The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-10
victories of American Navy.
From the Chicago Times Herald.

NACIOC1eB OF american Navy
From the Chicago Times Herald.
AT the beginning of the war of the revo
luton there was no American navy. How
ever, the continental privateers managed
to capture about 500 English vessels and
120O0 prisoners. 500 of them soldiers in
some of the best English regiments. In
the two years naval war with France the
fighting was all, done by the navy, which
captured SO of the enemy's vessels and
about 5000 men. The wars with the Bar
barry pirates were also brought to a salts
factory end by the unaided efforts of the
navy, the United States securing privi-
leges not granted to European powers. 1t
was in the war of 1872 however. that our
navy won Its greatest victory by whipping
the British after 1t had defeated the COM
bined sea forces of the world. over 100
British ships were taken and over 10000
British seamen were made prisoners.
Finally in the Mexican war, though there
was not much chance for naval co-opera-
ton with the land forces, when the chance
did come at Vera Cruz the navy took 1t.
1t is not necessary to detail all the vic
tories of the American navy to prove it's
efficiency. The more important are suf-
ficient, and such names as Paul Jones,
Oliver Hazard Perry Lawrence and
others who won the victories ought to be
CbOOSh " lAopiAO NlACi ShSNCSSOiS " tAlCll
best and bravest deeds.
The first naval engagement of the revo-
luton was off Machias, Me-, when the
British armed schooner Margaretta was
whipped and captured. After that follow
ed long list of minor engagements, in
which Essex Hopkins, first commander-ln-
chief of the navy took a number of
English ships. The edge of these victo-
ries was dulled a little, however, by the
Champlain under Benedict Arnold.
And then came the first prominent ap-
pearance of Capt. John Paul Jones, who
in the old Providence picked up fifteen
British prizes late in'76. In April, rs, ne
made that daring attack on Whitehaven,
and in September, 10, defeated the Eng
lish ship Scraps in the German ocean
with the Bonhomme Richard Cnamed af-
ter Poor Richard" or Benjamin Frank
lin), which sank the next day.
The two important battles in the naval
war with France were fought by the good
old frigate Constellation. under Commo-
dore Truxton. The first of these was off
st. Kits, an island in the West Indian
group, where after an hours fighting,
Truxton compelled the French frigate
LInsurgente to strike her colors. In Feb
ruary, 1899, that was. A year later the
same vessel and the same commander adj
ministered drubbing to the French La
Vengence, but allowed her to escape in a
squat.
In the war with the Barbary States the
capture Of the American ship PhiIadel-
phia and its subsequent destruction by
Decatur and the bombardment of Tripoli
by Commodore Preble were the important
engagements. The first was a serious loss,
but the bombardment was sufficient to Sc
cure American shipping against the raids
of the Barbary pirates
The war of 1872 was productive of a
number of glorious American victories.
The first of these, after numerous pre-
liminary skirmishes, came on Aug. 10,
when the frigate Constitution (now the
Newport school ship, under Isaac Hull,
captured the British frigate Guerriere.
In the next month Lieut.. Elliott captured
the brig Detroit and Caledonia from under
the guns of Fort Erie, the latter after
wards serving in Perry's fleet. 1t was only
a few days later that the frigate United
States captured the British Macedonia off
Madeira, the British loss being 104 and the
American eleven. A couple of months later
the Constitution captured the British ship
Java off Brazil, and in February of 1913
the American sloop Hornet stung and cap
tured the British Peacock.
But after that came a defeat the defeat
of Lawrence in the Chesapeake by the
British frigate Shannon. 1t was the
Don't give-up-the Lawrence and
in this engagement he was MORALLY
wounded. For inficting the defeat the
freedom of London was voted to Capt.
Broke, the English commander, and a fine
sword was presented to HIM. The defeat
was not long unavenged, however, for a
couple of months after Capt. William
Henry Allen in the sloop Argus captured
the British sloop Pelican in the English
Channel, and a month later the American
Enterprise took the Boxer.
Then came Perry's victory, the We
have -met-the-enemy- -they-are ours"
victory over the English fleet
in Lake Erie. Six vessels were the prize
I'm this engagement, a sad loss to England,
an encouraging life TO the United States.
And then the sloop Peacock, which the
Americans had taken from the British, was
used TO capture another British ship, the
brig Epervier off the coast of Wales The
nrlze was sold for $4,000, and $ll8O00 in
sDecie was found on board. This was the
first good victory of 1914. 1t was soon fol-
lowed by another, when the American
WASH captured the Reindeer. Later she
took the British Atlanta, but soon after
disappeared, no one knows how, but for
ever.
And next the second battle Of Lake
C,hamplain an American victory this time
when Commodore Thomas McDonough,
with fourteen vessels and eighty-six guns
defeated the British fleet OF sixteen YES
sells and ninety-six guns under George
Downie. Flfty-two killed and as many
wounded was the American loss, the Brit
ish twice as much.
The first naval struggle of 1915 brought
an American defeat, the President under
Decatur Being captured by British fleet
inst our Of New York harbor. A month
later the Constitution captured the Brit
ish frigate Cyane and the brig Levani.
and three days after the Hornet, under