The Coolidge examiner., 1933-05-26

9<H<z==
Shannon's presence there as a challenge to an
Immediate fight and made sail to go out and
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 80 yards apart. the Shannon fred
her first broadside which was Immediately
swered by the Chesapeake.
The effect of these first broadsides at such
close range was terrific. Three men, one after
another. were shot down at the Chesapeake's
wheel. Within six minutes her sails were so
shot TO pieces that she drifted into a position
which allowed the Shannon to rake her repeat
edly. In a 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 boatswain were all mOrtaly 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 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 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 shlp!"
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 cowardy Portuguese
mate and some of the others made no attempt
TO resist but a few marines put up a 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 was hauled down by the
British
The battle had lasted only about fifteen min
utes but seldom In the history of naval warfare
haA there been such a 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 on 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 delirium
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 thought best to keep
that fact from Broke lest it add to his distress
On Sunday. June 6, the conquering Shannon
and the conquered Chesapeake entered the har-
Dor Of Halifax. On the quarterback of the
ChpSanpakQ lay tha hodv Of hor vouno nopo-
mander wrapped in her battle flag. His funeral
was held on June s and the British naval and
military authorities paid every respect to their
gallant young foeman.
In August Lawrence's body and that of his
faithful lieutenant, Ludlow. were transferred to
Salem, Mass. where they were buried tempo
rarly 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.
1t is a 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
a 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 a century and a 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 a mill which for more than hundred
years has been engaged in the peaceful business
of providing bread for a quiet English country
side is memorial to one of the most famous
ship duels in history and it is also memorial
to a gallant young American warrior, Capt
James Lawrence.
&c by Western Newspaper UnIon.)