The Ely miner., 1933-05-26


which allowed the Shannon to rake her repeat
edly. In a short time Lawrence was shot in the
leg but managed to stay deck and continue
In command. Then the sailing master, the first
lieutenant another lieutenant, the marine officer
and the boatswain were all mortally wounded.
The Shannon had also been badly damaged
but she closed in on the Chesapeake and Broke
ordered the ships lashed together. 1t is said
that this was done by the Shannon's boatswain
who had his arm literally hacked off in doing it
but he did not finch from his task until it was
done. AS soon as the American commander saw
that the ships were fast together he ordered
his men to board the Shannon. But just at this
moment Lawrence, conspicuous in his full-dress
uniform, was shot through the body by one of
the enemy and fell to the deck. AS he was being
carried below he uttered his immortal words
"Don't give up the ship!'
But his admonition was hopeless for the car
mage on the Chesapeake's deck was frightful.
Seeing that his enemy virtually helpless,
Broke gave the command to board and himself
led the boarders. The cowardly Portuguese
mate and some of the others made no attempt
to resist but few marines put up desperate
resistance, during which Broke was severely
wounded until they were cut down to a man.
The officers of the gun deck tried to rally the
men below. but failed and a moment later the
Chesapeake's flag hauled down by the
British
The battle had lasted only about fifteen min
utes but seldom in the history of naval warfare
had there been such dreadful slaughter. The
Chesapeake had lost ten officers killed and all
the rest wounded and 1876 men killed and wound
ed The Shannon's loss was several officers
killed. her commander badly wounded and Is
men killed and wounded.
The British flag was hoisted over the ill-fated
American vessel and she was taken to Halifax.
For four days Lawrence fingered in great
anguish but bearing his sufferings with the
greatest heroism and never speaking except to
make known his few wants. On the Shannon
lay his chivalrous foe, raving with deIirum
from his wounds. At times he would ask anxi-
ously for Lawrence, muttering, HE brought his
ship into action in gallant style" When Law
renee finally died, it was thought best to keep
that fact from Broke lest it add to his distress
On Sunday, June 6, the conquerfng Shannon
and the conquered Chesapeake entered the har-
Dor of Halifax. On the quarterback of the
Chesapeake lay the body of her young COM
mander wrapped in her battle flag. His funeral
held on June and the British naval and
military authorities paid every respect to their
gallant young foeman. The garrison and the
fleet turned out their whole force wearing Grape
on the left arm. The coffin, wrapped in the
Chesapeake's flag with Lawrences sword on II,
was brought ashore In an admirals barge amid
the solemn booming of minute guns 1t was
landed at Kings Wharf where six Of the old
est British captains acted as pall-bearers and
In the funeral procession were Admiral Sir
Thomas Saumerez. one Of the captains of the
great Nelson the officers of the fleet and the
garrison.
In August Lawrences body and that Of his
faithful lieutenant, Ludlow were transferred to
Salem, Mass, where they were buried tempo
rarily until they could be transferred to New
York Eventually they were buried in historic
old Trinity churchyard in New York city and
there they lie to this day. Second in interest
only to the monument over the grave of Alex
ander Hamilton there Is the brownstone mau-
soeum which bears on one side this inscrip-
ton: I'm memory of Captain James Lawrence
of the United States Navy, who fell on the 1st
day Of June, 1913, in the thirty-second year of
his age in the action between the Chesapeake
and the Shannon. He distinguished himself on
various occasions but particularly when he
commanded the sloop of war Hornet by captur-
ing and sinking his Brittanic Majestys sloop Of
war Peacock after a desperate action of four
teen minutes His bravery In action was only
equaled by his remarkable modesty in triumph
and his magnanimity to the vanquished In pri-
vate life he was a gentleman of the most gen.
erous and endearing qualities; the whole nation
mourned his loss, and the enemy contended
with his countrymen who should most honor
his remains"
1t Is far cry from the surging crowds of
Wall street which pass the tomb of James
Lawrence in Trinity churchyard every day to
the quiet little village Of Wickham in the Neon
valley. South Hampshire England But there Is
link between the two just as recent years have
seen many links in the chain of Anglo-American
friendship which have buried forever the ami
mosities OF century and quarter ago. That
link is an old mill made from the timbers of the
Inflated American frigate Chesapeake which
was brought from Halifax to Portsmouth as a
prize. So mill which for more than hundred
years has been engaged in the peaceful business
OF providing bread for quiet English country
side Is memorial to one of the most famous
ship duels in history and It is also a memorial
to gallant young American warrior, Capt
James Lawrence.