Arizona republican., 1908-08-28
PHOENIX MAN COPIED
 HISTORIC DOCUMENT
Story of the Battle of the Chesapeake And Shannon From the Formers Log Book.

"On June l, 1873 the Chesapeake, lthen commanded by Captain Law renee and carrying 50 guns, fought ibattle in Massachusetts Bay with the British 3S gun vessel the Shannon.
 Captain Broke, then carrying 52 guns. The two vessels were almost evenly matched except that the ! Chesapeake had an untrained crew and had only recently changed cap tains. After an engagement lasting fifteen minutes, Captain Lawrence Ireceived a mortal wound. This gall land commander eXhorted his men l to the end with the words, Don't | give up the ship" Out of crew | of 379 the Chesapeake lost 61 killed or mortally wounded and S5 severely and slightly wounded, while out of a crew of 330 the Shannon lost 8 kill ed and 50 wounded"
 That is what an encyclopaedia says about it and now comes the incident that prompts the publication of the above, merely as explanatory to those who read what follows and may be clOuded in their memory. of historical facts. In respect of the differences in figures the reader may take his choice.
 F. O'Leary, who has lived in this city for many years and now resides on East Van Buren street, in 1896 visited friends in Fort Smith. Ark. One of the incidents of the visit is thus set forth in an article from his pen, printed in the Fort Smith News Record, April %. 1896. He has furn- fal,n n reproduction, feeling that it will in terest Republican readers. It is as follows:
 During my peripatetic peregrina- tions through this beautiful and fertile region. it was my good fortune to run across a historical relic of almost priceless valuc-the only extant first record of the famous fight of the United States frigate Chesapeake. commanded by Commodore Jas. Law renee. and his gallant officers and crew of 351 men. The transcript was taken from the log book of the Chesapeake. and sin the handwriting of the navi- gating officer, Henry P. Fleishman and is the only one in the United States. The book is in size 13IA inches by eight inches, and is ruled off Cprinted) with large printed headings in every page. I give a fac simile of the printed headings. margins and rul- ings without characteristic type.
 The gallant Lawrence was mortaHy wounded in the early part of the ac- tion, and his immortal words with his dying breath: Don't give up the ship" electrified the gallant officers and crew of the Chesapeake. to vindi- cate their superior seamanship, as also the unconquerable manhood of Ameri- ca-of the young but vigorous repub- lie.
 America lives, and, after passing through the thrOes of three fearful struggles for her existence she emerges from the crucial ordeals, re- splendent in her effulgent and ma ies- tic glory. blended in a triple halo to adorn her matchless brow.
 ''The navigating officer of the Ches- | apeake. Henry P. Fleischman. was formerly an officer in the British navy but resigned and cast his fortune with the struggling young republic. He was taken as prisoner of war to Lon don and died in that city. The book was given by Mr Fleischman to his son, Mir. W. H. Cole, of Fort Smith, Ark, in whose possession it now is. and to whose courtesy I am indebted for many favors and kind attentions while in this city. Mir Cole and his graceful, accomplished lady preside over a beautiful establishment in Fort Smith, and Mrs. Cole has the distfnc- ton of being the only graduate lady pharmacist in the state, and is one of the finest readers and elocutionists in it"
 The following entry is taken from the log book: