enemy, exposed to their fire, and returning it warmly. A gunner, in
handing an eighteen-pounder cartridge out of the chest, happened to
break it, and the spilt powder, although water had been poured upon it,
caught fire from the flash of the small arms, and the chest exploded,
producing great confusion on board, killing two or three, and causing a
number of men, some with their clothes on fire, to jump overboard. The
enemy, encouraged by this, pushed on with redoubled fury, and Whaley was
deserted by his other five barges, who fled ingloriously, leaving their
commander to his fate. Three of Kid's barges were already alongside of
him, when a second ammunition chest exploded, renewing the scene of
disaster and confusion. Lieutenant Handy enquired of Whaley whether it
would not be better to strike: he replied that he should not strike.
Colonel Cropper describes the action at this time as "a continual shower
of musket bullets, pikes, cold shot, cutlasses, and iron stantials, for
eight or ten minutes." The Protector being overpowered by numbers, most
of the men being driven from their quarters, she was surrendered, the
general cry being for quarter, which, however, the enemy refused. The
barge was now boarded by the blacks with brutal cruelty. In this action
all the Protector's officers were either killed or wounded. Whaley fell,
killed by a musket ball; Captain Handy fell fighting with one arm, after
the other had been broken. Lieutenant Handy was severely wounded. Of the
sixty-five men that went into action in the Protector twenty-five were
killed or drowned, and twenty-nine wounded, some mortally. Of the
Accomac volunteers Captain Christian was killed with a musket ball.
Captain William Snead, Mr. John Reville, and Colonel Cropper, were
wounded. Among those thrown into the water by the explosion was William
Gibb, a Scotchman, for many years deputy clerk of Accomac. He could not
swim, and was sinking when his friend, Captain Parker, seized him by the
hair, and kept him afloat until they both were picked up by the enemy.
As long as Gibb lived, which was forty-five years thereafter, he had an
annual feast at his house on the thirtieth of November, the anniversary
of the Battle of the Barges.[741:A]

Colonel Cropper at the age of nineteen was captain of the 9th Virginia
Regiment in the continental line: and in 1776 was made major in the 5th
Regiment.[741:B] He was with Washington in the Jerseys, and present at
the battles of M