hero tales from american history-第16部分

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icans。　The　frontiersmen　then　retreated　to　the　inner　building；　and　a　desperate　hand…to…hand　conflict　followed；　the　Mexicans　thronging　in；　shooting　the　Americans　with　their　muskets；　and　thrusting　at　them　with　lance　and　bayonet；　while　the　Americans；　after　firing　their　long　rifles；　clubbed　them；　and　fought　desperately；　one　against　many；　and　they　also　used　their　bowie…knives　and　revolvers　with　deadly　effect。　The　fight　reeled　to　and　fro　between　the　shattered　walls；　each　American　the　center　of　a　group　of　foes；　but；　for　all　their　strength　and　their　wild　fighting　courage；　the　defenders　were　too　few；　and　the　struggle　could　have　but　one　end。　One　by　one　the　tall　riflemen　succumbed；　after　repeated　thrusts　with　bayonet　and　lance；　until　but　three　or　four　were　left。　Colonel　Travis；　the　commander；　was　among　them；　and　so　was　Bowie；　who　was　sick　and　weak　from　a　wasting　disease；　but　who　rallied　all　his　strength　to　die　fighting；　and　who；　in　the　final　struggle；　slew　several　Mexicans　with　his　revolver；　and　with　his　big　knife　of　the　kind　to　which　he　had　given　his　name。　Then　these　fell　too；　and　the　last　man　stood　at　bay。　It　was　old　Davy　Crockett。　Wounded　in　a　dozen　places；　he　faced　his　foes　with　his　back　to　the　wall；　ringed　around　by　the　bodies　of　the　men　he　had　slain。　So　desperate　was　the　fight　he　waged；　that　the　Mexicans　who　thronged　round　about　him　were　beaten　back　for　the　moment；　and　no　one　dared　to　run　in　upon　him。　Accordingly；　while　the　lancers　held　him　where　he　was；　for；　weakened　by　wounds　and　loss　of　blood；　he　could　not　break　through　them；　the　musketeers　loaded　their　carbines　and　shot　him　down。　Santa　Anna　declined　to　give　him　mercy。　Some　say　that　when　Crockett　fell　from　his　wounds；　he　was　taken　alive；　and　was　then　shot　by　Santa　Anna's　order；　but　his　fate　cannot　be　told　with　certainty；　for　not　a　single　American　was　left　alive。　At　any　rate；　after　Crockett　fell　the　fight　was　over。　Every　one　of　the　hardy　men　who　had　held　the　Alamo　lay　still　in　death。　Yet　they　died　well　avenged；　for　four　times　their　number　fell　at　their　hands　in　the　battle。

Santa　Anna　had　but　a　short　while　in　which　to　exult　over　his　bloody　and　hard…won　victory。　Already　a　rider　from　the　rolling　Texas　plains；　going　north　through　the　Indian　Territory；　had　told　Houston　that　the　Texans　were　up　and　were　striving　for　their　liberty。　At　once　in　Houston's　mind　there　kindled　a　longing　to　return　to　the　men　of　his　race　at　the　time　of　their　need。　Mounting　his　horse；　he　rode　south　by　night　and　day；　and　was　hailed　by　the　Texans　as　a　heaven…sent　leader。　He　took　command　of　their　forces；　eleven　hundred　stark　riflemen；　and　at　the　battle　of　San　Jacinto；　he　and　his　men　charged　the　Mexican　hosts　with　the　cry　of　〃Remember　the　Alamo。〃　Almost　immediately；　the　Mexicans　were　overthrown　with　terrible　slaughter；　Santa　Anna　himself　was　captured；　and　the　freedom　of　Texas　was　won　at　a　blow。



HAMPTON　ROADS

Then　far　away　to　the　south　uprose　　A　little　feather　of　snow…white　smoke；　And　we　knew　that　the　iron　ship　of　our　foes　　Was　steadily　steering　its　course　　To　try　the　force　Of　our　ribs　of　oak。

Down　upon　us　heavily　runs；　　Silent　and　sullen；　the　floating　fort；　Then　comes　a　puff　of　smoke　from　her　guns；　　And　leaps　the　terrible　death；　With　fiery　breath；　From　her　open　port。

