The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-10-14

ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO.. NEW work.
with grenades and. hanging it on hi
left arm, crawled way out to the enc
of the main yard that extended fa
over toe deck of the Scraps.
Having reached a position over ;
hatch leading down to the main deck
| he hung the bucket over the end O
the spar and then stretched himself
out at full length, being partly pro
tected from those below by the rig
ging Then he proceeded to light the
grenades and to carefully drop then
down the hatcbways. He was so COO
that he succeeded every time.
On board the men of-war in those
days there were little boys belonging
to the gun crews called powder mon
keys, whose duty it was to keep the
gunners supplied with ammunition.
These lads on the Scraps had been
too active in bringing up cartridges
and all the guns were supplied with
one charge in advance of the Dc
mand, SO that behind the guns was d
line of cartridges from the main mast
to the stern. Considerable powder
had been spilled and lay scattered
about,
Now one of the grenades dropped
by the American tar out on the spar
burst in some of this loose powder
and fired it. With a flash the flame
sped to the nearest cartridge and ex-
ploded it. The fire and shock was
communicated to the other cartridges
and in an instant the whole row ex
ploded, creating worse devastation Oh
the Scraps than the gun explosions on
board the Richard early in the battle
had done. Every gun on the deck
was so badly damaged that it was
rendered useless and nearly every
man serving them was either killed OF
seriously injured.
The Scraps also caught fire and
new horrors were thus added to the
conflict. Both ships were ablaze and
the lurid flames dimly seen through
the darkness and the murky atmos-
sphere of mingled fire and powder
smoke, added to the red flashes from
the mouths of the guns, rendered the
scene fearfully picturesque one.
The terrible explosion on board the
Scraps changed the current Of the
battle. Captain Pearson was now al
most as badly off for heavy guns as
Jones was. He summoned the boar
ders and made bold dash on to the
deck of the Richard. Jones caught
up pike and leading the charge
droye him back to his own ship, and
the heavy fire from the decks Of the
Richard compelled the British to
abandon their decks and go below
But if the Americans attempted to
board, the English would swarm up
and drive them back.
Jones trained one of the nine-poun-
ders on the quarter deck against the
main mast of the Serapis and by con
tinually pounding away at it at length
succeeded in cutting it in two and il
fell with crash. The fire on the Sc.
rapis quickly communicated to il and
ran rapidly over the ship.
Unless something was done the Bri
tish would simply be roasted to death
for they could not venture on deck tt
fight the fire. So Captain Pearson
decided to surrender. None of hii
men would risk their lives pulling
down the colors so the captain had t(
rush out and haul ths flag down with
his own bands.
Amid the awful din and smoke anC
uproar half the people aboard the Sc
rapis believed that it was the Richard
that had struck.
| Wheu the British dag came dowr
Lieutenant Dale asked consent O
Commodore Jones to take possession O
the ! rize. The desired permission
was given and Dale leaped aboart
the captured ship and made his wa,
to the quarter deck, followed by ,
body of sailors.
Captain Pearson was found sadly
looking over his shattered ship
Stepping up to him Lieutenant Dali
said:
"Slr, [ have orders to send yes
aboard the Richard"
| Before the captain could reply hi
first lieutenant rushed up and eagerl,
demanded:
Has the enemy struck her flag
sir?'
| mo, SIR spoke up Dale. "On thu
contrary you have struck to u.s.
| Wheeling on Captain Pearson th,
English lieutenant asked:
Have you struck, slr?"
''Yes. l have" was the short reply
Captain Pearson was not feeling hap
py.
''Then l have nothing to say" sait
the lieutenant and he turned abou
and started back to his guns.
Lieutenant Dale stopped him, say
ing:
"Sir, it Is my duty to ask you to &C
company Captain Pearson on boar,
the ship alongside"
The Englishman demurred, bu
Dale insisted, and be and Captain
Pearson crossed over to the Richard
} As Captain Pearson handed his swor'
, to Commodore Jones, he said sullenly
/ 1T is painful for me to deliver u1
! my sword to a man who fights with
| halter around his neck"
This insoleEce did not disturb Jones
. eqnanimity. He simply smiled an
I said, as he handed back the sword:
, "Sir, you have fought like q her
) and l make no doubt that your sover
eign will reward you in the mos
amDla usnnorO