On the Ocean 161 



guns, then wore, and recommenced the action with 

 his port broadside at about 3.10. Again the ves 

 sels were abreast, and the action went on as fu 

 riously as ever. The wreck of the top hamper on the 

 Java lay over her starboard side, so that every dis 

 charge of her guns set her on fire, 83 and in a few 

 minutes her able and gallant commander was mor 

 tally wounded by a ball fired by one of the American 

 maintopmen. 84 The command then devolved on the 

 first lieutenant, Chads, himself painfully wounded. 

 The slaughter had been terrible, yet the British 

 fought on with stubborn resolution, cheering lustily. 

 But success was now hopeless, for nothing could 

 stand against the cool precision of the Yankee fire. 

 The stump of the Java's foremast was carried away 

 by a double-headed shot, the mizzenmast fell, the 

 gaff and spanker boom were shot away, also the 

 main-yard, and finally the ensign was cut down by 

 a shot, and all her guns absolutely silenced ; when at 

 4.05 the Constitution, thinking her adversary had 

 struck, 85 ceased firing, hauled aboard her tacks, and 

 passed across her adversary's bows to windward, 

 with her topsails, jib, and spanker set. A few 

 minutes afterward the Java's mainmast fell, leaving 

 her a sheer hulk. The Constitution assumed a 

 weatherly position, and spent an hour in repairing 

 damages and securing her masts ; then she wore and 

 stood toward her enemy, whose flag was again fly- 



M Lieut. Chads' Address. 



84 Surgeon J. C. Jones' Report. . 



85 Log of the Constitution (as given in Bainbridge's letter). 



