THE United States is a country rich in lakes. They might be named by the thousands. But out of this host of lakes very few are known in history, and of them all much the most famous is Lake Champlain.
Do you wish to know why? Well, because this lake forms a natural waterway from Canada down into the States. If you look on a map you will see that Lake Champlain and Lake George stretch down nearly to the Hudson River and that their waters flow north into the great St. Lawrence River. So these lakes make the easiest way to send trade, and troops as well, down from Canada into New York and New England.
Now just let us take a look back in history.The very first battle in the north of our country was fought on Lake Champlain. This was in 1609, when Samuel de Champlain and his Indian friends came down this lake in canoes to fight with the Iroquois tribes of New York.
Then in 1756 the French and Indians did the same thing. They came in a fleet of boats and canoes and fought the English on Lake George. Twenty years afterward there was the fierce fight which General Arnold made on this lake, of which I have told you. Later on General Burgoyne came down Lakes Champlain and George with a great army. He never went back again, for he and his army were taken prisoners by the brave Colonials. But the last and greatest of all the battles on the lakes was that of 1814. It is of this I am now about to tell you.
You should know that the British again tried what they had done when they sent Burgoyne down the lakes. This time it was Sir George Prevost who was sent, with an army of more than 11,000 men, to conquer New York. He didn't do it any more than Burgoyne did, for Lieutenant Thomas MacDonough was in theway. I am going to tell you how the gallant MacDonough stopped him.
MacDonough was a young man, as Perry was. He had served, as a boy, in the war with Tripoli. In 1806, when he was only twenty years old, he gave a Yankee lesson to a British captain who wanted to carry off an American sailor.
This was at Gibraltar, where British guns were as thick as blackbirds; but the young lieutenant took the man out of the English boat and then dared the captain to try to take him back again. The captain blustered; but he did not try, in spite of all his guns.
In 1813 MacDonough was sent to take care of affairs on Lake Champlain. No better man could have been sent. He did what Perry had done; he set himself to build ships and get guns and powder and shot and prepare for war. The British were building ships, too, for they wanted to be masters of the lake before they sent their army down. So the sounds of the axe and saw and hammer came before the sound of cannon on the lake.
MacDonough did not let the grass grow under his feet. When he heard that the Britishwere building a big frigate, he set to work to build a brig. The keel was laid on July 29, and she was launched on August 16—only eighteen days! There must have been some lively jumping about in the wildwoods shipyard just then.
The young commander had no time to waste, for the British were coming. The great war in Europe with Napoleon was over and England had plenty of ships and men to spare. A flock of her white-winged frigates came sailing over the ocean and swarmed like bees along our coast. And an army of the men who had fought against Napoleon was sent to Canada to invade New York. It was thought the Yankees could not stand long before veterans like these.
Down marched the British army and down sailed the British fleet. But MacDonough was not caught napping. He was ready for the British ships when they came.
Battle of Lake Champlain—MacDonough's Victory.Battle of Lake Champlain—MacDonough'sVictory.
And now, before the battle begins, let us give a few names and figures; for these are things you must know. The Americans had four vessels and ten gunboats. The vessels were the shipSaratoga, the brigEagle, theschoonerTiconderoga, and the sloopPreble. The British had the frigateConfiance, larger than any of the American ships, the brigLinnet, the sloopsChubbandFinch, and thirteen gunboats. And the British were better off for guns and men, though the difference was not great. Such were the two fleets that came together on a bright Sunday on September 11, 1814, to see which should be master of Lake Champlain.
The American ships were drawn up across Plattsburg Bay, and up this bay came the British fleet to attack them, just as Carleton's vessels had come up to attack Arnold forty years before.
At Plattsburg was the British army, and opposite, across Saranac River, lay a much smaller force of American regulars and militia. They could easily see the ships, but they were too busy for that, for the soldiers were fighting on land while the sailors were fighting on water. Bad work that for a sunny September Sunday, wasn't it?
MacDonough had stretched his ships in a line across the bay, and had anchors down at bow and stern, with ropes tied to the anchorchains so that the ships could be swung round easily. Remember that, for that won him the battle.
It was still early in the day when the British came sailing up, firing as soon as they came near enough. These first shots did no harm, but they did a comical thing. One of them struck a hen-coop on theSaratoga, in which one of the sailors kept a fighting cock. The coop was knocked to pieces, and into the rigging flew the brave cock, flapping his wings at the British vessels and crowing defiance to them, while the sailors laughed and cheered.
But the battle did not fairly begin until the great frigateConfiancecame up and dropped anchor a few hundred yards from theSaratoga. Then she blazed away with all the guns on that side of her deck.
This was a terrible broadside, the worst any American ship had felt in the whole war. Every shot hit theSaratogaand tore through her timbers, sending splinters flying like hail. So frightful was the shock that nearly half the crew were thrown to the deck. About forty of them did not get up again; they were either killed or wounded.A fewbroadsides like thatwould have ended the fight, for it would have left theSaratogawithout men.
