Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-06
Scientific Discussions
by Garrett P. Serviss

From my bedroom window every day,
/ look out and see the sun rising on
Plattsburg Bay, with the long, dark
promontory OF Cumberland Head
stretching out into the shining waters,
where in September. 1914, the young
American navy won one of its eye
opening victories over the British lords
of the ocean. At the same time the
redcoats were driven back in their
land attack on Plattsburg, undertaken
in conjunction with the battle of the
ships.
There were four ships on each side
not counting the gunboats supporting
both squadrons, and after two and a
half hours of heroic fighting there was
no flag but the Stars and Stripes In
sight; every one of the ragged eight
had American colors trumphantly float
ing over its spllntered rigging!
The place is so near that as l look
over it from the bluff, where, it is said
misspcnt cannon balls struck during
the battle, the mile or two of water that
intervenes appears but n step. I am
obsessed by this presence Two or
three nights ago, when the full moon
was shining on those victory ry-crowned
waters, 1 sat at my window. and before
whole scene, as 1 had read its descrip.
ton in the History of Lake Cham.
plain"
saw, just where the moonlight was
brightest, Macdonough's line of gallant
little ships stretched in a line from
Cumberland Head to Crab Island
straight athwart the course of the Brit.
| ish fleet. 1 saw and heard, on Mac.
donough's flagship the Saratoga, the
crew breaking into three resoundinG
cheers. mingled with shouts of laughter
and delight, when n young rooster, re-
/ leased from the overturned hencoop on
the deck and excited by the reverbera-
tion of the first gun that was fired
flew upon gun slide, clapped his wings
and crowed with all his might!
1 saw near the end of the fight the
Saratoga, with every one of her star
board guns put out of action, deter
minedly wind about with the aid of her
anchors, thus bringing her larboard
guns to bear; and in fifteen minutes
more she pounded the enemy into sub
mission.
These are consecrated waters. No
American ought to look upon them
without thrill, without seeing the bat
tie ghosts and the spirit of victory how
ering over them, and their stimulus is
particularly important now, when the
great question of the day is again how
to preserve American independence.
There is another aspect of this mat
ter. Directly in front, q mile away
across the water. on Crab Island, rises
tall, gray-white shaft over the bones
of the sailors who fell in the battle
and there in common grave, lie both
the Americans and the British. Every
day the starry flag waves over them
no other. They fought we'll and they
sleep WELL at peace under the kindly
guard of the victor.
The officers on both sides killed in
the action were buried close together
in small plot in the old PlattsburG
village cemetery. The body of Com
modore Downey was escorted ashore
from the captured British flagship, to-
gether with the bodies of his slain Of
flcers, and carried in procession with
the bodies of the officers slain on the
American ships, and all without dis
tlnction of honor. but with honor for all,