Camden commercial courier. (Camden, S.C.) 1837-1838, February 10, 1838, Image 2
i^HE?
without UkiBg out
tfr ?*!?! -*1*^ ailolt* K?i#
w WK~~ ^ """ ni?i HIV
00 board be corarno^ft^gnalipeome
within hail."
^yKK Mm stain topsail?haul aboard
33y we passed tinder the stern of La
*ju am delighted, sir," said captain
Murray, "with the way in which you
scaled your guns; really it was pretty
firing; but I cajled you off for fear an
nnluekv shot should crinnle a lower
matt or yard, as I cannot afford to lose a
, sloop so efficient from the squadron.'*
^Bre tho polished manners of the com*
dpbre got the better of his love of
imth;for the discipline of the sloop was,
as may be Imagined, very so-so, and cajfsblo
of improvement.
"Sir," said my good-natured chief,
uCbSs brig is in very bad order."
"She is, sir," replied# pulling off my
hau"
"Thin the fault must be yours or
. mine.4'.
"Tours, sir, I think," again bowing.
"How will you make that appear, sir?"
"In this way, sir; by every effort you
^ have endeavored to lower me in the es*
. -Uimation of the crew, and this conduct to
the second officer, is enough to disorganize
a ship."
"Give me an instance, sir."
- i
"leaicraav, capiaiu Mac, you ordered
me as first lieutenant oi the sloop, to
lower down the jolly-boat, and pick up
an mply . cask; tvhen I desired a mid
shipmaxt to perform the duty, you coun
tcrmanded it, and obliged me to do it
myself."
4*0! vou are a bit of a lawyer, I see,
Air, and I will avail myself of the first
opportunity of breokinc vou."
4<Sir, I /eel particularly obliged for
your kind intentions, and shall guard
against them to the best of my power;"
aud with a low bow I quitted my amiable
commander.
The commodore made arrangements
for storming, the Dyke Fort on the night
of the day Uiat we had cannonaded it.?
A hundred volunteers were to land aC ten
o'clock at night, under the command of
_ Mr. Fleming, the first lieutenant of La
Franchise. I was honored with the command
of our quota from the brig, namely,
twenty picked seamen, armed wiih cutlasses,
pistols and pikes. Our .party drew
uo on the beach on a vcrv dark niffht. nei
tber moon nor Ftars visible. The slorm-l
ing parly consisted of the same number of
seamen from the four ships, and twenty
marines from La Franchise, under one
of their own lieutenants?the whole commanded
by .as gallant a man as ever drew
asword, Fleming, first of the commodore's
frigate. My orders were to keep
the party compact, by bringing up the
rear. A Dutch guide moved with the
forlorn hope in advance, composed of a
sergeant and six marines, and were fallowed
at twelve paces by the remainder of
the jollies with bayonets fixed. *'To the
right face"?And we moved off the beach,
striking into swampy ground, at a brisk
pace. In a shorttime we found ourselves
bewildered amongst high canes. A hait
was called, and the Dutch guide ordered
to the commanding officer. .1 saw some
confusion in the van of our small party,
and heard along the line, "Officers to the
front.*' On reaching Fleming, I found
the Dutch guide had escaped, by an imposition
practiced on the advance, that
be Wished to communicate with the
commanding officer. From the height
of the canes, and the darkness of the
night, he easily contrived to elude the vi-'
gilance of those he had devoted to destruction.
Great consternation prevailed
amonr the staff, which was not lessened
by the sound of an alarm gun from the
fort.
That sound directs us where we
should go, end the quicker the better.?
Officers, to your posts, and keep your
men together. Double quick time, and
follow me."
Thus spoke dnr gallant commander?
and the parly pushed rapidly on until
stopped by a heavy volley, but ill directed,
on our marine advance, who fell back
oh the main body. ^Jlose with the front,"
was vociferated along our line. 1 thought
1 perceived a greater inclination for the
opposite way; and by threats, with the
point of the sword, had just closed with
the front, when with a loud shout the
Dutch party, who had fired on the advance
broken from their ambush, ahd crossed
uayon&ts with our marine lorce. lieutenant
frlcmmirig. who was at their head,
received a bayonet through his jacket,
which was Hying open. The thrust,
which was intended for his heart, was
made with such force that the Dutchman
fell from not meeting the expected resistance
of his body; and as he lay prostrate
and bareheaded, our gallant common
tier's sabre flashed even in the darkness
of night, and was in the act of descending
on his head, when the Dutchman rose
* upon his knees, and with upraised hand*
implored the mercy he ill deserved from
his gUtyrU opponent. The truly brave
-are stwhVsthe nsfct meretfttft fhd tt?uteu*bi
Fleming slaved thq s^iAed weapon,
and with ssJj*?<*ssfSsion tbsi did
- him homy* collared the Irejnblitig wretch
> and tinder fear of instant death, compelled
J him* to lead ns to the Dyke Fort, into
which we scrambled the best way we
' could. As my mo scaler power was not
.sufficient to pet over the weH,with my
cutlass guarding my head, I being then of
slender make, contrived to crawl through
one of the embrasures, end found the
fott iwpossession of the gallant Fleming,
who, if alive, 1 believe, still remains a
lieutenant up to thic day; his noble captain
dying shortly afterwards, his interest
died with him!
When with difficulty 1 had crawled thro*
the embrasure, all the time erpefcting my
quietus in the shape of a ball, a bayonet,
or pike, as an intolerable noise prevailed,
interaneracd with mindrv sharn cranlcs
I from pistol and gun, with pleasure I found
myself again in an erect position/; and taking
a survey of the scene before me.?
In the centre of the fort, drawn up with
military precision, stood the jollies; beaded
by their officer, conversing with lieutenant
Fleming, who was direoting the
seamen to prepare their guns?being seven
twelve-pounders?to receive the flying
camp of the Dutch commandant, whose
fierce attack was momentarily expected.
"I am glad to see you, youngster," said
ray bold commander; "I feared you were
amongst the missing or dead."
Some lanterns were making darkness
vissible, and in my hurry to reach him, I
fell over a Dutchman jn the agonies of
deatn: he had been shot in the groin, and
in a short time expired.
"I congratulate vou on vour easv con*
quest." said I,
"Easy enough of all conscience. Most
of the fools went out to lay in ambush;
had they remained in the fort; we should
have found tough work of it; but now we
must prepare to receive the gallant Dutchman's
flying camp. Take a lantern, and
this Dutch prisoner will show you the
mugazine. See if they have cartridges
filled; if not, prepare ten rounds for each
gun, and be careful you do not blow us
into the air, by firing the magazine.?
And, mister,** to the marine officer,
"throw out a line of picquets on the land
side, the foremost one well advanced, with
orders, if alarmed, to fire, and fall back
on the fort.*'
Bea'ing a filthy lantern, whose, dirty
horn-gave a dim light, I followed my
guide down a flight of steps to the floor of
the magazine, which having forced open,
[ found a greatr quantity of powder, and
many rounds of cartridges already filled,
and forthwith proceeded to make my report.
"Very weli; we will hold .this fort
against any force they can send, until daylight,
when, after blowing it up, we will
effect our retreat as we best can, to the
boats; you, or the marine officer, yisit
the outposts every fifteen minutes, as the
utmost vigilancl .is necessary. The sign
and countersign are Church and Chichester,
which no foreigner can well pro-!
nounce."
Agreeably to orders, I scrambled over
the wall, and with a light and hasty step,
a pistol in each hand and a weary eye,
I approached the different sentinels, who
fully conscious of the necessity of vigilance,
at some distance challenged with
"Who goes there? rounds, advanced
rounds, and give the countersign;" at the
same time making their muskets ring as
they brought their bayonets to the charge
position, and the clink jf the cock fell
sharp upon the ear. "Chichester, and;
all's well," ended our interview until 11
came upon the advanced one. He stood
like a man thoroughly alarmed, and said
he had heard female moans "Hist,"
said the soldier, and the sobs and heartsearching
groans, in the soft voice of the
gentler sex, broke the silence of the stilly <
night. Led by these mournful sounds, I j
passed the sentinel, and in some brush |
wood 1 found a poor attenuated female,,
apparently of the hulf-casl, lying on the I
damp earth, with a dead infant in her
arms. 1 conjectured that she had been
shot through the body in making her escape
from the fort, for her language to
me was unintelligible, though her groans
and shrieks spoke the universal < ne of
suffering. I supported her head, and apnlied
mv canteen to her lins: the beverage
"ww "*"/ ~ "* I ' ? - o which
she eagerly swallowed, seemed to
revive her, and with the maternal affection
so strongly implanted in woman's
breast, whether bi'ijck or white, she held
her infant to me, seemingly unconscious
of its death. I tried to raise Iter, with the
idea of supporting her to the fort, but her
excessive agony when moved obliged me
to replace her, and I sat down, making my
knees a pillow far her head. While cogitating
on the best mode ol affording relief
to the poor forlorn one, for I dared
not risk the safety of the whole party by
taking the advanced sentinel to my assistance,
1 heard his sharp challenge uttered
in tones of alarm, and his still sharper
shot, with his hasty retreat on the fort.?
