Blue Jackets of 1812: A History of the Naval Battles of the Second War with Great BritainDodd, Mead, and Company, 1887 - 409 pages |
Common terms and phrases
action alongside American frigate American ship anchor armed attack Bainbridge barges Barney battery battle blockade blow blue-jackets boarders boat brig British frigate British ship broadside cannon Capt captain captured carried carronades chase cheers Chesapeake Chesapeake Bay coast command Commodore Constellation Constitution crew cruise cutlass dashed David Porter Decatur deck enemy enemy's English escape Essex fell fight fire flag fleet flotilla flying force forecastle fought French frigate gallant Guerriere gunboats gunners guns harbor Hornet Hull island jackies killed lake Lake Erie Lawrence Lieut lieutenant man-of-war marines merchantmen midshipman nation naval navy night ocean officers opened ordered Perry port Porter prisoners privateer prize quarter-deck quarters rigging Rodgers round shot Sackett's Harbor sail sailors schooner seamen sent shore shot side sight Sir James Yeo sloop sloop-of-war soon squadron stranger taffrail took United United States navy victory war-vessel Wasp wounded Yankee
Popular passages
Page 350 - Of the sailors, however, it would be injustice not to speak in the terms which their conduct merits. They were employed as gunners, and not only did they serve their guns with a quickness and precision which astonished their assailants, but they stood till some of them were actually bayoneted, with fuses in their hands; nor was it till their leader was wounded and taken, and they saw themselves deserted on all sides by the soldiers, that they quitted the field.
Page 268 - Hillyar braced back his yards, and remarked to Porter, that, if he did fall aboard him, he begged to assure the captain that it would be entirely accidental. " ' Well,' said Porter, ' you have no business where you are. If you touch a rope-yarn of this ship, I shall board instantly.
Page 116 - Guerriere, and was kept up almost incessantly until about six o'clock, when I heard a tremendous explosion from the opposing frigate. The effect of her shot seemed to make the Guerriere reel, and tremble as though she had received the shock of an earthquake.
Page 40 - Shall Gallia's clan our coast invade, With hellish outrage scourge the main, Insult our nation's neutral trade, And we not dare our rights maintain ? Rise, united Harvard's band, Rise, the bulwark of our land.
Page 311 - Never was a shower of hail so thick as the shot whistling about our ears. Were you to see my jacket, waistcoat, and trousers, you would be astonished to know how I escaped as I did; for they are literally torn all to rags with shot and splinters. The upper part of my hat was also shot away. There is one of the marines who was in the Trafalgar action with Lord Nelson, who says it was a mere flea-bite in comparison with this.
Page 109 - the crew were exercised at the great guns, small arms, and single stick. And I may here mention the fact that I have never been on a ship where the crew of the old Essex was represented but that I found them to be the best swordsmen on board. They had been so thoroughly trained as boarders that every man was prepared for such an emergency, with his cutlass as sharp as a razor, a dirk made by the ship's armorer out of a file, and a pistol.
Page 121 - Well, I don't know. Our mizzen-mast is gone, our main-mast is gone ; and I think, on the whole, you may say that we have struck our flag.
Page 78 - Gordon, the second in command, was ordered to hasten the work on the gun-deck, and call the crew to quarters. The drummers began to beat the call to quarters, but hasty orders soon stopped them ; and the men went to their places quietly, hoping that the threatening attitude of the " Leopard " was mere bravado. The most painful suspense was felt by all on board the American ship. The attitude of the " Leopard " left little doubt of her hostile intentions, while a glance about the decks of the " Chesapeake...
Page 268 - Captain Hillyar's compliments to Captain Porter, and hopes he is well.' " Porter replied : ' Very well, I thank you. But I hope you will not come too near, for fear some accident might take place which would be disagreeable to you.