om beneath the guns of the British fort.
Fortune favored his enterprise. It happened that on that very day a
detachment of sailors from the ocean had arrived at Black Rock. Though
wearied by their long overland journey, the jackies were ready for the
adventure, but had no weapons. In this dilemma Elliott was forced to
turn for aid to the military authorities, from whom he obtained
pistols, swords, and sabres enough to fit out his sailors for the
fray. With the arms came a number of soldiers and a small party of
adventurous citizens, all of whom enlisted under the leadership of the
adventurous Elliott. In planning the expedition, the great difficulty
lay in getting rid of the too numerous volunteers.

By nightfall, the preparations for the expedition were completed. In
the underbrush that hung over the banks of the river, two large boats
were concealed, ready for the embarkation. At midnight fifty men,
armed to the teeth, silently took their places in each of the great
barges, and pushed out upon the black surface of the river. All along
the bank were crowds of eager watchers, who discussed the chances of
success with bated breath, lest the merest whisper should alarm the
British sentries on the farther shore. With steady strokes of the
muffled oars, the two boats made their way toward the two brigs that
could just be seen outlined against the sky. Elliott, in the first
boat, directed the movements of his men, and restrained the too
enthusiastic. So stealthy was the approach, that the foremost boat was
fairly alongside of the "Detroit" before the British took the alarm.
Then the quick hail of the sentry brought an answering pistol-shot
from Elliott; and, amid volleys of musketry, the assailants clambered
up the sides of the brigs, and with pistol and cutlass drove the
startled crew below. So complete was the surprise, that the British
made but little resistance; and the cables of the brigs were cut,
sails spread, and the vessels under way, before the thunder of a gun
from Fort Erie told that the British on shore had taken the alarm.

At the report of the first shot fired, the dark line of the American
shore suddenly blazed bright with huge beacon fires, while lanterns
and torches were waved from commanding points to guide the adventurous
sailors in their navigation of the captured brigs. But the victors
were not to escape unscathed with their booty. The noise of the
conflict, and the shouts of the Americans on the dista