Being well aware that no quarter would
be given by the Dutch commandant, with
that instinct true to nature, though it went
to my heart to leave the wretched woman,
? ~ u_. 1:
I ajrain piaceo my cumcni iu nrr nj??,
and fled,and that with such good spce>l,
that I arrived, with the outposts, whc
came flocking into the fort accordin tc
their orders. The man who caused th?
alarm averred that he heard the measured
tread of infantry, and the prancing of horses,
but 1 think the beating of his own
heart must have deceived him. We remained
on the watch, and made every disposition
for a desperate defence, and as
m
laid a train to the ffiign
lino, and dsaceated the tort, the manor
force cov#rit>*<*ur retreat.
4*A volunteer to" fire the train!** crier
the commanding officer, and several step
#d forward. 41 Here we most regulate bj
length of Jefis, eod a capacity to use then
John Wilson,** Calling to one of the so
lunteers, 14I hare seen you active in run
niata mn ik. I .aIo.1 vAn <a (Sri
HIV WVSWO-W J WU ?v MM
the train when yon hear the report of ?]
fristo), and remember, you run for youi
ife. Mr. ??addressing me, "lex
the party to the boat#, which I now aei
approaching the beach. Quicken youi
pace, aa 1 am going to fire the train it
fire minutes."
I heard the signal, and in an inatani
there arose a colume of flame, overhung
by a dense and heavy cloud, and formiiet
the island shook as if front an earthquake
while the fort, with all it contained, was
scattered over the face of the country.?
Our gallant lieutenant, with a long-legged
coadjutor, joined us in perfect safety, and
we entered our boats without crossing sabrnf
with our flying enemies. Glad to
find myself safe on board the brig, unpleasant
as she was, 1 had scarcely refreshed
myself with clean linen, when a
letter was put into my hands, which
caused great astonishment, and in a great
measure, ^displeasure. A youthful relative,
in the first year of his apprenticeship,
had quitted the plodding desk, and
iL ... 1 . L
wunoui any permission oui ms own, entercd
in some West Indiaman from Liverpool,
had got impressed by La Franchise,
and wus now serving in her as a
inizen tooman. lie, thinking 1 still remained
in the channel fleet, where he had
last hear - from mr>, was amazed at recognizing
my voice, while forming the storming
party on the beach on the preceedjng
night.
"And so, my dear * * * * *' he wrote,
4'I hope, from yotir situation and knowledge
of the commodore, who is a perfect
gen lemun, you will induce him to take
me on his quarter-deck." This captain
Murray did in the kindest and most gracious
manner, censuring the youngster
for not having made himself known to
qim before. I could have got him rated
midshipman on board the sioop I wus
first lieutenant of, but I prized bis happiness
too sincerely to place it under the
control of captain Mac.
St. Pierre, the author of the most beautiful
of all pretty stories, *'Paul and Virginia,"
very prettily remarks in his Studies
of Nature, "that where the great
Creator (daces dangers, he likewise gives
the means of avoiding them by such signs
as must strike the most careless observer:
r.?. ii.? ? i._
iwi iiidiaiii/C, mr ova uicuniug uu A uu n a
or shoals creates a while foam, and the
darker the night, the more plainly it is
6een. The voracious shark' swims with
a fin from his hack considerably above the
water, a..d is obliged to turn upon his
back to seize his prey. And from the
same beneficient principle and beautiful
order observable throughout the creation
he makes the human countenance an index
to the mind."
The hard lines of cruelty and cunning
wer* so legibly impressed on captain Mac's
countenance as to become strongly repulsive,
and 1 ain convinced no human being
ever felt or could feel, affection for him.
