Page 225. The Alliance bore down and the Richard did rake. The Alliance was commanded by Pierre Landais, a Frenchman, and his actions have never been satisfactorily explained. He had held his ship aloof at the opening of the battle, disregarding Jones's orders, but came up later only to pour three or four broadsides into the Richard, killing or wounding many of her crew and almost sinking her. She then drew off and awaited the result of the battle.
Page 225. Full forty guns Serapis bore. She really carried fifty against the Richard's forty-two. Besides, she was a new frigate, only four months out, while the Richard was old and unseaworthy. The Serapis carried 320 men, the Richard 304.
Page 226. Bold Pallas soon the Countess took. The Countess of Scarborough struck to the Pallas after a gallant two hours' battle.
Page 226. In the Hyder Ali. Hyder Ali was an Indian prince who defeated the English in 1767 and subsequently caused them so much annoyance that he was very popular with American patriots.
Page 229. The Hope. The ship Hope and the brig Constance, which were with the South Carolina, were also taken.
Page 229. Sir Henry Clinton. Clinton was left in command of New York city, when Howe started on his expedition for the capture of Philadelphia.
Page 230. Braving the death that his heart foretold. Wayne was convinced that he would not survive the attack on Stony Point, but nevertheless led the assault in person. He was struck in the head by a bullet, but insisted on being borne into the fort with his men.
Page 232. The Modern Jonas. A pasquinade printed as a broadside and stuck up in New York city. "Old Knyp" was General Knyphausen; "Old Clip," General Robertson; and "Yankee Farms," Connecticut Farms.
Page 233. The Cow-Chace. The last canto of this poem was published in "Rivington's Royal Gazette" on the day that André was captured. These are the only verses he is known to have published. The original copy is still in existence, and has the following stanza upon it, under André's signature:—
When the epic strain was sung,
The poet by the neck was hung,
And to his cost he finds too late
The dung-born tribe decides his fate.