Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-10


Lawrence In the Hornet. The Bonnie Cito-
yenne had q record Of having. since her
adoption into the British service. captured.
IN q seven-hour fight La Furieuse..
was larger than the Hornet. but was just
equal to her in weight of metal, and Law
renee was anxious to meet her.
The Hornet went into the hafbor and
Lawrence sent q challenge to the British
captain. Green. to go outside with him and
hight, saying that cambridge would not
interfere. Green replied that, while he
the Hornet, yet he doubted II Bainbridge
would keep his hands of, and he could not.
OF course. fight both the Hornet and the
Constitution.
he would pledge his honor not to fire a
gun II 1t would make Capt. Green feel
easier. he would agree to sail away out of
sight before the fight began and would not
return until 1t was decided. Even then the
British captain refused the combat, and
finally cambridge sailed away in the Con-
stftution, leaving the Hornet behind. But
the British captain still refused to fight
and after blockading him until he got tired
Lawrence departed.
Poor Lawrence! Defeat and death were
In that challenge. and though he made de-
feat and death glorious. defeat and death it
was. just the same. The news that Brit
1sh captain had refused challenge from an
American captain to fight ship Of an
equal size spread rapidly through the royal
navy and you may be sure there were cap
tains bearing his majesty's commission
who were only too anxious to take up the
gage refused by the captain Of the Bonnie
Cheyenne.
Honor at Stake.
1.-THE prestige of the British navy was at
stake. and SO. when. six months later, the
same Constitution was lying in Boston and
the same Lawrence was also there in corn-
mand Of the Chesapeake. there appeared
before the harbor a British squadron, con-
sisting of the frigate Shannon, under Capt
Broke. and some smaller consorts Broke
sent his consorts away and then landed an
American prisoner at Marblehead with a
challenge to Lawrence to come out and
fight.
While the released prisoner was making
his way to Boston the Shannon sailed into
the very jaws of Boston harbor Haunting
her flags In the face of the forts. This was
challenge enough for Lawrence, and, al
though the Chesapeake was far from ready
for sea, he hastily collected a crew, i'm
pressing some upon the wharf at the last
moment. and sailed out to meet Broke. AS
he passed out by the forts the messenger
arrived with Broke's challenge. What fol-
lowed is matter Of history
What would you have done had you
been in the place Of Lawrence?" asked a
young lieutenant.
Il would have refused to go out and
fight until my ship was In condition and
my crew had been brought under some
sort of discipline replied the executive
officer. THE Shannon was the best-drilled
and disciplined ship afioat; the Chesapeake
the worst one. Personal bravery does not
count against such odds"
And what would you have done had
you been in the place Of Lawrence at Ba-
hia?"
Il would have gone into that harbor and
pulled Green out by the hair. I would have
taken him, sir, neutral harbor though it was
just as in the same harbor in 1864 Collins
with the Wachusett, captured the confed-
crate warship Florida in defiance Of the
guns of the Brazilian forts and Of the Bra
lillian warship. which had anchored between
the two American vessels"
''Hem Slightly inconsistent" murmured
the lieutenant. And what would you have
done If you had been in Capt. Green's place
at Bahia?"
II would have done exactly as Green did
The Bonnie Cheyenne was laden with specie
tsh ships scattered over the world. Green
was justified In not taking risks, and as
long as he could keep the Hornet stopping
there without fighting he subtracted so
much from the naval force Of the United
States and rtsked nothing for England"
We'll, I would not have done as Green
did," replied the lieutenant. Il would have
landed my specie and gone out and fought"
ITO meet the fate of Lawrence?" retorted
the executive.
situations are a lottery in which man
may draw three things-death, victory or a
court-martial. AS for Lawrence, he sleeps
well in his tomb over there in Trinity
churchyard by the roaming tides of Broad
way. Here's to his memory"
with all my heart" replied the first
lieutenant. "and to little better judgment
on the part Of his successors"