The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-27

Read the Introduction to SCOTS IVA
verify and note how great Is the terror
of the natives when Jones little fleet
comes sailing into the Firth from Forth.
Great, great is the relief when God seems
to answer frantic prayers by send
ing the gale which sweeps Jones out to
sea.
Only few days later he is back again,
this time in the river Humber, where
again he destroys English vessels Then
comes the immortal fight with the Sera-
pis.
In the annals Of war on land on sea,
there Is nothing like it-hothing that
rivals 1t In bull dog pluck and intelligent
desperation.
The Scraps Is heavier craft than the
Bon Homme Richard-carries more guns,
better guns, more men and better men.
| The hope OF the Richard is John Paul
Jones. At the very first fire two of the Old
guns on the Richard burst, killing a
dozen men. All that part OF the ship
and armament is abandoned. Only the
guns on the upper deck can now be used
her 12-pounders throwing but 204 pounds
on broadSide when the Scraps threw
800 pounds. So the fight goes on, nearly
an hour. Maneuvering for position, both
ships cease firing. and the British cap
ldIiIp edl SOll, S9ii9 w. ~
| struck your colors?"
Through the darkness. for it Is night,
comes back the voice OF Jones:
II have not yet begun to fight
| Together come the two ships. and Jones
| lashes them with rope The head OF the
| one lays opposite the stern OF the other'
Graphing hooks reinforce the hold Of the
ropes. In deadly embrace the two ships
are locked; and now 1t Is such a battle as
| old ocean has never seen.
| Yard-erms interocked, some or the
| guns useless for lack of space TO handle
the hammers. broadsides thunder the
balls rake the decks at point-blapk range.
Timbers are shvered, cannon torn from
carriages. the boards covered with the
dying and the dead,
The September moon floods land and sea
with light On the coast clusters of peo-
pie watch the battle The beacon light
of Marlborough head glares across the
waters; and those who are on the ships
can see the fortress OF Scarborough cas-
tie and the English vessels which nestss
under It's guns.
The Richard seems a beaten ship, One
side Is blown out where the guns had
burst; the decks above had been shatter-
ed; one by one the cannon are silenced;
from the mainmast aft the whole side is
beaten in; Shot from the Scraps pass
clean through; transoms are knocked out,
stern frames cut to pieces; only a few
stanchtons hold up the decks,
TO add to the terror OF the night, fire
breaks out time and again.
And strangest Of all. the commander of
one OF the smaller vessels of Jones fleet,
q crazy French captain, Landais, sails up
to the combatants and pours three broad
ades into-thc EnglIsng no INTO uue as
founded Americansl Then he sails away,
leaving killed and wounded as the fruit of
his visit
The guns in the main battery have
fred their last shots. The Richard be
gins to leak The carpenter loses his |
head and begins to shrek I'VE sinlei we |
sinkn'
The master at arms thinks all is over. |
He releases the prisoners, and cries out. |
ITO the decks, everybody The ship Is |
sinking"
The English prisoners scramble up the !
hatchways fighting desperately with each |
other to reach the deck. The carpenter
runs screaming, Quartet Quarter"
Panic is about to seize the whole crew.
Frantically the carpenter tries to haul
down the flag. officers and men call out
to Jones that ne must surrender The
British hear the uproar, and again Pear
son calls, 'ItaVe you struck?
Nor shouts Jones as he dashes out the
brains of the carpenter with the butt of
q pistol.
The British try to board the Richard.
Jones rallies his men, meets the boarders
pike in hand and drives them back.
The fight grows more desperate than
ever. Officers and men go back to their
posts. British prisoners are made to
work the pumps. Others fight fire. The
surgeon advises Jones to give 1t up; water
has oyerdowed the cockpit; the ship can
not be fought longer; her battery is ST.
fenced
Jones makes a Jest Of lt-calls for the
doctor to lend hand In placing a gun
lie himself helps to drag it In position
Only three nine Founders. on the upper
deck, are left in action. These he trains
upon the main mast OF the Scraps
What is this huge black shadow which
comes gliding in between the two fight
ers ard the harvest moon.
II IS the crazy Landais again In spite l.
If cries Of warning. in spite Of the private
hight signals that the Richard displays, /
he added Frenchman pours three broad
ides into the almost dsmantled Richard! | |
And again, Landais sails away, leaving }
.iiled and wounded on the American deck
g The fruit Of his visit.
10y sheef 1Ofce or VIII ana lndOmttable q
duck Jones drives the men back to their /
laces, and the fight goes on (
Sharp shooters are in the rigging pick Il
~ off every Englishman who shows his II
cad. Hand grenades are pitched into
he port holes to destroy the gunners r.
t their guns. Away out on the yard arm Il
f the Bon Homme Richard crawls q $
airing sailor who drops bomb through IC
he hatchway Of the Scraps, where it /!
Xplodes a row of cartridges lying on the d
lain deck. Ii
Twenty-eight of the English are killed
+ desperately wounded a
This is the turning point in the battle Z
he British cannot recover from the III
low, Their fire slackens The kenercan II
hip is really in the worse plight of the
wo, but they fight on with ferocious per N
stence, and the British do not know III
lat the Americans are about to sink 81
An English prisoner makes his way ! "
rom Jones ship to the Scraps to tell | ic
lem there to fight on--that the Richard
beaten.
lie Is too late by the merest fraction Of ~
mo. -
Pearson has lost heart He tears down ~
is flag and calls out that he has struck ~
Richard Dale. Of the American ship, -
nows the value of hurry. of decision, and =
Q gives Pearson no chance to recon- ~
der
Even while the British lieutenant is try na
g TO wedge in a word OF remoustrance IN