ed a well-directed fire upon their huge enemy, that,
like a hawk attacked by a crowd of sparrows, soon turned to fly. But
at this moment the wind changed, enabling two frigates which were at
anchor lower down the bay to come up to the aid of their consort. The
American gunboats drew off slowly, firing as they departed.

This attack infused new energy into the British, and they at once
began formidable preparations for an attack upon Norfolk. On the 20th
of June they moved forward to the assault,--three seventy-four-gun
ships, one sixty-four, four frigates, two sloops, and three
transports. They were opposed by the American forces stationed on
Craney Island, which commands the entrance to Norfolk Harbor. Here the
Americans had thrown up earthworks, mounting two twenty-four, one
eighteen, and four six pound cannon. To work this battery, one hundred
sailors from the "Constellation," together with fifty marines, had
been sent ashore. A large body of militia and a few soldiers of the
regular army were also in camp upon the island.

The British set the 22d as the date for the attack; and on the morning
of that day, fifteen large boats, filled with sailors, marines, and
soldiers to the number of seven hundred, put off from the ships, and
dashed toward the batteries. At the same time a larger force tried to
move forward by land, but were driven back, to wait until their
comrades in the boats should have stormed and silenced the American
battery. But that battery was not to be silenced. After checking the
advance of the British by land, the Americans waited coolly for the
column of boats to come within point-blank range. On they came,
bounding over the waves, led by the great barge "Centipede," fifty
feet long, and crowded with men. The blue-jackets in the shore battery
stood silently at their guns. Suddenly there arose a cry, "Now, boys,
are you ready?" "All ready," was the response. "Then fire!" And the
great guns hurled their loads of lead and iron into the advancing
boats. The volley was a fearful one; but the British still came on
doggedly, until the fire of the battery became too terrible to be
endured. "The American sailors handled the great guns like rifles,"
said one of the British officers, speaking of the battle. Before this
terrific fire, the advancing column was thrown into confusion. The
boats, drifting upon each other, so crowded together that the oars-men
could not make any headway. A huge round shot struck the