the gruff order from the quarter-deck, "Cease
firing: you are throwing away your shot!" Then came the roar of the
opening volley from the American frigate.

"A strange noise such as I had never heard before next arrested my
attention," wrote the English sailor-lad. "It sounded like the tearing
of sails just over our heads. This I soon ascertained to be the wind
of the enemy's shot. The firing, after a few minutes' cessation,
recommenced. The roaring of cannon could now be heard from all parts
of our trembling ship; and, mingling as it did with that of our foes,
it made a most hideous noise. By and by I heard the shot strike the
sides of our ship. The whole scene grew indescribably confused and
horrible. It was like some awfully tremendous thunderstorm, whose
deafening roar is attended by incessant streaks of lightning, carrying
death in every flash, and strewing the ground with the victims of its
wrath; only in our case the scene was rendered more horrible than that
by the presence of torrents of blood, which dyed our decks. Though the
recital may be painful, yet, as it will reveal the horrors of war, and
show at what a fearful price the victory is won or lost, I will
present the reader with things as they met my eye during the progress
of this dreadful fight. I was busily supplying my gun with powder,
when I saw blood suddenly fly from the arm of a man stationed at our
gun. I saw nothing strike him: the effect alone was visible; and in an
instant the third lieutenant tied his handkerchief round the wounded
arm, and sent the poor fellow below to the surgeon.

"The cries of the wounded now rang through all parts of the ship.
These were carried to the cock-pit as fast as they fell, while those
more fortunate men who were killed outright were immediately thrown
overboard. As I was stationed but a short distance from the main
hatchway, I could catch a glance at all who were carried below. A
glance was all I could indulge in; for the boys belonging to the guns
next to mine were wounded in the early part of the action, and I had
to spring with all my might to keep three or four guns supplied with
cartridges. I saw two of these lads fall nearly together. One of them
was struck in the leg by a large shot; he had to suffer amputation
above the wound. The other had a grape or canister sent through his
ankle. A stout Yorkshire man lifted him in his arms, and hurried with
him to the cock-pit. He had his foot cut off, and was thus