There was an affectation of suavity, and
a smile playing round an ill-formed mouth,
but it was hollow and deceptive, and
truly verified the scripture, "that the heart
of man is deceitful above *11 things."?
His first appearance created in me a repelj
ling sensation of disgust and dislike, which
I found oil nearer acquaintance daily augmented.
How inexplicable is the attraction
or repulsion of the human countenance,
denoting in the gentle sex those
amiable and endearing virtues which, old
as I am, have inclined me to tyiw down
and worship them as a superior race,
nearer to angels than frail humanity, and
to such expressive faces the heart fills
with affection, and tlte hands spring to
render service.
i
I
VISIT To THE HERMITAGE.
Nashvtlle, Sept. 28, '37.
Friend D.?1 arrived in this town a
few days -since, it is situated on the
Cumberland river, which is navigable
half the year for the largest class ol
steamboats. The city is about the size ol
Natchez, perhaps it contains a largei
number ot -inhabitants, at least more pret
ty ladies! Judge Vannerson, for a tim<
the leading Whig candidate for Governoi
of M ississippi, and other distinguishec
gentlemen, have been passing the warn
season in this place. The Judge was in
duccd to decline a poll in consequence o
the illness of his lady, who is now on tlx
gain. The place isu.bealthy, and all lh<
comforts of iife, and its luxuries too, cai
he obtained lor half what they cost ii
Mississippi. Middle Tennessee is th
garden of the southwestern country.
s.L i r* u ?
111 company wun j. uitiiuimi,
tlic talented and accomplished editor o
1 the " Nashville Union," 1 visited th
Hermitage, which you known is the re
I sidence of the most distinguished Ameri
i can of the age. He lives about ten mile
from town, entirely free from the nois
, and hustle, incident to a city life. Th
t house is perhaps half a mile from th
, road ?a gate opens to a private avenui
> which leads to the dwelling of the retire
> soldier and statesman, who Cincinnati!
like has gladly embraced the quiet of
I rural life, after having long and succesi
- fully served his country. The house ha
i nothing vsry remarkable aliotit it?thei
- nre several in your town more gaudy i
their exterior and interior. A portoric
i or gallery extends the length of the house
botlritofit'ftffd. *ettr, each support bv
9 ais stately pillars. A beautiful yard,
8eftUj eIer4l*d,7?bxtend? ft>r some dieince
in front. The grod'nds are taste
fully ornamented with shrubbery.
f. General Jackson was In the main hall
i when we rode up?he me! ua at ihe door;
aAer cordially saluting my estimable1
- friend B: I .was introduced. General
9 Jackson's manners is so easy and familiar,
f that every body is perfectly at home in
r bis company. We found .him.in exeeli!
lent spirits? his mind appears to have
j lost none of its youthful vigdr, although
r time is gently making inroads upon his
i noble and commanding person?a very
I good idea of the general contour of his
t: face and head is conveyed in the various
;J likenesses with which we frequently meet,
i j He is inclined to stoop a little, when
t walking, yet steps with the firmness and
11 activity of a man at' the age of thirty
| His memory appears to be remarkably re*
I tentive; he recited incidents of the reI
volutionary struggle, of the late war, and,
of the Creek and Seminole campaigns
which were listened to with great curiosity.
Do you know the origin of his cog-i
nomen of "Old Hickory*" After the bat-[
tie of New Orleans, when he was returning
with the Kentucky and Tenncs-'
Volunteers, he loaned his horse to a
sick -soldier in the neighborhood of
Natchez; the General fell in the rear of ]
the army, and pursued his way on foot.
After he had marched some twenty or ,
thirty miles, one of the soldiers observed ,
to his comrade that the "General would |
break down" "No," Observed his com- (
ponton, 44 he is tough as hickory." Ever |
since the occurrence of this anecdote in ,
1815, he has borne the title. lie rccol
lects men and incidents with great accu- ]
racy, he is in truth, a living history of ,
the age.
