The Noble Sailor

The Noble Sailor

It was a fearful night,

The strong flame sped

From street to street, from spire to spire,

And on their treasures tread;

Hark! 'Tis a mother's cry,

High o'er the tumlt wild,

As rushing toward her flame wrapped home

She shriek'd - My child! My child!

A wanderer from the sea,

A stranger marked her woe

And in his bosom woke

The sympathetic glow.

Swift up the burning stairs

With daring feet he flew,

While sable clouds of stifling smoke,

Concealed him from view.

Fast fell the burning beams

Across his dangerous road,

Till the far chamber where he groped.

Like fiery oven glowed.

But what a pealing shout!

When from the wreck he came,

And in his arms a smiling babe

Still toying with the flame.

The mother's raptured tears

Forth like a torrent sped,

But ere the throng could learn his name,

That noble tar had fled.

Not for the praise of man,

Did he this deed of love -

But on the bright unfading page

'Tis registered above.

L.H.S. (Lydia Huntley Sigourney)

New Series 2:3, p. 12

1841.03.20

Portsmouth, (N.H.) Gazette.

During the great and memorable fire in the city of New York, on the 17th December, 1835, a mother was seen in the streets, frantically seeking for her babe, which had been left in the upper story of a building enveloped in flames. A young sailor, on learning the fact, rushed through the devouring element, and in a few moments restored the child to its mother, in safety.


"But ere the throng could learn his name,
That noble tar had fled."

Considerable inquiry was made for the individual at the time, and we believe the grateful parents went so far as to make a public call for information respecting him, though without effect. We are happy, however, to be able now to communicate the name of William H. Rindge, late of this town, as the sailor who did this noble deed, though he is now beyond the "praise of man," and, we trust is receiving his reward in heaven. William H. Rindge was the son of Capt. John Rindge of this town. His school-mates speak of him as of a noble, generous, daring disposition; one who would be likely to do such an act, as he did at the great fire in New York. On that occasion, he contracted a cold, which threw him into a consumption and finally caused his death, on the 23d of June last. The secret of his rescuing the infant alluded to was revealed to his friends shortly before his death, and in anticipation of that event. WE hope an enduring monument will be raised to his memory, and that, with a plain account of his conduct, on the said memorable occasion, the following lines, by Mrs. Sigourney, written some time since, and published in one of the periodicals of the day, will be inscribed thereon. - Portsmouth, (N.H.) Gazette.