The Republican journal., 1911-01-05
+. L. PALMER, MONROE, MAINE.

catheads. The Eagle was the first
American ship to open fire, but it was
soon demonstrated that she was not
within range, her shot falling short of
the enemy, and she ceased firing for a
time.
According to Cooper's narrative, Nc
Donough did not give the order to fire
until he was sure that he was within
reach. He sighted and fired the first
gun from the Saratoga, which struck the
Confance on the port bow, cutting the
cat stopper and letting the anchor go,
and traversed the entire length of the
ship. doing great damage, dismountlng
guns, killing and wounding large num-
Der of the crew and disabling the ship s
wheel. The letting go of the anchor OF
the Confiance while she was under full
sail instantly brought her head to the
wind with all her sails aback. She i'm
mediately let go full broadside at the
Saratoga, which came near putting her
out of commission. These two ships
were about one-fourth of a mile apart.
The broadside from the British flagship
killed and wounded about one-ffth of
the Saratoga's crew, killed the one lieu
tenant on board, Lieut.. Gamble, and dis
mounted three of her guns. But she
got no other chance like that, for from
that time on the battle ragged fiercely
until every ship on each side laid as
wrecks upon the water The cannonad-
ing from all the vessels had ragged with
great fury, dismounting guns and shoot
ing away spars and rigging. Melon
ough himself was knocked down three
times by falling spars.
The shots from the enemy were dis
abling crews and guns until every gun
on the broadside of the Saratoga was
disabled and this was the case with every
one of the American ships, and the Eng
fish fleet had Jared no better. The pros
poets of escaping humiliation was not
a flattering one on either side. All the
spars and all the boats of both fleets had
been shot away and there was no chance
of boarding from either fleet. Thus
there was practically truce upon the
water. No ship on either side had struck
her colors and indeed but few of them
had colors to strike.
At this time an old quartermaster
named Brumm came to the front. With
out orders from anyone he took hawser
from the stern chock of the ship, led it
forward outside of everything and made
it fast to the cable, which was of hemp.
Then hauling taut the hawser he made it
fast and cut the cable at the windlass,
causing the ship to swing around and
ride by the stern, which brought the bat
terry that had not been disabled to bear
upon the enemy. This made short work
of them and caused their surrender. Too
late the British saw what was being done
on board the Saratoga and made an eff
fort to do the same thing, but they were
not quick enough, and realizing that they
must either surrender or sink they con-
cluded to do the former, and in few
moments all the British fleet did like
wise, and once again victory had perched
upon cur banners after a terrific fight;
and this time by the foresight OF an en-
listed man, who was quick to perceive
and prompt to act.
Many of the British vessels slipped
their cables and drifted out of range,
and as our ships had no boats with which
to pursue them they made their escape.
This battle lasted less than three hours,
but the battle on shore lasted all day and
at its close the army under Macomb had
sent Provost and his scattered and de-
feated army flying back to Canada, from
which they had started full of hope but
few short weeks before. Some of your
readers perhaps remember the last lines
of the old song in relation to that event:
Then Provost he cried aloud
And to his officers did say,
The Yankees have surrounded US
And HI will be to pay.
Shall we fight like men of courage
And do the best we can.
When we know that we're whipped
Two to one, think we'd better run.
We've got too far from Canada,
RI for life, boys, run.
McDonough was hailed as one of the
mighty heroes of the War of 1812-'15, and
it was just that such honors as he re-
ceived should be accorded him.
There are some little naval episodes, one
Of which l will relate, in which one
American naval officer was more than a
match for four Britishers, and in a COM
bat with them single-handed managed to
floor them all. 1t was this way: During
our war with Mexico several of our ships
of war, together with British ships, were
laying at anchor at the Belize, British
Honduras. One of our ships was COM
manded by Captain Gregory, who had an
invitation to dine on board one of the
Rrifich shine ~, O cort oip dow II, tho poar