The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1911-05-27

strange vessel was none other than
the ousrrSsrs, which had forced the
boy from Maine Into British service.
Rodgers at once gave ofdsrs to sail
IN pursuit and to ascertain what nag
the stranger Jew. Several hours
passed. ere The vssssls came within
close range Of each other. The sun
had ut and darkness was falling
whom Rodgers sprans into the rigsing
ana trssd to dscaDhsr with the AID Of
his glass the snsign borne By the OBJ
toct Of the chase. But the shadow1
Of night had rendered tAs COLOR un-
distiuguishabla. and Rodgers. ssasing
his speaking trumpsA, shouted With
the fun strength Of his powerful
lunSz, What ship 10 thatfs
There was no reply. and again
Rodgers repsatsd his hail. Than
response came from the stranger in
the Shape OF sheet OF flame and .
round-shot which hurtlsd along the
upper deck OF Tho President snd
buried itself in the main mast. Be-
fore Rodgers could give the command
to return fire" one Of his eager gun
ners anticipated his leaders instruc-
lions, and the nrst shot fired By an
American vessel in the war Of 1919
Numbered forth defiance to the foe.
The commodore then gave the order
TO engage. and the. broadsides Of both
craft crashed in unison. A pail Of
blackness mad now descended ON the
deep. and the battle ragged flsrcely ON
by the dim rays OF the deck lanterns
and red flashes from the cannons'
mouths. Suddenly the enemy ceased
firing. and Rodgers gave orders to
follow suit. believing that she had
surrendered. But the momentary lull
was broken by another broadsids
from the stranger. and the powder
begrimed. cheering Americans re-
Piled in kind. Through the darkness
Of the night they fought on steadily.
until again their advsrsary's IRE was
silsnced. For tn third time Rodgers
stentorian voico roared across the
waters:
what ship = that3''
The response came back family:
I'VE are his majesty's ship"
Tho wind was blowing strongly and
away from Tbs President. and pre-
vented tho conqueror from bearing
the name Of the defeated craft. The
rigging of the enemy was badly cut
up and shattered and her decks were
crimson shambles. At daylight Com
modore Rodgers ascsrtained the name
of the battered hulk his guns had
hammered 20 mercilessly through the
night to be the Little Bell. consort
Of the dreaded Guerrero frisate.
When The President reached home
and the news Of her exploit and vic
j tory was made known, the heroes Of
, the battle were everywhere received
| with tremendous enthusiasm. For .
short while Commodore Rodgers was
praised and lionized on all sides. but
suddenly negotiations were opened
between the Washington and British
cabinets. and change Of scene took
place. The American diplomats saw
Mt 10 keep the heroes Of tho combat
from public view. and the people
were naturally bewildered By their
actions. To climax matters q court
Of inquiry was appointed BY our gov
eminent as q result of \ claim put
forward by A. B. Bingham. the Brit
ish commodore. in which he stated
that The President had fired the first
shot and commenced q sudden and
unwarranted attack upon his ship.
The unwinding Of q vast quantity Of
diplomatic red tape followed. and
both governments were seemingly de-
sirous Of hushing up the whole bust
ness. But the American people at
large believed IN Rodgers and his gal
liant crew and made their protests
heard in NO gentle tones. A real and
not visionary war cloud lowered ON
the international horizon. and Rodg-
err himself. disregarding what were
| practically orders Of silence from the
war department, made the following
bold declaration:
II may bs censured, but was d.
termined not 10 bs the aggressor. nor
would suffer the nag OF my country
to be insulted with IMMUNITY. And
that II why / gave . general order to
IRE. and We have taught England .
lesson"
To the foregoing spirited announce
mont the American public-contrary
to the wishes Of President Madison
and his psacs-loying policy-gavs
hearty and unstnted applause. It
transpired that the British vessel was
fsarfully damaged during tho engage
| ment. besides sustaining loss of
81 men killed and wounded. while
The President escaped almost un.
scathed. and had but one injured, .
boy slightly wounded In the hand. In
his recent history Julian Hawthorne
devotss hess than . paes 10 this
initial battle Of the war Of 1919. and
the following ssntsAcs b worthy Of
bsing quoted: