The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-08-31

PRINCETOM UNION: 4
Resides went on the forecastle
orator, 1--WE all know'd wot kind Of a
officer he is. Fightin' and prize money
is wot we all want, and here's where
Well git it, you'll see, eh, mates?'
AYE, aye; Jacks right, Bill
"Then blow the dissyplin', say 1. III
take orders from a man wot amt
afraid o. nothin', wot hates the red rag
we knows Of, wot won't send me
where he won't go himself. Fightin,
and prize money, he's our man. Be
sides, wot's the use O. kickin'? We got
to do it; we're bound by them articles
OF war we signed" continued this deep
sea philosopher. ''Now, pass me nv
can O. grog, Tom. I'm dry as cod.
Here's to America, and hang the Brit
ish, too," continued this sea LAWYER.
drinking his toast amid shouts of an
prevail from the men,
Left to himself, Seymour, after the
men had received their grog and other
necessary duties had been attended to,
turned the deck over to Lieutenant
lWallingford, whose watch it was with
Philip Wilton, and, descending the
poop deck ladder, disappeared through
the same door which had received the
two officers into the cabin.
Three weeks had elapsed since the
| MI
scene had shifted from Virginia to the
sea, or rather to the great bay which
| gives entrance to it from the Della
ware river. 1t was a clear, cold day in
the early part of December, and the
American Continental ship Ranger had
just left her moorings off Philadelphia,
with orders to proceed to English wa
tiers, stopping at Brest to receive the
orders of the commissioners in Paris,
and then, in case no better ship could
be found, to ravage the English chan
mel and coast as warning that like
processes on the part of England on
our own shores should not go unpun-
! ished.
John Paul Jones, who had already
given evidence, not only of that desper-
ate courage and unyielding tenacity
which had marked him as among the
most notable of sea officers the world
has seen-lacking nothing but oppor-
tunity to have equaled, if not sur
passed, a Nelson-but of consummate
seamanship and great executive ability
as well, had been appointed to COM
mand the ship. Before proceeding on
the mission, however, an important un-
dertaking had been allotted to him.
The commissioners had sent word
from France, by fast sailing armed
packet, of the near departure of a
transport from England called the Mel
fish, laden with 1000 muskets, twenty
fieldpieces, powder and other NUM-
tons of war and 10000 suits Of winter
clothes destined for the army that was
assembling at Halifax and Quebec for
the invasion Of the colonies by way of
the st. Lawrence river and Lake
Champlain. .
Congress had transmitted the letter
from France to Captain Jones with di-
rections that he endeavor to intercept
and capture this transport. The desti-
tuition of the American army at this
period Of the war was frightful. De
void of clothes, arms, provisions,
powder-everything, in fact, which is
apparently vital to the existence of an
army; continually beaten, menaced by
a confident, well equipped and disci-
plined enemy in overwhelming force,
| nd hofnra I, l,o1>
ually retreating, they were only held
together by the indomitable will and
heroic resolution Of one man., George
Washington. The fortunes Of the
colonies were. never at a lower ebb
than at that moment, and there was
apparently nothing further to look for
ward to but continuation of the dis
Indignation until the end came. The
meager resources of the lax confeder-
acy were already strained to the ut
most and the capture Of ship laden
as this one was reported to be would
be of incalculable service. Clothes and
shoes to cover the nakedness of the
soldiery and protect them from the in
clemency Of the winter, now fast ap-
hands, by means of which they could
assume the offensive and attack the
enemy, or at least defend themselves
what more could they desire!
The desperate nature Of the situa-
ton, the dire need Of just such addi-
tons to the equipment Of the army,
had been plainly communicated to Cap
tain Jones. and he was resolved to eff
feet the capture if it were humanity
possible The matter had also been
reported to General Washington, and
such was his opinion of the necessity
Of prompt distribution and speedy
forwarding Of the supplies if they
could be secured by the blessing Of
Providence, and so little was his faith
in the inefficient commissariat, which,
moreover, had to endeavor to keep the
balance between different colonies and
different bodies Of troops. more or less