The Naval History of the United States. Volume 2Abbot, Willis J. (Willis John)
History
The Naval History of the United States. Volume 2
Abbot, Willis J. (Willis John)
United States -- History, Naval
for some of the gallant lads thus blotted from the face of the earth.
Years after, the fate of the daring cruiser was again brought into
remembrance by fresh news curiously found. When the officers and crew
of the "Essex," after that vessel's gallant battle with the "Phoebe"
and "Cherub," were sent to the United States under parole, two
officers remained at Valparaiso, to give testimony before the
prize-court. These gentlemen were Lieut. McKnight, and Mr. Lyman a
master's mate. After going to Brazil in the "Phoebe," the two officers
took passage in a Swedish brig bound for England. Months passed; and,
nothing being heard from them, their friends became alarmed for their
safety. In that time, before the day of the telegraph and steam
transportation, many things might have easily detained the two
officers for a year or more, and nothing be heard of them. But, when
two years had passed, inquiries began to be made as to their fate,
both by their friends and the naval authorities. The first step was to
find the vessel upon which they had left Brazil. This was a work of
time; so that it was many years after the disappearance of the
officers when the brig was found lying at a London dock. She was the
brig "Adonis," and the master proved to be the same who had commanded
her when the two officers had taken passage. He readily recalled the
circumstance, but claimed that the two passengers had left him in
mid-ocean to go aboard an American man-of-war; and in proof of this he
brought out the log-book, and, turning back to the year 1814, pointed
out the following entries:--
[Illustration: The End of the "Wasp."]
"AUG. 23.--Left Rio de Janeiro; Stephen Decatur McKnight and
James Lyman, passengers for England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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