The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-07-22
A SPECTRAL
SEA FIGHT
lOriginal.1

gave myself up for lost.
l was lying ON the deck only partly
conscious when l heard. or thought
heard. ships bell. II struck six times,
and knew that the hour was o'clock.
knew ii was evening. for the full
moon mingled its rays with the long
twilight Of that high latitude. Rising.
l crawled to the guuwale and looked
over the starboard quarter.
A vessel flying the stars and stripes
was sailing past with all her canvas
set And what vessel! She was
built up very high in the poop and cut
away at the bow, sort Of PROV pro-
jeoting with a ngurehead- She was q
man-of-war, with ports open. showing
the muzzles OF her guns. l counted
fourteen guns on her main deck and
four astern on q deck below. This was
her broadside. The officers wore a
uniform which had seen in pictures
OF q hundred or more years ago. A
slender man stood on the quarter deck
with glass to his eye. Looking In the
direction ii pointed. saw another ship
similar in build. also a man-of-war.
The British ensign was at her peak.
There were other vessels scattered
about, but I took no notice Of them.
being profoundly interested In these
two. evidently about to meet In combat.
The American wore ship and backed
his topsail. bringing his broadside to
bear ON the Englishman. l saw q man
ON the latter cry out, evidently to hall
the other, but heard no sound. A Sec
ond time he hailed. I saw smoke
plumes leap from the Americans side,
and still heard no sound
I was too weak to stand longer and
sank back on the deck. On the one
hand was the moon silently mounting
the sky, on the other the fierce though
silent battle. Both passed from my
vision for time. for I became uncon-
scious, but when I recovered and rose
to look over the gunwale there were
the two men-of-war locked in an en-
brace Of war.
1t was now night, and / could see
only by moonlight. The American was
lashed to the Englishman's forward
anchor. The man l had seen on the
quarter deck was firing shots at his enc
mics. who seemed to be endeavoring to
cut the vessels loose. Marines were
loading the pieces for him, and he
picked Off every man who approached
the lashings. Meanwhile the BritisheI
was firing her guns right through the
Americans main deck. | could see that
the Americans dark hulk had settled
in the water. Then light burst forth
between decks. ''She will burn II she
does not sink" I said. -and she will
sink If she does not burn
And then came the strangest thing OF
all. l could see by the tirelight mel
on the doomed vessel bailing water
that was sinking the ship TO put ouI
the fire. -Lashed to a stronger ship
burning. sinking broadsides continual
ly pouring through her. she was still
endeayoring to conquer. Was there
ever pluck like that OH sea or land
Surely there must be some god OF wal
on that wrecked vessel to Lreathe th'
spirit OF invincibility into its uneoh
querable crew.
And there was. On the deck .stoot
| the slender man. he who with his owl
| hands kept his enemy from the lash
ings. lighted by fire and moon. ges
| ticulating, doubtless swearing. direct
| ing every detail. every man to do tn
part assigned him. and inspiring al
| with his own marvellous courage.
The American had ceased firing witt
| her cannon. At any rate. she was 5
| wrapped with the other In smoke tina
| IL she fired I could not tell. Sailor
| with muskets were on the foretop. til
mainfop the mizzentop: marines wer
on the quarter deck. the poop deck an
top of the roundhouse. They were fir
ing muskets and hand grenades. but u
their enemies We're all ON the lowe
deck they were protected Men craw
| ed out on a yardarm OF the America
and dropped hand grenades on til
enemy. one of which fell in an ope
hatchway and exploded below with
terrific sound. Soon after this sailo
leaped over the Britisher's rail, 70
lowed by boarders, and In few mil
utes the British ensign was haule
down.
This Is the last ] remember OF th
night. When l came to consciousness
again, the sun stood where the moo
had been and was binding me wit
his intense light. Rising. ! swept II
I'm sight. The sea rolled on smooth.
silently. as II II had never been di
turbed by the reverberation Of guns.
One effect remained with me.
those men on that burning. sinking We
sci could conquer, why should d.
spair? Going below, I found fishin
tackle and an ax. With the ak l sacr
feed my own finger and with this II
bait caught q fish ! HAD matches
my pocket and made a fire. heated sc
water and, condensing the steam, ha
water again, this time that coul
drink. In this fashion lived till va
picked up by an American cruiser.
told my story to the cruisers ca
tain. He listened to me patiently an
when l was through said:
MY man. you were used up and Vi
der the influence OF hallucination. Yc
must have read of the famous sea fgl
that occurred where you were on II
23d Of September. 1TI9. just centul
before"
what sea fight was thatT
"The Bonhomme Richard and Il
l serapis."
: "On my honor. I never heard OF
!, | Who was the devil that commando
n the American?"
"John Paul Jones'"