Journal of Alfred Walke, April and May, 1843 - Page 4
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over No 7 Gun Killing one Man & wounding Lt. Wilber[,] Midn [midshipman]
A.J. Bryant[,] L. Hubbard Cap’ts [sic] Clerk & four Men[.] At 2.35
a 68 lb shot from the Guadaloupe struck [the] sill of No 5 Port Starbd
Side passed through & carried away both axle Trees and ripped up the deck
three feet[,] injured the Main Top sail sheet Bitts & Main Mast Fife Rail
& stopped on Deck Killing Cap’t of No 5 Gun & wounding 4 men[.]
At 2.37 a shot came through the Hammock Nettings, over No 6 Gun Starbd
Side Killing one Man & wounding four. At 2.40 a shot cut away
Starbd Main Top Gall’t Backstay. At 2.42 a shot cut away second
Shroud of Starbd Mizen Rigging, Mizen Top Gallant Halliards [sic]
& Larbd Main Brace. At 2.45 a 68 lb shot came through the stard Bul-
warks abaft No 9 Gun above the Pin Rail wounding Two Men & passed
out opposite Port. At 3 P.M. the breezes freshening all the weathering
Main Top Gall’t Rigging being cut away, one Gun of Starbd
Battery disabled, wore ship to engage the Enemy with the Larbd
Battery. The Guadaloupe ceased firing & still standing on the
Starbd Tack, being to Leeward & not being able to bring the Enemy
to close Quarters Made Signal 81 & kept off for Campeche, Wharton
in Company. Yucatan Squadron out of Gun Shot Dead to Lee-
ward.
Loss of this Ship[:] Fredk Shepperd, Wm West & Geo Barton
Killed. Owen Timothy York, his Leg, Thomas Barnet & Thos Norris their Arms,
& Lt Wilber & Midn [Midshipman] Bryant & Thos Atkins Severely wounded & 17 men
Slightly wounded. The Brig Wharton had two men Killed by the
Cap’t of the Gun’s Carelessness in not attending to the vent being
stopped properly.
Enemies [sic] Loss (as ascertained from an Englishman
who deserted from the Guadaloupe three days after the Action)[:] Forty Seven
Killed, Thirty two wounded so as to require amputation of
their Limbs & 64 men badly Wounded on board the
Guadaloupe & the Cap’t of the Montezuma Killed &
40 others Killed & wounded on board of her. The
Guadaloupe being completely Riddled by our shot
& the Montezuma damaged considerably.
At 5.30 came too [sic] with the Larbd Anchor in 30 Fathoms chain
in 2 1⁄4 Fathoms water. Furled all sail & Piped down. North
Church at Campeche bore SE 1/2 E Dist 2 1⁄2 Miles Church at Llor-
mas bore SW by S Dist 6 Miles[.] Enemies [sic] Steamers W by S 1⁄2 S
Dist 8 Miles. At 6 A.M. sent the Bodies of the Killed on
shore to be Buried & eight of the wounded men on shore
to the Hospital.
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Image enlarged to show detail. Journal of Midshipman Alfred Walke. Texas Navy Papers, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.