The politics of the clay formed a pro- ,
minent topic of conversation. Those ]
who have called him an 44 ignorant" man,
and stigmatised him with other epithets
which I will not repeat, must have had
a 41 beam in their, own eye." He has the
history of banking at his tongue's end;
he shed a mass of light on that subject,
as well as upon all others upon which he
i spoke, that could not fail to instruct and ,
. improve. He deprecates the circulation
> of change bills. Shortly after he was
first elected President of the United
States, some of the poor market women
, came to him with a complaint that tbey
were seriously imposed up >11 hy being
compelled to receive the deprecated paper
which was then issued by the corporations
of Washing^n. Georgetown and ,
Alexandria, in payment of their produce; j
They lost twenty-live cents on the dollar (
in getting them changed into specie.? ,
General Jackson told his humble petitioners,
that he 44 had no power over the
matter, but they had. to-morrow mor
ning jus* form a resolution among yourselves
not to take a cent of it from one
end of the market house to the other."
They .did so?and in three days the cor- 1
porations called in their unlawful issues. 1
and specie circulated in abundance. 1
The General bos a very fine garden; I j
culled some choice seeds, which I will '
divide with you the first opportunity.? i
The garden is tastefully laid off in plats, <
ornamented with various .kinds of flowers <
und shrubbery. The tomb of his lamen- I
ted lad} is in one corner of the garden, I
hut a short distance from his dwelling. 1
It is surrounded by rose bushes, and the '
weeping willow, and covered with a plain <
J summer house. The inscription upon ?
the tomb was written by Major Lee.? I
She died in IS28, aged 61 years. After I
speaking of her unbounded benevolence (
and fervent piety, it concludes thus: 44 A '
being so gentle yet so virtuous, slander j
might wound, but could not dishonor. '
Even death, when he tore her from the '
i arms of her husband, could ' but trans- <
j port her to the bosom of her God." You '
! recollect the foul slanders which were {
heaped upon General Jackson andhis la- 1
dy too, during the first canvass. Shume! "
shame! upon the heartless authors! Al- I
though female delicacy sunk under them, !
the bruvc and the good old man survives.1
11 to receive the blessings of grateful mil-H
s! lions. Long may it be before he shall ocs!
cupy the little tenement prepared by the
f side of his deceased wife,
f ~ The carriage made of the live oak of
the frigate Conslituton is looked upon!
* with peculiai interest by all his visitors.
; The associations connected with it arc:
r peculiarly interesting 1
1 The hall of the General's dwelling is!
l quite elevated. A beautiful painting de
corates one of the walls, representing the
f attack made upon the Americans and
e others in Mexico, by the degraded and
c illiterate population of that ancient und
a beautiful eity. Mr. Poinsett, the Amerin
can Minister, walks out upon the balcony
e of his residence, accompanied by a high
spirited young Virginian, by the name of
[. Mason, and unfurled the Aug of his counf
try. The stars and strips of 44 our bce
loved land" had a wonderful effect in al.
I I : a. e i: r .? _:. _ .i
-iitijuig iiic luciiiigs in iiic Kjicueu j???pui
lace. A hundred well aimed muskets
8 were diverted from the mark; and that
c furious people retired before that irresise
table appeul. That was an instance of
e the power of the American flag. A bust
?, of Mr. Livingston and Mr. \Voodbury
d are kept in the main hall. In the parlor
is is a very good likeness of Mrs. Jackson
a and Mr. Van Buren.
i- The dinner was a plain and substantial
is repast: Previous to retiring, the General
e proposed a toast. " Our absent friends,"
n was drank by all. AndrcWfJaekson, jr.,
O; and his intelligent and BWftutiful lady,]
Vand Col. Earl), one of the most accom I
are of tho
UeoeSFEhouaehold.
' No one can viaitjhe Hermitage without
being pleased. Every thing it calculated
to make the stay of those who call, agrees
able anil pleasant* There fa no display,
no ostentation; your are at home and welcome.
The Hermitage#, is almost coin
stantly thronged with companv, and will
be so long as its distinguirhea owner sojours
among the livinfft And , when he
has been gathered to Iiis fathers, thousands
will make a pilgrimage to his tomb*
and bear away some relics in memory of
one of the purest patriots that ever lived.
IfKloeellaneous.
HOME.
M The patriotic boast \ybero e'er we roam.
