The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-03-19

/ speed et'1 Finding his signals ignored.
s Reld opened with Long Tom and with
q mtlutls musk One volley was fired from
the tn boats, but at II the second yam
5.fee volley the assailants asked for
quarter, then backed off. In a. short
time, after the four launches retreat
cd to the Carnation, the whole British
fleet was astir. A line of launches
hlled with fighting men moved up I'M
DER cover Of a ledge of rocks, within
snort range of the privateer. The
three huge warships also stood in line
overtoWering the little Yankee schoon-
er, and hemming her in the narrow
naroor. During the whole evening
preparations were made on both sides
Tor battle. The sloping semi-circular
shores OF the harbor formed a splen-
did amphitheater and throngs of peo-
pie gathered to watch the expected hat
tie under clear moonlit sky.
There was lull after the first Skin
mlsh until after midnight; then the
British launches crept slowly from
their cover and to the number of four
teen paraded in one long row. close or
der. Their oarsmen pulled steadily
toward the Armstrong. The Yankee
crew lay resting at her quarters. and
when the launches came within gun-
shot arose and greeted them with q
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 me1 left in the boats to reply to
the Yankee fire with muskets and boat
carronades. A round of British cheers
followed these answering shots and
once more the boats dashed forward
IN spite OF the murderous fire from the
oecks OF the privateer, the Britons pull
ed ahead until they reached the side
OF the Armstrong, out of range of the
big guns. Cries of "board'' and emo
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.
'Ho oAoAAy ClOSeQ upon MIN,
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 off by blows, stabs or shots.
1t was a rafting fight for few min
utes. The small carronades and swivel
guns of the British Numbered awav
against the wooden ribs of the YAM
kee ship. At the same time the men
in the boats fired their muskets and
blunderbusses into the ranks of the
Yankees along the bulwarks of the
privateer. All of Mr.. Reid's lieuten-
ants were hit. The senior was dead
with bullet through his forehead
Many of the seamen were also down.
and fire seemed to cease on the fore
castle.
Gathering up the spare men aft Reid
led them forward with a wild battle
shout. Fresh volleys of musket balls
We're 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 off. One boat carried
away but four living men, A lieuten-
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 foated
ashore with the grim cargoes of dead
and dying sailors.
But the Armstrong had not escaped
punishment. The Long Tom had jump
ed from her berth and several of the
gun carriages were broken. The re-
mainder of the night was passed in
putting things into shipshape for the
morroW's battle. Although the Portu-
guese governor entreated the British to
stop hostilities, the British commander
swore that he would have that Yankee
privateer, if he had to knock down the
town to get at her. Reid sent his
wounded ashore, and at daylight all
the able-bodied men&some wearing
CORY bandages- stood at the guns ready
for action. Early next morning the big
Carnation moved to the attack and