Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-07
WORDS OF SEA HEROES,
Phrases That Have Become Part Of
American History.
Utictances Of Barry, Decatur. Lawrence
Perry and Hull and Other Brave Men.


triotic phrases to literature. AS the
ter-se embodiment Of popular sentiment
IN trying situations and emergencies.
shey are not surpassed by expressions
of a like character in any language.
The sea fighters started in this line
at the very beginning of the Revolu-
ton, in fact. before that tremendous
struggle with the mother country WAS
begun Capt. Whipple of Providence,
r. l. for instance when notified in 1715
by Sir James Wallace of the British
frigate Rose that he would be strung
up at the yardarm for having burned
his Majesty's ship Gaspee, sent the Ia
comic reply tn Sir James:
always catch man before you
hang him.
The lion-hea,ted Whipple. who, in the
preceding war with France in his priva-
teer Gamecock captured in d single
year % French prizes voiced in that
defiant answer the sentiments of all the
rebels in the colonies that catching
them was an essential preliminary TO
she hanging business.
Who first raised the American flag on
a ship Of war is one of the disputed
questions of history. John Adams
claimed the honor for Capt. John Manly.
a New Highlander. Paul Jones asserted
that my hand first hoisted the Ameri-
can flag" He was then a&lieutenant
on the frigate Alfred. There were sew
eral American flags at tho time and
Paul Jones does not describe his par
ticular one. Some historians think it
was the pine tree and rattlesnake flag
with the motto, An appeal to God.
don't tread on me" Others assert that
it was a flag consisting of Il stripes.
with the motto. Don't tread on me.
and a rattlesnake stretched diaSonai(y
across them.
u have not Yet begun to fight, was
one of Paul Jones famous replies to a
British captain with whom he had been
tierceIy engaged for over an hour and
who desired 70 know of he had sur
rendered. 1t was not Paul Jones who
surrendered when the battle came to
an end That was the celebrated en-
gagement between the Scraps and the
Bonhomme Richard. The captain Of
the Scraps having been knighted for
his gallantry on that occasion by
George Ill, Paul Jones, when he heard
of the promotion, Enthusiastically re-
marked
Never mind; if l meet him again I'll
make lord OF him.
The first commodore of the young
American navy was Capt. John Barry
In the spring of 1881 he was hailed by a
British ship on his way from Havana.
TO the inquiry as to his identity, he
replied:
The United states ship Alliance.
Saucy Jack Barry, half Irishman, half
Yankee Who are YOU"
Not the value nor the command If
the whole british fleet could tempt me
from the American cause" was the re-
ply of Barry TO Lord Howe. IN 1716.
when the latter offered him 13,eo0
guineas and a commission in the Eng
lish navy to Join the royal causa.
Equally patriotic was the reply of the
captive American sailor Nathan
Coffin. when asked 10 enter the Kings
service: Hang me. if YOU will, to the
yardatm, but do not ask me IL become
a traitor to my country.
stephen Decatur was one Of the
braVest men that 6Ter walked the
quarter deck His famous toast at
public dinner in Norfolk. Va, in 1916.
Our country. In her intercourse With
foreign nations may she always be in
the right. but our country, right 9f
wrong" would, If he had never said or
done anything else have won him
place in the memory of his country
men, The destruction by him Of the
frgate Philadelphia in the harbor of
Trpoli WAS declared by Lord Nelson to
be the most bold and daring act Of
the age"
Decatur was as generous as he was
brave. II cannot said he to Capt.
z hn In a
offered to surrender his sword take
the sword Of man who has so bravely
defended his ship, but I'll thank you
for that hat
This was in the 1912 war, and the
reference to the hat was a reminder OF
a bet between the two officers, made
previous to the breaking out of hos
tlites, in regard to the fighting powers
of their ships. At the first fire the
Macedonian lost her mizzenmast
Hearing sailor remark to one of his
mates that they had made d brig of
her. Decatur added:
Take good aim. my lads, at the
mainmast, and We'll make sloop Of
her" ~
To the hail of a squadron of Algerne
pirates While crllisingJh ne Mediter ,s,-
congo Decatur fFnm ms lone snip an
sWered back, Dove mi place. (Where
pleasel. and they let him go. Toward
the close of the Alscrine war one of their
captains sought for delay in order to gam
some advantage
Not minute" replied Decatur. with
a threat to capture pirate squadron II
his terms were not complied with instant
Toward the close of the 1872 war De
catur in command of the President. was
chased by a large squadron. all of when.
with one exception. the Endymlon. ns
"utsailed. In the emergency he concelfd
the daring design of capturing that SNIP
before her sisters could come to her as
sistance. and, having scuttled his own
vessel which was injured ar 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
mp with us. As our own ship won't san
We'll go on board of them. every man
ana boy of US. and carry her into New
York. All | ask of you is to follow me:
This is fdvurite ship Of the country II
We allow her to be taken by the enemy;
We shall be, deserted by our wives and
SWeetheartS What lose such a snip a.