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airs. Towards sunset, the enemy was becalmed under the American shore, and we
got a breeze from the southward. We now closed, and at 6 formed our line for
engaging. We continued to close until 7, when the wind came out fresh at S.W.,
putting John again to windward.
I can hardly tell what followed, there was so much manoeuvring and shifting
of berths. Both squadrons were standing across the lake, the enemy being to
windward, and a little astern of us. We now passed within hail of the
commodore, who gave us orders to form a new line of battle, which we did in
the following manner. One line, composed of the smallest schooners, was formed
to windward, while the ships, brig, and two heaviest schooners, formed another
line to leeward. We had the weathermost line, having the Growler, Lieutenant
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Deacon, for the vessel next astern of us. This much I could see, though I did
not understand the object. I now learn the plan was for the weather line to
engage the enemy, and then, by edging away, draw them down upon the lee line,
which line contained our principal force. According to the orders, we ought to
have rather edged off, as soon as the English began to fire, in order to draw
them down upon the commodore; but it will be seen that our schooner pursued a
very different course.
It must have been near midnight, when the enemy began to fire at the Fair
American, the sternmost vessel of our weather line. We were a long bit ahead
of her, and did not engage for some time. The firing became pretty smart
astern, but we stood on, without engaging, the enemy not yet being far enough
ahead for us. After a while, the four sternmost schooners of our line kept
off, according to orders, but the Julia and Growler still stood on. I suppose
the English kept off, too, at the same time, as the commodore had expected. At
any rate, we found ourselves so well up with the enemy, that, instead of
bearing up, Mr. Trant tacked in the Julia, and the Growler came round after
us. We now began to fire on the headmost ships of the enemy, which were coming
on towards us. We were able to lay past the enemy on this tack, and fairly got
to windward of them. When we were a little on John Bull's weather bow, we
brailed the foresail, and gave him several rounds, within a pretty fair
distance. The enemy answered us, and, from that moment, he seemed to give up
all thoughts of the vessels to leeward of him, turning his whole attention on
the Julia and Growler.
The English fleet stood on the same tack, until it had got between us and our
own line, when it went about in chase of us. We now began to make short tacks
to windward; the enemy separating so as to spread a wide clew, in order that
they might prevent our getting past, by turning their line and running to
leeward. As for keeping to windward, we had no difficulty--occasionally
brailing our foresail, and even edging off, now and then, to be certain that
our shot would tell. In moderate weather, the Julia was the fastest vessel in
the American squadron, the Lady of the Lake excepted; and the Growler was far
from being dull. Had there been room, I make no doubt we might have kept clear
of John Bull, with the greatest ease; touching him up with our long, heavy
guns, from time to time, as it suited us. I have often thought that Mr. Trant
forgot we were between the enemy and the land, and that he fancied himself out
at sea. It was a hazy, moonlight morning, and we did not see anything of the
main, though it turned out to be nearer to us than we wished.
All hands were now turning to windward; the two schooners still edging off,
occasionally, and firing. The enemy's shot went far beyond us, and did us some
mischief, though nothing that was not immediately repaired. The main
throat-halyards, on board the Julia, were shot away, as was the clew of the
mainsail. It is probable the enemy did not keep his luff, towards the last, on
account of the land.
Our two schooners kept quite near each other, sometimes one being to
windward, sometimes the other. It happened that the Growler was a short
distance to windward of us, when we first became aware of the nature of our
critical situation. She up helm, and, running down within hail, Lieutenant
Deacon informed Mr. Trant he had just sounded in two fathoms, and that he
could see lights ashore. He thought there must be Indians, in great numbers,
in this vicinity, and that we must, at all events, avoid the land. "What do
you think we had best do?" asked Lieutenant Deacon. "Run the gauntlet," called
out Mr. Trant. "Very well, sir: which shall lead?" "I'll lead the van,"
answered Mr. Trant, and then all was settled.
We now up helm, and steered for a vacancy among the British vessels. The
enemy seemed to expect us, for they formed in two lines, leaving us room to
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enter between them. When we bore up, even in these critical circumstances, it
was under our mainsail, fore-top-sail, jib, flying-jib, and foresail. So
insufficient were the equipments of these small craft, that we had neither
square-sail nor studding-sails on board us. I never saw a studding-sail in any
of the schooners, the Scourge excepted. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]