Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-28
THE FIGHTING MAN.
Stories of Reckless Courage of the
OId-Time Sailor.

Stories of Reckless Courage of the
OId-Time Sailor.
To illustrate the directness and sim
plicity of the mind of the fighting man
there is no anecdote which better ex-
hbits these qualities than the one
dealing with a certain line Of battle
ship at the time of the mutiny Of the
More. 1t was known at Plymouth that
the mutiny had broken out before the
ship in question left one fine evening
for Spithead. The wind was fair up
Channel, and the sails being trimmed
to the satisfaction of the captain and
the course set by the master, the for
mer officer was going down to his ca
bin when he was accosted by his first
lieutenant. The latter informed his
superior that a deputation from the
seamen had just waited upon him and
informed him that the ships company
had notified their intention not to go
to Spithead but that they proposed to
carry the ship to the More and then
join the mutineers.
The captain dismissed the first lieu
tenant and retired to his cabin to think
the matter out, and in a very short
time had come a decision; he rang
for his steward and gave directions
that a table, a chair and a compass
and lantern were to be taken down i::-
to the powder magazine. AS soon as
this was done the captain, armed with
6 brace of pistols, repaired to the mag
azine and seated himself in front Of
an open powder barrel.
He then sent for the first lieutenant
and ordered that the ringleaders of the
mutiny were to come and interview
him where he sat- They came; the
captain heard all that they had to say
concerning their unalterable determi-
nation TO carry the ship to the More
and join the ships already in a state
Of mutiny. When they had finished
the captain addressed them; he point
ed out that they had fair and steady
"lllu up ihhN eiiSiN "aS 'N
reason why the ships should deviate
half point from the course which had
been set; that he had a compass In
front of him, and that II during the
night he found that the ship had de-
parted more than a point from her
course he would then and there blow
up the ship. 1t is on record that no
ship was ever steered up Channel with
more meticulous accuracy than was
that particular liner.
So steadfast a mind and so lofty q
soul as this is not often paralleled even
in the annals Of the English services;
and yet 1t is doubtful if even this ex-
ample Of resource, Of nerve, Of pro-
found psychological aptitude to seize
upon the right thing to do and to do
it, is comparable to the decision taken
in the French war of more than GEN.
tury ago by a certain frigate captain.
The frigate was cruising on the
coast of Ireland, and in half a gale OF
wind on a lee shore fell in with a
French line of battleship which had
lost her mizzenmast. In ordinary cir
cumstances it was, Of course, impossi-
BILE for frigate to engage with liner,
as one broadside from the latter would
inevitably sink the former; when,
however, the big ship was partially
disabled, as she was in the case In
question, the circumstances were so
much altered that the frigate had a
chance Of doing considerable damage
to her enemy with only remote
chance of receiving much herself.
Instantly the frigate captain began
an action which must have been sin
gularly irritating to his gigantic an
tagonist; buy skillful seamanship he
contrived to repeatedly hull the liner,
always turning to windward and
avoiding her return fire; but all the
time the weather was getting steadily
worse a big sea was getting up, and
both vessels were drifting rapidly to
leeward on to a rockbound coast.
The master, in whose hands was the
responsibility for the navigation Of the
ship, watched with anxiety the steady
drift to leeward, and at least, as in
duty bound, went to the captain and
said 1T is my duty to report to you,
sir. that if we do not go about at once
we shall soon be in most dangerous
position"
The captain, who was watching his
antagonist closely, having got his own
ship into such a position that he could
rake her from stem to stern, merely re-
piled, Very good" and devoted MS
whole attention to the continuance OF
the action. Another quarter OF an
hour passed, and the master, again
approaching the captain, said: 1T is
now my duty to inform you, sir, that
if YOU do not put the ship about at
once nothing can save her from going
on shore" So close were they to the
shore that now above the thunder OF
the guns the roar of the surf on that
rockbound coast was dominating all
other sounds whatsoever. The captain
turned to the master, DO you ever
play chess?" he asked. Sometimes,
sir" stammered the astonished officer.
Did you ever hesitate to sacrifice
knight for a castle?" No" Very
we'll: there" pointing to the French
liner lis the castle; it seems as II
should have to sacrifice the knight
which is our own ship"
1t was even as he said, as both ships
went on shore very shortly afterward'
and nearly every soul on board of both
of them was drowned.-United Service