The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-26
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
CHAUNCEY's RUNNING FIGHT.


 ((The following letter, though dated October l, 1913, did not, for some ac- cidentaI and unaccountab1e delay, reach New York city until yesterday, having been forwarded from Albany only on the 18th. as appears by the post mark on the envelop of the let ter.)
 Copy of a letter from Com. Chaun- cey to the Secretary of the United States Navy, dated, U. $. Ship General Pike. off Niagara, list Oct.a 1913.
 CD
 SIR-On the 26th ulf. it was report ed to me, that the. enemy's fleet was in York immediately despatched the Lady of the Lake to look into York, and ascertain the fact-sI1e re- turned in the evening with the in formation that the enemy was in York bay. I, immediately prepared to weigh, but owing to a strong wind from the N. by NE, was not cable to get out of the river before the evening of the 27th. and owing to the extreme darkness of the night, a part of the squadron. got separated and did not join before the next morning at 8 a. m.
 On the 2Sth. the General Pike" Madison and "SyIph" each took a schooner in tow and made all sail for York. Soon after discovered the 1enemys fleet under way in York bay, shaped our course for him and pre- pared for action--he perceiving our intention of engaging him in his po- sitni,l tackled and stood out of the bay, wind at east formed the line and and run down for his centre. When we had approached within about three miles he made all sail to the southward-I wore in succession and stood on the same tack with him, edging down gradually in order to close-at 10 minutes past Meridian, the enemy, finding that we were clos ing fast with him. and that he must either risk an action suffer his two rear vessels to be cut off, he tack ed in succession, beginning at third van, hoisted his colors and commence ed a well directed fire at his ship, for 4he purpose of covering his rear, and attacking our rear as he passed to leeward.
 Pereeiving his intention. was de- termined to isappoint him; there fore as soon as the Wolf ( the lead ing ship) passed the centre of his line and abeam of us. bore up in success sion (preserving our Ine0 for the enerny's centre This manoeuvre not only covered our rear but hove him in confusion He immediately bore away, we had however, closed so near as to bring our guns tQ bear with ef- fest and in 20 minutes the main and 1nizzen top masts and main yard or the ssWolf'' was shot away. He innme- diately put before the wind and set all sail upon his Sforemast- made the signal for the fleet to make all sail; the enemy, however, keeping dead before the wind was enabled to outsail most of our squadron.
 AS it brought all sail upon one mast, he did not feel the loss of his main and 1aizzen top mast. continued the chase until near 3 o'clock, during which time I was enabled in this ship (with the Asp in tow)l to keep within point blank shot of the enemy and sustained the whole of this fire during the chase. Capt.aCrane. in the "Madi- l son." and Lieut.. Brown in the aOneida,'' y used every exertion to close with the enemy. but the Madison having a heavy schooner in tow, and the Oneida sailing very dull before the wind, prevented those officers from closing near enough to do any I execution with their carronades.
 The ssGovernor Tompkins'' kept in her station until her foremast was so 1 badly wounded as to oblige her to 1 shorten sail Lieut.. Finch of the 1 sN1a dison.s who commanded her for l this cruise lowing to the indisposition l of Lieut. Pettigrew) behaved with 1 great gaI1antry and is an officer of much promise. Capt. Woo1sey in the 1 ssSyHph''a was kept astern by the "On- | tario,'' which he had in tow, but did | execution with his heavy | guns.
 (Continueds Tomorrow.)