226 Naval War of 1812 



three ensigns flying, steered straight for the Shan 

 non's starboard quarter. Broke was afraid that 

 Lawrence would pass under the Shannon's stern, 

 rake her, and engage her on the quarter; but either 

 overlooking or waiving this advantage, the Ameri 

 can captain luffed up within 50 yards upon the 

 Shannon's starboard quarter, and squared his main- 

 yard. On board the Shannon the captain of the 

 1 4th gun, William Mindham, had been ordered not 

 to fire till it bore into the second main-deck port 

 forward; at 5.50 it was fired, and then the other 

 guns in quick succession from aft forward, the 

 Chesapeake replying with her whole broadside. At 

 5.53 Lawrence, finding he was forging ahead, hauled 

 up a little. The Chesapeake 's broadsides were do 

 ing great damage, but she herself was suffering even 

 more than her foe; the men in the Shannon's tops 

 could hardly see the deck of the American frigate 

 through the clouds of splinters, hammocks, and other 

 wreck that was flying across it. Man after man was 

 killed at the wheel ; the fourth lieutenant, the master, 

 and the boatswain were slain; and at 5.56, having 

 had her jib sheet and foretop-sail tie shot away, and 

 her spanker brails loosened so that the sail blew out, 

 the Chesapeake came up into the wind somewhat, so 

 as to expose her quarter to her antagonist's broad 

 side, which beat in her stern-ports and swept the men 

 from the after guns. One of the arm chests on the 

 quarter-deck was blown up by a hand-grenade 

 thrown from the Shannon. 28 The Chesapeake was 



28 This explosion may have' had more effect than is com 

 monly supposed in the capture of the Chesapeake. Commo- 



