New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-27
THE FIGHTING LIBERTY PARTY.
HOW SOME AMERICAN BLUE-JACKETS
FAILED TO TAKE A CENTRAL

HOW SOME AMERICAN BLUE-JAcKETs
FAILED TO TAKE A CENTRAL
s..t. AMERICAN FORT.
Ibid / ever tell you about the great fighting
! liberty party?" asked Lieutenant Shenkle Fuse.
United States Navy of his friend Walker Shore the
| other day.
81 don't know" replied Walker Shore you've
| told a great many awful mean exciting
stories. But don't remember this one, think"
at doesn't make much difference" said the Lieu
tenant looking thoughtfully Walker. "I'l chance
telling 1t to you again. anyhow
He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and
began thus:
Never mind the real name Of the ship. There
are chapters In history that ought never to be
published Let us call her the Pegasus always re-
Numbering, however. that she flew the United
States flag at her spanker peak. She had been on
one of those indescribabe cruises that our ships
have to make along the Pacific coast-a cruise In
which she started out one Of the Behring Sea
patrol squadron, then went to some forsaken port
in the Northwest TO take part In the celebration
of some semi-centennial or birthday, next chased
smugglers then stopped at San Francisco to coal
up and repair and finally went nosng around all
the dead and forgotten ports In South America APP
parently for no other purpose than to let her blue
Jackets get into fights with the natives.
1.-The result was that the captain was obliged to
curtail liberty parties; In fact he shut down
on liberty altogether during the last two weeks
the South American coast. The Pegasus made
slow run up to Central America. and the Incidents
OF this little yarn took place at obscure place
celebrated only for heat and ntoxicaton. None OF
the men had been ashore for three weeks. and as
luck would have II something smashed In the en-
gine-room Just as we entered the harbor and we
were hung up there for two weeks at least IT
looked like quiet little city. and 1t was protected
by a fort of some pretensions. which served as
citadel and prison. So the captain thought 1t was
good place send his men ashore on liberty. and
the first party went off soon after the anchor was
down.
1.-The next day learned that one Of the men,
Tom Rafferty,. an American of Irish descent, had
been In fight. been worsted, arrested and con-
fined in that fort They let him out about three
days afterward. but by that time the Central
American rum had done its work and the entire
crew was of the opinion that the arrest and i'm
prsonment of Tom Rafferty, was National in
suit. to be wiped out only in gore. or course, we
fellows in the wardroom did not know anything
about the sentiment of the berthdeck or we might
have taken precautions AS 1t was, we came pretty
near finding ourselves In the middle of casus BELL,
and 1t was only the ready wit of Jimmy Foster that
saved us.
1.-THE men kept their counsel and seemed
very busy when they went ashore on liberty.
Finally the largest liberty party Of the cruise was
sent off, two days before were to sail. We had
no fear of their deserving down there. Fortunately,
Jimmy Foster went ashore that evening and the
first person he met was Collins the marine bugler,
who in state of panic.
For heavens sake. Mr.. Foster said he. stop
them: they're going up to take the fortr
Jimmy stared at him an instant and then said:
Come and show me the way.
THE bugler led the way over hills OF shifting
sand and loose stone. Presently the irregular pas
lions of the antique stone fort doomed inky black
against the heavy blue OF the sky 1t was all silent
up there but the faint gmmer Of the tropical stars
CHI here and there
barrel. The soldiery ready and waiting for
the desperate blue-jackets. Jimmy did not see
sign Of a sailor and he stared at the marine bugler
with eyes full of increduous reproof. But presently
he heard faint and steady murmur like the
buzzing of a of bees. over behind ono of the
low sand hills.
"'That's where they are he said to the buger;
come on
stumbling heavily through sands and over rocks,
Psnng bshnd m he
upon the men They absolutely without arms.
Sck np IN the town They had planned their at
tack with the skill of trained troops too; They had
which was to make direct attack, while the other
was to execute flank movement And tell you
fort though at great loss of life, and we should
h hans n1q It RaGnt been for Jimmy Foster He
said; o,, no,na % ao,
Take the fort was the answer. and give the
dagoes good lesson
Whereat they saluted him with cheers.
But he continued. first want you TO help
me- There's a saloon keeper down In the town who :
has insulted me. Now. you come down with me and
clean out his place, and then well come back and
Column left march, ordered the leader of the
men, a big petty officer named Jonas. and away
they went after Jimmy down into the town like so
many lions Well, IT took Jimmy, nearly an hour
to find a suitable saloon and In the mean time he
had sent the bugler to the snip with the alarm.
| was always sorry for Senior Mataguero the
saloon keeper, because don't think | ever
place so thoroughly. wrecked as his was. He him
self escaped out of back window calling upon
the Virgin and the Holy st. Michael. Meanwhile.
Jimmy kept the boys right at work smashing things
in the saloon till he heard the measured tread of
feet and the rattle of arms. Then he called them
off and they found themselves in the custody OF
the whole marine guard OF the Pegasus. with fixed
bayonets. And they went back aboard the ship
sadder and wiser Jackies.
"Remarkable' quite remarkaDle. exclaimed
Walker Shore.
II don't know" said Lieutenant Shenkle Fuse
musingly. whether it was any more remarkable
than Jack Dumonts celebrated performance"
What that"
''Why you see that is briefly told. II happened
down there the west coast. too. Jack went
five men did, and that was the last we of any
OF them for two weeks though we hunted high
and low. Then we got a tip from native and went
down the coast about thirty miles. And what do
YOU suppose discovered?'
I'm ] can't tell
why that blessed Jack and those fellows had
raided the entire surrounding country and stolen
ali the horses Then Jack had organized his forces
into a cavalry corps. and when found them they
were in the seventh heaven of intoxicaton. having
cavalry field day on piece OF hard beach. I've
good many queer sights. but Jack Dumonts
blue-jacket cavalry simply beat Falstaf's army in
a canter.
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