Charlevoix county herald., 1912-09-07

III cas- greatest naval coIHIudnu-
ers, won a wager of hat from
CAPTAIN James Richard Dacres of the
British navy. In addition to the hat,
the Englishman lost the first action
between frigates in the war OF 1872,
and his country suffered a blow to Its
pride and prestige from which 1t was
long in recovering. A few days later
the Constitution, one of the vessels
which the British commanders had
sneeringly called the "fir-built Yankee
frigates flying a piece of striped hunt
ing at their mast-heads," appeared on
Boston lighthouse gaily decked with
flags and proudly passed up the har-
ton of the Guerrero.
Only a month before this momen-
tous engagement Captain Hull had
had an exciting experience, with the
Guerrero and her consorts, the Bevi-
dere and Eeolus. These three vessels
pursued the Constitution for more
than &C hours and Captain Hull es-
capped only by indomitable persever-
ance and most skillful seamanship,
putting into Boston for supplies.
Early in August the Constitution
started out again on a hunt for the
enemy, and on August 10 a 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
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 a pest ship
from the cruel treatment he had re-
ceived.
Hull Wanted the Hat.
Soon after 4 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.
tons for an effective broadside. reload.
ing the guns carefully with round shot
and grape and training them upon the
British ship. The Englishmen were
10 be seen working their guns stead
jly, 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 the
quarterback OF the American frigate
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 n che,
struck the Constitutions bulwarts
and threw innumerable splinters over
the first division of the gun dacL
wounding several men. Observ,ne
the effect of this shot, the Englisbmen
gave three cheers; but stIu the Amor.
lean frigate remained silent. Pirst
Lieutenant Morris now approaches
the quarterback, where Captain Hun
was coolly pacing back and forth. and
said: The enemy has opened fire
and killed two OF our men. Shall we
return itT Not Yet, SIR was the
response from the quarterback. and
the men saw their mutilated shin
mates hurried below TO the surgeons
table, while they stood silently AZ
their guns In momentary expectation
of meeting a similar fate. Nothing
but the perfect discipline In the Amer.
lean frigate restrained the Impotence
OF the gun crews and prevented them
from returning the Englishmans can
ponading Three times lieutenant