DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0023
[ 9 1
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE UNDAUNTED CONDUCT OF
JOHN CRAWFORD, ON BOARD THE VENERABLE, OCTO-
BER 11th, 1797.
(With a plate.)
That cool, determined resolution, that dauntless cou-
rage and contempt of dangers and death for which
British Tars have ever been distinguished, was never
more strikingly displayed than in the hard-earned victory
gained by the English fleet over the Dutch off Camper-
down, on the 11th of October, 1797. The more impor-
tant events of that glorious day are too recent to be for-
gotten by our readers, so that a repetition of them here
would be unnecessary. It is therefore our intention to
rescue from oblivion a trait of daring courage and un-
conquerable intrepidity exhibited on that occasion, by
an humble individual, whose gallant conduct, though not
known or noticed by the historian, is not the less deserving
of record.
It is well known that in this engagement Lord Duncan
in the Venerable was fora long time closely engaged with
the Vryheid of 74 guns bearing the flag of Admiral de
Winter. That gallant officer made a most desperate re-
sistance, and did not strike till he had lost all his masts and
(by his own official account) one half of his people. Dur-
ing this obstinate action, the flag halliards of the Venera-
ble were shot away. A young man named John Craw-
ford, perceiving this, ascended the mast for the purpose of
again hoisting the colours ; and to prevent the recurrence
of a similar accident, he actually nailed the flag to the
main-top-gallant mast-head, (in which act he is represented
in our plate) at the same time declaring, that “ It should
not come down again but with the mast!”
Here let us reflect on the immense height of the
main-top-gallant mast-head of a seventy-four gun ship,
to which Crawford ascended, prepared to execute this
Eccentric, No. I. c design :
THE REPRESENTATION OF THE UNDAUNTED CONDUCT OF
JOHN CRAWFORD, ON BOARD THE VENERABLE, OCTO-
BER 11th, 1797.
(With a plate.)
That cool, determined resolution, that dauntless cou-
rage and contempt of dangers and death for which
British Tars have ever been distinguished, was never
more strikingly displayed than in the hard-earned victory
gained by the English fleet over the Dutch off Camper-
down, on the 11th of October, 1797. The more impor-
tant events of that glorious day are too recent to be for-
gotten by our readers, so that a repetition of them here
would be unnecessary. It is therefore our intention to
rescue from oblivion a trait of daring courage and un-
conquerable intrepidity exhibited on that occasion, by
an humble individual, whose gallant conduct, though not
known or noticed by the historian, is not the less deserving
of record.
It is well known that in this engagement Lord Duncan
in the Venerable was fora long time closely engaged with
the Vryheid of 74 guns bearing the flag of Admiral de
Winter. That gallant officer made a most desperate re-
sistance, and did not strike till he had lost all his masts and
(by his own official account) one half of his people. Dur-
ing this obstinate action, the flag halliards of the Venera-
ble were shot away. A young man named John Craw-
ford, perceiving this, ascended the mast for the purpose of
again hoisting the colours ; and to prevent the recurrence
of a similar accident, he actually nailed the flag to the
main-top-gallant mast-head, (in which act he is represented
in our plate) at the same time declaring, that “ It should
not come down again but with the mast!”
Here let us reflect on the immense height of the
main-top-gallant mast-head of a seventy-four gun ship,
to which Crawford ascended, prepared to execute this
Eccentric, No. I. c design :