And one who wrought still tells the tale, that as his task he plied,
An unseen fellow-form he felt that labored at his side;
And still to wondering ears relates, that as each brick was squared,
Lo! unseen trowels clinked response, and a new course prepared.
O night of nights! The blinking dawn beheld the marvel done,
And from the new martello boomed the echoing morning gun.
One stormy cloud its lip upblew; and as its thunder rolled,
Old England saw, above the smoke, New England's flag unfold.
Then, slowly tacking to and fro, more near the cruisers made,
To see what force unheralded had flown to Walbach's aid.
"God be our stay," the parson cried, "who hearkened Israel's wail!"
And as he spake,—all in a line, seaward the ships set sail.
George Houghton.
In order to draw British ships from this blockade, the government adopted the policy of sending light squadrons into distant seas, and in October, 1812, the 32-gun frigate Essex, Captain David Porter, sailed to join the Constitution and Hornet for a cruise in the Indian Ocean. Porter failed to find the other ships and decided to double Cape Horn and cruise in the Pacific. He captured a number of prizes, and completely destroyed British commerce in the south Pacific. A strong force of British cruisers was sent out to intercept him, and finally, on March 28, 1814, he was caught in a disabled condition at Valparaiso by two British ships, and attacked, notwithstanding the neutrality of the port. After a desperate fight, he was forced to surrender.
THE BATTLE OF VALPARAISO
Proeliis audax, neque te silebo.—Hor.