BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE. 487 
the Detroit, Q,ueen Charlotte, and lady Prevost, pourings a ter- 
rible raking fire into them from the starboard guns, and on 
the Chippeway and Little Belt, from the larboard side, at half 
pistol-shot distance. The small vessels at this time having 
got within grape and canister distance, kept up a well direct- 
ed and destructive fire. The action now raged with the 
greatest fury — the Queen Charlotto, having lost her com- 
mander and several of her principal officers, in a moment of 
confusion got foul of the Detroit — in this situation the enemy 
in their turn had to sustain a tremendous fire without the pow- 
er of returning it with much effect ; the carnage was horri- 
ble — the flags of the Detroit, Queen Charlotte, and Lady Pre- 
vost, were struck in rapid succession. The brig Hunter and 
schooner Chippeway were soon compelled to follow their 
example. The Little Belt attempted to escape to Maiden, 
but she was pursued by two of the gun-boats, and surren- 
dered about three miles distant from the scene of action. 
" The writer of this account, in company with five others, 
arrived at the head of Put-in-Bay Island on the evening of 
the 9th, and' had a view of the action at the distance of only 
ten miles. The spectacle was truly grand and awful. The 
firing was incessant for the space of three hours, and continu- 
ed, at short intervals, forty-five minutes longer. In less than 
one hour after the battle began, most of the vessels of both 
fleets were enveloped in a cloud of smoke, which rendered 
the issue of the action uncertain till the next morning, when 
we visited the fleet in the harbor on the opposite side of the isl- 
and. The reader will easily judge of our solicitude to learn 
the result. There is no sentiment more painful than suspense, 
when it is excited by the uncertain issue of an event like this. 
" If the wind had continued at S. W. it was the intention 
of Admiral Barclay to have boarded our squadron ; for this 
purpose he had taken on board of his fleet about 200 of the 
famous 4ist regimeni; they acted as marines, and fought 
bravely ; but nearly two-thirds of them were either killed or 
wounded. 
•' The carnage on board the prizes was prodigious ; they 
must have lost 200 in killed, beside wounded. The sides of 
the Detroit and dueen Charlotte were shattered from bow to 
stern ; there was scarcely room to place ones hand on their 
larboard sides without touching the impression of a shot — a 
great many balls, canister and grape, were found lodged in 
their bulwarks, which were too thick to be penetrated by our 
carronades, unless within pistol-shot distance. Their masts 
