The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-15

efficiency The more important are suffi-
cient, and such names as Paul Jones, Oliver
Hazard Perry. Lawrence and the others
who won the victories ought to be enough
to inspire their successors to their best and
bravest deeds.
The first naval engagement of the revolu-
ton was off Machias, Me-. when the Brit
fish armed schooner Margaretta was whip
ped and captured After that followed a
Fsek Hopkins, first commander in-chief of
the navy, took q number of English ships.
The edge of these victories was dulled a
little, however, by the defeat of the Ameri-
can fleet on Lake Champlain under Benedict
Arnold.
And then came the first prominent ap-
pearance of Captain John Paul Jones, who
in the old Providence picked up fifteen Brit
ish prizes late in 1716. In April, 177S, he
made that daring attack on Whitehayen,
and in September, 17I9, defeated the English
ship Scraps in the German ocean with the
Bonhomme Richard manned after Poor
Richard" or Benjamin Franklinl. which
The two important battles in the naval
war with France were fought by the good
Truxton. The first of these was off st.
Kits, an island in the West Indian group,
where, after an hours lighting, Truxton
compelled the French frigate L'Insurgente
to strike her colors In February, 1893, that
was A year later the same vessel and the
same commander administered drubbing to
the French La Vengence, but allowed her
to escape in a squall.
In the war with the Barbary States the
and its subsequent destruction by Decatur
and the bombardment of Tripoli by Commo-
dore Prcble were the important engage
mentS. The first was a serious loss, but the
bombardment was sufficient to secure Amer
lean shipping against the raids of the Bar
barry pirates.
The war of 1872 was productive OF a num-
Der of glorious American victories. The
first of these, after numerous preliminary
skirmishes. came on Aug 19, when the frig-
ship, under Isaac Hull, captured the Brit
ish frigate Guerrero. In the next month
Lieutenant Elliott captured the briggs De-
troit and Caledonia from under the guns Of
Fort Erie, the latter afterward serving in
Perry's feet. 1t was only 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 cap
tured the British ship Java off Brazil, and
in February of 1873 the American sloop
Hornet stung and captured the British Pea
cock.
But after that came defeat, the defeat
of Lawrence in the Chesapeake by the Brit
ish frigatc Shannon. 1t was the Don't
give-up-the-ship" Lawrence. and in this en-
infiicting the defeat the freedom of London
was voted to Captain Broke, the English
commander, and fine sword was presented
to him. The defeat was not long unavenged,
however. for 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 and they are-ours
Six vessels were the prize in this engage
ment sad loss to England, an encourag-
ing lift to the United States And then the
slooD peacock. which the AMERICANS hAo