The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-08-13

channel, tho shots passed over the hull,
doing damage only aloft.
The men who had been ordered to
stand by to board" were now called
back to their guns, as it was discovered
that the Lancefield was preparing to get
under way, and CALLING fire opened on
the ships batteries, one of the first broad
sides literally tearing to pieces four-gun
work
The Japs soon found the new range,
and as their practice was excellent, con-
siderable damage was done, three men
being killed and several wounded.
So close were the vessels at this point
that the smoke and fame of the discharge
of one vessel came aboard the other.
AS the ship came nearer the Lanceheld
a she'll from the brig entered forward
port and exploding killed and wounded
every man at the gun except three. This
shot having horribly wounded William
Thompson, captain of the gun, Charles
Murphy, though hims elf badly hurt,
seized the lanyard, trained and fired the
gun, and continued to work 1t short
handed until REINFORCED from Lieut..
Barton's division, which, by the way,
suffered all the C asualtise of the BATTLE
with the exception of the three men in
the beginning of the action. The lieuten-
ant was himself wounded.
Every shot from the Wyoming told on
inc 0dGtll6s6 N6SStIS. anu SIItlU lOloS
were torn in their sides by the heavy
shells. The Wyoming here got aground
for a sort time and the Lancetield, seeing
her position, slipped her cable and pre-
pared to lay her aboard or to ram. AL
though exposed to the concentrated fire
of everything, McDougal ordered the two
11-inch pivot guns to direct their fire on
the steamer, and as the heavy shells
crashed through her sides the officer were
seen to leave her in small boat and
make for the shore. Again were these
guns fired, and this time the shell of the
forward one striking the Lancefield full
am idships, exploded her boiler, passed on
and burst among the spectators in the
streets of the town with great carnage.
Instantly the Lancefeld was a mass of
flame, smoke, and steam, and her crew,
forced to leave her, sprang into the
water. Forty men, it is claimed, lost
their lives on this vessel alone by the fire
of the Wyoming, the explosion, drown
| ing, and the pistol shots of the Yankee
tars.
Having disposed of the steamer, the
Wyoming next turned her attention to
the other ships and forts, and SO riddled
the bark as to make her worthless. SO
much damage was also done the shore
works, that on returning to the channel
not man was hit by their fire.
On July 20, when the French squadron,
composed Oh UQ0 CSUllftLllS dHu 1dASAooO
completed the work of destroying what
was left of the batteries, they found the
steamer and brig sunk, and the bark
ashore, riddled and worthless.
OF her. complement of 100 men, the
Wyoming had four killed, two died of
their wounds, and two were severely,
and two slightly wounded.
She fired 55 rounds, was herself hit 20
times, most of the damage being done to
rigging and smokestack, and was one
hour and ten minutes under fire.
McDougal took every chance and won,
but had he found that he and his men
were to fall into the hands of the enemy
he would have blown up the Wyoming
and all hands rather than experience the
horrible fortunes at that time inflicted on
prisoners by the Choshiu clansmen.
The Japanese lost fully 200 killed and
wounded, and besides having their ships
and works destroyed, were compelled to
pay to the owners of the ship Pembroke
the sum of $l2, 900, although their fire had
not SO much as scratched her paint.