Clearing away our guns, we ran abreast the Britishers and poured in a broadside. They both responded from their starboard batteries, the only ones they could use. Our shots were low and did great havoc among the troops and crew of the enemy. On the other hand, their guns were aimed too high and the balls passed above our heads, riddling our sails and doing much damage to our spars and rigging; then they swept on, endangering the Rhode Island schooner, which lay on the other side of the island, becalmed, in range of the English cannon, and unable to change her position or to render us any assistance.
For a half-hour the battle raged until the commander of the British ship was slain, when she struck her colors, and her consort quickly followed. I was with Lieutenant Fettyplace when he boarded the larger craft, finding her to be the George, from Glasgow, Scotland. Lieutenant Salter went off to the brig, and reported her to be the Annabella from the same Scottish port. Each vessel carried a large cargo of ammunition, clothing and stores for the British army, while on the latter were two hundred and fifty Highland soldiers, under command of Colonel Archibald Campbell, and belonging to General Frazer’s corps.
In the conflict we had not lost a man, nor had any of the ship’s company been seriously wounded. In short, our only damage was to our sails and rigging. But the enemy had suffered greatly. More than two score men were more or less injured, while thirty-six, including the captain of the George, lay dead.
One of the saddest sights I remember in all my naval experience was that of the next day, when we buried the dead Scotchmen on the island. It was heartrending to see the women, who had accompanied the troops, weeping with loud lamentations, and to hear the bag-pipes play the funeral dirge.
The hours before the sad burial had been spent in floating the prizes, and transferring our prisoners to the Franklin. A stiff breeze from the south-west had enabled the Katy to rejoin us. So the funeral once over, prize crews were placed on the captured vessels, and we sailed for Lynn.
There we turned them over to the Continental agent, and had the satisfaction of knowing that their cargoes—save one item—went to Washington’s army at Cambridge. The exception was the store of canvas we found among the prize goods. This was used to furnish us with a new set of sails, and we were soon off to sea again.
CHAPTER IX
AN ASTONISHING OFFER
Our first voyage had been of three days duration, and we had captured two prizes of considerable value. Standing near Lieutenant Salter, as we left the harbor for our second cruise, I remarked:
“A short and successful trip was ours before, Lieutenant Salter. What think you our fortune will be this time, sir?”
He smiled. “Who can tell, Master Dunn? This search for prizes is much like a lottery. We may quickly make a fine draw, as we did before, or we may get a blank. It’s even possible that we may cruise around for weeks, yes, this entire voyage, and yet return to port empty-handed.”