The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1906-09-29
"BULLY BOY, LEIGH"
Copyright. 1905. by Joseph B. Bowles3
By RICHARD v. OULAHAN.

!, The British sailors recognized imms-
diately that they had a leader and an
officer at that. They rallied quickly.
and so terrific was their onslaught that
the Americans were beaten back.
"Hooray for the little one!" yelled her
majesty's bluejackets. STAND by the
little one!" And for the next few
minutes the British had the honors.
All that night the marines worked
hard arresting the riotous bluejackets.
and the briggs and hospitals on the two
American ships and on the Amphibian
were filled to overlooking. Midship-
man Leigh had managed to get on
board the Amphibian without being
obliged to exhibit his wounds. but he
knew they could not be concealed In
the morning.
Whats that?" cried Capt. Knapp.
of the American ship Winnisook,
when he heard OF the melee. LED by
a British officer? This is outrageous.
and I won't stand It! Call away the
cutter, sir"
Capt. Knapp proceeded straight to
the American legation and. accom-
panied by the minister, called on the
British commissioner. The three then
went to the Amphibian, where formal
complaint was made to Capt CLEAN
that one of his officers had led the
British tars in disgraceful attack on
American seamen.
Midshipman Leigh's black eye and
swollen cheek were all that were neces-
sary to point him out as the culprit;
but he frankly acknowledged that he
had been a participant in the melee.
and made poor fist Of explaining the
extenuating circumstances. Midship-
man Leigh was ordered in arrest, and
the next steamer carried to San Fran
cisco brief telegram to the admiralty
and a long official report to go for
ward by mail.
Three miserable weeks were spent
by Midshipman Leigh on board the
Amphibian. Then came another mall
steamer with telegraphic instructions
from the admiralty to send Midship-
man Leigh home. The admiralty was
willing to hear any statement he ha&
to make, said the instructions, In or
der to determine whether he should
be dismissed or given the opportunity
to resign. Y
J. Thompson. seaman, U. s. NJ, went
aloft the very day that the instructions
from the admiralty were received, to
fix some spars of the Winnisook, and
missed his footing Midshipman Ger
aid Leigh, sitting disconsolate on the
deck Of the Amphibian, hundred
yards away, saw the man fall.
In an instant Leigh was overheard,
and when the cutter from the Winni-
sock reached the spot where Thompson
had disappeared, Leigh rose to the sur
face with the dead body of the sea-
man in his arms. When he handed it
over to the boats crew, Leigh swan
back to his own ship.
The cry of MAN overheard" brought
Capt. Knapp to the deck. He was Just
In time to see Leigh appear with the
seaman's body. who was that MANI"
he asked, when the boat returned to
the Winnisook.
Little chap-beg pardon, sir-mid-
shipman who fought our men, sir"
answered the coxswain.
Capt. Knapp was nothing IL not q
man of action. Stay in your places"
was his order to the boats crew, and
when Thompson's body had been
hoisted aboard, the commanding Of
flcer nimbly went down the side ladder
and took his place in the stern. 1.-The
Amphibian," said he.
Capt. Knapp appeared to be excited
when he reached the deck of the Am
phibian.
Capt. Gleam," he burst forth,
you've got an officer on your ship
who has just performed a gallant act.
pass unnoticed! I understand, sir, that
he is about to be sent to England to
suffer for some slight infraction or the
regulations. To punish that young
man, sir, would be an outrage, SIR"
Il may remark, Capt. Knapp" the
British commander said, that It was
your complaint that caused the ad-
miralty to take the action It did with
, reference to Midshipman Leigh"
"Then withdraw my complaint, sir,
and desire that the admiralty be noti-
fed to that effect, SIR"
, When the mail steamer Alcatraz left
ner WnarI TWO nOuTS later she car
ried some oficial communications in
which the name Of Midshipman Leigh
appeared more than once.
Nearly month later. the Alcatraz
was again at her wharf in Honolulu.
She had just arrived from San Fran
! cisco. Her commander personally de-
livered the official mail addressed to
Capt. Clean.
I When Capt. Clean had finished
) reading his mail, he sent for Midship-
man Leigh. "Mr. Leigh" he said, you
9 are restored to duty. The admiralty
g will send an admonitory letter; but In
y view OF your act of heroism and the
Q request of Capt. Knapp, you are to
: suffer no other punishment"
a AS the Winnisook steamed out past
q the Amphibian next day. the Ameri-
}. can blue-jackets manned the rigging
A and cheered. The ofncers and the
a crew OF the Englishmen we're too sur
! prised to respond. A lot Of bunting
q broke out from the signal-mast OF the
:, xxys~> ~t.crL IL t<nk q unfuufo f0r fhooo