. But the steersman of the "Hyder Ali"
remembered his instructions; and before the enemy discovered the ruse,
the American ship lay athwart the other's bow, and the bowsprit of the
enemy was caught in the "Hyder Ali's" rigging, giving the latter a
raking position. Quickly the Yankee gunners seized the opportunity.
Not five miles away was a British frigate ready to rush to the
assistance of her consort, and whatever was to be done by the bold
lads of Pennsylvania had to be done with expedition. No cheer rose
from their ranks; but with grim determination they worked at the great
guns, pouring in rapid and effective broadsides. The explosions of the
two batteries were like the deafening peals of thunder echoed and
re-echoed in some mountain-gorge. Smoke hid the vessels from sight,
and the riflemen in the tops could only occasionally catch sight of
the figures of the enemy. The enemy had twenty guns to Barney's
sixteen; but he was out-manoeuvred at the start, and this disadvantage
he never overcame. Half an hour from the time of the opening of the
battle, his flag was struck, and the Americans, with lusty cheers,
took possession of their prize. There was no time for ceremony. The
frigate had seen the conflict from afar, and was bearing down upon
the two antagonists. So without even asking the name of the captured
vessel, Barney hastily threw a prize crew aboard, ordered her to
proceed to Philadelphia, and himself remained behind to cover the
retreat.

Some hours later, having escaped the British frigate, the two vessels
sailed up to a Philadelphia wharf. The scars of battle had been in no
way healed: the tattered sails, the shattered hulls and bulwarks, the
cordage hanging loosely from the masts, told the story of battle. The
crowd that rushed to the wharf, and peered curiously about the decks
of the two vessels, saw a ghastly and horrible sight. For the battle
had been as sanguinary as it was spirited, and the dead still lay
where they fell. On the British vessel, the "Gen. Monk," lay the
lifeless bodies of twenty men; while twenty-six wounded, whose blood
stained the deck, lay groaning in the cock-pit below. On the "Hyder
Ali" were four killed and eleven wounded.

This action, for steadiness and brilliancy, was not surpassed by any
naval duel of the war of the Revolution. By it the name of Joshua
Barney was put upon a plane with those of the most eminent commanders
in the regular navy; and had not the war speedily termi