The morning times., 1896-05-24

SdcketlS CHaDkcu Dub lltllc
since the beginning OF the century. Even
the barracks are standing just as they
We're during the war of 1872, and al
though the government has just COM
pietcd some more modern for our sol
diers, the new has not displaced the old.
The visitor has only TO close his eyes and
imagine that when he opens them he
will see Chauucey's fleet riding at an
chor within the beautiful harbor, or that
if he looks down the hill he will see the
| stalwart forms Of Jacob Brown or Wini-
| fred Scott come walking up the quaint old
| street.
At the time when this story opens, the
war had now been carried on for two
| years, and thus far the success OF the
| Americans had not been marked.
| Chauncey's fleet had been blocked by
| that OF Sir James Yeo, and although the
! blockade had just been raised, the Ameri-
| can commodore was not ready to put to
sea. The Mohawk had been launched on
| the 1Iti of June after ouly thirty-foUr
| days had been consumed in her building,
but she and some OF the other vessels
| were not equipped, aud the heart or Com
mOdore Chauncey was chafing.
| On this particular morning, in the mid
| die OF June, 1914, the commander was
| standing on the dock watching Bill john
| ston s lie sailed out or the harbor- This
| same ''Bir' was n wellknOwn guerrilla
| Or pirate, who with his followers held
| strong position among the Thousand Islands
| too strong TO be broken up by the forces
| at Sacketts Harbor which were preparing
to move on to the Niagara frontier. john
stou had dealings with the parties on
| either side of the border, whenever it was
/ for his advantage to do so, and just now
| was apparently favoriug the American side.
| ''PlI do it, I'll Go it," said the cOmmo-
dore to himself. as the aforesaid Bill dis
| appeared around the point. He says the
| British are seuding continual stream OF
| transports up the st. Lawrence. 1t is
true that they have gunboats stationed
! every four mics on the river, and sys-
| TEN OF signals arranged on the heights,
| but Lieut.. Gregory Will be enough for
| them, and if we can manage to cut off
| some of the supplies il will divert the att
tention OF some OF our men who are grum-
| bling at the delay. ! feel Ike grumbling
| myself, but we're not ready"
The result OF the commUdore's meGita-
| ton was a long interview with Lieut..
Gregory, and as the commanding officer
watched the eager expression upon his
| hearers face he felt his wa hopes rising
| rapidly. Francis II. Gregory WAS at this
time but twenty-five years of age, yet
he had been in the service since he was
thirteen years old, and had won the uH-
BOUNDED confidence Of Perry. under whom
he had served in the Revenge"
bill Dixon and Vaughan will go with
YOU" said the commodore their inter
view nded. "Bn Dixon, you know you
can depend upon, and a for SailinG-master
Vaughan, a man whose wife Will tear up
her petticoats aud carpets TO wrap around
our cannon balls. as she did in the first
attack the British made upon Sacketts
Harbor, doesn't need any ether voucher.
You Will take three gigs; you will cGm-
mand one, and Dixon and Vaughan each
one Of the others You Will also have
eighteen picked men, and if you don't cut
off some Of the enemy's supplies I think
the fault will be your own. l shall expect
a good report from you, lieutenant
Il shall do IN ' best" said the young offi-
GER, rs he left the commodore TO make prep
aratious.
FitteI with sails and supplied with rifles
pistols, and cutlasses, as well as will
provisions for several days, the three
gigs soon left Sacketts Harbnr, and in d
few hours were among the islands of the
st. Lawrence.
They successfully eluded the gunbOats
which they found stationed as Johnston
had reported, ali OF them too strong to be
attacked. on the 18Th of June they were
in hiding near Bald Island, about fGur
miles below Alexandria Bay, and under
the Canadian shore. Two squadrons Oi
boats had passed them going up the river
I Dnl I!lt GOUCctIt'i lItu DIuUSlilN i-Gle Gf
attack upon them.
Suddenly the watch called out There.
a gunboat coming down the river un,iel
easy sail, but she's out near the middle
: of the channel. She's seen US, tOo,' hG
added a moment later, when the gunbOa
came about. and seUt an officer and two
men i'll a skiff to inquire who the strangers
were.
Quickly bidding his men remain silent
| I iaur tad FOR rbs. Ski -ar,
proach. He could see the men on tht
| gunboat- now, and evidently there Were
as many as he had in his own party Al
eIghteen-pOunder pointed in his direction
did not allay his fears aud he was con
vlncei that a desperate struggle was al
hand. There was no possibility of esCap
ing aud he looked about at his follower:
to see whether they were likely To- stanC
firm. All appeared to be calm and ready
WHO are you and what men are those
with you?'' called out the British office
as the skiff came near.
Me? DINA Connecticut Yankee. borI
at Norwalk, and these men are picke,
marines from Sacketts Harbor. don
need to ask who you are, for you're III.
prisoners replied Gregory. i, Here. non,
of that he added, as he saw a movemen
as if they would return to-the gunboat
You can take your choice either come 10
| us or go to the bottom What could tn
surprised men doo They started TO obey
when the men on the guubOat Observing TIN
changed conditions, opened fire. At tn
word of Gregory the fire was returned ant
all the men started quickly for the boat
No opportunity for reloading was. given
In few moments the Yankee sailors hat
boarded the gunboat, and Il haDG-t O. ham
enga cement followed. The British marine
were no match for their Yankee cousins il
this kind of struggle. and soon the "Blac
Snake" and her eighteen men were takeI
IF my cannoDade had been loaded, l.
have blown you all TO flinders" said Capt
Landon, deeply chaGriDed at his capture
That's all right" replied Lieut.. Gregory
but I'm pretty well satisfied as it is-''
You'll never get us out of this river, sal
the captanI. There are too many on tn
lookout for such as YOU"
Wen try it. anyhow" said the lieutenant
S the Black Snake" was taken in tow an
the party started to make their way u
the river.
They had gone but few miles. whe
they sa w large British gunboat approach
ing. The prisoners shouted together, an
the attention of the stranger was at one
secured
Were in for il now" said the lieutenan
The course was Immediately changed an
with the o otherboatin hotpurSuitthey yStarte
for some of the smaller islands, hoping
be able to find some hiding place or I
escape among the many winding passa ge
But the enemy steadily gained upon then
Nearer and nearer she came, and soon tt
boom of a six-pound cannon came threateI
ingly across the water.
'We'l never do it lieutenant said Sal
ing-master Vaughan. ''Our only chance
to scuttle this boat and make off with OJ
prisoners and the small arms"
That's the very thing / had Just decide
to do replied Gregory. TIE prisoners wei
hnrried into the OiUs and nSinp hOfh sni