The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-11-27

Silencilg him toreUer.
ing OF the quarter deck guns, which
were without an officer since Mease.
who had been fighting heroically, had
been severely wounded. of course heard
the noise. and. turning about, saw the
gunner running for the flag. Fortu-
nately the flag had been shot away.
and as the gunner was seeking it, FUN
bling over the halyards in the dark
ness, Pearson, hearing the cries, called
out again:
/ ''Do you ask for quarter"
Jones had taken two long steps across
the deck. to the side of the gunner.
Selling his discharged pistol, he
brought the butt of it heavily down
upon the forehead of the man. cracking
his skull and silencing him forever.
"Neverr' be shouted in reply to the
Englishman.
"Then l will give nonew said Pear
son--an entirely superfiuous remark.
by the way.
1t was at this juncture that the ALI
ance was seen coming down again as
before Jones had time but for one
glance of apprehension when he heard
the noise of the leaping prisoners be-
low. He sprang to the main hatch.
''The prisoners have been released"
cried De Weibert, meeting him. The
Frenchman had been toiling like hero
on the gun deck. ''The battery is ST.
fenced; we have not q single gun to
work; the ship is afre! We must
yieldr' he exclaimed.
AS the frightened men came crowd
ing up the hatchways Dale. who had
just fired the only remaining gun on
the deck that was left fit for action,
took in the situation at once. He stay
ed the rush in the nick Of time by voice
and action. He sprang into the midst
of them. threatening them, striking
them, beating them down. driving them
oack with his sword. 1t was magnifi-
cent display of hardihood and courage,
presence of mind and resource.
"To the pumps!' he cried with
prompt decision. For your lives,
men! The English ship is sinking, and
we'll go down with her unless you can
keep us afloatp' he shouted in thunder
tones with superb audacity. The bat
tie lost was won again in that minute.
"Well done. Richard!" shouted Jones,
leaping through the hatchway and sec
ending the daring ruse Of his noble
lieutenant by his own mighty voice
and herculean efforts, crying master
fully: "Get to the pumps, men! Lively,
for Gods sake!. The ship is sinking
under your feet! The English ship is
going"
1t was unparalleled assurance, but it
| won The two officers actually sue
ceeded in forcing the English prisoners
to man the pumps, where they worked
with frantic energy born of their per-
sistent daze of terror. This left the
regular crew of the ship free to fight
the fires and to do what they could
with the remaining guns. AS Jones
sprang back to the quarter deck. the
surgeon, covered with blood and ap
| palled at the carnage, came running
toward him, crying:
1.-THE ship is sinking, sir! The cock
pit is under water! I have no place
to stow the wounded. We must sur.
render"
Strike! Striker cried De Chamil
lard, who was wounded. "We can dc
no morew
"What, gentlemen" cried Jones
would you have me strike to drop
| of water and a bit Of fire? Up, De
| Chamillard! Here, doctor, help me get
this gun over"
The surgeon hesitated, looked around
| again, and, not liking the appearance
| Of things about him, turned and ran
below. Not to his station, for that
was under water. His mates had beer
| killed. He wandered up and down
| the decks, doing what he could-whict
| was but little-for the wounded where
| they lay Assisted by two or three OF
the seamen, with his own hands Jones
dragged one of the 8 Founders from
| the disengaged side Of the deck across
/ to the starboard side to take the place
of dismounted one; and, while the
heavy battery Of the Scraps continued
its unavailing fire below, these three
small guns under his personal direc
ton concentrated their fire upon the
mainmast of the Scraps.
The fortuitous position of the Amer
leans in the enemy's tops enabled then
| to pour perfect rain of small arm fir
upon the spar deck of the Scraps
with little possibility of effective re
turn. Man after man was shot dow
by the side of the intrepid Pearson
who, whatever his other lack of quail
ifications, showed that he possessed
magnificent personal courage, until b
| remained practically alone upon tn
deck-alone and as yet undaunted.
1t is impossible to describe the scene
1t is not within the power Of words t
portray the situation, after over tw
hours of the most frightful and deter
mined combat. No two ships wer
ever in such condition. No battle tina
was ever fought was like it. TIL
decks were covered with dead and dy
Ing. Bands Of men in different diree