mizzen-tops, which continued till the main-top was gallantly stormed by a midshipman, William Smith, and five topmen. Having made their way along the _Shannon's_ foreyard on to that of the _Chesapeake's_ main-yard, another midshipman, Mr Cosnahan, climbing up on the starboard main-yard, fired at the Americans in the mizzen-top, when he compelled them to yield. Captain Broke, at the moment of victory, was nearly killed, having been cut-down by one of three Americans, who, after they had yielded, seized some arms and attacked their victors. The Americans, also, who had fled to the hold, opened a fire of musketry, which killed a marine. A still more unfortunate accident occurred; the _Shannon's_ first lieutenant, Mr Watt, after being severely wounded, was in the act of hoisting the English flag, when the halliards getting entangled, the American ensign went up first, and, observing this, the _Shannon's_ people reopened their fire, and he and several of those around him were killed before the mistake was rectified. Captain Broke, who had been assisted to a carronade slide, directed Lieutenant Faulkner to summon the Americans in the hold to give in if they expected quarter. They shouted out, "We surrender," and all opposition ceased. From the moment the first gun was fired till Captain Broke led his boarders on the deck of the _Chesapeake_, only eleven minutes elapsed, and in four minutes more she was his. Including the first lieutenant, her purser, and captain's clerk, the _Shannon_ lost 24 killed and 59 wounded, two of these, her boatswain and one midshipman mortally; while the _Chesapeake_ lost 47 killed, among whom was her fourth lieutenant, her master, one lieutenant of marines, and 3 midshipmen, and 14 mortally wounded, including her brave commander, and his first lieutenant, and 99 wounded. Other accounts state that the killed and wounded amounted to nearly 170. Among the 325 prisoners taken on board the _Chesapeake_, above 32 were British seamen. Several of the _Shannon's_ men recognised old shipmates among their foes, and one of the former, when boarding, was about to cut-down an enemy, when he was stopped by the cry, "What! you Bill!" "What! Jack!" "Ay, Bill, but it won't do--so here goes," and the poor fellow sprang overboard, and was drowned, rather than meet the fate which might have been his lot, as he had deserted from the _Shannon_ a few months before. The two frigates were pretty equally matched, there being a slight superiority only in favour of the _Chesapeake_, which was 31 tons larger, and had a crew of fully 70 more men. The gallant Captain Lawrence and his first lieutenant, Augustus Ludlow, died of their wounds, the former on the passage to Halifax, the latter on his arrival, and were buried there with all the honours their victors could bestow. Their remains were shortly afterwards removed in a cartel to the United States.