"The next day was occupied in very much the same way, but on the third the garrison perceived that an assault was to be made from both land and water. At two o'clock the vessels were seen approaching, and Lawrence called a council of officers. "All were determined to resist to the last, and if finally compelled to surrender, to do so only on condition that officers and privates should retain their arms and private property, be treated as prisoners of war, and protected from the savages. "The words adopted as the signal for the day were, 'don't give up the fort.' "At half past four the battle began, the four vessels opening fire simultaneously, and pouring broadside after broadside upon the fort, which returned a fearful fire from its circular battery. "While this was going on in front, Captain Woodbine was assailing our men in the rear, from behind his sand-dune, with a howitzer and a twelve-pounder. "So the battle raged for an hour; then the flag of the _Hermes_ was shot away, and Lawrence stopped firing to learn if she had surrendered; but the _Caron_ fired another broadside, and the fight went on with renewed vigor. Soon a shot cut the cable of the _Hermes_, and she floated away with the current, her head toward the fort, and her decks swept of men and everything by a raking fire from the fort. "Then the fort's flag-staff was shot away and her ensign fell, but the British, instead of following Lawrence's humane example, redoubled their fire. At the same time, Woodbine, supposing that the fort had surrendered, hastened toward it with his Indians, but they were driven back by a storm of grape-shot, and almost immediately the flag was seen again floating over the fort at the end of the staff to which Major Lawrence had nailed it." "And was that the end of the fight, papa?" asked Lulu. "Very nearly, if not quite," he replied. "Two of the attacking vessels presently withdrew, leaving the helpless _Hermes_ behind; she finally grounded upon a sand-bank, when Percy fired and abandoned her. Near midnight her magazine exploded." "I should think that was a great victory; was it not, Brother Levis?" queried Walter. "I think it was," the captain said. "The result was very mortifying to the British. It was entirely unexpected, and Percy had said that he would allow the garrison only twenty minutes to capitulate. It is not surprising that he expected to take the weak little fort, with its feeble garrison of one hundred and thirty, when he brought against it over thirteen hundred men and ninety-two pieces of artillery. "The Americans lost only eight men, one-half of whom were killed. The assailants lost two hundred and thirty-two, one hundred and sixty-two of them killed. "One result of that fight was that the Indians lost faith in the invincibility of the British, and many of them deserted, and sought safety from the anger of Jackson by concealing themselves in the interior of their broad country."