Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-08-21

tain Isaac Hull, one of Amerl-
H A cas- greatest naval command
ers, won a wager of hat from
CAPTAIN James Richard Dacres OF the
British navy. In addition to the nat'
the Fnglishman lost the t1rst actlon
between frigates in the war OF 1917,
and his country suffered blow to It's
pride and prestige from which 1t was
long in recovering, A few days later
the Constitution, one OF the vessels
which the British commanders nad
sneeringly called the "fir-built Yankee
frigates flying a piece of striped bunt-
ing at their mast-heads,' appeared on
Boston lighthouse gasy decked with
flags and proudly passed up the har-
Dor to tell of the capture and destruc-
ton of the Guerrero.
Only a month before this momen-
tous engagement Captain Hull had
had an exciting experience with the
Guerriere and her cOnsorts, the Bevi-
dere and Eeolus. These three vessels
pursued the Constitution for more
than 66 hours and Captain Hull es-
saped only by indomitable persever-
ance and most skillful seamanship,,
putting into Boston for supplies.
Early in August the Constitution
started out again OH hunt for the
enemy, and on August 10 sail was
sighted that proved to be a British
frigate which, from her maneuvers,
was evidently DESTROYS of engaging.
When the vessels were three miles
apart Captain Hull sent down his
royal yards, reefed his topsails and
sent the crew to quarters. This crew
was remarkably disciplined and drill
ed at the guns, and more than that
| scarcely a man of them but had a
score to settle with the English. On
the bare backs of most of them were
the scars made by the lashes of the
brutal English press gangs, and many
were descendants OF American sailors
who had suffered martyrdom in the
British prison ships during the Revo-
luton. Hull himself kept in mind the
fact that his father died in pest ship
from the cruel treatment ne had re-
ceiyed.
Hull Wanted the Hat.
Soon after o'clock the two fri
gates exchanged Intellectual broad
sides while maneuvering for position
and constantly drawing closer. About
| 6 O'Clock Hull, becoming impatient.
ordered the Constitution to be steered
directly for the enemy and rapidly
closed upon his port quarter By the
| orders of Hull the Americans now
ceased firing and made all prepara-
/ lions for an effective broadside, reload
/ ing the guns carefully with round shot
! and grape and training them upon the
/ British ship. The Englishmen were
/ to be seen working their guns stead
/ lily, and their frequent cheers were
! plainly heard. What followed is TINS
! told by Edgar s. Maclay in his His
! tory of the Navy;
''As yet no order had come from tho
| quarterback of the American frigata
| and perfect quiet prevailed along bor
decks as the men stood by their guns
nearly all of them barefooted and
many stripped to the waist, ever and
anon casting inquiring glances at their
officers. At this moment a sbo,
/ StIuCh Tic NOAoIIluIlOu Oh W9rHc
and threw innumerable splinters ovor
! the first division of the g;ln daob
wounding several men. Observino
The effect of this shot, the EngHsbmen
gave three cheers; but still the Amer
lean frigate remained silent Fret
Lieutenant Morris now approached
the quarterback, where Captain HulI
was coolly pacing back and forth and
said: The enemy has opened fro
and killed two of our men. Shall we
return it?' Not yet, sir, was the
response from the quarterback and
the men saw their mutilated sbin
mates hurried below to the surgeons
table, while they stood silently a,
their guns in momentary expectation
of meeting similar fate. Nothine
but the perfect discipline in the Amer
Jean frigate restrained the impatience
of the gun crews and prevented them
from returning the Englishman's can
zonading. Three times Lieutenant