On both sides now the cannon roared and the shots flew, but the British guns were the best and the Americans had the worst of it. The commodore was knocked down twice. The last time he was hit with the head of a man that had been shot off and came whirling through the air.
"The commodore is killed!" cried the men; but in a trice he was up again, and aiming and firing one of his own guns.
This dreadful work went on for two hours. All that time the two biggest British vessels were pelting theSaratoga, and the other American ships were not helping her much. Red-hotshotswere fired, which set her on fire more than once.
At the end MacDonough had not a single gun left to fire back. It looked as if all was up with the Americans, all of whose ships were being battered by the enemy. But Commodore MacDonough was not yet at the end of his plans. He now cut loose his stern anchor and bade his men pull on the rope that led to the bow anchor. In a minute the ship began toswing round. Soon she had a new side turned to the foe. Not a gun had been fired on this side. When the British captain saw what the Americans were doing he tried the same thing. But it did not work as well with him. TheConfiancebegan to swing round, but when she got her stern turned to the Americans she stuck fast. Pull and haul as they might, the sailors could not move her another inch.
Here was a splendid chance for the men on theSaratoga. They poured their broadsides into the stern of theConfianceand raked her from end to end, while her position was a helpless one. The men fled from the guns. The ship was being torn into splinters. No hope for her was left. She could not fire a gun. Her captain was dead, but her lieutenant saw that all was over, and down came her flag.
Then theSaratogaturned on the brigLinnetand served her in the same fashion.
That ended the battle. The two sloops had surrendered before, the gunboats were driven away by theTiconderoga, and the hard fight was done. Once more the Americans were victors. Perry had won one lake. MacDonough had won another.
And that was not the whole of it. For as soon as the American soldiers saw the British flag down and the Stars and Stripes still afloat, they set up a shout that rang back from the Vermont hills.
Sir George Prevost, though he had an army of veterans twice as strong as the American army of militia, broke camp and sneaked away under cover of a storm.
WE have so far been reading the story of legal warfare; now let us turn to that of the wild warfare of the pirate ships. Pirates swarmed during and after the War of 1812, and the United States had its hands full in dealing with them. They haunted the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and they went back to their old bad work in the Mediterranean. They kept our naval leaders busy enough for a number of years.
The first we shall speak of are the Lafittes, the famous sea-rovers of the Gulf of Mexico. Those men had their hiding places in the lowlands of Louisiana, where there are reedy streams and grassy islands by the hundreds,winding in and out in a regular network. From these lurking places the pirate ships would dash out to capture vessels and then hurry back to their haunts.
The Lafittes (Jean and Pierre) had a whole fleet of pirate ships, and were so daring that they walked the streets of New Orleans as if that city belonged to them, and boldly sold their stolen goods in its marts, and nobody meddled with them.
But the time came when they were attacked in their haunts and the whole gang was broken up. This was near the end of the war, when the government had some ships to spare. After that they helped General Jackson in the celebrated battle of New Orleans, and fought so well that they were forgiven and were thanked for their services.
When the War of 1812 was over many of the privateers became pirates. A privateer, you know, is something like a pirate. He robs one nation, while a pirate robs all. So hundreds of those men became sea-robbers.
After 1814 the seas of the West Indies were full of pirates. There was no end of hiding places among the thousand islands of theseseas, where the pirates could bring their prizes and enjoy their wild revels. The warm airs, the ripe fruits and wild game of those shores made life easy and pleasant, and prizes were plentiful on the seas.
When the war ended the United States gained a fine trade with the West Indies. But many of the ships that sailed there did not come home again, though there were no hurricanes to sink them. And some that did come home had been chased by ships that spread the rovers' black flag. So it was plain enough that pirates were at work.
For years they had it their own way, with no one to trouble them. The government for years let them alone. But in time they grew so daring that in 1819 a squadron of warships was sent after them, under Commodore Perry, the hero of Lake Erie. Poor Perry caught the yellow fever and died, and his ships came home without doing anything.
After that the pirates were let alone for two years. Now-a-days they would not have been let alone for two weeks, but things went more slowly then. No doubt the merchants who sent cargoes to sea complained of the dreadful doingsof the pirates, but the government did not trouble itself much, and the sea-robbers had their own way until 1821.
By that time it was felt that something must be done, and a small fleet of pirate hunters was sent to the West Indies. It included the famous sloop-of-warHornet, the one which had fought thePeacock, and the brigEnterprise, which Decatur had been captain of in the Moorish war.
The pirates were brave enough when they had only merchant ships to deal with, but they acted like cowards when they found warships on their track. They fled in all directions, and many of their ships and barges were taken. After that they kept quiet for a time, but soon they were at their old work again.
In 1823 Captain David Porter, he who had fought so well in theEssex, was sent against them. The brave young Farragut was with him. He brought a number of barges and small vessels, so that he could follow the sea-robbers into their hiding places.
One of these places was found at Cape Cruz, on Porto Rico. Here the pirate captain and his men fought like tigers, and the captain'swife stood by his side and fought as fiercely as he did. After the fight was over the sailors found a number of caves used by the pirates. In some of them were great bales of goods, and in others heaps of human bones. All this told a dreadful story of robbery and murder.
