Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-04-03
BEAT THEIR CAPTORS.
Curious Contest That Occurred
on a British Frigate.
ALL NIGHT BATTLE OF SONG.
The Crew Of an American Privateer.
Prisoners on Board the Leander, Out
sang the English Tars-An Odd In
eident Of the War of 1912.

Prisoners on Board the Leander, Out
sang the English Tars-An Odd In
eident Of the War of 1912.
a curious defiance of captors by
their prisoners was that OF the crew
of the American privateer Prince de
Neuchatel when confined on board the
British frigate Leander. Toward the
close OF the war of 1912 the frigate
had captured the privateer easily
enough and, taking her crew on boaru
gave them quarters in the cable tier
making them stay in those confined
quarters among the spare cables from
O'Clock every afternoon until {
O'Clock the next morning. To while
away the long hours of their confine-
ment i'm the dark and dismal hole the
captves one night began to sing in
chorus rousing songs which told of
American naval victories.
The captain Of the Leander sent
word that such concerts were NOT AZ
all TO his taste and must be stopped
This set the Yankees TO singing louder
than ever. Then the captain picked
out six OF the best singers In his crew
and. Joining Il dozen moro to them for
the chorus. stationed them ut the
hatchway and ordered them to sing the
Yankees down.
The British choir started in with 4
song descriptive Of the capture of the
Chesapeake by the shannon. The
Americans waited in silence until the
British song Of victory was ended and
then burst forth with that grand old
sea song. The Constitution and the
Guerriere." telling how
The first broadsde We poured carried he,
mainmast by the board.
Which made this lofty frigate look
abandoned. OH
Our second told so we'll that her fore and
And we doused the royal ensign neat
and handy. oh,
They fairly made the timbers of his
majestys friGate ring as with one
mighty shout they ended with the line.
The Yankee boys for fighting are the
dandy. OH
To this the British singers retortcd
with song composed IL honor of the
taking Of the Wasp by the Poictiers.
and In return the Americans gave them
"BainbridSc's Tid-Re-I," which tells
how the Java was taken and has such
pleasing little verses as:
For now. my hearts. We've played our
parts:
Proud John once more we've hunbicd
Ii may be said bull he made
on Yankees when bic stumbled OH
. And II he comes 20 run his huns
Wen Give proud John roasting. oh,
And 50 the battle of song went on ru
I'll the British running out Of ballad.
celebrating their victories over Ameri
cans. began 10 sing The Battle Of III,
Nile" Britannia Rules the Waves.
etc. At this the Yankees cried out
Not fair" and claimed the victory
rs their songs of victory over the Eng
lish had not begun 10 be exhausted.
Thereupon the British band of son:
withdrew. acknowledging their defeat
while the Americans continued thei
saengerfestwithS such roaring ballads q
The Yankee M2n-of-War' and "Whel
the Yankee Thunders Roll"
1t was now past midnight. not a sou
aboard the frigate had had n wink o
sleep because Of the boiSterous con
cert, and the British captain determin
ed 10 try another mode Of overcoming
the Americans. He ordered a file O
marines. with loaded muSkets. to th
hatchway and shouted down to III
singing sailors that If they did not sto
their racket the marines would fir
4 down into them
Fire away. my hearties," shoute,
back the clated Americans Is they bul
rowed beneath the cables. You ma.
Kill Us. but you'll spoil your best bowe
cable in the doing Of it,.
The captain had seriously intended I
+ shoot down among his prisoners. II
thought better of il and withdrew tn
marines. whose departure was the sic
nal for more cheers for the stars an,
stripes and the roaring out Of anothe
ballad abusive Of the British.
All that night they sang. and surel,
old ocean never before or since saw III
f spectacle of British friCate plungini
through the waves, taut and trim an,
still IN his majeSty's service. Will
from her depths Surged out over tn
dark sea chorUSes which deded Ii
+ British power and sang Of British IL
featS.
That captain was a pretty good sor
OF fellow. His name was Sir GeorC
/ Collier. and he deserves 10 be remeu
bered. As things went in those days
II he had had his prisoners Soundl
logged The next morning he would no
have been thought 10 have exercise
undue severity. Most captains woul
have done at least that. even if the,
had not ordered the marines 70 fir
into the cable tier As il was. 81
George transferred the captive Amer
leans To the first homeward boun,
British manof-war he met and declar
Ell that, while he admired their spirit
as guests he considered them trih
noiSy.-Irving King in New York Press
Fast and Slow.