The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-02

overtoEerinE the little Yankee scAoon-
e.. and hemming her In the narrow
harbOr. During the whole evening
preparations were made on both sides
Tor battle The sicping semi-circulaF
shores Of the harbor formed a splen-
did amphitheater and throngs Of peo-
pie gathered 10 watch the expected bait
tie under a clear moonlit sky.
There was a iull after hrsi Skin
mlsh until after midnigtS. then the
British launches crept slowly from
their cover and to the M her Of four
teen paraded In one long Vow. close or
der. Their oaumen pulled steadily
toward the Armstrong The Yankee
crew lay resting az her quarters. and
when the launches came within gun
shot arose and greeted them with a
stunning yollcy Terrible havoc was
made by the Long Tom. The boats
held up Tor a moment. then the line
broke IN confusion. There were enough
sound mel left IN the boats 10 reply To
the Yankee Gre with muskets and boat
carronadcs 4 round Of British cheers
followed these answering shots. and
once more the boats dashed forward
In spite Of the murderous FIRE from the
decks Of the priyaieer the Britons pull
ed ahead until they reached the side
Of the Armstrong. out 81 range OF the
blk guns. Cries Of boar" and no
quarter" rang out on the British boats
These shouts mingled with the shrleks
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
we're driven on by blows. stabs or shots.
Il was a rafting fight for a few min
utes The small carronades and swivel
: guns OF the British Numbered away
against the wooden ribs Of the Yam
kee ship. At the same time the men
In the boats fred their muskeis and
[ blunderbusses into the ranks OF the
Yankees along the bulwarks Of the
I priyateer. All OF Mr. Reid's l.euten-
ants were hit The senior was dead
with a bullet through his forehead
Many OF the seamen we're also down
and Gre seemed 10 cease on the fore
castle.
Gathering up the spare men al Reid
led them forward with a Wild BATH,
shout. Fresh yolleys Of musket ball.
were hurled into the thickest ranks OF
the boarders. That ended the struggle
Two o. the boats were manned with
dead mes only. They drlitod hopeIess'y
on the pillows. bat the Others were
slowly hauled on One boat carried
away but four living men. 4 lieltgn
ant commanding Il saved h.s ne by
jumping into the water Some OF IN,
oaismen fell dead from their seats dur.
Ing the retreat. aud The boats noatod
ashore with the grim Carsoos Of dead
and dying sailors.
But the Armstrong had not escaped
punishment The Long Tom had Jump
ed from her berth and several Of th,
gun carriages were broken. The &C.,
mainder OF the night was passed In
putting things into shipshape for th,
morrow's battle. Although the pouu
gucse governor ontroated the British Q,
stop h0s'.lties. the British commando
sNore that be would have that Yankr,
priyatCcr u he had 90 knock down th,
town 10 get az her Reid sent hli
wounded ashore. and 40 daylight al
the abie-Dodied men some weariui
CORY blndage stood 40 the guns ready
for action Early next morning the bi.
CarnatIon moved 10 the attack and
opened with full hroadsIdcs 90 clos,
range Meanwhile the Long Tom ha,
been righted and poured shots fast ant
furious into the hull. the rigging an,
the mast Of the BrItons. The punish
ment was too much for the CarnatIoi
and she hauled away
Reid saw that the defense would b,
useless against the odds. and that bonn
bardment was endangerng the town
Many Of the British shots took effec
on land The schooner was scuttlcd anJ
abandoned The enemy boarded hel
and applied the torch. putting an On,
to a vessel that had left many a mari
on the crack men-o'-war Of the king.