Another fight took place at a haunt of pirates on the coast of Cuba, where Lieutenant Allen, a navy officer, had been killed the year before in an attack on the sea-robbers.
Here there were over seventy pirates and only thirty-one Americans. But the sailors cried "Remember Allen!" and dashed so fiercely at the pirate vessels, that the cowardly crews jumped overboard and tried to swim ashore. But the hot-blooded sailors rowed in among them and cut fiercely with their cutlasses, so that hardly any of them escaped. Their leader, who was named Diabolito, or "Little Devil," was one of the killed.
In this way the pirate hordes were broken up, after they had robbed and murdered among the beautiful West India islands for many years. After that defeat they gave no more trouble. Among the pirates was Jean Lafitte, one of the Lafitte brothers, of whose doings youhave read above. After the battle of New Orleans he went to Texas, and in time became a pirate captain again. As late as 1822 his name was the terror of the Gulf. Then he disappeared and no one knew what had become of him. He may have died in battle or have gone down in storm.
But the pirates of the West Indies and the Gulf were not the only ones the United States had to deal with. You have read the story of the Moorish corsairs and of the fighting at Tripoli. Now I have something more to tell about them; for when they heard that the United States was at war with England, they tried their old tricks again, capturing American sailors and selling them for slaves.
They had their own way until the war was over. Then two squadrons of war vessels were sent to the Mediterranean, one under Commodore Bainbridge, who had commanded theConstitutionwhen she fought theJava, and the other under Commodore Decatur, the gallant sailor who had burned thePhiladelphiain the harbor of Tripoli.
Decatur got there first, and it did not take him long to bring the Moors to their senses.The trouble this time was with Algiers, not with Tripoli. Algiers was one of the strongest of the Moorish states.
On the 15th of June, 1815, Decatur came in sight of the most powerful of the Algerine ships, a forty-six gun frigate, theMashouda. Its commander was Rais Hammida, a fierce and daring fellow, who was called "the terror of the Mediterranean." He had risen from the lowest to the highest place in the navy, and had often shown his valor in battle. But his time for defeat had now come.
When the Moorish admiral found himself amid a whole squadron of American warships, he set sail with all speed and made a wild dash for Algiers. But he had faster ships in his track and was soon headed off.
The bold fellow had no chance at all, with half-a-dozen great ships around him, but he made a fine fight for his life. He did not save either his ship or his life, for a cannon ball cut him squarely in two; and when his lieutenant tried to run away, he came across the brigEpervier, which soon settled him. But theMashoudahad made a good fight against big odds, and deserved praise.
After that another Algerian ship was taken, and then Decatur sailed for Algiers. When he made signals the captain of the port came out. A black-bearded, high and mighty fellow he was.
"Where is your navy?" asked Decatur.
"It's all right," said the Algerian, "safe in some friendly port."
"Not all of it, I fancy," said Decatur. "I have your frigateMashoudaand your brigEstido, and your admiral Hammida is killed."
"I don't believe it," said the Algerian.
"I can easily prove it," said Decatur, and he sent for the first lieutenant of theMashouda.
When the captain of the port saw him and heard his story, he changed his tone. His haughty manner passed away, and he begged that fighting should cease until a treaty could be made on shore.
"Fighting will not cease until I have the treaty," said Decatur, sternly; "and a treaty will not be made anywhere but on board my ship."
And so it was. The captain of the port came out next day with authority to make a treaty. But the captain did not want to return the propertytaken from the American ships, saying that it had been scattered among many hands.
"I can't help that. It must be returned or paid for," said Decatur.
Then the captain did not want to pay $10,000 for a vessel that had been captured, and he wanted tribute from the United States. He told Decatur what a great man his master, "Omar the Terrible," was, and asked for a three hours truce.
"Not a minute," said Decatur. "If your ships appear before the treaty is signed by the Dey, and the American prisoners are on board my ship, I shall capture every one of them."
The only concession Decatur would make was to promise to return theMashouda. But this was to be taken as a gift from the Americans to the Dey, and as such it must not appear in the treaty. The Algerian, finding that all his eloquence was wasted on the unyielding Yankee, hurried ashore with the treaty, arranging to display a white flag in case of its being signed.
An hour after he left an Algerian man-of-war was seen out to sea, and the American vessels got ready for action. But before anythingwas done the captain of the port came out with a white flag. He brought the treaty and the prisoners. That ended the trouble with Algiers. When the ten freed captives reached the deck some knelt down and gave thanks to God, while others hastened to kiss the American flag.
Then Decatur sailed to Tunis and Tripoli and made their rulers come to terms. From that day to this no American ship has been troubled by the corsairs of Barbary.
THERE are victories of peace as well as of war. Of course, you do not need to be told that. Everybody knows it. And it often takes as much courage to win these victories as it does those of war. I am going now to tell you of one of the greatest victories ever won by an American naval hero, and without firing a gun.
