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SOME lads are very wild in their imaginations. They are so foolish as to think that battles, whether on land or at sea, are glorious things. For their sakes we give the following account of a battle at sea, written by one who was then what is called a "powder boy" in one of the ships.

"Sunday (December 25, 1812) came, and it brought with it a stiff breeze. We usually made a sort of holiday of this sacred day. After breakfast it was usual to muster the entire crew on the spar-deck, dressed as the fancy of the captain might dictate; sometimes in blue jackets and white trousers, or blue jackets and blue trousers; at other times in blue jackets, scarlet vests, and blue or white trousers; with our bright anchor buttons glancing in the sun, and our black glossy hats ornamented with black

ribbons, and with the name of our ship painted on them. After muster we frequently had church service read by the captain; the rest of the day was devoted to idleness. But we were destined to spend this sabbath in a very different manner.

We had scarcely finished breakfast before the man at the mast-head shouted, 'Sail, ho!' The captain rushed on deck, exclaiming, 'Mast-head there!' 'Sir?' 'Where away is the sail?' The precise answer to this question I do not recollect, but the captain proceeded to ask, 'What does she look like ?' A square rigged vessel, sir,' was the reply of the look-out. After a few minutes the captain shouted again, 'Masthead there!' 'Sir ?' What does she look like ?' A large ship, sir, standing toward us!'

By this time most of the crew were on deck, eagerly straining their eyes to obtain a glimpse of the approaching ship, and murmuring their opinions to each other on her probable character. Then came the voice of the captain, shouting, 'Keep silence fore and aft!' Silence being secured, he hailed the look-out, who, to his question of 'What does she look like?' replied, 'A large frigate, bearing down upon us, sir!'

A whisper ran along the crew that the stranger ship was a Yankee frigate. The thought was confirmed by the command of All hands clear ship for action, ahoy!' The drum and fife beat to quarters, bulkheads were knocked away, the guns were released from their confinement, the whole dread paraphernalia of battle was produced, and after the lapse of a few minutes of hurry and confusion, every man and boy was at his post, ready to do his best service for his country, except the band, who, claiming exception from the affray, safely stowed themselves away in the cable tier. We had only one sick man on the list, and he, at the cry of battle, hurried from his cot, feeble as he was, to take his post of danger. A few of the junior midshipmen were stationed below on the berth deck,

with orders given in our hearing to shoot any man who attempted to run from his quarters.

As the approaching ship showed American colours, all doubt of her character was at an end. 'We must fight her,' was the conviction of every breast. Every possible arrangement that could insure success was accordingly made. The guns were shotted, the matches lighted; for although our guns were all furnished with first-rate locks, they were also provided with matches, attached by lanyards, in case the lock should miss fire. A lieutenant then passed through the ship, directing the marines and boarders-who were furnished with pikes, cutlasses, and pistolshow to proceed should it be necessary to board the enemy. He was followed by the captain, who exhorted the men to fidelity and courage, urging upon their consideration the well known motto of Nelson, 'England expects every man to do his duty.' In addition to all these preparations on deck, some men were stationed in the tops with small arms, whose duty it was to attend to trimming the sails, and to use their muskets provided we came to close action. There were others also below called sail trimmers, to assist in working the ship should it be necessary to shift her position during the battle.

My station was at the fifth gun on the main-deck. It was my duty to supply my gun with powder, a boy being appointed to each gun on the side we engaged for this purpose. A woollen screen was placed before the entrance of the magazine, with a hole in it, through which the cartridges were passed to the boys; we received them there, and covering them with our jackets, hurried to our respective guns. These precautions were observed to prevent the powder taking fire before it reaches the gun.

Thus we all stood, awaiting orders in motionless suspense. At last we fired three guns from the larboard side of the main-deck; this was followed by

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the command, Cease firing; you are throwing away your shot!'

Then came the order to wear ship,' and prepare to attack the enemy with our starboard guns. Soon after this I heard a firing from some other quarter, which I at first supposed to be a discharge from our quarter-deck guns, but it proved to be the roar of the enemy's cannon.

A strange noise, such as I had never heard before, next arrested my attention; it sounded like the tearing of sails just over our heads. This I soon ascertained to be the wind of the enemy's shot. The firing, after a few minutes' cessation, recommenced. The roaring of cannon could now be heard from all parts of our trembling ship, and mingling as it did with that of our foes, it made a most hideous noise. By and by I heard the shots strike the sides of our ship; the whole scene grew indescribably confused and horrible; it was like some awfully tremendous thunder storm, whose deafening roar is attended by incessant streaks of lightning, carrying death in every flash, and strewing the ground with the victims of its wrath; only in our case the scene was rendered more horrible than that, by the presence of torrents of blood which dyed our decks.

Though the recital may be painful, yet as it will reveal the horrors of war, and show at what a fearful price a victory is won or lost, I will present the reader with things as they met my eye during the progress of this dreadful fight. I was busily supplying my gun with powder, when I saw blood suddenly fly from the arm of a man stationed at our gun. I saw nothing strike him; the effect alone was visible; in an instant the third lieutenant tied his handkerchief round the wounded arm, and sent the poor fellow below to the surgeon.

The cries of the wounded now rang through all parts of the ship. These were carried to the cockpit

as fast as they fell, while those more fortunate men who were killed outright were immediately thrown overboard. As I was stationed but a short distance from the main hatchway, I could catch a glance at all who were carried below. A glance was all I could indulge in, for the boys belonging to the guns next to mine were all wounded in the early part of the action, and I had to spring with all my might to keep three or four guns supplied with cartridges. I saw two of these lads fall nearly together. One of them was struck in the leg by a large shot; he had to suffer amputation above the wound. The other had a grape or canister shot sent through his ancle. A stout Yorkshireman lifted him in his arms and hurried with him to the cockpit. He had his foot cut off, and was thus made lame for life. Two of the boys stationed on the quarter-deck were killed. They were both Portuguese. A man who saw one of them killed, afterwards told me that his powder caught fire and burnt the flesh almost off his face. In this pitiable situation the agonized boy lifted up both hands, as if imploring relief, when a passing shot instantly cut him in two.

The battle went on. Our men kept cheering with all their might; I cheered with them, though I scarcely knew for what. Certainly there was nothing very inspiriting in the aspect of things where I was stationed. So terrible had been the work of destruction round us, that it was termed the slaughter-house. Not only had we had several boys and men killed or wounded, but several guns were disabled. The one I belonged to had a piece of the muzzle knocked out; and when the ship rolled, it struck a beam of the upper deck with such force as to become jammed and fixed in that position. A twenty-four pound shot had also gone through the screen of the magazine, immediately over the orifice through which we passed our powder. The schoolmaster received a death wound. The brave

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