Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-04-07

| lonWay Win Othe1S. The cannOnad1ng
was now so close and heavy that it
gave me an ache in the ears, but above
its quaking thunder | could hear the
shrill cries of men sinking to hasty
death in the grip of pain. The brig
was in sore distress, her timbers creak-
ing, swapping, quivering, like one being
beaten to death, his bones cracking,
his muscles pulping under heavy blows
We were above water-line there in the
cockpit, we could feel her finch and
stagger. On her side there came sud-
denly crushing blow, as if some great
hammer, swung far in the sky, had
come down upon her. | could hear
the split and break of heavy timbers;
l could see splinters flying over me in
a rush OF smoke, and the legs of a man
go humping on the beams above. Then
came another crash of timbers on the
port side. l leaped off the table and
ran, limping, to the deck, do not know
why; | was driven by some quick and
irresistible impulse l was near out of
my head, anyway, with the rage Of
battle in me and no chance to fight
Well, suddenly, l found myself STUN
bling, with drawn saber over heaps of
the hurt and dead there on our
reeking deck. 1t was a horrible place:
everything tipped over, man and gun
and mast and bulwark. The air was
full of smoke, but near me l could see
topsail of the enemy. Balls we're
now plunging in the water alongside,
the spray drenching our deck. Some
poor man lying low among the dead
caught me by the bootleg with an ap-
| pealing gesture. l took hold of his
collar, dragging him to the cockpit.
The surgeon had just finished with
| Dri. His arm was now in sling and
bandages. He was lying on his back,
| the good arm over his face. There was
a lull in the cannonading. l went
quickly TO his side.
How are you feeling?" asked, CIV
ing his hand good grip.
"Nuthin' t brag Nv" he answered.
Never see nobody git hell rose with
'em s quick es we did-never."
Just then We heard the voice Of
Perry. He stood on the stairs calling
into the cockpit.
Can any wounded man below there
PULL roper" he shouted.
D'ri was on his feet in a jiffy, and
VIC were both clambering to the deck
as another scud of junk went over us.
Perry was trying with block and tackle
to mount carronade. A handful of
men were helping him. D'ri rushed to
the ropes, l following, and we both
pulled with a will. A sailor who had
been hit in the legs hobbled up, ask
ing for room on the rope. | told him
he could be of no use, but he spat an
oath, and pointing at my leg, which
was now bleeding, swore he was
sounder than |, and put up his fists to
prove it. l have seen no better show
of pluck in all my fighting, nor any
that ever gave me greater pride of
my own people and my country. War
is a great evil, | begin to think, but
there is nothing finer than the sight of
a man who, forgetting himself, rushes
into the shadow of death for the sake
of something that is better. At every
heave on the rope our blood came out
OF us, until a ball shattered pulley,
and the gun fell. Perry had then a
fierce look but his words were cool, his
manner dauntless. He peered through
lifting clouds of smoke at our line. He
stood near me, and his head was bare.
He crossed the Uttered deck, his bat
tle-fag and broad pennant that an or
derby had brought him trailing
from his shoulder. He halted by
a boat swung at the davits
on the port side-the only one that had
not gone to splinters. There he called
a crew about him, and all got aboard
the boat-seven besides the younger
brother of Captain Perry-and lowered
it Word flew that he was leaving to
take command of the sister brig, the
Niagara, which lay quarter of a mile
or so from where we stood. We all
wished to go, but he would have only
sound men; there were not dozen on
the ship who had all their blood in
them. AS they pulled away, Perry
standing in the stern, D'ri lifted a
bloody, tattered flag, and leaning from
the bulwarks, shook it over them.
cheering loudly.
Give 'em hell" he shouted. 1--WE
II TEX care O. the OF brig"
We were all crying, we poor devils
that were left behind. One, a mere
boy, stood near me swinging his hat
above his head, cheering. Hat and
hand fell to the deck as l turned to
him. He was reeling, when D'ri caught
him quickly with his good arm and
bore him to the cockpit.
The little boat was barely a length
off when a heavy shot fell splashng
in her wake. Soon they were dropping
all around her. One crossed her bow
ripping a long furrow in the sea- A
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