The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1896-08-13

""H tchile-ilci W vi dN Out Ol the uS u
to make some repairs. This enabled
the Americans to devote their entire
attention TO the Cyane. and she va
soon at their mercy, and compelled t,
surrender to avoid being sunk. Lien
tenant Hoffman Immediately took pos
session Of the prize
The Leyant meanwhile had repair
ed her damages we'll enough to be able
to get into action again. The comha,
occurred at night and Captain Doug
las had no means of knowing that the
Cyane had surrendered. He saw the
Americas ship sailing away from his
consort and probably supposed she
was trying to escape. AT any rate he
gallantly attacked "Old Ironsides.' .
The two vessels passed each Other
pouring in their broadsides. The
storm of shot that crashed through
the Levant was Il revelation to the
English. They saw that their foe was
still IN first class fighting trim and
that their ship was no match for hen
at all. The Levant was at once put
about and tried TO escape. The Con
stitution followed in chase, firing hel
long forward guns into the enemy
They Were served very effectively
every shot rakins the Levant and
doing great damage Captain Dong
las stood this as long as he could but
at last, finding that he was being cut
to pieces and was not able to give any
effective fire in return, lie surrender
ed his ship.
The seamanship displayed by Cap
tam Stewart In this action was master
ly. 1t is seldom that two ships fight
one without the single ship being con
raked by one or the other of her al
versaries. 1t Is considered almost i'm
possible to prevent this, and still Cap
tain Stewart did not allow it to occur
once. The Constitutions loss was
only three killed and twelve injured
The English officers made no report OF
their loss public. Captain Stewart
gave it as seven killed and sixteen
wounded on the Levant, and twelve
killed and twerty six wounded on the
Cyane.
"Old Ironsides" pnt into Porta
Praya with her prizes. On the day
after her arrival she had another mar
row escape from capture by a super
lOr force. The weather was very thick
and bank of fog that could not be
penetrated by the eye lay close down
to the water At five minutes past
twelve the sails of large ship were
discovered looming up above the fog
and few moments later two more
We're seen, all approaching the harbor
From their appearance it was at once
known that they were vessels of the
enen Us squadron, and from the little
respect hitherto paid by them to 6
neutral port Captain Stewart deemed
1t best to put to sea. The prizes were
signaled to follow and in fourteen
minutes after the first ship was seer
the three vessels were standing out
of the harbor. Their topmasts were
observed by the British men-of-war
which Immediately y gave chase. Al
though the hulls of the pursuing and
pursued vessels were not visible tC
each other the Americans, by the cut
of the spars, made out the enemy tC
be two ships of the line and a frigate
1t was soon seen that the American
fleet could hold its distance against
the two larger vessels, but the frigatt
was gaining.
The prisoners aboard the Consti
tuition could not conceal their delight
and confidently predicted the capture
of "Old ironsides" and the recapturt
. | Of f1nIr
the pursuing men of war to be the
Leander, so guns; Newcastle, 80
and Acasta 40 The latter boat wa.
fast oyerhauling the Cyane an(
she was ordered to tack. This wa!
done in the hope that one Of tht
enemy would follow her and then sh,
would get back into port and CLAIM
protection. The British paid 10 at
tention to her, and she was soon on
of sight She eventually reached
New York in safety. A little late
the Levant was in danger and wa
slgnaled to tack. She did SO and t.
the great surprise and modification
of the British prisoners aboard til,
!, Constitution all three of the ship
stood after her.
The Levant managed to reacl
Porta Praya, but as Captain Stewar
, thought, no attention was paid to it
neutrality, and a heavy fire was opened
, on her. Oh course she had to at one
surrender.
The Constitution escaped, and oI
/ reaching home found that a treaty o
peace had been made. The ending O
+; the war closed the fighting career @
| old lronsides" From the war c
5 1912 to the civil war the United State
2 Navy was not called upon to activel
e battle for its country. At the time c
the rebellion, the Constitution was {
/ too old type to be used in actiy
{ warfare Her last service was durln
t the Irish famine only few years ag
g when she carried provisions to til
1 starving peasantry. The gallant ol
t ship is now lying at Portsmouth, di
O mantled.