Not far away from the great empire of China lies the island empire of Japan. Here the map shows us three or four large islands, but there are many hundreds of small ones, and in and out among them flow the smiling blue waters of the great Pacific Ocean.
The people of Japan, like the people of China, for a long time did not like foreigners and did not want anything to do with them. But thatwas the fault of the foreigners themselves. For at first these people were glad to have strangers come among them, and treated them kindly, and let missionaries land and try to make Christians of them. But the Christian teachers were not wise; for they interfered with the government as well as with the faith of the people.
The Japanese soon grew angry at this. In the end they drove all the strangers away and killed all the Christian converts they could find. Then laws were made to keep all foreigners out of the country. They let a Dutch ship come once a year to bring some foreign goods to the seaport of Nagasaki, but they treated these Dutch traders as if they were of no account. And thus it continued in Japan for nearly three hundred years.
The Japanese did not care much for the Dutch goods, but they liked to hear, now and then, what was going on in the world. Once a year they let some of the Dutch visit the capital, but these had to crawl up to the emperor on their hands and knees and crawl out backward like crabs. They must have wanted the Japanese trade badly to do that.
When a vessel happened to be wrecked on the coast of Japan, the sailors were held as prisoners and there was much trouble to get them off; and when Japanese were wrecked and sent home, no thanks were given. They were looked upon as no longer Japanese.
The Russians had seaports in Siberia, which made them near neighbors to Japan, so they tried to make friends with the Japanese. But the island people would have nothing to do with them. Captain Golownin, of the Russian navy, landed on one of the islands; but he was taken prisoner and kept for a long time and treated cruelly. That was the way things went in Japan till 1850 had come and passed.
It took the Yankees to do what the Dutch and the Russians had failed in doing. After the war with Mexico, thousands of Americans went to California and other parts of the Pacific coast, and trading ships grew numerous on that great ocean. It was felt to be time that Japan should be made to open her ports to the commerce of the nations, and the United States tried to do it.
Captain Matthew Calbraith Perry was selected for this great work. Captain Perry wasa brother of Oliver H. Perry, the hero of Lake Erie. He was a lieutenant in that war, but he commanded a ship in the war with the pirates and the Mexican war. In 1852 he was given the command of a commodore and sent out with a fine squadron to Japan. He took with him a letter from the President to the Tycoon, or military ruler, of Japan.
On the 8th of July, 1853, the eyes of many of the Japanese opened wide when they saw four fine vessels sailing grandly up the broad Bay of Yeddo, where such a sight had never been seen before. As late as 1850 the ruler of Japan had sent word to foreign nations that he would have nothing to do with them or their people, and now here came these daring ships.
These ships were the steam frigatesMississippiandSusquehanna, and the sailing shipsSaratogaandPlymouthof the United States Navy, under command of Commodore Perry.
Have you ever disturbed an ant-hill, and seen the ants come running out in great haste to learn what was wrong? It was much like that on the Bay of Yeddo. Thousands of Japanese gathered on the shores or rowed out on the bay to gaze at this strange sight. Thegreat steamships, gliding on without sails, were a wonderful spectacle to them.
As the ships came on, boats put out with flags and carrying men who wore two swords. This meant that they were of high station. They wanted to climb into the ships and order the daring commodore to turn around and go back, but none of them were allowed to set foot on board.
"Our commodore is a great dignitary," they were told. "He cannot meet small folk like you. He will only speak with one of your great men, who is his equal."
And so the ropes which were fastened to the ships were cut, and those who tried to climb on board were driven back, and these two-sworded people had to row away as they had come.
This made them think that the American commodore must be a very big man indeed. So a more important man came out; but he was stopped too, and asked his business. He showed an order for the ships to leave the harbor at once, but was told that they had come there on business and would not leave till their business was done.
After some more talk they let this man comeon board, but a lieutenant was sent to talk with him as his equal in rank. He said he was the vice-governor of the district, and that the law of Japan forbade foreigners to come to any port but that of Nagasaki, where the Dutch traders came.
The lieutenant replied that such talk was not respectful; that they had come with a letter from the President of the United States to the Emperor of Japan; and that they would deliver it where they were and nowhere else. And it would be given only to a prince of the highest rank.
Then he was told that the armed boats that were gathering about the ship must go away. If they did not they would be driven away with cannon. When the vice-governor heard this he ordered the boats away, and soon followed them himself. He was told that if the governor did not receive the letter the ships would go up the bay to Yeddo, the capital, and send it up to the Emperor in his palace.
The next day the governor of the district came. Two captains were sent to talk with him. He did not want to receive the letter either, and tried every way he could to avoidtaking it. After some talk he asked if he might have four days to send and get permission of the Tycoon, who was the acting but not the real emperor of Japan.
"No," he was told. "Three days will be plenty of time, for Yeddo is not far off. If the answer does not come then, we will steam up to the city, and our commodore will go to the Emperor's palace for the answer."
The governor was frightened at this, so he agreed upon the three days and went ashore.
