“Fire!”
But the English captain had now discovered our real character, and both vessels fired a broadside at the same time. The moment the terrible roar of the artillery ceased, however, the fifty picked men leaped on board the Elizabeth. Like the rush of a whirlwind they swept her deck, drove her crew down below, and hauled down her colors. These movements were seen by the Observer, and she came down to attack us. But Captain Tucker cried out in a threatening voice:
“We are ready for you, sir, two to one. Come on!”
Our men already had control of the Elizabeth, and turned with our frigate to attack the newcomer. Finding she had got to face the guns of two vessels instead of one, the brig thought discretion the better part of valor, and attempted to run away. A broadside poured into her quickly changed that plan, however, and she ran down her flag.
The sloop-of-war Howe, supposing her consort was going to fight, had ranged up towards, and now fired upon us. Whereupon Captain Tucker shouted:
“Captain Frazer, if you fire another broadside, I’ll blow you out of the water. Surrender!”
The captain of the sloop evidently thought it prudent to do so, and obeyed the command. It was an easy matter for us then to pick up the two ships, and we took all five of the vessels safely into port.
In November we were back again in Philadelphia, where we received orders to put our frigate into thorough order for a special service. While this work was going on there was much speculation among us—the younger officers of the ship—as to the character of this mission. But we did not know until the beginning of the following month what was really expected of us. Then Captain Tucker received this official order:
“Philadelphia, December 15, 1779.
To Captain Samuel Tucker,
Commanding the frigate Boston.