Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-05-25

immediate nght ana made sail TO go out ana
meet her. Hosting flag bearing the inscrip-
ton Free trade and sailors rights" Lawrence
ordered the ship cleared for action and sailed
out OF the harbor About 80 miles beyond Bos-
ton Light the two ships began maneuvering for
position and at length being fairly alongside and
not more than so yards apart, the Shannon fred
her first broadside which was Immediately an
sWered by the Chesapeake.
The effect Of these first broadsldes at such
close range was terrific. Three men, one after
another were shot down at the Ghesaneakes
wheel Within six minutes her sails were
shot to pieces that she drifted into position
which allowed the Shannon to rake her repeat
edly. In short time Lawrence was shot In the
leg but managed to stay on deck and continue
In command. Then the sailing master. the first
lieutenant another lieutenant, the marine officer
and the boatswaln were all mortally wounded.
The Shannon had also been badly damaged
but she closed in ON the Chesapeake and Broke
ordered the ships dashed together. 1t Is said
that this was done by the Shannons boatswain
who had his arm literally hacked off In doing 1t
but he did not finch from his task until 1t 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 fulldress
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 admontIon was hopeless for the car
mage on the Chesapeake's deck was frghtful.
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 IN desperate
resistance, during which Broke was severely
wounded, until they were cut down to man.
The officers of the gun deck tried to rally the
men below, but failed and moment later the
Chesapeakes flag was 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 1873 men killed and wound
ed. The Shannon's loss was several officers
killed, her commander badly wounded and 4.
men killed and wounded.
The British flag was hoisted over the Inflated
American vessel and she was taken to Halifax
For four days Lawrence fingered on In great
anguish but bearing his sufrerIngs with tht
greatest heroism and never speaking except tx
make known his few wants On the Shannon
lay his chivalrous foe raving with deJlriun
from his wounds At times he would ask anxi
ously for Lawrence, muttering, He brought hi.
ship into action In gallant style" When Law
renee finally died. 1t was thought best to keeI
that fact from Broke lest 1t add to his distress
On Sunday June O. the conQuering Shannon
and the conquered Chesapeake entered the har
Dor of Halifax. On the quarterback Of TIL,
Chesapeake lay the body of her young com
mander wrapped In her battle flag. His funera
was held on June and the British naval an,
military authorities paid every respect to thei
gallant young foeman.
In August Iawrences body and that Of hi
faithful lieutenant, Ludlow, were transferred t
Salem Mass, where they were buried tempo
rarIly until they could be transferred to New
York. Eventually they were buried In hstori
old Trinity churchyard In New York city an
there they lie to this day.
1t Ii far cry from the surglng crowds o
Wall street which pass the tomb OF Jane
Lawrence In Trinity churchyard every day t
ths quiet little village OF Wickham In the Meo
valley, South Hampshire, England But there
a link between the two just as recent years hay
seen many links In the chain OF Anglo-America
friendship which have buried forever the an
mosities of century and quarter ago. Tha
link is an old mill made from the tmbers OF til
Inflated American frgate Chesapeake while
was brought from Halifax to Portsmouth as
prize So q mill which for more than hundre
years has been engaged in the peaceful bushes
OF providing bread for quiet English countr.
side is memorial to one of the most famou
ship duels In history and 1t Is also a memoirs
to gallant young American warrior, Cap
James Lawrence.
90 by Western Newspaper unlon.1