Spars fell from aloft, or crashed on either side as our balls tore them from their fastenings on the enemy’s ships; there were shouts of anger, cries of pain, moans and imprecations, while over all could be heard the crackle of musketry and the roar of heavy guns that was like to burst one’s ear-drums.
It was no longer war, but had become a fever of death, wherein each man strove to kill, and regarded not his own life.
I would that some worthier hand could set down clearly the varied and rapidly-passing sensations which floated through my brain, for then might it be possible to describe to another what one experiences at such a time.
As for myself, I no longer thought of country or of the enemy. There was simply an intense desire to kill; an eagerness to see blood flow—for the time being we were become as brutes.
I know, because of having been told at a later day, that we passed straight through the British line; broke it, and, ranging ahead on the other side, rounded to, pouring great broadsides of hot iron into the Detroit and the Queen Charlotte, which vessels had fouled each other and were lying at our mercy.
I have since read the following description of what we did when I was no longer capable of seeing, or, seeing, was so overcome by feverish excitement as not to be conscious of that which lay fair before my eyes:[5]—
“Ranging ahead of the vessels on the starboard, Perry rounded to and raked the Detroit and Queen Charlotte. Close and deadly was his fire upon them with great guns and musketry. Meanwhile the Lawrence, having drifted out of her place in the line, her position against the Detroit was taken by the Caledonia; the latter’s place in line, as opposed to the Hunter, was occupied by the Trippe, the two vessels being commanded by Captain Turner and Lieutenant Holdup. These gallant young officers had exchanged signals to board the Detroit when they saw the Niagara with the commodore’s pennant bearing down to break the British line. Turner followed closely with the Caledonia; but the freshening breeze having brought up the Somers under Mr. Almy, the Tigress, under Lieutenant Concklin, and the Porcupine, under Acting-Master Senat, the whole American squadron, excepting the Lawrence, was for the first time engaged in the conflict. The fight was terrible for a few minutes, and the combatants were completely enveloped in smoke.”
How long we were engaged after all the ships, save the poor wounded Lawrence, were brought into the conflict, I cannot say; so far as my own knowledge is concerned, it might have been five minutes, or as many hours, for I ceased to exist as a distinct human being; but had become simply a fraction, wherein the whole was the crew of the Niagara.
It so chanced that when the cloud of smoke lifted so that we might be able to distinguish objects at a distance, Alec Perry was standing by my side, having come forward with some order for his brother, and at that instant the British flag-ship, the Detroit, was lying plainly within our range of vision.
“We have at least given her a lesson!” Alec said, pointing to the shattered spars and fragments of rigging that had been cut by our shot, and even as we looked the British ensign was lowered from the masthead, fluttering in the breeze as it came nearer and nearer the deck, until I distinctly saw one of the seamen gather it up in his arms.