　　　*　　*　　*

Ho！　brave　hearts；　that　went　down　in　the　seas！　　Ye　are　at　peace　in　the　troubled　stream；　Ho！　brave　land！　with　hearts　like　these；　　Thy　flag；　that　is　rent　in　twain；　　Shall　be　one　again；　And　without　a　seam！　　　　　　　　　　　Longfellow


HAMPTON　ROADS

The　naval　battles　of　the　Civil　War　possess　an　immense　importance；　because　they　mark　the　line　of　cleavage　between　naval　warfare　under　the　old；　and　naval　warfare　under　the　new；　conditions。　The　ships　with　which　Hull　and　Decatur　and　McDonough　won　glory　in　the　war　of　1812　were　essentially　like　those　with　which　Drake　and　Hawkins　and　Frobisher　had　harried　the　Spanish　armadas　two　centuries　and　a　half　earlier。　They　were　wooden　sailing…vessels；　carrying　many　guns　mounted　in　broadside；　like　those　of　De　Ruyter　and　Tromp；　of　Blake　and　Nelson。　Throughout　this　period　all　the　great　admirals；　all　the　famous　single…ship　fighters；whose　skill　reached　its　highest　expression　in　our　own　navy　during　the　war　of　1812；commanded　craft　built　and　armed　in　a　substantially　similar　manner；　and　fought　with　the　same　weapons　and　under　much　the　same　conditions。　But　in　the　Civil　War　weapons　and　methods　were　introduced　which　caused　a　revolution　greater　even　than　that　which　divided　the　sailingship　from　the　galley。　The　use　of　steam；　the　casing　of　ships　in　iron　armor；　and　the　employment　of　the　torpedo；　the　ram；　and　the　gun　of　high　power；　produced　such　radically　new　types　that　the　old　ships　of　the　line　became　at　one　stroke　as　antiquated　as　the　galleys　of　Hamilcar　or　Alcibiades。　Some　of　these　new　engines　of　destruction　were　invented；　and　all　were　for　the　first　time　tried　in　actual　combat；　during　our　own　Civil　War。　The　first　occasion　on　which　any　of　the　new　methods　were　thoroughly　tested　was　attended　by　incidents　which　made　it　one　of　the　most　striking　of　naval　battles。


In　Chesapeake　Bay；　near　Hampton　Roads；　the　United　States　had　collected　a　fleet　of　wooden　ships；　some　of　them　old…style　sailing…vessels；　others　steamers。　The　Confederates　were　known　to　be　building　a　great　iron…clad　ram；　and　the　wooden　vessels　were　eagerly　watching　for　her　appearance　when　she　should　come　out　of　Gosport　Harbor。　Her　powers　and　capacity　were　utterly　unknown。　She　was　made　out　of　the　former　United　States　steamfrigate　Merrimac；　cut　down　so　as　to　make　her　fore　and　aft　decks　nearly　flat；　and　not　much　above　the　water；　while　the　guns　were　mounted　in　a　covered　central　battery；　with　sloping　flanks。　Her　sides；　deck；　and　battery　were　coated　with　iron；　and　she　was　armed　with　formidable　rifle…guns；　and；　most　important　of　all；　with　a　steel　ram　thrust　out　under　water　forward　from　her　bow。　She　was　commanded　by　a　gallant　and　efficient　officer；　Captain　Buchanan。

It　was　March　8；　1862；　when　the　ram　at　last　made　her　appearance　within　sight　of　the　Union　fleet。　The　day　was　calm　and　very　clear；　so　that　the　throngs　of　spectators　on　shore　could　see　every　feature　of　the　battle。　With　the　great　ram　came　three　light　gunboats；　all　of　which　took　part　in　the　action；　haraising　the　vessels　which　she　assailed；　but　they　were　not　factors　of　importance　in　the　fight。　On　the　Union　side　the　vessels　nearest　were　the　sailing…ships　Cumberland　and　Congress；　and　the　steam…frigate　Minnesota。　The　Congress　and　Cumberland　were　anchored　not　far　from　each　other；　the　Minnesota　got　aground；　and　was　some　distance　off。　Owing　to　the　currents　and　shoals　and　the　lack　of　wind；　no　other　vessel　was　able　to　get　up　in　time　to　take　a　part　in　the　fight。

