days of terror for Charleston. The land forces of the enemy
turned siege guns on the unhappy city, and a constant bombardment was
kept up from the hostile fleet. Fort Sumter, the batteries along the
water front, and the ships remaining to the Americans answered boldly.
But the defence was hopeless. The city was hemmed in by an iron
cordon. The hot-shot of the enemy's batteries were falling in the
streets, and flames were breaking out in all parts of the town. While
the defence lasted, the men-of-war took an active part in it; and,
indeed, the sailors were the last to consent to a surrender. So
noticeable was the activity of the frigate "Boston" in particular,
that, when it became evident that the Americans could hold out but a
little longer, Admiral Arbuthnot sent her commander a special order to
surrender.

"I do not think much of striking my flag to your present force,"
responded bluff Samuel Tucker, who commanded the "Boston;" "for I have
struck more of your flags than are now flying in this harbor."

But, despite this bold defiance, the inevitable capitulation soon
followed. Charleston fell into the hands of the British; and with the
city went the three men-of-war, "Providence," "Boston," and "Ranger."

It will be noticed that this disaster was the direct result of the
disappearance of Count d'Estaing and the French fleet. To the student
of history who calmly considers the record of our French naval allies
in the Revolution, there appears good reason to believe that their
presence did us more harm than good. Under De Grasse, the French fleet
did good service in co-operation with the allied armies in the
Yorktown campaign; but, with this single exception, no instance can be
cited of any material aid rendered by it to the American cause. The
United States navy, indeed, suffered on account of the French
alliance; for despite the loss of many vessels in 1779 and 1780,
Congress refused to increase the navy in any way, trusting to France
to care for America's interests on the seas. The result of this policy
was a notable falling-off in the number and spirit of naval actions.

The ship "Trumbull," twenty-eight, one of the exploits of which we
have already chronicled, saw a good deal of active service during the
last two years of the war; and though she finally fell into the hands
of the enemy, it was only because the odds against her were not to be
overcome by the most spirited resistance. It was on the 2d of June,
178