Morris tribune., 1904-01-23
Pearson aOas standing alone US II dGzed.

1
mans deck were dazed and driven from
their stations by the concussion. The
clothes of many were actually ripped
| from their bodies, so that they stood
naked and wondering, though they
were otherwise unhurt. A long mo-
ment of CHASTITY silence succeeded this
accident on the Scraps. Men every
where paused with bated breath to
wait the issue. The Scraps. dragging
the Richard reel"G and rocked under
the shock. 1T W; Il last catastrophe
which broke the strength Of Parsons
endurance and ended his resistance
He could fight no more. Was it the
devil himself who commanded the 9th
er ship? The English captain sprang
aft to the mizzenmast. A great Eng
lish standard had been nailed to the
timber Of the spar. With his own
hands he tore it down. The battle was
over! At the same moment the main
mast of the Scraps, undermined and
eaten away in it's heart by the gnawing
attack of the quarter deck guns Of the
Richard, came crashing down, a hope
less ruin, carrying some of the Amer
leans into eternity as it fell.
"They have struck their fiag!' cried
Jones, who had sprung upon the rail
at the moment of the explosion and
had witnessed Pearson's action. "Cease
firingv'
His voice rang through the ship with
such a note of proud triumph as has
rarely been heard within the fought
over confines of the narrow seas. 81, De-
"They have struck! The ship is
ours!' ran from man to man among
the Americans Wild cheers broke into
the night in an ever increasing volume
Of sound. ...r.
"Send Mr.. Dale to me-" said Jones to
young Brooks as the flag came down.
The midshipman had been wounded.
but still kept his station.
AS Dale came running toward his.
captain Jones cried:
"Muster boarding party and take
charge Of the prize. The fight is overt,
But, no, the battle was not over. A
few moments before an English ship
captain amengathe. prisoners had sue
ceeded in escaping through the rents in
the shattered sides of the two ships
and had told the plight of the Richard
to the first lieutenant Of the Scraps.
With this information the men on the
gun deck had been rallied and, led by
their officers, had. returned to their
quarters and resumed the battle. They.
too. were heroes. Mayrant who ran
aft from the ,forecastle as he saw
Pearson strike his flag. jumped on the
rail by Jones' orders and followed Dale
upon the deck of the English ship.
Such was the confusion of the moment
that as Mayrant leaped on the deck he
was actually run through the thigh by
a pike in the hand. of a wounded Brit
ish sailor. Pearson was standing alone,
as if dazed, on the .squarteY deck Of
his ship, holding one rclinched hand
against his breast. with the other
grasping his trailing flag In: his face :
was that look of defeat and: despair
which is the ,saddest aspect Of baffied:
impotent humanity.
"Hayea you struck, sir?'' cried Dale. :
StOpping before the English captain.
eyes" was the grim reply His voice i
was broken whisper indicating in the
tones his mental agony. rt.saJ
81 am come to take possession"
): .sVery good. SIR" said Pearson bitter
ly, as before, and dropping the flag.
Then he reached for his, sword.
just at this moment. Pascoe.. the first
lieutenant of the. Scraps, came bound I
ing up the shatchway. from the deck !.
below. i.||t B u0 E'f p4&ft seatf,s
ga few more broadsides. sir, and
they are onrs!' he cried impetuousy:
They are in sinking .,,, i
''The ship has struck, sir. and you
are my prisoner" interrupted Dale
quickly. seeing the necessity Of
a.
"Struck! This ship! Your prisoner!
cried the astonished Englishman.
Eyes. sir. Your sword" demanded
Dale. The man hesitated.
"Disarm him!' cried the American.