During those three days the ships were not idle. They sent parties in boats to survey the bay. All along the shores were villages full of people, and fishing boats and trading vessels were on the waters by hundreds. There were forts on shore, but they were poor affairs, with a few little cannon, and soldiers carrying spears. And canvas was stretched from tree to tree as if it would keep back cannon-balls. The sailors laughed when they saw this.
The governor said that they ought not to survey the waters; it was against the laws of Japan. But they kept at it all the same. The boats went ten miles up the bay, and theMississippisteamed after them. Governmentboats came out, and signs were made for them to go back; but they paid no attention to these signs.
When the three days were ended the good news came that the Emperor would receive the letter. He would send one of his high officers for it. An answer would be returned through the Dutch or the Chinese. Commodore Perry said this was an insult, and he would not take an answer from them, but would come back for it himself.
So, on the 14th of July the President's letter was received. It was written in the most beautiful manner, on the finest paper, and was in a golden box of a thousand dollars in value. It asked for a treaty of commerce between the two countries, and for kind treatment of American sailors.
So far none of the Japanese had seen the Commodore, and they thought he must be a very great man. Now he went ashore with much dignity, with several hundred officers and men, and with bands playing and cannon roaring. There were two princes of the empire to receive him, splendidly dressed in embroidered robes of silk.
The Commodore was carried in a fine sedan-chair, beside which walked two gigantic negroes, dressed in gorgeous uniform and armed with swords and pistols. Two other large, handsome negroes carried the golden letter case.
A beautiful scarlet box was brought by the Japanese to receive this. It was put in the box with much ceremony, and a receipt was given. Then the interpreter said:
"Nothing more can be done now. The letter has been received and you must leave."
"I shall come back for the answer," said Commodore Perry.
"With all the ships?"
"Yes, and likely with more."
Not another word was said, and the Commodore rose and returned to the ship. The next day he sailed up the bay until only eight or ten miles from the capital. On the 16th, the Japanese officials were glad to see the foreign ships, with their proud Commodore, sailing away. The visit had caused them great anxiety and trouble of mind.
Commodore Perry did not come back till February of the next year. Then he had alarger fleet; nine ships in all. And he went farther up the bay than before and anchored opposite the village of Yokohama. This village has now grown into a large city.
The Emperor's answer was ready, but there was much ceremony before it was delivered. There were several receptions, and at one of these the presents which Commodore Perry had brought were delivered. These were fine cloths, firearms, plows, and various other articles. The most valuable were a small locomotive and a railroad car. These were run in a circular track that was set up, and the Japanese looked on with wonder. Also a telegraph wire was set up and operated. This interested the Japanese more than anything else, but they took care not to show any surprise.
In the Emperor's reply, he agreed that the American ships should be supplied with provisions and water, and that shipwrecked sailors should be kindly treated. And he also agreed to open to American ships another port besides that of Nagasaki, where the Dutch were received. The Commodore was not satisfied with this, and finally two new ports were opened to American commerce. And the Americans weregiven much more freedom to go about than was given to the Dutch or the Chinese. They refused to be treated like slaves.
When it was all settled and the treaties were exchanged, Commodore Perry gave an elegant dinner on his flagship to the Japanese princes and officials. They enjoyed the American food greatly, but what they liked most was champagne wine, which they had never tasted before. One little Japanese got so merry with drinking this, that he sprang up and embraced the Commodore like a brother. Perry bore this with great good-humor.
But just think of the importance of all this! For three centuries the empire of Japan had been shut like a locked box against the nations. Now the box was unlocked, and the people of the nations were free to come and go. For treaties were soon made with other countries, and the island empire was thrown open to the commerce of the world.
NOW I have a story to tell you about how this country looks after its citizens abroad. It is not a long story, but it is a good one, and Americans have been proud of Captain Ingraham ever since his gallant act.
In 1848 there was a great rebellion in Hungary against Austria. Some terrible fighting took place and then it was put down with much cruelty and slaughter. The Austrian government tried to seize all the leaders of the Hungarian patriots and put them to death, but several of them escaped to Turkey and took refuge in the City of Smyrna. Among these was the celebrated Louis Kossuth, and another man named Koszta.
Austria asked Turkey to give these men up,but the Sultan of Turkey refused to do so. Soon after that Koszta came to the United States, and there in 1852 he took the first step towards becoming an American citizen. He was sure that the United States would take care of its citizens. And he found out that it would.
The next year he had to go back to Smyrna on some business. That was not a safe place for him. The Austrians hated him as they did all the Hungarian patriots. They did not ask Turkey again to give him up, but there was an Austrian warship, theHuszar, in the harbor, and a plot was made to seize Koszta and take him on board this ship. Then he could easily be carried to Austria and put to death as a rebel.
One day, while Koszta was sitting quietly in the Marina, a public place in Smyrna, he was seized by a number of Greeks, who had been hired to do so by the Austrian consul. They bound him with ropes and carried him on board theHuszar.
It looked bad now for poor Koszta, for he was in the hands of his enemies. It is said that the Archduke John, brother of the Emperorof Austria, was captain of the ship. By his orders iron fetters were riveted on the ankles and wrists of Koszta, and he was locked up in the ship as one who had committed a great crime.
