The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1904-09-08

nous size. it having been perforated by a
splinter. and his whole appearance the inn
PRESERVATION of. carnage and i'll luck, and
said: "All the officers in my division are
cut down: can have Others!
They were sent: but Yarnall soon re-
turned. again wounded and bleeding pro-
| fusely. with the same sad story.
Il have no more officers to furnish you,
replied Perry You must endeavor to make
ont by Yourself
The brave Lieutenant did SO. Thrice
wounded. he kept the deck, and directed
every shot from his battery in person.
| Surgeon Parsons said: I'VE have OBJ
served that Lieut.. Yarnall was wounded.
| yet kept the deck. He had his scalp badly
torn. and came below. with the blood
streaming over his face. Some lint was
applied to the wound and confined by a
handkerchief. and the Lieutenant was then
directed to come for better treatment after
the battle, as he insisted upon returning TO
| the deck. 1t was not long before he again
made his appearance. having RECEIVED
second wound. On the deck were slowed
some hammocks stuffed with reed-tops, or
| 'cat-tails' as they are popularity called.
These filled the air like down, and had set
tied like snow upon the blood-wet head and
face of larnall. When he made his APP
pearance below. his visage was ludicrous
beyond description: his head appeared like
that of huge owl. The wounded roared
with laughter and cried out: The devil has
come among us. s-r,.5
Forest. the Second Lieutenant, fell stun
ned at Perry's feet. He was struck in the
breast by a spent grapeshot. Perry raised
him up. assured him that he was not hurt,
as there were no signs of a wound, and
thus encouraged he soon recovered from
the shock. The ball had lodged in his
clothes.
Il am not hurt, sir" he said to the COM
n nd lint CHI ~
put it in his pocket.
While the Lawrence was being thus teri
rblf pounded she was using her carronades
on the Detroit. the Queen Charlotte, and
the Hunter with awful effect. The Detroit
particularly was battered and shattered al
most as badly as the Lawrence.
Every one was wondering why the Nj
agara did not come up to where her pow
erful battery of carronades. could do their
work. Instead, she stood off at long taw,
using only her long-range guns.
Elliotts defense was that he had been
ordered to keep his place in line, and no
signal had been made countermanding that
order. Still, the Queen Charlotte, the one
he had been ordered to engage, had left her
place in line and gone to help destroy the
Lawrence.
Elliott had the further excuse that the
wind had died down, leaving him becalmed.
At length, two hours after the battle
opened. it looked as if the Lawrence had
been virtually destroyed and Perry killed,
and it behooved Elliott to do something. A
little breeze sprung up, to which he spread
of the Lawrence. he sailed away from her
toward the head Of the British squadron.
PERRY GOES ABOARD TIE NIAGARA.
AS the Niagara bore down she was as
sailed by shots from the Queen Charlotte,
Lady Provost, and Hunter, and returned
them with spirit. 1t was while she was
abreast of she Lawrence's larboard beam,
and nearly half mile distant, that Perry
performed the gallant feat of transferring
his broad pennAnt from one vessel to the
other. He had fought as long as possible.
More than two hours had worn away in
the conflict. His vessel lay helpless and ST
lent upon the almost unrufled bosom, of the
lake. utterly incapable of further defense.
His last effective heavy gun had been fired
by himself. assisted by his. Purser and
Cha plain. Only IA unhurt persons remain
ed on his deck, and only nine of these were
seamen. A less hopeful man would have
pulled down his flag in despair; but Perry's
spirit was too lofty to be touched by COM
mon misfortunes. From his masthead float
ed the admonition, as if audibly spoken by
the gallant Lawrence, Don't give up the
ship" In the dash Of the Caledonia and
he felt the inspiration of hope; and when
he saw the latter, like the priest or the
Ievite. about to pass by on the other
side" unmindful of his wounds, resolutions
like swift intuitions filled his mind, and
were as quickly acted upon. The Niagara
was staunch, swift. and apparently I'M
hurt for she had kept away from great
danger. He determined to go to her deck,
spread all needful sail to catch the stiffen-
ing breeze, bear down swiftly upon the
crippled enemy, break his line, and make a
bold stroke for victory.
With the calmness of perfect assurance,
Perry laid aside his blue nankeen sailors
jacket which he had worn all day, and put
on the uniform of his rank, as if conscious
that he should secure a victory, and have
occasion TO receive as guests the conquered
commander and officers of the British
squadron.
"YarnalI," he said, 81 leave the Lawrence
in your charge, with discretionary powers.
You may hold out or surrender, as your
Judgment and the circumstances shall die
tate"
He had already ordered his boat to be
lowered. his broad pennant, and the ban
ner with it's glorious words, to be taken
down, but leaving the Stars and Stripes
floating defiantly over the battered hulk.
With these, his little brother, and four
stout seamen for the oars, he started upon
niS peTilOuS voyage, duAlOuSly watcher by
Yarnall and his companions.
He stood upright in his boat, the pennant
and the banner half folded around him, a
mark for the anxious eyes of his own men
and for the guns of the enemy. The lat
ter discovered the movement. Barclay, who
was badly wounded and whose flagship was
almost dismantled, we'll knew that il Perry,
| who had fought the Lawrence SO CALAMITY,
should tread the quarterback of the fresh
Niagara as commander. his squadron would
be in great danger of defeat. He therefore
ordered great and little guns to be brought
TO bear upon the boat laden with hero of
purest mould. Cannon-balls, grape, cam
lister, and musket-shot were showered to-
ward the little boat during the 10 minutes
that it was making its way from the Law
renee to the Niagara. The oars were splin-
| tered, bullets traversed the boat, and the
crew were covered with spray caused by the
falling of heavy shot in the water near.
| Perry stood erect unmindful of danger.
His men entreated him to be seated, for his
| life at that critical moment seemed too
precious to be needlessly exposed to peril.
1t was not foolhardiness nor thoughtless-
ness, but the innately brave spirit of the
man that kept him on his feet At length,
when his oarsmen threatened to cease labor
if he did not sit down, he consented to
| do so. ..--s.
A few minutes later they were climbing