In the footsteps of Borrow & Fitzgerald . take the commandof a party, was slain hy a musket-shot. Inless than five minutes fifty of our men fell;but the loss of the Americans was fargreater. The Chesapeakes main-top wasfilled with riflemen, but a gallant young mid-shipman, of the name of W. Smith, with asmall party, stormed their post and drovethem down; and then the Shannons firstlieutenant hauled down the Stars and Stripesand hoisted the British Union Jack in itsplace. It was the last act of the gallantofficer ; he had already been severelywounded, and now while thus engagedhe fell, shot thr
In the footsteps of Borrow & Fitzgerald . take the commandof a party, was slain hy a musket-shot. Inless than five minutes fifty of our men fell;but the loss of the Americans was fargreater. The Chesapeakes main-top wasfilled with riflemen, but a gallant young mid-shipman, of the name of W. Smith, with asmall party, stormed their post and drovethem down; and then the Shannons firstlieutenant hauled down the Stars and Stripesand hoisted the British Union Jack in itsplace. It was the last act of the gallantofficer ; he had already been severelywounded, and now while thus engagedhe fell, shot through the head, it is believedby a gun from his own ship, where thie menwho had been left behind were not awarethat the conflict was over. Indeed, someof the American crew that had fled downthe hold still kept up a fire up the hatch-ways, till Captain Broke, who, in spite ofhis wounds, still remained on deck directingthe operations, ordered some of his men tofire down below, on which they surrendered,and the Chesapeake was ours in fifteen. OF BORROW AND FITZGERALD 109 minutes from the commencement of the con-test. Her loss had been very heavy, andfully attested the gallantry of the crew andthe pre-emment skill of Captain Brokesarrangements, both during and before theaction. Seventy of her men were killed,her captain, her master, and two lieutenantsbeing included in the number ; a hundredwere wounded. The hulls of both ships wereseverely damaged, the Chesapeake, in spiteof the superior thickness of her timbers,being in this respect also the greatestsufferer ; but so entirely had both shipsagreed in keeping their fire low that therigging was almost untouched ; and, accord-ing to Captain Brokes report, both shipscame out of action in the most beautifulmanner, their rigging appearing as perfect asif they had only been exchanging a salute. I make my way back to Ipswich along themain Felixstowe road, which for some milesskirts the racecourse. I intend to take thisroad again on the mor
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1915