As　soon　as　the　ram　appeared；　out　of　the　harbor；　she　turned　and　steamed　toward　the　Congress　and　the　Cumberland；　the　black　smoke　rising　from　her　funnels；　and　the　great　ripples　running　from　each　side　of　her　iron　prow　as　she　drove　steadily　through　the　still　waters。　On　board　of　the　Congress　and　Cumberland　there　was　eager　anticipation；　but　not　a　particle　of　fear。　The　officers　in　command；　Captain　Smith　and　Lieutenant　Morris；　were　two　of　the　most　gallant　men　in　a　service　where　gallantry　has　always　been　too　common　to　need　special　comment。　The　crews　were　composed　of　veterans；　well　trained；　self…confident；　and　proud　beyond　measure　of　the　flag　whose　honor　they　upheld。　The　guns　were　run　out；　and　the　men　stood　at　quarters；　while　the　officers　eagerly　conned　the　approaching　ironclad。　The　Congress　was　the　first　to　open　fire；　and；　as　her　volleys　flew；　the　men　on　the　Cumberland　were　astounded　to　see　the　cannon…shot　bound　off　the　sloping　sides　of　the　ram　as　hailstones　bound　from　a　windowpane。　The　ram　answered；　and　her　rifle…shells　tore　the　sides　of　the　Congress；　but　for　her　first　victim　she　aimed　at　the　Cumberland；　and；　firing　her　bow　guns；　came　straight　as　an　arrow　at　the　little　sloop…of…war；　which　lay　broadside　to　her。

It　was　an　absolutely　hopeless　struggle。　The　Cumberland　was　a　sailing…ship；　at　anchor；　with　wooden　sides；　and　a　battery　of　light　guns。　Against　the　formidable　steam　ironclad；　with　her　heavy　rifles　and　steel　ram；　she　was　as　powerless　as　if　she　had　been　a　rowboat；　and　from　the　moment　the　men　saw　the　cannon…shot　bound　from　the　ram's　sides　they　knew　they　were　doomed。　But　none　of　them　flinched。　Once　and　again　they　fired　their　guns　full　against　the　approaching　ram；　and　in　response　received　a　few　shells　from　the　great　bow…rifles　of　the　latter。　Then；　forging　ahead；　the　Merrimac　struck　her　antagonist　with　her　steel　prow；　and　the　sloop…of…war　reeled　and　shuddered；　and　through　the　great　rent　in　her　side　the　black　water　rushed。　She　foundered　in　a　few　minutes；　but　her　crew　fought　her　to　the　last；　cheering　as　they　ran　out　the　guns；　and　sending　shot　after　shot　against　the　ram　as　the　latter　backed　off　after　delivering　her　blow。　The　rush　of　the　water　soon　swamped　the　lower　decks；　but　the　men　above　continued　to　serve　their　guns　until　the　upper　deck　also　was　awash；　and　the　vessel　had　not　ten　seconds　of　life　left。　Then；　with　her　flags　flying；　her　men　cheering；　and　her　guns　firing；　the　Cumberland　sank。　It　was　shallow　where　she　settled　down；　so　that　her　masts　remained　above　the　water。　The　glorious　flag　for　which　the　brave　men　aboard　her　had　died　flew　proudly　in　the　wind　all　that　day；　while　the　fight　went　on；　and　throughout　the　night；　and　next　morning　it　was　still　streaming　over　the　beautiful　bay；　to　mark　the　resting…place　of　as　gallant　a　vessel　as　ever　sailed　or　fought　on　the　high　seas。

After　the　Cumberland　sank；　the　ram　turned　her　attention　to　the　Congress。　Finding　it　difficult　to　get　to　her　in　the　shoal　water；　she　began　to　knock　her　to　pieces　with　her　great　rifle…guns。　The　unequal　fight　between　the　ironclad　and　the　wooden　ship　lasted　for　perhaps　half　an　hour。　By　that　time　the　commander　of　the　Congress　had　been　killed；　and　her　decks　looked　like　a　slaughterhouse。　She　was　utterly　unable　to　make　any　impression　on　her　foe；　and　finally　she　took　fire　and　blew　up。　The　Minnesota　was　the　third　victim　marked　for　destruction；　and　the　Merrimac　began　the　attack　upon　her　at　once；　but　it　was　getting　very　late；　and　as　the　water　was　shoal　and　she　could　not　get　close；　the　rain　finally　drew　back　to　her　anchorage；　to　wait　until　next　day　before　renewing　and　completing　her　work　of　destruction。

All　that　night　t