But a piece of great good fortune for the prisoner happened, for the next day theSt. Louis, an American sloop-of-war, came sailing into the harbor. Captain Duncan N. Ingraham, who had been a midshipman in the War of 1812, was in command.
He was just the man to be there. He was soon told what had taken place, and that the prisoner claimed to be an American, and he at once sent an officer to theHuszarand asked if he could see Koszta. He was told that he might do so.
Captain Ingraham went to the Austrian ship and had an interview with the prisoner, who told him his story, and said that he had taken the first step to become a citizen of the United States. He begged the captain to protect him.
Captain Ingraham was satisfied that Koszta had a just claim to the protection of the American flag, and asked the Austrians to release him. They refused to do so, and he then wroteto Mr. Brown, the American consul at Constantinople and asked him what he should do.
Before he could get an answer a squadron of Austrian warships, six in number, came gliding into the harbor, and dropped anchor near theHuszar. It looked worse than ever now for poor Koszta, for what could the littleSt. Louisdo against seven big ships? But Captain Ingraham did not let that trouble him. In his mind right was stronger than might, and he was ready to fight ten to one for the honor of his flag.
While he was waiting for an answer from Consul Brown he saw that theHuszarwas getting ready to leave the harbor. Her anchor was drawn up and her sails were set. Ingraham made up his mind that if theHuszarleft, it would have to be over the wreck of theSt. Louis. He spread his sails in a hurry and drove his sloop-of-war right in the track of the Austrian ship. Then he gave orders to his men to make ready for a fight.
When Archduke John saw the gun-ports of theSt. Louisopen he brought his ship to a standstill and Captain Ingraham went on board.
"What do you intend to do?" he asked.
"To sail for home," said the Austrian. "Our consul orders us to take our prisoner to Austria."
"You must pardon me," said Captain Ingraham, "but if you try to leave this port with that American I shall be compelled to resort to extreme measures."
That was a polite way of saying that Koszta should not be taken away if he could prevent it.
The Austrian looked at the six ships of his nation that lay near him. Then he looked at the one American ship. Then a pleasant smile came on his face.
"I fear I shall have to go on, whether it is to your liking or not," he said, in a very polite tone.
Captain Ingraham made no answer. He bowed to the Archduke and then descended into his boat and returned to theSt. Louis.
"Clear the ship for action!" he ordered. The tars sprang to their stations, the ports were opened, and the guns thrust out. There was many a grim face behind them.
The Archduke stared when he saw theseblack-mouthed guns. He was in the wrong and he knew it. And he saw that the American meant business. He could soon settle the littleSt. Louiswith his seven ships. But the great United States was behind that one ship, and war might be behind all that.
So the Archduke took the wisest course, turned his ship about, and sailed back. Then he sent word to Ingraham that he would wait till Consul Brown's answer came.
The Consul's reply came on July 1. It said that Captain Ingraham had done just right, and advised him to go on and stand for the honor of his country.
The daring American now took a bold step. He sent a note to the Archduke, demanding the release of Koszta. And he said that if the prisoner was not sent on board theSt. Louisby four o'clock the next afternoon, he would take him from the Austrians by force of arms.
A refusal came back from the Austrian ship. They would not give up their prisoner, they said. Now it looked like war indeed. Captain Ingraham waited till eight o'clock the next morning, and then he had his decks cleared for action and brought his guns to bear on theHuszar. The seven Austrian ships turned their guns on theSt. Louis. The train was laid; a spark might set it off.
At ten o'clock an Austrian officer came on board theSt. Louis. He began to talk round the subject. Ingraham would not listen to him. It must be one thing or nothing.
"All I will agree to is to have the man given into the care of the French consul at Smyrna till you can hear from your government," he said. "But he must be delivered there or I will take him. I have stated the time at four o'clock this afternoon."
The Austrian went back. When twelve o'clock came a boat left theHuszarand was rowed in shore. An hour later the French consul sent word to Captain Ingraham that Koszta had been put under his charge. Captain Ingraham had won. Soon after, several of the Austrian ships got under way and left the harbor. They had tried to scare Captain Ingraham by a show of force, but they had tried in vain.
When news of the event reached the United States everybody cheered the spirit of Captain Ingraham. He had given Europe a new ideaof what the rights of an American citizen meant. The diplomats now took up the case and long letters passed between Vienna and Washington. But in the end Austria acknowledged that the United States was right, and sent an apology.
As for Koszta, the American flag gave him life and liberty. Since then American citizenship has been respected everywhere.
THE story I am now going to tell you takes us forward to the beginning of the great Civil War, that terrible conflict which went on during four long years between the people of the North and the South. Most of this war was on land, but there were some mighty battles at sea, and my story is of one of the greatest of these.
You should know that up to 1860 all ocean battles were fought by ships with wooden sides, through which a ball from a great gun would often cut as easily as a knife through a piece of cheese. Some vessels had been built with iron overcoats, but none of these had met in war. It was not till March, 1862, that the first battle between ships with iron sides took place.