Our first, best'eountry ever is at home:"
Thsro is no trait perhaps, more common
or more amiable in the human character,
than the attachment which each individual
feels for his native place.?With
what resistless, tender and soul-subduing
influence docs rcmcmbcrancc of past
scenes and pleasures rush upon the mimlj
Our native bills and valleys, the tuneful
brooks, the groves, the meadows, and
fields which witnessed the innocent sportings
of our youthful years, arising before
the imagination, arrayed in nil their
beauty. With the loneliness of affection
we look back to the sacred spot where
repose the ashes of departed kindred and
friends. In the ehastc and pious medita*ii
r 1 _ _ 1 .1..* - I i_*i . *.i
iton, we ieei u piensuui rnciancnoiy steal
over the soul?which would not exchange
for all the sparkling joys of transient and
unsubstantial amusement. But awaking
from the pleasing reverie, wc find perhaps
that wc are in a distant land, surrounded
by the facds of strangers. In
vain do wc look around for the friends
and companions of youth, hut all is.sad,
lonely and desolate. Tell its not that
the gales which fun us arc perfumed with
nders; that the gentle zephyr brings
health and balm on its wings; that roses
and jessamines fill the soft air with matchless
fragance, and that the verdant mantle
of nature is spangled with (lowers of
the riches dies. For neither the spicy
gales; nor the roses and jessamines, nor
nature's fairest livery equal the air, the
beauty, the enchantment, of our native
land. To us the whispers of parental
love, tenderness, and affection, would
lu more grateful and soothing than the
gentle farmings of the soft south wind, or
the breath of the perfumed zephyr. To
us more pleasing would be the sight of
our parental mansion, though hung with
icicles and surrounded with the desolate
emblems of winter, than ike vcrduie attached
to a distant land.
Lord Castlcrcagh and the Chest.?
Lord Casilereagh, when commandfog,
in early life n militia regiment in Ireland,
was stationed one night in a large desolate
country house, and his bed was at
one end of a dilapidated room, while at
the other extremity a grc lire of wood
ind turf had been prepared u ithin a hueo
gaping old fashioned ..chimney. Waking
n the middle of ihe night, he lay watching
from his pillow the gradual darkness
jf embers on t-lic hearth, when suddenly
ihey blazed up, and a naked child stepped
from nmong them upon the floor. The
figure advanced slowly towards Lord Caslercagh,
rising in stature at every step,
lnlil on earning within two or three paces
if the bed,"it had assumed the appearance
jf a ghastly giant, pale r.s death, with a
deeding wound on the brow, and eyes
glaring with rage and despair. Lord
L^astlercagh leaped from his bed and confronted
the figure in an attitude of defence.
It retreated b< fore him, diminishing
as it withdrew, in the same manner
that it had previously shot up and expanded;
he followed it pace by pace, until
Lhe original childlike form disappeared
imong the embers. He then went back
lo bis bed and was disturbed no more.
This story Lord Castlereagh told with
perfect gravity at 011c of his wife's supper
parties in Paris in 1815, when Scott
was among the hearers. I have often
heard hiin repeat it?before the fatal catastrophe
of August 1822 afforded the solution
of the text?when he merely mentioned
it as a singularly vivid dream, the
product probably of a feverish night following
upon a military debauch, but affording
a striking indication ot the courageous
temper, which proved true to itself
amid -the terrors of fancy.?Life of.'
Sir Walter Scott.
Visiting- Cula for health.?Excellent
preparations have been made near Matar.zas
for the accommodation of invilids
from the United States. The want of
suitable lodgings prevent many from passing
the winter in that beautiful island,
who fell the necessity of lle'cing from its
boisterous approaches in New England.
rrhn rili/ir. ...hh
??? mtw oi "i/?v.w wuii u.\|?rro?
rcfencc to llio convenience of this class
of strangers, it is located at San Pedro
de Hudson, eighteen miles from Matanzas.
Board ranges at about fourteen dollars
a week.?The keeping of n horse is
ten dollars a month?the hire of one is
thirty dollars a month, Steamboats .leave
Havana and Malanzos every other day?
the fare being six dollars. Board, by the
day, at either place, is two dollars and
fifty cents. A horse costs from sixtyeight
to one hundred atid fifty dollars.
Those who can afford .the expense, should
ship their own, the native breed being
small and inferior. Invalids, to derive
the most advantage from the mild air of
Cuba, should leave here by the first of ^ v
bctobar acd remain til) May. Physicians, m