Morris tribune., 1904-01-16
US Gosv1Se1d Brady,
900. BY CHARLES scRI8NER;S soNs

| OF impact, ana second later the Eng
lish, cheering frantically, jumped upon
the heel of the bowsprit and clambered
upon the rail of their ship.
They were led by tall, distin,
guished looking officer, who attracted
double attention as he wee, the red
uniform of the English army. AS
their heads appeared over the rail the
powerful voice of Jones could be heard
Shouting, ''Boarders awayr' Not wait,
ing for the men who came springing up
on the quarter deck in obedience to his
summons, the dauntless captain seized
| a pike from the rack and hurled it
through the air at the leader of the
Englishmen. Good fortune guided his
hand, and the steel head of the lance
struck fair in the bosom of the soldier.
The British wavered a moment as their
officer fell, and Jones discharged his
pistols full among them. Then De
| Chamillard and those of his marines
| left alive upon the deck, by we'll di-
rected point blank volley, drove back
the boarding party Of the English.
The two ships were grinding against
each other, and the wind on the after
sail of the Scraps slowly forced her
around until she swung parallel to the
Richard The jib boom snapped off
short under the strain and her star
board anchor caught in the tangled rig
cling of the American frigate, and Sta
cey, the sailing master, sprang to lash
the ships together. Stacey snatched a
rope from the rattle on the deck and
strOve to overhaul it. 1t was tangled
and he found great difficulty in clear
ing it. An impatient man at best, and
now greatly excited. he swore roundly
as he tugged at the vexatious rope.
"Don't swear, Mr.. Stacey" said
Jones almly. coming to his assistance.
'In another moment we may all be in
eternity, but let us do our duty"
With his own hands Jones passed the
lashing
On the gun deck below, the batteries
were being fought fiercely. The two
ships were lying side by side, one head
ing in. the other out. the bow Of one
by the stern of the other. the starboard
side of the Scraps closely touching the
starboard side of the Richard. In the
hope that the Richard would drift clear.
Captain Pearson now dropped his port
anchor. In vain! No bulldogs ever
chung to foes with more tenacity of
grip than did those two ships in deadly
grapple joined together. The Richard
and the Scraps were fast locked for
good. and the two ships swung to the
tidal current. the wind being again
almost entirely killed. In that position
they lay for the next two hours, or IN
til the battle was over
AS the Englishman had not hitherto
engaged on the starboard side, the port
shutters had not been opened, and the
close contact of the two ships rendered
it impossible to open them then. The
to fire through them, blowing off the
port lids. 1t was necessary for the
men on both ships to extend the long
handles Of the hammers and sponges of
the guns through the ports into the
other ship in order to properly load
their own cannon. Badinage of a char
acter easily to be imagined passed back
and forth between the two crews,
though nothing interrupted the steady |
and persistent discharge of the bat |
teries. The battle below was literally |
a hand to hand conflict with great |
guns. all the advantages in number and |
size being with the English.
At this juncture a new note was add |
ed to the conflict Jones, whose eyes |
were everywhere in the battle, OBJ
served a black shadow come darling |
athwart the two fighting ships, shut
ting off the moonlight. 1t was the Al
lance.
'Ah." he said to himself. "Landais
has seen the folly of his disobedience
and has come to our assistance"
AS the American ship. with her
French captain and half English crew,
doomed up between him and the bright
moon he thought of course that she
would range down upon the unengaged
side of the Scraps and with a few
compel her to strike at
once. But no. the Alliance under full
sail stood on. Her men were at quar-
tiers. ports triced up. lanterns lighted
She was passing the bow Of the Sera
pis now. Why did she not fire? The
insane and treacherous Landais held
on until he was standing
squarely across the stern of the Rich
ard. Now she was drawing past as
well. A command rang out Good
God! What was that?
Jones was well nigh petrifed with
when at short range the
poured in raking broad
side. of which the Richard received the
brunt. though it was apparently dis
charged impartially at the two ships
AS Landais drew past the stern the
helm of the Alliance was shifted. She
swung parallel to the Richard poured
In another broadside. circled the Rich
ard forward and raked her again. The
last discharge was frightful one. The
shot at close range swept the crowded
decks of the American ship, which
seemed actually to culver and finch