A Modern Version of the seven against Thebes.

Manawatu Herald, 17 December 1896, Page 2

A Modern Version of the seven against Thebes.

la August, 1812, the British Bloop, Minstrel, of 24 guns, and the 18-gun brig Philomel, were blockading three small French privateers in the port of Biendom, near Alicant. The privateers were protected by a strong fort, mounting 24 guna ; by way of precaution two of the ships were hauled on shore, six of their guns being landed and formed into a battery manned by 80 of their crews. The Minstrel and her consort could not pretend to attack a position so strong, but they kept vigilant watch outside, and a boat from one ship or the other rowed guard every night near the shore. On the night of the 12th, the Minstrel's boat, with seven seamen, was in command of an Irish midshipman, named Michael Dwyer. Dwyer had all the fighting courage of hU race, with almost more of the gay disregard of odds natural to an Irish youth. It occurred to Mr Michael Dwyer that if he could cany by surprise the sixgun battery there would be a chance of destroying the privateers. A little before 10 p.m he pulled silently in to the beach, at a point three miles distant (com the battery, and with his seven followers, landed— and was instantly challenged by a French 3entry ! Dwyer, by some accident knew Spanish, and with ready-witted audacity, replied in that language that "'they weie peasants." They were allowed to pass, and these seven men, headed by a youth, set off on their three-miles trudge to attack a fort ! There were 80 men in the battery when Michael and his amazing seven rushed upon it, There waa a wild struggle forfivd minutes, and then the 80 fled before the eight, and the delighted middy found himself in possession of the battery ! But the alarm was given, and two companies of French infantry, each 100 strong, o&nie resolutely up to retake the batteiy. Eight against eighty seemed deiperate odds, but eight against 200 is a quite hopeless proportion. Yet Mr Dwyer and bis seven held the fort till one of their number was kilUd, two (including the midshipman) badly wounded, and, worst of all, their ammunition exhausted. When the British had fired their last shot the French, with levelled bayonets, broke in, but the inextinguishable Dwyer was not subdued till he had been stabbed in seventeen places, and of tho whole eight British only one was left unwounded. The French amazement when they discovered that the force which attacked them consisted of seven men and a boy was too deep for words. — Deeds that won the Empire.