Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1931-01-16
Little Journeys in !
Americana !
The Battle of Fayal
b. LESTER B. COLBY

he Battle OF FayaI
IL AVE you ever heard the story of
the battle of Fayal? One hundred
and twenty white markers were plant
ed over graves on a hilltop looking
down upon that smiling harbor in the
Azores, Portugal, more than a hun
dred years ago. Some still stand.
Fayal! What heroism was done there
in the name of the Stars and Stripes
What gloryl
Ninety American sailors that day in
the harbor of Fayal, a neutral port
whose sanctity was violated by the
British, licked 400 of his majestys
best fighting men. They hurled them
back so fiercely, three-quarters of
them Killed or wounded, that the Brit
ish lion though he had 1000 men in
reserve did not come back for more,
but lay 1'wn to lick his wounds.
Capt Samuel C. Reid was the hero
of Fayal Nor did the British with
their three ships TO his one, take him.
For the captains crew was made up
of heliOns
When the War of 1912 began Britain
controlled The seven seas He: ship
ping was rich and her ships were
many Soon the United States sent
out to sea a great fleet of privateers-
men-more than 200 in ALL They
swooped down upon the English ship
ping like hawks on songbirds. They
struck, right and left. swiftly and with
vengeance. Owners became rich and
crews prospered-if they lived.
SWiftest and fiercest of all the
privateersmen that sailed ont was the
General Armstrong. This ship, black
hulled, white-sparred with a rakish
slant to its masts, carried an amazing
spread of canvas. 1t soon became a
scourge It's wake was strewn with
whipped hulks and its very name was
terror
Sun shone bright in Fayal and there
was warmth over all. Within the pro-
tected harbor was dead calm. Sud
denly ont of the horizon sailed three
British warships They were the Car
nation brig. 1S guns. the Rota, a
frigate. 3S guns and the Plantagenet,
IA guns
But this was neutral harbor. Sure
ly under the laws of the sea Reid was
safe so long as he stayed inside.
To the surprise of all who viewed
the scene the British warshps sailed
directly into the harbor lined up in
fighting array and made ready for
action. Then. after signals, board
ing marty set out; 400 men In open
boats. They came with music and
song and cries of joy and mirth.
Bur they had not reckoned with
Captain Reds crew of ninety men.
These were down-East fishermen. ex-
pirates, old man-o -warsmen, Creole
privateersmen They had learned their
trade. many of them looting Spanish
ships reckless adventures all
They waited until fhe British boats
were all but humping noses against
the black sides of the General Arm
strong. Then, almost hand to hand,
hell broke loose. Rifles and blunder-
buses roared, pistols barked, cutlasses
and knives ripped and tore. The wa
ters of the harbor about the ship
turned red The fight was short, fast
furious.
But whipped as they were, Captain
Reid knew that the British would not
stay away He looked across the har-
Dor at the three grim ships and saw
sullen activity aboard So with bis
own hand he fred cannon through
the bottom Of the Armstrong and II
sank.
Two of his ninety men were dead
seven wounded Gathering all those
able to travel about him he fled In
land. In a thickwalIed convent he
again turned face to his enemies and
defied them ALL. British and Portu
guese alike. to take him. Nor was
he taken.
Months later, Captain Reid and his
motley crew arrived in Savannah
Georgia. and the nation went wild
War was over and It was a glorious
homecoming Did you know about the
battle Of Fayal? So passes glory. The
100 white markers, on the hilltop oveI
Fayal, were planted the day after the
fight over British dead.
(0 1929. Lester B Colby.)