Then we, who had come out of death, as it were, clambered up on the _Niagara’s_ deck, cheered to the echo by every man who saw us, and the officer who for a few moments had believed himself first in command, took Commodore Perry’s place in the stern-sheets of the boat with a full crew at the oars to carry him rearward. FOOTNOTES: [4] Lossing’s “War of 1812.” CHAPTER XVII. VICTORY. To men who had come from such a scene of ruin as had we, the _Niagara_ appeared to be in perfect condition. But few of her crew were wounded, and she was in as perfect order for the conflict as if having just come from the navy-yard. Before I could clamber up on her deck, being, as a matter of course, some distance behind Alec and his brother, the commodore’s pennant had been displayed, and with it was run up the blue banner which bore the letters in white, and I venture to say that the death of the gallant Lawrence was fresh in the mind of every American on Lake Erie this 10th day of September in the year of grace 1813. It was some such signal as this which our brave fellows aboard the other vessels needed to assure them that the commander in whom they trusted was still directing the course of events, and as the two bits of bunting were run up we heard a volley of cheers from every craft in the line, telling that the courage of all was strengthened. “Now we shall win the day,” Alec said confidently, as for a moment I came to his side, although, strictly speaking, my place was forward of the quarter, while he, released from duty as a member of the gun’s crew under old Silas, had liberty to remain by the side of the commodore. “Now we shall win the day, for it is as if we were come into action with a fresh vessel, thanks to the timorousness of Captain Elliott.” Even as he spoke, and as if to check the exultation which had come upon us all when the commodore’s flag was safely transferred, we saw the stars and stripes drop slowly down from the masthead of the _Lawrence_, in token that she had surrendered. Dr. Parsons has since told me that when Lieutenant Yarnall, after consulting with Lieutenant Forrest and Sailing-Master Taylor, decided to show signs of submission, those poor wounded wretches in the cockpit, mangled and hacked until some of them no longer had the semblance of humanity, begged that the ship be sunk rather than surrendered, and refused to allow the surgeon to attend to their wounds, hoping they might die before the Britishers could take possession of the craft which had been fought so gallantly, yet so vainly. However, it was not long that they were forced to remain thus hopeless. Once our young commander had beneath him a craft which could be manœuvred, he changed his plan of action so far as the situation seemed to require, hoisting a signal once more for close action as the _Niagara_ was steered straight toward the British line of battle, half a mile away.