The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-17

the close Of the Algerine war one of their
captains sought for delay in order 10
gain some advantage. mot a minute"
replied Decatur with 8threat to capture
a pirate squadron II his terms were not
complied with iHstanter. Toward the
close OF the 1872 war Decatus IN command
Of the President, was chased by a large
squadron, ell OF which, with one ex-
cepiion, the Endymion. he outsailed. In
the emergency he conceived the 1ar-
ing design Of capturing that ship before
her sisters could come to her assistance,
and, having scuttied his own vessel,
which was injured at the time, sailing
into port on his anticipated prize. HIS
speech TO his crew on that occasion is
unique. MY lads" said he, that ship
IS coming up with us. AS our own ship
won't sail. we'll go on board of them,
every man ana boy Of as, and carry her
into New York. All 1 ask of you Is TO
follow me. This IS favorite ship of the
country. If we allow her to be taken by
enemy We shall be deserted by our
wives and sweethearts. What lose such
a ship as this for nothing 'TWould break
the heart Of every pretty girl in New
York;" The President at once headed for
the Endymion, ard the enga cement began.
During the action Decatur was wounded,
President had time to repair damages the
Tenedos and Pomona came up, and De-
catur was forced to haul down his flag.
Don't give up the ship" the dying words
of Commodore Lawrence, the heroic com
mander of the Chesapeake, are among the
very noblest ever uttered. They win live
as long as ocean rolls or gallant ship floats.
The gallant Perry flew that signal at his
masthead in the memorable battle of Lake
- l.,
the inspiration to pen that dispatch which
has canonized him In our history: 1--WE
have met the enemy and they are ours" 1t
was written on his staff hat in lieu of a
table. on the half of an old letter and the
additional information in II gave the size
and number of the enemy, namely, two
ships, two briggs, one schooner and one
sloop." Perry was hero in peace as well
as in war. During a fearful winter storm,
while lying in the harbor of Newport, he
heard that a merchant vessel had been
driven on a reef six miles distant. He at
once manned his barge and said to the
crew: Come, my boys, we are going TO the
relief of shipwrecked seamen; pull away"
That act was applauded by the country al
most as much as was the battle on Lake
Erie. During the Mexican war Gen. Scott
requested the loan of some guns from the
fleet, to be used on shore. Perry complied,
but on one condtion--that wherever the
guns go the officers and men must go
Also
Commodore Porter father of the late Ad-
miral Porter, happily phrased the senti-
ment of the country in the motto which he
few on his flag in the war of 1872: Free
trade and sailors rights" In those distant
days it became the text for many a pa
triotc song and thousands of political
| speeches. A British captain, meeting Por-
ter, flung out an answering signal to this
| effect: God and country, British sailors
| best rights. Traitors offend both" The
| belief In England at the time was that
! the crews of the American ships were all
British deserters. Porter answered his enc
| my next day with a fresh signal flag:
| God, our country and liberty! Tyrants
| offend themr'
When the Constitution under the COM
mand of Commodore Hull. engaged the
| French grigate Guerrero, a dramatic scene
was witnessed on the deck of "Old Iron
| Sides AS the Frenchman's guns began to
1 thunder out Lieut. Morris, second in CON-
mand. asked Hull if he should give the
order to fire. Not yet" replied Hull.
Nearer and nearer came the two ships.
Again Morris asked for the order, and
again came the answer, mot yet" A few
moments later, high above the roar of the
guns, as the Constitution completely COW
| cred her enemy, HulPs voice rang out:
| Nov, boys, pour 1t into themv'
The Guerriere was literally torn to
pieces" the blood of the killed running out
of her scuppers, says naval historian.
The dashng Preble, during a cruise in
| the Mediterranean, ran across another
ship. 1t was night and he could get no re-
ply 10 his hail. This colloquy followed:
| Prebie-I now hail you for the last time
If you don't answer I'll fire a shot into
| YOU"
stranger-If you do I'll return a broad
side.
Predict should like to catch you az
that. now hail for an answer. What ship
is that?
stranger-This is his Britannia males.
tvs S4-gun ship of the line Donegal, Sir
Richard Strachan. Send boat on board
Preble-This is the United States H-gun
ship Constitution, Capt. Edward Preble,
and I'll be id if I send a boat on board
any ship. Blow your watches, boys
We We're at peace at the time, and the
two captains suspected that each was O.
pirate. They lay to during the night. Ex-
plantations followed in the morning when
the British ship proved to be not the for.
midable Donegal, but the 32-gun frigate
Maidstone.
Commodore Macdonough sighted the
enemy on Lake Champlain on a Sunday
morning. He ran up the signal for divine
SSINlCc, anu kuSeHlE on the deck among
his men, offered appropriate prayers Dur
Ing the engagement a British shot struck
the hencoop on the Saratoga and released
a game cock, which flew into the rigging
and crowed Justify all through the fight
the. men loudly cheering. Macdonough's
victory aroused the enthusiasm of the en-
tire nation.
A war cry that closely resembles "Re-
member the Maine" was that which Gen
Sam Houston gave to his troops at
the battel of San Jacinto-the battle which
gave freedom and independence to Texas
Col. Travis was IN command of about
1S5 Texan soldiers in the fort called the
Alamo at Bexar. There he was surround
ed by a greatly superior force under the
Mexican dictator Santa Anna.
on the morning of the 9Th Of March. 1885,
the little garrison of the Alamo capitulat-
ed on the pledge of the Mexican general
that their lives would be spared Notwjth-
standing this pledge Col. Travis and his
| entire force were massacred as soon as
they had surrendered. Their dead bodies
were gathered together, a huge pile of
wood was heaped upon them ana they were