Show wooden ships and iron men aate twenty minutes of fighting the british ship penguin had fallen a prey to the marks marines on the american warship hornet during one of the final sea engagements of the war of 1812 according to a release by postmaster barton of this place the two ships met in march 15 1815 and the indomitable spirit of the americans again carried them through to victory while the proud penguin was forced to lower her colors during the action private mich i j ael smith of the U S marines a veteran of many other sea battles had fought bravely when the ay ory was almost won he was st S t through the upper part of affe thigh fracturing the bone almost at the same moment a shattered boom from the hornet struck him in the wounded leg and broke the same bone this above the in great pain from his wounds and unable to rise from the deck the brave sea soldier had no intention of quitting the fight his enemies in the fighting top of the penguin were still visible and smith tried desperately to raise himself to a position from which he be would be able to discharge his musket at them I 1 in vain he tried to muster sufficient strength to raise himself into a firing position his shattered leg and hip would not allow him to carry on the fight finally his comrades wei in pell ed to carry him below e tc ec c s gew men have exhibited wore more afew Ki vicious cious ious courage yet ln in ory anis his valor has faded into the twilight of forgotten incidents which happened during the days of wooden ships and iron men |