The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1900-05-08

II Y about aTe! twenty; nis
name was Richard Somers, and his
command was the Nautilus, little
schooner of twelve guns and hun
dred men. He had been, with Deca-
tur and Stewart, junior officer Oh
Commodore Barry's United States in
one Of the wars in the last century,
and the friendship formed in those
early days had been cemented by a
score Of thrilling adventures.
The difference in their tempera-
ments was marked. Decatur was bold,
lomineering and impetuous, Somers
was quiet, mild, and ever avoided the
quarrel which Decatur too often
&enght. But under the quiet exterior
&aen had found will like iron and the
willingness to dare and do anything
that came within the province of his
profession.
In the old days on the United States
there happened an affair which imme-
diately established his reputation as
an officer and man. At first he was
not understood His brother midship-
men, mistaking thu reserve of his
manner for weakness, did not hesitate,
before they had been aboard with him
month. TO take advantage of him in
fSs rage zr5Us derk-Trr- eve. ver.y-ie,os. pos.
sible Way. Somers stood it for while
in silence. As the weeks went by and
the bantering continued, Somers be-
: came more and more quiet and self
contained.
Decatur, ever humorous and mis-,
chief-making, had himself been one OF
the worst to chaf his comrade, but he
know what Somers's silence meant,
aud he desisted.
Somers went about his duties quiet.
", never giving sign that there was
anything upon his mind until the day
before coming into port. Then he
went to Decatur and said;
/ stephen. tomorrow I want you tc
Z go ashore with me, for am going tc
meet three men.
The next afternoon q cutter contain
ing Scmers, Decatur and three mid
shipmen with their seconds went
ashore and found secluded spot upor
the beach where they would be free
from interference. Somers had chal
leneed all three to fight, and was Il
take them in succession.
) In the first two duels Somers re
ceived two shots in the body. The
latter caused him to sink upon the
sand, as though dangerously hurt; bu
he rallied quickly and, seeing that The
third midshipman was standing wait
= ing to see if the battle could be con
tinued, tried to struggle to his feet
He found he could not get up, and De
catur offered to take his place and re
ceive the fire of the third midship
man. But Somers, though suffering
greatly, was not to be deferred, ant
bade Decatur prop him up in sitting
posture, in which position he ex
changed shots with the third man
Fortunately none of the injuries re
suited fatally, and in a few weeks
Somers was on deck again He wen
about his duties as before, but never
after that did they call him milksop
It was Somers who led one division
OF the gunboats to attack the Tripoli
tan feet while Decatur was leading
the other. Finding that he could no
reach them by the eastern entrance
he sailed into the northern entrance O
the harbor, and, single-handed, boldly
sent his little vessel into the midst o
i've of the enemy. His gunboat wa!
smaller than any one of those of hi
adversaries, but so well was his lons
gun served and so true was the fire o
his musketry that not one of then
succeeded in getting alongside of hin
to board.
They were all bearing straight dowr
upon the rocks, and Somers could no
spare enough men from the guns t.
man his sweeps. But Preble, on tn,
Constitution, saw his danger and
coming up in time, sent broadsid'
of grape among the pirates, who go
out their sweeps ana reIreateo Wnel
one united attack would have radr
the victory theirs.
As they drew of, instead of return
ing to the Constitution, as Preblt
wished, Somers pursued them until
within less than a cables length OF {
tBelve-gun battery, which had no
fred before for fear Of damaging the
fleeing Tripolitans. When she opened
fire at this close range the destruction
of Somers' valiant little vessel seemed
inevitable; but by lucky chance q
lombard exploded in the battery.
blew up the platform, and drove tn:
Tripolitans to cover.
While these many attacks were be
ing made upon the gurboats and bat