icable, should haul on a wind
and give us fair battle. But this did not prove to be her
commander's intention. I, however, got within hail of him at 8
P.M., hoisted our ensign, and had the candles in the battle (p. 131)
lanterns all lighted, and the large trumpet in the lee-gangway
ready to speak him, and to demand the surrender of his ship to
the United States of America; but he, at that instant, commenced
a fire from his stern and quarter guns, directed at our rigging
and spars. No parley being then necessary, I sent my principal
aid-de-camp, Mr. Vandyke, to the different officers commanding
divisions on the main battery, to repeat strictly my orders,
before given, not to throw away a single charge of powder, but to
take good aim and fire directly into the hull of the enemy, and
load principally with two round shot, and now and then with a
round shot and stand of grape, &c., to encourage the men at their
quarters; to cause or suffer no noise or confusion whatever; but
to load and fire as fast as possible when it could be done with
certain effect. These orders being given, in a few moments I
gained a position on his weather quarter that enabled us to
return, effectually, his salute; and thus a close and as sharp an
action as ever was fought between two frigates, commenced and
continued until within a few minutes of 1 A.M., when the enemy's
fire was completely silenced, and he was again sheering off.

It was at this moment that I considered him as my prize, and was
trimming, in the best manner I could, my much shattered sails,
when I found the mainmast was totally unsupported by rigging,
every shroud being shot away, and some of them in several places,
that even stoppers were useless, and could not be applied with
effect. I then gave orders for the officers to send the men up
the gun-deck to endeavour to secure it, in order that we might
get alongside of the enemy again as soon as possible; but every
effort was in vain, for the mainmast went over the side a few
minutes after, and carried with it the top-men, among whom was an
amiable young gentleman who commanded the maintop, Mr. James
Jarvis, son of James Jarvis, Esq., of New York. It seems that
this young gentleman was apprized of the mast going in a few
minutes by an old seaman, but he ha