The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1899-04-05


rSSSRR%S of our flag; and her good
fortune is 80 remarkable
that the salors deem it hardly possible
for her to meet with disaster.
Before giving history of one of her
remarkable escapes from danger we will
meution some OF her victories.
At the commencement OF the war of
the war of 1912, the Constitution, under
command Of Commodore Isaac Hull,
was the first American frigate to capture
an English frigate of equal force
The following is Captain Hull's &C.
count Of this affair, addressed to the
secretary of the navy, under date of
August 80, 1912.
SIR, have the honor to inform you
that on the 10 h instant, at two p. No.,
being in latitude Al dtgrees 81 minutes,
and loi tude 50 degrees, AZ minutes,
with the Constitution under my com.
mand, a sail was discovered from the
masthead, bearing T. by S or +, S. L :,
but at such distance we could not tell
what she was. All sail was instantly
made in chase, and soon found we came
up with her. At three p. M, could
plainly see that che was ship on the
starboard tack under easy SAIL close or
wlnd-at half-psst three, p. M, made
her out to be frigate-Continued the
chase until we were within about three
mil Nuh I ha - IL.
taken in, the courses hauled up and the
chip cleared for action. Atthis time the
chase had backed her main. topsail, wait
ing for us to come down. AS soon as
the Constitution was ready for action, l
bore down with an intention to bring
him to close action Immediately; but, on
our coming within gun.shot, she gave us
a broadside, aud filed away and WORE,
giving us broadside on the other tack,
but without effect, her shot ia'ling short.
She continued war and maneuvripg for
about three quarters Of an hour, to get a
raking position, but finding she could
not, she bore up and run under her top
sails and jim, with the wind on the
quarter. l Immediately made sail to
bring the ship up with her, and at 6ye
minutes before six p. M, being along
side within half pistol-shot, we COM
menced heavy fire from all our guns,
double-shotted with round aud grape,
and so weIl-direCted were they, aud 30
warmly kept up, that in sixteen minu-
ties his mizzenmast went by the board,
and his mainya ard in the slings, and the
hull, rigging, and sails very much torn
to pieces. The fire was kept up with
equal warmth for fifteen minutes longer
when his main-mast and foremost went,
taking with them every spar, excepting
the bowsprit on seeing this we ceased
firing SO that in thirty minutes we got
fairly alongside the enemy, she surren-
dered, and had not spar standing, and
her hull, below and above water, so
shattered, that few more broadsides
must have carried her down.
After informing you that 80 fine ship
as the Guerrero, commanded by an
able and experienced officer, had been
totally dismssted and otherwise cut to
pieces, 80 as to make her not worth tow
ing into port, in the short space of thirty
minutes, you can have no doubt of the
gallantry and good conduct of the off.
GERS and ships company l have the
honour to command. 1t only remains,
therefore, for me to assure you, that they
all fought with great bravery; and it
gives me great pleasure to say, that from
the smallest boy in the ship to the old
est seamen. not look OF fear was seen.