TheConstitution, you may remember, was called theOld Ironsides, but that was only a nickname, for she had wooden sides, and the first real Ironsides were theMonitorand theMerrimac.
Down in Virginia there is a great body of salt water known as Hampton Roads. The James River runs into it, and so does the Elizabeth River, a small stream which flows past the old City of Norfolk.
When the Civil War opened there was at Norfolk a fine United States navy yard, with ships and guns and docks that had cost a great deal of money. But soon after the war began the United States officers in charge there ran away in a fright, having first set on fire everything that would burn. Among the ships there was the old frigateMerrimac, which was being repaired. This was set on fire, and blazed away brightly until it sank to the bottom and the salt water put out the blaze. That was a very bad business, for there was enough left of the oldMerrimacto make a great deal of trouble for the United States.
What did the Confederates do but lift theMerrimacout of the mud, and put her in thedry dock, and cut away the burnt part, and build over her a sloping roof of timbers two feet thick, until she looked something like Noah's ark. Then this was covered with iron plates four inches thick. In that way the first Confederate iron-clad ship was made.
The people at Washington knew all about this ship and were very much alarmed. No one could tell what dreadful damage it might do if it got out to sea, and came up Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to the national capital. It might be much worse than when the British burnt Washington in 1814, for Washington was now a larger and finer city.
Something had to be done, and right away, too. It would not do to wait for a monster like theMerrimac. So Captain John Ericsson, a famous engineer of New York, was ordered to build an iron ship-of-war as fast as he could. And he started to do so after a queer notion of his own.
That is the way it came about that the two iron ships were being built at once, one at Norfolk and one at New York. And there was a race between the builders, for the first one finished would have the best chance. There was alively rattle of hammers and tongs at both places, and it turned out that they were finished and ready for service only a few days apart.
It wasnecessaryto tell you all this so that you might know how the great fight came to be fought, and how Washington was saved from the iron dragon of the South. Now we are done with our story of ship-building and must go on to the story of battle and ruin.
On the morning of March 8, 1862, the sun came up beautifully over the broad waters of Hampton Roads. The bright sunbeams lit up the sails of a row of stately vessels stretched out for miles over the smiling bay. There were five of these: the steam frigatesSt. Lawrence,Roanoke, andMinnesota; the sailing frigateCongress; and the sloop-of-warCumberland. They were all wooden ships, but were some of the best men-of-war in the United States navy.
All was still and quiet that fine morning. There was nothing to show that there was any trouble on board those noble ships. But there was alarm enough, for their captains knew that theMerrimacwas finished and might come at any hour. Very likely some of the officers thought that they could soon decidematters for this clumsy iron monster. But I fancy some of them did not sleep well and had bad dreams when they thought of what might happen.
Just at the hour of noon the lookout on theCumberlandsaw a long black line of smoke coming from the way of Norfolk. Soon three steamers were seen. One of these did not look like a ship at all, but like a low black box, from which the smoke puffed up in a thick cloud.
But they knew very well what this odd-looking craft was. It was theMerrimac. It had come out for a trial trip. But it was a new kind of trial its men were after: the trial by battle.
Down came the iron-clad ship, with her sloping roof black in the sunlight. Past theCongressshe went, both ships firing. But the great guns of theCongressdid no more harm than so many pea-shooters; while the shot of theMerrimacwent clear through the wooden ships, leaving death in their track.
Then the iron monster headed for theCumberland. That was a terrible hour for the men on the neat little sloop-of-war. They workedfor their lives, loading and firing, and firing as fast as they could, but not a shot went through that grim iron wall.
In a few minutes theMerrimaccame gliding up and struck theCumberlanda frightful blow with her iron nose, tearing through the thick oaken timbers and making a great hole in her side. Then she backed off and the water rushed in.
In a minute the good ship began to sink, while theMerrimacpoured shot and shell into her wounded ribs.
"Do you surrender?" asked one of the officers of theMerrimac.
"Never!" said Lieutenant Morris, who commanded theCumberland. "I'll sink alongside before I pull down that flag."
He was a true Yankee seaman; one of the "no surrender" kind.
Down, inch by inch, settled the doomed ship. But her men stuck grimly to their guns, and fired their last shot just as she sank out of sight. Then all who had not saved themselves in the boats leaped overboard and swam ashore, but a great many of the dead and wounded went down with the ship.
She sank like a true Yankee hero, with her flag flying, and when she struck bottom, with only the tops of her masts above water, "Old Glory" still fluttered proudly in the breeze.
That was the way it went when iron first met wood in naval warfare. The victor now turned to theCongressand another fierce battle began. But the wooden ship had no chance. For an hour her men fought bravely, but her great guns were of no use, and a white flag was raised. She had surrendered, but the Confederates could not take possession, for there were batteries on shore that drove them off. So they fired hot shot into theCongressand soon she was in a blaze.
It was now five o'clock in the afternoon, and theMerrimacsteamed away with the Confederate flag flying in triumph. She had finished her work for that day. It was a famous trial trip. She would come back the next and sink the vessels still afloat—if nothing hindered.
