A Yankee Tar's Victory

Thrilling Battle on the Sea During the War of 1812

OF the many deeds of daring performed by Yankee sailors during the war of 1812 perhaps there was none more daring in inception and skillful in execution than the escape of the letter of marque brig Ida from the harbor of La Rochelle, France. The incident is related by George P. Mathes in the Pittsburg Dispatch.

One day in April, 1814, three men were standing on the quay of la Rochelle. They were Captains Maffit and Mantor of the brigs Rattlesnake and Ida and Captain Brown of the privateer schooner Decatur. They were discussing ways and means of leaving the French port, outside of which a British fleet was waiting to pounce upon them.

Finally it was decided that when the tide ran ebb next day they would make an attempt to force a passage.

At noon the next day the three vessels weighed anchor and stood up for the northerly passage with batteries ready for action. After opening up the passage it was seen that it was corked by a brig of war and a schooner. After a short conference the captains of the Rattlesnake and Decatur decided to return and wait for more favorable conditions.

Captain Mantor, however, having once made up his mind, was not to be swerved from his course, and the three vessels parted, the Rattlesnake and Decatur returning to their moorings, while the Ida stood over to the east side of the Isle De Re to discharge her pilot. As soon as the pilot was over the side the dainty brig came around on her heel like a girl in a country dance and, with every sail pulling like a team of horses, headed down for the roads in order to clear the south end of the island. Her movements were now in full view of the blockading fleet, and as he bowled along Captain Mantor would see the little balls of bunting creeping to the masthead of the flagship. As they were broken out they were promptly answered from liners and frigates and all began getting under way.

On his starboard bow a schooner mounting two guns for each one the brig carried was storming along, the first to answer the signals of the flagship.

“Man the starboard batter, Mr. Perkins,” was the order. “We must wing that fellow if we’re to git away.”

On came the schooner, her guns run out, with crew at quarters. When the two vessels were within gunshot, there came a hail from the schooner. “Surrender, my fine fellow, or we’ll blow you out of the water!”

For answer Captain Mantor let the brig fall off so her broadside would bear and roared, “Now, boys, let ‘em have it!”

That a little Yankee brig would attempt to fight one of his majesty’s warships in the face of a fleet was a thought that had not for a moment crossed the Englishman’s mind, and the broadside was a complete surprise. In consequence the answering response from the schooner went wild, the shot doing no damage aside from cutting a few ropes. The broadside from the Ida had been better aimed and found its mark in the bows of the schooner, whose jibboom hung over her side, leaving her head sails in a hopeless tangle. The vessel shot up into the wind so sharply that her people had all they could do for a short time to keep clear of the shoals thereabouts.

“I reckon that fellow ‘ll have about all he wants to tend to for awhile, Mr. Perkins.” said the captain as his lieutenant joined him.

“I’m nor worryin’ much about him,” said the skipper, “but there’s a fellow jest roundin’ the upper end of the island that we may have some trouble with.”

Mr. Perkins looked in the direction indicated and caught sight of a thirty two gun frigate bearing down on them rapidly.

After a prolonged look around the horizon, first at the oncoming frigate, then at the frigates and liners driving along in the green surges astern, Captain Mantor cried: “Mr. Perkins, send the men below and get up the ballast. That single decker to lu’ard is a faster vessel than I gave them credit for havin’. We’ll have to lighten ship if we git away from him after we give our friend ahead the slip.”

The critical moment was fast approaching, as both vessels were going through the water at great speed. Each was converging on the other. If they held their courses, a collision was Inevitable.

“You’ll be into him in a minute, sir.” cried the lieutenant.

“I hope he’ll think so, Mr. Perkins,” was the calm reply. “Steady as you go,” he said to the quartermaster as that officer showed signs of uneasiness. Those on board the frigate were unable to account for the action of the brig, and the Englishman fell off a point or two. This was the moment for which Captain Mantor had been waiting. As the frigate yaws to leeward on a big wave he cried sharply to his own quartermaster, “Luff, you rascal, luff.”

The brig the next instant swung up into the wind and darted across the bows of the frigate so close that the orders of the officer could be plainly heard. Then the sides of the Englishman broke forth in smoke and flame and a storm of shot hurtled over and around the daring Yankee. But two struck the brig. One cut away her anchor at the bows, and another came aboard at lee bow and, traversing the deck fore and aft, passed close to captain Mantor and went over the stern, taking part of the taffrail with it.

“Not much damage for all that fuss,” said Captain Mantor. “Round in the braces, Mr. Perkins, and get that ballast out lively.”

Before the frigate could come about the Ida was well out of gunshot, slipping through the waves like a startled deer. As the ballast was got up and thrown over the side the speed of the little vessel increased, and the frigate astern, which before had been gaining slowly on the case, now barely held her own. Well astern the big line of battle ships can pounding through the green surges, while several war brigs and schooners stretched out on either side to prevent any doubling on the part of the Yankee.

“Overboard with some of the guns” was the next order. Four of the broadside battery were dropped. The frigate did not gain so much. “Over with the remainder of the guns, Mr. Perkins,” cried the skipper after another hour.

“Everything, sir?”

“All but the Long Tom. We’ll hold that whatever happens.”

Thus lightened there was no longer any doubt of the result of the chase. The little brig began to crawl away from her enemies. All day they were in pursuit. As night fell they were hull down and still falling behind. When the morning broke, the tips of their sails were sinking behind the tossing waves.