The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-06-02
SCRAP BOOK FOR TO-DAY

A naval duel unique in history was fought off Boston harbor just cen tury ago, yesterday, between the Unit ed States frigate Chesapeake, Capt. Shannon, Capt. Philip Bowes We're Broke, in which the latter was victor ious. The story of that historic con fict will be treasured as long as men glory in tales of WAT.
 At the close of May the Shannon appeared off Boston harbor, and Capt. Broke wrote a formal challenge to naval duel and dispatched it to Capt. Lawrence. He challenged the Amer ican to meet him, Ship to ship, to try the fortunes of our respective flags He added that Lawrence could not take the Chesapeake out of Boston harbor without, the risk of being "crushed by the superior force of the British squadron" and gal1ant1y pro- posed that they meet in single com bat, without the interference of other vessels.
 Accepting the challenge and placing Lieut.. Augustus Ludley as second in command, Capt. Lawrence in the Chesapeake sailed out from Boston at midday on that first of June a century ago yesterday. At five o'clock in the afternoon the Shannon came up, and the duel commenced.
 The vessels had been engaged only about twelve minutes when the Shan non had so seriously injured the rig ging and spars of the Chesapeake that the latter became unmanageable. Lawrence had planned to take the wind out of the sails of the Shannon, shoot ahead, lay across her bow and rake her with his guns. Capt. Broke had an equally good plan, and he 'sgot his lick in fust.'' The rigging of the two vessels became entang g1ed, and the Chesapeake was held in such 8 po- sitfon that she was swept with terrible effect by the volleys of the British vessel. Lawrence ordered his board CTS to charge, but there was some de- lay, and before the order could be put into effect a musket ball struck and mortaIly wounded the gallant young. American commander. As he was carried below he said: "Te1l the men to fire faster, and not to give up the ship; fight her till she sinks" These words, paraphrased to Don't Give up the Ship,'' afterward became the bat tle-cry of the4 Americans.
 It was Broke's boarders who first got into action, and they swarmed onto the deck of the Chesapeake and carried all before them. Lieut., Lud- low, who assumed command of the American ship, was mortally wound ed by a. sabre cut. Deprived Of both comnandern, the defenders of the Chesapeake fought doggedly on, but in the end naQ 10 SQCCuIIlO. 110 1AAACI- ican loss in killed and wounded was 146, while the Shannon's loss was eighty4four. Broke immediately sail ed with his prize for Halifax. The gallant English commander was him self seriously wounded, and his first lieutenant was killed. Lawrence wrap ped in the Chesapeake's flag, died shortly before reaching Halifax. The, remains of Lawrence and Ludlow were afterward conveyed from Ha1i-1 fax to Salem, Mass, where funeral honors were paid to them. Lieut.. Wal lis, young English officer who as- sumed command of the Shannon and the Chesapeake after. the action, de- cIared that both Lawrence and Lud- low were 'tperfect1y composed and died like heroes. Ludlow survived Lawrence several days, and Wallis quotes him as saying:
 Well, must say it was glorious fair stand-up fight, I fully expected a different result; the day however, con trary to expectation, was dlobly won by yourselves, and now behold how diff ferent in our lot; nevertheless I hope to live, and should like to try it again.
 Lieut. Wallis. in his account. adds an element of grim humor to the tra- gedy by saying that the Chesapeake had several hundred hamdcuffs on deck ''in req diness for us, So we orna- mented the Americans with their own jewe1ry."