CHAPTER II.

Second cruise with Capt. Simpson, in the RangerThird, in the same ship, from Charleston-Chased into Charleston by the British fleet-CapturedSmall-pox-Came to Newport, R, I. with Capt. Powers, his master-At Boston heard of his father's death -Death of Capt Powers, in Boston-Gets home sick -Sails in the Alexander--in the Greyhound-taken in a prize-imprisoned at Placentia (Newfoundland.)

AFTER a few weeks, or perhaps a few days of pleasing pastime, the lads must repair to their ships again. It would seem unmanly for sailors to shed tears at parting from their friends. But, "judge ye who know a mother's cares.' The downcast look and the trickling tear upon the cheek of a fond mother and affectionate sisters, would draw at least a deep sigh from the bosom of an adventurous boy.

God had graciously concealed from our view the days of adversity, which in his wise counsel were to succeed those few days of prosperity.

The Ranger was again ready for sea; the same officers and most of the same crew were going in her again. I had never been discharged, and of course was considered one of her crew. We rejoined our old consorts, and cruised to the southward, and in course of the winter put into Charleston, S. C. having taken several small British transports of but little value.

Having replenished our provisions and water, we put to sea on another cruise, on the coast of Florida and the southern States.

While on this cruise, a memorable event took place with me. On the coast of Georgia we fell in with a ship and gave her chase. We were running toward the land, and the wind increased to such a degree that orders were given to reef the topsails. It was the business of boys, with the assistance of marines, to reef the mizzen topsail. He who is first aloft goes on the weather yard

arm, and passes the earring, so called, viz. secures the leach or outer edge of the sail to the end of the yardarm. As I was not fortunate enough to be first, but was however the second, it was my lot to go on to the lee yard-arm, and pass the earring. I was followed by several heavy marines; the lee lift broke, or as the sailors would say, parted; the yard tipped up and down, and as I was sitting astride the yard, outside the rigging, I immediately slipped off, having nothing to support me except a small piece of rigging about as thick as a man's little finger. I held on to this small rope until I caught the rigging of the cross jack-yard, and got in on the lee shrouds. The ship at this time was running at the rate of ten miles an hour, with quite a rough sea; so that if I had gone overboard, it would have been next to impossible to have saved me. Night came on, and the ship that we were chasing escaped us. Shortly after this, about the middle of Feb. 1780, early in the morning, we discovered four or five large British ships of war to leeward of us, the land being in sight to windward, the enemy gave us chase. We beat up to Charleston Bar, came to anchor, and waited a little while for the tide to rise, and then ran in and came to anchor under fort Sullivan. The British lay several days outside, then lightened their ships, came in over the bar, and came to anchor, but durst not approach the fort. They doubtless recollected the defeat of Sir Peter Parker, before the same fort, in 1776.

It was now ascertained that the enemy meditated an attack on the city of Charleston, the harbour was completely blockaded. The ships at the bar were soon joined by others. The Ranger being the smallest ship of our squadron, could approach near the shore, and was ordered to attack a small battery that the enemy had erected upon James' Island. Our ship having taken her station, came to anchor before the battery, and with springs on her cables, commenced cannonading with great fury, and continued the firing for an hour and a half, without cessation. We succeeded in dismounting their cannon and obliged their soldiers to quit the

ground. Our ship received several shots, but no person was injured.

At the commencement of the cannonading, I was exceedingly alarmed, but was careful to conceal my fears from my shipmates. After we had discharged a few broadsides, my fears pretty much subsided, and I, with high spirits, served my gun with cartridges, until the firing ceased.

Our little ship was once more detached to encounter a battery above the city; we commenced our firing a little before high water, and were obliged to withdraw from our station shortly before the tide began to ebb. The tide fell so much before we left our station, that we were obliged to employ our boats and small anchors to warp our ship into deeper water, there being but little wind at that time.

We were not so successful as we had been with the battery on James' Island. The battery we had now to contend with, was so near the British head quarters, that they received another gun, a 24 pounder. Our ship received a 24 pound ball, which lodged in her side, directly against where I stood, it having struck the salt marsh, which deadened its force, or it must have gone through the ship, and would of course have killed

me.

