20 Naval War of 1812 



order, he replied: "No, doctor, none of that; fair 

 play's a jewel. One man's life is as dear as an 

 other's ; I would not cheat any poor fellow out of his 

 turn." So he stayed at his post, and died from loss 

 of blood. 



Finding it hopeless to try to close, the Essex 

 stood for the land, Porter intending to run her 

 ashore and burn her. But when she had drifted 

 close to the bluffs the wind suddenly shifted, took 

 her flat aback and paid her head off shore, exposing 

 her to a raking fire. At this moment Lieutenant 

 Downes, commanding the Junior, pulled out in a 

 boat, through all the fire, to see if he could do any 

 thing. Three of the men with him, including an 

 old boatswain's mate, named Kingsbury, had come 

 out expressly "to share the fate of their old ship;" 

 so they remained aboard, and, in their places, Lieu 

 tenant Downes took some of the wounded ashore, 

 while the Cherub kept up a tremendous fire upon 

 him. The shift of the wind gave Porter a faint hope 

 of closing; and once more the riddled hulk of the 

 little American frigate was headed for her foes. 

 But Hilyar put his helm up to avoid close quarters ; 

 the battle was his already, and the cool old captain 

 was too good an officer to leave anything to chance. 

 Seeing he could not close, Porter had a hawser bent 

 on the sheet-anchor and let go. This brought the 

 ship's head round, keeping her stationary ; and from 



