A few minutes before noon the engagement began, Perry
heading straight for the flagship of the enemy, and drawing the fire of
practically the whole British squadron by running ahead of the other
ships, which, owing to the light breeze, could not get within range. For
two hours, he fought against these hopeless odds, and almost without
support, until his ship was reduced to a wreck and only one of her guns
could be worked, while of her crew of 103, only twenty were left on
their feet. Every nook and corner of the brig was occupied by some
wounded and dying wretch seeking vainly to find shelter from the British
fire. Even the cockpit, where the wounded were carried for treatment,
was not safe, for some of the men were killed while under the surgeon's
hands. No fewer than six cannon balls passed through the cockpit, while
two went through the magazine, which, by some miracle, did not explode.
The ship was so disabled, at last, that it drifted out of action, and
Perry, taking his pennant and the blue flag bearing the words "Don't
give up the ship!" under his arm, got into a boat with four seamen, and
started for the Niagara, his other brig.
The British saw the little boat dancing over the waves, and after a
moment of dazed astonishment at a manoeuvre unheard of in naval warfare
and daring almost to madness, concentrated their fire on it.
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