52 Naval War of 1812 



the pikemen. As the vessels came grinding to 

 gether the men hacked and thrust at one another 

 through the open port-holes, while the black smoke 

 curled up from between the hulls. Then through 

 the smoke appeared the grim faces of the British 

 seadogs, and the fighting was bloody enough; for 

 the stubborn English stood well in the hard hand 

 play. But those who escaped the deadly fire of the 

 top-men, escaped only to be riddled through by the 

 long Yankee pikes ; so, avenged by their own hands, 

 the foremost of the assailants died, and the others 

 gave back. The attack was foiled, though the Rein 

 deer's marines kept answering well the American 

 fire. Then the English captain, already mortally 

 wounded, but with the indomitable courage that 

 nothing but death could conquer, cheering and ral 

 lying his men, himself sprang, sword in hand, into 

 the rigging, to lead them on ; and they followed him 

 with a will. At that instant a ball from the Wasp's 

 main-top crashed through his skull, and, still 

 clenching in his right hand the sword he had shown 

 he could wear so worthily, with his face to the foe, 

 he fell back on his own deck dead, while above him 

 yet floated the flag for which he had given his life. 

 No Norse Viking, slain over shield, ever died bet 

 ter. As the British leader fell and his men recoiled, 

 Captain Blakely passed the word to board; with 

 wild hurrahs the boarders swarmed over the ham- 



