Anecdote Of Old Ironsides
File l'ullovv.ng ík familiar to mnr of our readers, bnt r i so well calcuhred ! n moke tlie lininz eeneration proud of the noble spirits who shed so iBiiuh lus I i re on their country' nanie dunnir the memorable war of 1812, with thu tlu-n proud mistres of fhe Reas, that t ■ ili bvar publícatfon át lenst once a year, as long ap patriota re uhlo to snbdae consf-inttors. The most brilliant naval action of the lost war was undoubtodlv that uf the American frigate U nstitution, (-44,) conitnandbd by Commodore Stewart, when che caí turad tho two Britisb corvettes, Cy;me íind Levaot. of greatly superior forcé, ench of' thern eqiial to the oíd fashioned thirtv threo gun Irigate?. The hatidltng of the Amer:c:in frícate wis. tliroughout, scieotific; and unexcfptioiiülile. By noinanoBuvevingcouldcithcrof the British v88els obtain n jT.sition torake the ConstitutioQ. Stiift their ground as they would, OKI Ironsideá was butween them, blazwg iwr.)' upon both verséis at the same tinne; During the whnle action, Stewart, instead ot niount ing iho horwe-block, sat in a mero expo acd posit'on strk!o the hn mm nek nettings, the bettnr to observó tho mancouvering of l.is antagonists. Tho Cyane waa tho first to í-trike to Brother Jonathan - not an uijiisual thing with British véasela duriug that wr.r. The first Lieutenant came in liaste to the Captain to annonnee tho fact. ''The starboard ship haa struck, sir," said he. " I know it, sir," ïvplied the Commodore. " The battle is just half won." ' Sball I order the band te strike up Yankee Doodle,-sir?" ir.qnired the Lieutcnaat. Here the Cornrnandcr took a hnge pinch of snuif and then nuswt-red quick!■; " Had we not better wliip the other first, sir ?" " Ay, ay, sir," replied tho Lieutenant, takiug the h;xt, uud going to his quarters. In a short time nfterward, the Levant lowered the cross of England to the stare and stripes, and the battlu ended. The Lieutenant being somewhat retwked at his premature esultation upon the surrender of the first ves sel, was rathor shy of approacbing his commamler again, but Stewart, beek oning to him, said witb a smüe : " Don't you tbiok tho band better strike up' Yankee Doodlo' now, sir ?" In an instant the spii-it-tirringr train wae floating on the breeze, playing üs no otber than a Yankee band can play it, and the gallant ciew ihouted forth their cheer of victory as no other than a Yankee crew can shont.
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Old News
Michigan Argus