Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-08-09

port battery Of the Randolph was rap
idly reloaded again. The maneuvel
had given the Englishmen the weather
gauge once more, the two ships now
having the wind on the port quarter
The two batteries were discharged
simultaneously, and now began a run
ming fight of near an hours duration.
The guns were served on the Ran
dolph with the desperate rapidity OF
men who, awfully pressed for time
had abandoned hope and only fought
to cripple and delay before they were
silenced; those on the Yarmouth, or
the contrary. were fired with much
more dehberation and did dreadful
execution. The different guns were
disabled OIL the Randolph by heavy
shot; adjacent ports were knocked into
one, the sides shattered. boats smash
ed, rails knocked to pieces, all Of the
weather shrouds cut. the mizzen mast
carried away under the top. and the
wreck fell into the sea-fortunately or
the lee side. the little body Of men in
the top going to q sudden death with
the rest.
The decks We're slippery with blood
and plowed with plunging shot, which
the superior height Of the Yarmouth
permitted to be fired with depressed
guns from an elevation. Solid shot
from the heavy main deck batteries
swept through and through the devOt
ed frigate; half the Randolphs guns
were useless because of the lack OF
men to serve them; the cockpit over
flowed with the wounded; the surgeon
and his mates, covered with blood
worked like butchers in the steerage
and finally in the ward room; dead and
dying men lay where they fell; there
were no hands to spare to take them
below, no place In which they could
lie with safety. no immunity from the
searching hail which drove through
every part of the doomed ship. Still
the men, cheered and encouraged by
their officers. stood to their guns and
fought OH. Presently the fore top.
mast went by the board also as the
long moments dragged along. Seymour
was now lying on the quarter deck. a
bullet having broken his leg, another
having made flesh wound in his arm.
He had refused to so below to have
his wounds dressed. and one Of the
midshipmen was kneeling by his side,
applying such unskillful bandages as
he might to the two bleeding wounds.
Mason had been sent for and was in
charge under Seymour's direction. That
young man. all his nervousness gone,
was most ably seconding his dauntless
captain.
The two ships were covered with
smoke. 1t was impossible to tell OH
one what was happening on the other,
but the steady persistence with which
the Randolph clung to her big enemy
had its effect on the Yarmouth also,
and the well delivered fire did not al
low that vessel any immunity. In fact,
while nothing like that on the frigate,
the damage was so great and so many
men had fallen that Captain Vincent
determined to end the conflict ut once
by boarding the frigate. The neces-
sary orders We're given, and Il strong
party Of bOarders was called away and
mustered on the forecastle. headed by
Beauclamp and HOllins.
Taking advantage OF the smoke and
Of the weather gauge. the Yarmouth
was suddenly headed for the Randolph.
AS the enormous bows OF the line of
battle ship came slowly showing ont OF
the smoke. towering above them, cover
ed with men. cutlass or boarding pike In
hand, Seymour discerned 1T once the
purpose OF the maneuver. Raising
himself upon his elbow to better di'
rect the movement
"All hands rcpel boarders.' he shout
ed, his voice echOing through the ship
as powerfully as ever
This was an unusual command, as
it completely deprived the guns OF
their crews. but he rightly Judged that
1t would take all the men they could
muster to repel the coming attack, and
none but the main deck guns OF the
Yarmouth would or could be fired. for
fear of hitting their own men in the
melee on the deck. The Randolph was
a wreck below at best, but while any
thing held together above her plank
shears she would be fought. The men
had reached that desperate condition
when they ceased to think Of odds, and
like maddened beasts fought and raved
and swore in the frenzy of the COM
bat. The thrice decimated crew sprang
aft, rallying in the gangway to meet
the shock, Mason at their head. fol
lowed close by old Bentley, still un-
wounded. AS the bow Of the Var
mouth struck the Randolph with a
crash, one or two wounded meh. un-
able to take part in repelling the board
ers. but still able to move, who had re-
mained beside the guns, eXerted the