The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-31

every school-boy in the country, had its
| effect on subsequent events in the coun-
trys onward march of progress.
The great battle of the brig General
Armstrong took place on the night OF
the 26th and 9th of September, 1874
eighty-one years ago. 1t was one Of the
most desperate, romantic and heroic sea
fights that ever occurred on the ocean,
1t won q distinction for the chivarous
character of American prowess. 1t shed
a luster Of glory over the land and add
ed to our national history one Of its
most brilliant pages
1t was toward the close of the last war
with England, in 1914, that the reverses
which had attended our arms on land,
| the bankrupt condition of the govern
ment, and the capture and burning of
| Washington, the National Capital on
the 24th of August, 1914, had thrown a
general gloom and dependency over
the country-it was under these circum
stances that the news of the battle of
Fayal, and the extraordinary victory of
| the private-armed brig General Arm
strong over the superior force of Brit
ish squadron, sent thrill of joy and en-
| llluSldSI1l III UuSl lllC ItdllS VI Liz
American people.
The Armstrong was little brigantine
of only two hundred and forty-sx tons,
commanded by Captain Samuel Chester
Reid, and manned with six long mines,
with Long Tom a forty-two-p FOUNDER
amidships and a total crew of ninety
men and officers.
| The attack on Washington was only
| intended as a demonstration to cover the
real design of England for the conquest
of Louisiana and the territory west of
| the Mississippi, which for one hundred
years she had tried to wrest from
France. For this purpose she was as
sembling her mighty hosts of battle
ships and veteran troops off the West In
dian island of Jamaica. On the 10th of
September Admiral Sir Thomas Coch
rane Earl of Dundonald, who COM
manded this great feet of fifty warships
sailed from the Chesapeake for Jamaica,
there to await the arrival of the squad
ron of Commodore Robert Lloyd, which
was on it's way from England
On the 9th of September ten days be-
fore Admiral Cochrane left the Chesa-
peake, the fleet winged Armstrong ran
the gauntlet of the blockade of the Brit
ish warships off Sandy Hook, and at
noon on the Goth of September put into
the bay Of the Azorian island of Fayal
for water.
About sunset on the same day hove in
sight the squadron of Commodore Lloyd,
consisting of the line of battleship Plan
taganet, of seventy-four guns; the fris-
ate Rota of forty-four guns, and the
brig of-war Carnation, with eighteen
guns, with a crew of over two thousand
men and officers. Lloyd had been in
formed by the pilot out at sea that the
Armstrong was in the bay, and although
aware that it was a neutral port belong
ing to Portugal, was determined, in vio-
lation of the laws of nations, to capture
the Armstrong as a most useful adjunct
in the expedition against New orleans.
AT p. m. four large launches with
sixty armed men each commenced the
attack. They We're driven off with great
slaughter after severe conflict, having
cried for quarter and their being in
sinking condition.
1t was midnight. The silvery sheen Of
brilliant September moon lighted up
the bay, the hills and the sea walls of
the town of Da Horta. On the opposite
island, but four miles distant the tower
ing peak of Mount Pico looked down
upon the battle scene below. Fourteen
large launches opened their fire, sur
rounding and boarding the Armstrong.
Her decks ran with human gore. Amid
the roar and smoke of guns and the
clash of steel were heard the shrieks of
the dying and wounded-then the battle
cry and shout of victory rang out and
was re-echoed over the hills and valleys
of Horta. Many of the gunboats were
sunk, others filled with their own dead.
The white-capped waves were Grim
soned with the blood Of England's
bravest and best.
The American flag still f1cated defiant
ly at the peak Of the General Arm
strong, which now lay close under the
guns of the castle of Santa Cruz. At
daybreak the sun rose on the morning
of the 9th to witness another scene of
slaughter and defeat of the British
forces. The Carnation, of eighteen
guns, now engaged the Armstrong, open
ing broadside after broadside. Long
Tom" was doing splendid execution.
The main topmast of the Carnation soon
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