On the Ocean 261 



Captain Blyth had nailed his colors to the mast, 

 telling his men they should never be struck while 

 he had life in his body. 56 Both crews cheered 

 loudly as they neared each other, and at 3.15, the 

 two brigs being on the starboard tack not half pistol- 

 shot apart, they opened fire, the American using the 

 port, and the English the starboard, battery. Both 

 broadsides were very destructive, each of the com- 

 manders falling at the very beginning of the action. 

 Captain Blyth was struck by an eighteen-pound shot 

 while he was standing on the quarter-deck ; it passed 

 completely through his body, shattering his left arm 

 and killing him on the spot. The command, there- 

 upon, devolved on Lieutenant David McCreery. At 

 almost the same time his equally gallant antagonist 

 fell. Lieutenant Burrows, while encouraging his 

 men, laid hold of a gun-tackle fall to help the crew 

 of a carronade run out the gun ; in doing so he raised 

 one leg against the bulwark, when a canister shot 

 struck his thigh, glancing into his body and inflict- 

 ing a fearful wound. 57 In spite of the pain he re- 

 fused to be carried below, and lay on the deck, crying 

 out that the colors must never be struck. Lieu- 

 tenant Edward McCall now took command. At 3.30 

 the Enterprise ranged ahead, rounded to on the star- 

 board tack, and raked the Boxer with the starboard 

 guns. At 3.35 the Boxer lost her main-topmast 

 and top sail yard, but her crew still kept up the fight 

 bravely with the exception of four men who deserted 



. M "Naval Chronicle," xxxii, p. 462. 

 " Cooper, "Naval History," ii, p. 259. 



