inexperienced crew no weighed an
Choir and sailed to meet the enemy.
The Shannon, observing the Ches-
npeake approaching, Immediately
prepared for action. On June !,
1913, the ships engaged. The first
broadside from the Shannon either
killed or wounded many OF the
Chesapeako's most prominent otli-
cers-the sailing master was instant
~ killed and Lieutenant Ballard,
Lieutenant Brown and Captain Law
renee severely wounded at the same
time. A second and third broadside,
besides adding to the destruction of
her officers, so disabled the Chesa-
peake in her rigging that her quar-
ter deck fell on the Shannon s an
Choir. This accident may be consid-
cred as deciding the contest. An OPP
portunity was given tho enemy to
rake the Chesapeake and finally to
board her.
Captain Lawrence, though severe
ly wounded, still kept on deck. In
the act Of summoning tho boarders
musket ball entered his body and
brought him down. AS he was car
ried below he issued that last heroic
order, Don't give up the ship"
But III was too late to retrieve what
was lost. Tho Shannon sailors leap
ed, 200 strong, on board the vessel,
and, after a short but bloody strug.
gle, raised the onemy's flag. .,
Tho Chesapeake was taken to Eng
land, and in 1920 her timber was
sold to John Prior, a miller, of Wick
ham, Hants. Mr.. Prior pulled down
his old mill and erected on the spot
a new ono from tho Chesapeake tim.
bcrs, which he found admirably
adapted for tho purpose. The deck
beams were 32 feet long and 10 inch.
es square, of sound old Virginia oak,
and were placed, unaltered, horizon
tally in his MILL The purlins of the
deck were about IL feet long and
served without alteration for joists.
Many of the timbers still bear the
marks of the Shannon grapeshot,
and in some places the balls are
deeply imbed,led in tho pitch pine.
The transformation of n sanguinary
warship into peaceful and life pre-
serving flour mill moro than fills
that Scriptural prophecy of tho
sword beaten into plowshare and a
spear into pruning hook
The Rev. DR.. Brighton visited this
famous mill few years ago and
gives the following description of
it: Nothing shiplike or of the sea
was discernible from without tho
mill. A handsome young English
man of eight and twenty years OF
age was coming forth to join his
cricket club, and this proved to be
tho owner of tho chesapeake mill
A large cigar box, constructed from
the polished pine of the old ship and
bearing the inscription chesapeake
in small brass nails, stood upon tho
table. The beams were marked in
many places with grapeshot. The
mill was merrily going, but as I
stood in tho midst of this peaceful
scene remembered that beyond all
reasonable doubt on one Of these
planks Lawrence fell in the reeking
anguish of his mortal wounds. On
another, if not tho same, Watts
head was carried away by shot,
while near by the young and brave
Ludlow poured out his life's blood.
Thus I stood bordering, and still the
busy hum went ON, wheat passing
beneath tho stones, -four poured
forth, and the merry millers passed
around their kindly smile and
blithesome jests. - Washington
Post.