For hours that night theCongressblazed like a mighty torch, the flames lighting up the water and land for miles around. It was after midnight when the fire reached her magazine and she blew up with a terrific noise, scatteringher timbers far and near. The men on theMerrimaclooked proudly at the burning ship. It was a great triumph for them. But they saw one thing by her light they did not like so well. Off towards Fortress Monroe there lay in the water a strange-looking thing, which had not been there an hour before. What queer low ship was that? And where had it come from?
The sun rose on the morning of Sunday, March 9, and an hour later theMerrimacwas again under way to finish her work. Not far from where theCongresshad burnt lay theMinnesota. She had run aground and looked like an easy prey. But close beside her was the floating thing they had observed the night before, the queerest-looking craft that had ever been seen.
Everybody opened their eyes wide and stared as at a show when they saw this strange object. They called it "a cheese box on a raft," and that was a good name for its queer appearance. For the deck was nearly on a level with the water, and over its centre rose something like a round iron box. But it had two great guns sticking out of its tough sides.
It was theMonitor, the new vessel which Captain Ericsson had built and sent down to fight theMerrimac. But none who saw this little low thing thought it could stand long before the great Confederate iron-clad. It looked a little like a slim tiger or leopard before a great rhinoceros or elephant. The men on theMerrimacdid not seem to think it worth minding, for they came steaming up and began firing at theMinnesotawhen they were a mile away.
Then away from the side of the great frigate glided the littleMonitor, heading straight for her clumsy antagonist. She looked like no more than a mouthful for the big ship, and men gazed at her with dread. She seemed to be going straight to destruction.
But the brave fellows on theMonitorhad no such thoughts as that.
"Let her have it," said Captain Worden, when they came near; and one of the great eleven-inch guns boomed like a volcano. The huge iron ball, weighing about 175 pounds, struck the plates of theMerrimacwith a thundering crash, splitting and splintering them before it bounded off. The broadside of theMerrimacboomed back, but the balls glanced away from the thick round sides of the turret and did not harm.
Then the turret was whirled round like a top, and the gun on the other side came round and was fired. Again theMerrimacfired back, and the great battle was on.
For two hours the iron ships fought like two mighty wrestlers of the seas. Smoke filled the turret so that the men of theMonitordid not know how to aim their guns. TheMerrimaccould fire three times to her one, but not a ball took effect. It was like a battle in a cloud.
"Why are you not firing?" asked Lieutenant Jones of a gun captain.
"Why, powder is getting scarce," he replied, "and I find I can do that whiffet as much harm by snapping my finger and thumb every three minutes."
Then Lieutenant Jones tried to sink theMonitor. Five times the great iron monster came rushing up upon the little Yankee craft, but each time it glided easily away. But when theMerrimaccame up the sixth time Captain Worden did not try to escape. TheMonitorwaited for the blow. Up rushed theMerrimacat full speed and struck her a fierce blow. But the iron armor did not give way, and the great ship rode up on the little one's deck till she was lifted several feet.
The littleMonitorsank down under theMerrimactill the water washed across her deck; then she slid lightly out and rose up all right again, while theMerrimacstarted a leak in its own bow. At the same moment one of theMonitor'sgreat guns was fired and the ball struck theMerrimac, breaking the iron plates and bulging in the thick wood backing.
Thus for hour after hour the fight went on. For six hours the iron ships struggled and fought, but neither ship was much the worse, while nobody was badly hurt.
The end of the fight came in this way: There was a little pilot-house on the deck of theMonitor, with a slot in its side from which Captain Worden watched what was going on, so that he could give orders to his men. Up against this there came a shell that filled the face and eyes of the captain with grains of powder and splinters of iron, and flung him down blind and helpless. Blood poured from every pore of his face.
The same shot knocked an iron plate from the top of the pilot-house and let in the daylight in a flood. When the light came pouring in Captain Worden, with his blinded eyes, thought something very serious had happened, and gave orders for theMonitorto draw off to see what damage was done.
Before she came back theMerrimacwas far away. She was leaking badly and her officers thought it about time to steam away for home.
That was the end of the great battle. Neither side had won the victory, but it was a famous fight for all that. For it was the first battle of iron-clad ships in the history of the world. Since then no great warship has been built without iron sides. Only small vessels are now made all of wood.
That was the first and last battle of theMonitorand theMerrimac. For a long time they watched each other like two bull-dogs ready for a fight. But neither came to blows. Then, two months after the great battle, theMerrimacwas set on fire and blown up. The Union forces were getting near Norfolk and her officers were afraid she would be taken, so they did what the Union officers had done before.
TheMonitorhad done her work well, but her time also soon came. Ten months after the great battle she was sent out to sea, and there she went to the bottom in a gale. Such was the fate of the pioneer iron-clads. But they had fought a mighty fight, and had taught the nations of the world a lesson they would not soon forget.
In that grim deed between the first two iron-clad ships a revolution took place in naval war. The great frigates, with their long rows of guns, were soon to be of little more use than floating logs. More than forty years have passed since then, and now all the great war-vessels are clad in armor of the hardest steel.