Now both sides tried to board. It was the old style of fighting for the British tars, and they bravely swarmed on deck at the call, “Boarders away!” and the shrill piping along the ’tween-decks. The Americans were preparing for the same attempt, and three of their officers who mounted the taffrail were shot by the muskets of the English. Brave Lieutenant Bush, of the marines, fell dead with a bullet in his brain. The swaying and grinding of the huge ships against each other made boarding impossible, and it was at this anxious moment that the sails of the _Constitution_ filled; she fell off and shot ahead. Hardly was she clear when the foremast of the enemy fell, carrying with it the wounded main-mast, and leaving the proud vessel of a few hours before a helpless wreck, “rolling like a log in the trough of the sea, entirely at the mercy of the billows.” It was now nearly seven o’clock. The sky had clouded over, the wind was freshening, and the sea was growing heavy. Hull drew off for repairs, rove new rigging, secured his masts, and, wearing ship, again approached, ready to pour in a final broadside. It was not needed. Before the _Constitution_ could fire, the flag which had been flying at the stump of the enemy’s mizzen-mast was struck. The fight was over. A boat was lowered from the _Constitution_, and Lieutenant Read, the third officer, rowing to the prize, inquired, with “Captain Hull’s compliments,” if she had struck her flag. He was answered by Captain Dacres--who must have possessed a sense of humor--that, for very obvious reasons, she certainly had done so. To quote a few words from Hull’s account of the affair--he says: “After informing that so fine a ship as the _Guerrière_, commanded by an able and experienced officer, had been totally dismasted and otherwise cut to pieces, so as to make her not worth towing into port, in the short space of thirty minutes (actual fighting time), you can have no doubt of the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and ship’s company I have the honor to command.” In the _Constitution_ seven were killed and seven wounded. In the _Guerrière_, fifteen killed, sixty-two wounded--including several officers and the captain, who was wounded slightly; twenty-four were missing. The next day, owing to the reasons shown in Hull’s report, the _Guerrière_ was set on fire. At 3.15 in the afternoon she blew up; and this was the end of the ship whose commander had sent a personal message to Captain Hull some weeks before, requesting the “honor of a _tête-à-tête_ at sea.” Isaac Hull, who had thus early endeared himself in the hearts of his countrymen, and set a high mark for American sailors to aim at, was born near the little town of Derby, not far from New Haven, Connecticut, in the year 1775. He was early taken with a desire for the sea, and at the age of twelve years he went on board a vessel that had been captured by his father from the British during the Revolution.