It was said that General Proctor’s army had but a scanty store of provisions, and it had been decided Commodore Barclay should at all hazards open communication with Long Point, where were gathered the British supplies.
Our commodore believed this information to be true, as could be understood by the precautions he was taking to prevent the enemy from slipping past him.
Lookouts were stationed on Gibraltar island; every vessel was kept in readiness for a quick start; anchors were hove short, sails only loosely stowed, and no man, save those who acted as watchmen, was allowed ashore.
We could be in sailing trim within five minutes after the Britishers hove in sight, and, weak though the majority of the men were from the recent attack of fever, we knew full well all hands would give the redcoats a good sample of how Yankees could fight.
Each hour brought us nearer the battle in which we believed we should win some honor for ourselves, and inflict considerable injury upon the foe, and it was said by his messmates that old Silas slept with one eye open, lest by closing both at the same moment he might lose time in opening them.
It is impossible for me to give even a faint idea of the suppressed excitement under which we labored during these long, weary days of waiting!
Fancy what a strain it must be on the nerves to know for five days and nights on a stretch that at any moment one might be summoned to do desperate battle for his country—that he might meet his death during the engagement, or at the best come out maimed for life, and some slight idea can be had of our mental condition from the hour of learning that it had become absolutely necessary for the British commodore to leave his hiding-place.
On the evening of September 9th, all the officers of the fleet were on board the Lawrence, having been summoned by the commander to a consultation for the purpose of deciding whether it might not be wise to attack the enemy’s squadron even while it was under the guns of the fortifications at Malden.
The gentlemen were on the quarterdeck, and amidships the crew had gathered, hoping to catch a word now and then which would give them an idea of what might be expected.
Then it was that our commodore did that which would have endeared himself to every man in his command, even had he been unfriendly with them up to that time.