Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-09

of 10 men We're unhurt. while on the
Wasp five We're killed and five wounded
Hardly had the victory been gained when
the straightforward British frigate Poic-
tiers appeared, captured the victorious
Wasp and her prize, and took them to
Bermuda.
A week later, October %, Capt. Ste
phen Decatur, who had performed some
valorous exploits against the pirates Of
Tripoli in the Mediterranean, encoun-
tered the British ship Macedonian while
cruising in command of the frigate
United States off the Azores. and after
a ninetyminute duel captured and
brought her into Newport
Capt. William cambridge, who took
command of the Constitution after
Hull's victory over the Guerrero. fol-
lowed up Decatur's exploit when he fell
in with the British frigate Java off the
coast of Brazil, December 20. and after
fight of one hour and forty-five min
utes. disabled his foe so badly that she
had to be blown up soon after her sur
render to him.
The year 1913 did not furnish as
many naval triumphs as did the clos
ing five months of 1912. Outside of
the Lake Erie victory, there were only
three naval fights. in two of which
Capt. James Lawrence figured while
the third was the capture of the British
sloop Boxer by Capt. William Burrows.
Lawrence, one Of the youngest of the
brilliant coterie of American naval Of
flcers, became a national hero when. at
the age Of thirty-two years, in COM
mand Of the Hornet. he captured the
British brig Peacock after a gunnery
duel lasting only fourteen minutes. The
Peacock was so badly damaged that she
sank soon after the engagement, carry
ing down three American sailors and
eleven Of her British crew.
A little over three months later Law
renee. who had been assigned to the
command of the Chesapeake, sailed out
of Boston harbor to give battle to the
British ship Shannon. The untimely
death of Lawrence, whose last words.
Don't give up the ship" became the
battle cry Of the navy throughout the
remainder of the war. have made the
ensuing conflict one of the most mem
orable Of the whole war The captured
Chesapeake was taken to Halifax. where
Lawrence and Lieut.. Augustus Ludlow,
a New Yorker. in whose honor Ludlow
street was named, were buried with all
the honors Of war. Capt. George Crownin
shield, jr.. of Salem obtained permission
to bring the bodies to the United States.
churchyard on September 49, 1913, the
mausoleum marking their resting place
being surrounded by cannon captured
from the British during the war. Rear
published life of Lawrence, pays this
eulogy to the young hero:
The strain of the knight Grant in his character
and his tragic death make his personality more
interesting than that OF any of his brilliant CO.
Temperatures. except perhaps Stephen Decatur the
mainmast of the navy. Lawrence was fine Sir
Galahad Of the navy. the White Knight. whose
gentleness and purity the complement OF
his courage and his fearlessness.
Perry's victory on Lake Erie, Septem-
Der 10, 1913, easily ranks as the most
popular. II not the most important, event
Of the war. The victor was the young
est of the able naval heroes who con-
tributed so much to the success of the
American cause. At the time Of the
battle he was in his twenty-ninth year
Perry's flagship. the Lawrence, went
into the fight flying pennant bearing
the memorable words, Don't give up
the ship!' When she wAs disabled Per-
ry embarked In an open boat and. amid
the shots OF the enemy, reached the
Niagara unframed. and from this vessel
brought the conflict to a triumphant close
after three hours Of fighting.
Until this encounter no feet bearing the