The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-09-08
peated signal with twi guns: I then

borough come up and cleared ship for
action. At half past five the Countess
of Scarborough Joined me-. the enemy's
ships then bearing down upon US. AT
s we tackled and laid our head in shore.
In order to keep the ground the better
between the enemy's ships and this
convoy. Soon afterwards we perceived
the ships bearing down upon US to be
a two-decked ship and two frlgates.
but from keeping Off and on upon us.
on bearing down., we could not discern
what colors they were under. At about
twenty minutes past seven the largest
ship OF the three brought to on our
la bow, within musket shot. l
hailed him. and asked hin what ship
1t was: they answered in English. the
Princess Royal. then asked who they
belonged to; they answered evasively.
on which I told them IL they did not
answer directly l would fire into them.
They answered with a shot. which was
instantly returned with a broadside.
He backed his topsalls and dropped
upon our quarter within pistol shot.
then filled again, put his helm a-weath-
er and run US on board upon our
Weather quarter and attempted to
board us, but being repulsed he sheered
Off, upon which | backed our topsailS,
In order to get square with him again.
which, as soon as he observed. he then
filed. put his helm a-weather and laid
Us dllWdlt I'd Sc, i1lS l!llLtll louuS
took our jib boom, which hung for
sometime till 1t at last gave way, and
we dropt alongside of each other head
ana stern. we became SO close Iore
and aft that the muZZles or u guns
touched each others sides.
In this position we engaged from
half rast eight to half past ten, during
which time, from the great quantity
and variety Of cOmbustible matters
which they threw in upon our decks.
chains and, in short. into every part OF
the ship. we we're on fire not less than
ten or twelve times in different parts
OF the ship, and 1t was with the great
est difficulty and eXertion imaginable
at times that we We're able to get it
e~xtinguished. AT the same time the
largest Of the two frigatcs the AL
liance) kept sailing round us the whole
action raking us fore and aft. by which
means she killed or wounded every
man on the quarter and main decks.
about half past nine. either from a
hand erenade being thrown in at one
Of rho lower deck ports or from some
| other ncaiaent. a cartridse of powder
was set on fire. the flames of which,
running from cartridge to cartridge all
| the way AFT, blew up the whole Of the
people and officers that We're abaft the
mainmast, from which unfortunate cir
| cumsta,Ces all These guns were rem
dered useless for the remainder OF the
action. and I fear the greatest part of
The pconIe will lose their lives.
-, ~ o,.,ao,, .ha, oou.d fo,. ou,r-
~ otSto lii ursi5a on, saia
thn,. Ma y - tnI :" laarin9 this 7 calIad
s,nn, tha n,Ntni, 70 LnaSv ~ tbey haG
sp, ~ ~. - 10 10 astod fnr onartars hnt
~. ~ ~ - ~ Nd attar ranao+;nn
~ a 80. 49, 80, ti,oas na,laS
for ~, h,orlars md oraarad tbap, "a
boar I'd which thev did hui as soon as
thny w,r,a ar hoar I'd hnr they discovered
a snnerior number LAYING under cover
with mixes in their hands ready to re-
c,ive then, orr neonle retreated in
stantlv into our own ship. and returned
to ,hnir ,,Ins again iii nast 10. when
The frip,ts COMING across orr stern.
and nourinr her broadside into us
.pain without our hrinp able to hiring
a sun to hear on her. I found it in vain
ana in short imnracticable from the
situation we were in. to stand out any
longer VIII the least prospect of sue
cess. l therefore struck; our mainmast
a, ~, sa,,a i;,,. want NV 1he board
on NV >nins on board the
ponho,nme pirh,r 4 I found her in
crn,, a;str,ss. he, n,,arter and counte.
On the lower deck entirely drove in and
~. wbola np her lowe, deck e,,ns dis
mounted she was also on fire in two
ni..as and six or s,,vrn feet of water in
Ia hold which kent increasing unon
them all nioht and newt day- tn thev
,.ara ohiiraS 10 n,,it Her and she sunk
Win a ,reat n,in,ber or wounded ON
hoa I'd her she had 3O6 men killed and
sounded in The action. o,,r loss in the
Serapis was also very great. AS
soon as possible 1 shall give your lord
ship a full account Of the whole. l am
YOUR most obedient and humble SER