Charleston was not so fortified as to stand a regular siege, and yet we were enabled to make a vigorous defence. A chain of redoubts, lines and batteries, extended from Ashley to Cooper's river; on those rivers was an almost continued line of batteries. The British having crossed Ashley river, broke ground on the night of the first of April, within eight hundred yards of our lines. About the 9th, the British fleet lying within the bar, having a fresh wind in their favour, ventured to run by Sullivan's Island, under a heavy fire from fort Moultrie. They lost twenty seven seamen killed and wounded, and one of their transports. They anchored between the fort and city, secure from the cannon of both. Our ships could now no longer be employed to advantage; their crews and some of their guns were removed into batteries. Capt. Simpson and the Ranger's crew were sta

tioned in a small fort called fort Gadsden; this being the uppermost one on the river, was much exposed to the fire of the British. A bomb at one time fell within a few feet of me: though much alarmed, I threw myself behind the carriage of a large gun, and escaped unhurt. Part of our officers with five or six waiters, of whom I was one, occupied an elegant house owned by a Col. Gadsden; while here, a bomb fell through the roof and exploded in the cellar, without injury to any one. While walking alone on the green, one day, a bomb burst over my head, and a large piece buried itself in the turf within three feet of me. At another time, while sitting in the room of a sick shipmate, a ball struck the house and passed between me and another person who was within two yards of me; the bricks and plaster flew on every side, yet we escaped uninjured. The siege being closely pressed, balls and shells were continually falling within the city. I have during the night counted ten bombs of different sizes, flying in the air at one time. No spot could now be considered as a place of safety. We were in continual apprehension of an attempt to carry our works by storm, the force of the enemy being far superior to

Qurs.

Our provisions being exhausted, we at length capitulated on the 12th day of May, 1780. The American army was commanded by Gen. Lincoln, the British by Sir Henry Clinton. Our officers were paroled, and allowed to retain their waiters; we were consequently allowed to be at large within the city. We were for several days entirely destitute of provisions, except museles, which we gathered from the muscle beds. I was at this time waiter to Capt. Pierce Powers, who was master's mate of the Ranger. He treated me with the kindness of a father, and I was strongly attached to him. The day after our surrender, a distressing accident occurred. While the British soldiers were depositing the muskets taken from us in the grand magazine, which was bomb proof, the powder in it exploded. The shock was tremendous, and fatal to many, who were instantly hurried into eternity without a moment's warning. I saw the print of a man who had been dashed

against the end of a brick church thirty feet from the ground, and perhaps thirty rods from the magazine.The cause of the explosion I never ascertained. After our surrender, it was discovered that the small pox prevailed among the British troops. Few of the New Englanders had ever had that disease. Our officers deemed it advisable that we should be inoculated.

Our physicians performed this service for us, but they having no medicine at their command, could be of no other service to us. This disease I much more dread. ed than I did the bombs and balls of the enemy. When the symptoms came on, I was greatly alarmed, and by prayer applied to God for preservation; he was graciously pleased to favour me, though I dare not say that my prayer was the prayer of faith. I had this disease very favourably. Capt. Powers did all that was in his power for my relief.

As soon as it was practicable, Capt. Simpson and other officers procured a small vessel, which was employed as a cartel, to transport the officers, their boys and baggage to Newport, Rhode Island, agreeably to the terms of ca. pitulation.

It being difficult to procure suitable casks for water, they obtained such as they could; they proved to be foul, and after we had got to sea, our water became filthy and extremely noxious. Very few if any on board escaped an attack of the diarrhoea.

Our passage to Rhode Island was pleasant, though rather long. A considerable number of us having had the small pox, it became necessary that we should be thoroughly cleansed, before we passed through the country. There were little smoke-houses erected on a remote part of the island for this purpose; to these we repaired, superintended by the police officers; here our clothing was all unpacked and thrown about, and ourselves almost suffocated with a smoke made of oakum, tobacco, &c.

Having gone through with smoking, we went to a creek to wash. As I could swim tolerably well, I ventured into the current; it being near low water, my feet were entangled in eel-grass, and drawn under water and I very