Pike & Cutlass: Hero Tales of Our NavyGibbs, George
History
Pike & Cutlass: Hero Tales of Our Navy
Gibbs, George
United States -- History, Naval
The other vessel now tried to luff up and rake the “Constitution” from
the bows. But the American filled away immediately and let them have
her other broadside. Side by side the “Constitution” and the larger ship
sailed, firing individually and by battery as fast as they could sponge
and load. Here and there a shot would strike within the stout bulwarks of
the American; and one of these tore into the waist, killing two men and
smashing through a boat in which two tigers were chained. A sailor named
John Lancey, of Cape Ann, was carried below horribly mutilated. When the
surgeon told him he only had a few moments to live, he said, “Yes, sir, I
know it; but I only want to know that the ship has struck.” Soon after,
when he heard the cheers at her surrender, he rose from his cot, and,
waving the stump of his blood-stained arm in the air, gasped out three
feeble cheers and fell back lifeless.
Having silenced the larger vessel, Stewart immediately hurried to the
smaller one, which had been firing through the smoke at the gun-flashes.
The “Constitution” fell off, and, gathering headway, succeeded in getting
again across her stern, where she poured in two raking broadsides, which
practically cut her rigging to pieces. Returning to the larger vessel,
Stewart rounded to on her port-quarter and delivered broadside after
broadside with such a telling effect that at 6.50 she struck her colors.
The other vessel having in a measure refitted, came down gallantly but
foolishly to the rescue of her consort. The “Constitution” met her with
another broadside, which she tried to return, and then spread all sail
to get away. But the American ship could outsail as well as outpoint her,
and under the continuous fire of the bow-chasers of the “Constitution” she
became practically helpless, and at about ten o’clock, when the dreaded
broadside was about to be put into play again, she surrendered.
It was a wonderful battle. In a fight between one sailing-ship and two the
odds were four-fold on the side of the majority. For it was deemed next
to impossible to rake without being doubly raked in return. This obvious
disadvantage was turned by Stewart to his own account by what critics
throughout the world consider to be the finest manœuvring ever known in
an American ship in action. He fought both his broadsides alternately,
and luffed, wore, or backed his great vessel as though she had been
a pleasure-boat. Neither of his adversaries succeeded in delivering
one telling raking broadside. She seemed to be playing with them, and
skilfully presented her reloaded guns to each vessel as it attempted to
get her at a disadvantage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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