Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1897-10-22

evertoMerinS the little Yankee schoon-
q. and hsmming her Ia, tho narrow.
hafbor. During the whole evening
preparations were made on both sides
for battle. The sloping ssmi-cicular
shores Of tho harbor formed . splen-
dld amphitheater and throngs OF peo-
PIE gathered to watch the expected bat
tie Under clear moonlit sky.
There was . lull after the nrst Skin
mish until after midnight; then the
British knleheS sfspt slowly from
their cover ana to the nuqah4f ,6f four
teen paraded IN one long row; closs or
der. Their oarsmen pulled steadily
toward the Armstrong. The. Yankee
crew lay resting at her quarters, and
whom the launches came within gun
shot arose and greeted them with Z
stunning volley. Terrible havoc was
made BY the Long Tom. The boats
held up for . moment, then the line
broke in confusion. There were enough
sound mea left in the boats to reply to
the Yankee FIRE with musksts ana boat
carrohades. A round Of British cheers
followed these answering shots, and
6ncs more the Boats dashed forward.
III spite 81 the iniirderous fire from the
decks Of tho privateer; the Brit6n6 pull
ed ahead Until thGy reached the side
Of the, sArmstrong. out OF range, Of tie
big guns. Cries Of, board" and, mo
quarter" rang out on the British: boats.
These shouts mingled with the shrieks
and cries Of wounded and maddened
sailors In the boats. reached the ears
of the people lining the shores.
When the enemy closed upon, him,
Reid hurried his men to the bulwarks.
Pixies, pistols and blunderbusses were
brought into play. and the boarders
who had clambered up the vessels sides
were driven of BY blows. stabs or shots.
It was Z rafting tight for 4. few min
utes: rhe small carronadss and swivel
guns Of the British Numbered away
against the wooden rihs Of the Yam
iee ship: At the same time the men
in the boats fred their tiuskets and
biinderbusses into the ranks Of the
Yankees along the buiwarks Of the
privatsef: All Of Nj: Reds iieutsn=
ants were lit. The senior was dead
with bullet through his, forehead.
Many Of the seamen were, also down.
and IRE seemed to cease on the fore
castle. ,-,.
Gathering UP the spare men aft Reid
led them forward with q, wild battle
shout. Fresh volleys Of musket balls
were hurled into the thickest ranks Of
the boarders. That ended the struggle.
Two Of the boats were manned with
dead men only. They drifted hopelessly
on the pillows, but the others were
slowly hauled of. One boat carried
away but four living men. A lienten-
ant commanding it saved his life by
jumping into the water. Some Of the
oarsmen fell dead from their seats dur
ing the retreat. and the boats .floated
ashore With the grim cargoes Of dead
and dying sailors. ....
But, tho Armstrong had not escaped
The Long Tom had Jump
ed from her berth and several, Il thS
gun carriages were, broken. The, re-
maindsr .ot the, night was passed in
putting things into shipshape for the
morrow's battle. Although the Poltq-
guess governor sntrSatsd thS Britisk e.
stop hostilities. the British commander
swors that 10 would have that Yankee
privatser, II he had to knock down the
town to get at her. Reid sent his
wounded ashore. and at daylight all
the able-bodied mem some wearing
cory bandagss- stood ct the guns ready
tor action. EARLY next morning the big
Carnation moved to the attack and
opened with full broadsides at close
range. Meanwhile the Long Tom had
been righted and poured shots fast and
furious into the hull. the rigging and
the mast Of the Britons. The punish
ment was too much for the Carnation
and she hauled away.
Reid saw. that the defense would be
useless against the odds, and that bonn
bardment was endangering the town.
Many Of tho British shots took effect
on land. The schooner was scuttled and
abandoned. Tho enemy boarded her
and applied this torch, putting IN end
to / vessel that had left many = mark
on the crack nen:o'-wat Of the kings