ry it to the guns.
On the spar-deck, only a few sailors and officers were visible to the
enemy; but under the taffrail lay crouched scores of blue-uniformed
jackies, with smooth-faced middies and veteran lieutenants, ready to
spring into the rigging at the word of command, or to swarm over the
side and board the enemy, should the gunwales of the vessels touch.

All this preparation, however, was unknown to the "Englishman," who
came boldly on, doubting nothing that the "Essex" would that day be
added to his list of prizes. As he drew nearer, the American sailors
could see that their foe was much their inferior in size and armament;
and the old tars who had seen service before growled out their
dissatisfaction, that the action should be nothing but a scrimmage
after all. In a few minutes, the bold Britons gave three ringing
cheers, and let fly a broadside at the "Essex." In an instant the
ports of the sham merchantman were knocked out; and, with a warlike
thunder, the heavy carronades hurled their ponderous missiles against
the side of the assailant. The astonished Englishmen replied feebly,
but were quickly driven from their posts by the rapidity of the
American fire; and, in eight minutes after the action was opened, the
British hauled down their flag. The captured ship proved to be the
sloop-of-war "Alert," mounting twenty eighteen-pounder carronades. The
boarding officer found her badly cut up, and seven feet of water in
the hold. The officers were transferred to the "Essex," and the
"Alert" taken in tow. Circumstances, however, forced the Americans to
part in a very few days.

The chief cause which led to the separation of the two vessels was an
incipient mutiny, which was discovered by Midshipman Farragut, and was
only averted by the perfect discipline of the American crew. An
exercise to which the greatest attention was given was the
"fire-drill." When the cry of fire was raised on the ship, every man
seized his cutlass and blanket, and went to quarters as though the
ship were about to go into action. Capt. Porter was accustomed, that
his men might be well prepared for any emergency, to raise this cry of
fire at all hours of the night; and often he caused a slight smoke to
be created in the hold, further to try the nerves of his men. Shortly
after the "Alert" was captured, and while the "Essex" was crowded with
prisoners, some of the captives conspired to seize the ship, and carry
her to England. One night, as F