egan to shower his missiles upon the enemy's gun-deck. Great was
the execution done by each grenade; but at last, one better aimed
than the rest fell through the main hatch to the main deck. There was
a flash, then a succession of quick explosions; a great sheet of flame
gushed up through the hatchway, and a chorus of cries told of some
frightful tragedy enacted below.

It seemed that the powder-boys of the "Serapis" had been too active in
bringing powder to the guns, and, instead of bringing cartridges as
needed, had kept one charge in advance of the demand; so that behind
every gun stood a cartridge, making a line of cartridges on the deck
from bow to stern. Several cartridges had been broken, so that much
loose powder lay upon the deck. This was fired by the discharge of the
hand-grenade, and communicated the fire to the cartridges, which
exploded in rapid succession, horribly burning scores of men. More
than twenty men were killed instantly; and so great was the flame and
the force of the explosion, that many of them were left with nothing
on but the collars and wristbands of their shirts and the waistbands
of their trousers. It is impossible to conceive of the horror of the
sight.

Capt. Pearson in his official report of the battle, speaking of this
occurrence, says, "A hand-grenade being thrown in at one of the lower
ports, a cartridge of powder was set on fire, the flames of which,
running from cartridge to cartridge all the way aft, blew up the whole
of the people and officers that were quartered abaft the main-mast;
from which unfortunate circumstance those guns were rendered useless
for the remainder of the action, and I fear that the greater part of
the people will lose their lives."

This event changed the current of the battle. The English were hemmed
between decks by the fire of the American topmen, and they found that
not even then were they protected from the fiery hail of
hand-grenades. The continual pounding of double-headed shot from a gun
which Jones had trained upon the main-mast of the enemy had finally
cut away that spar; and it fell with a crash upon the deck, bringing
down spars and rigging with it. Flames were rising from the tarred
cordage, and spreading to the framework of the ship. The Americans saw
victory within their grasp.

But at this moment a new and most unsuspected enemy appeared upon the
scene. The "Alliance," which had stood aloof during the heat of the
conflict, now appeared,