English
CaptainBreakerwasperplexedwhenhisshipcamealongsidetheenemyandwasmadefasttoher,forthingswerenotworkingaccordingtotheusualrulesmadeandprovidedforsuchoccasions,andCaptainRomboldwasevidentlyresortingtosomeunusualtactics.
Thetwosteamerswereofaboutthesameheightabovewater,sotheirdeckswereverynearlyonalevel.
Themenwithmusketsonbothsideswerereloadingtheirweapons,andthosewithnavyrevolversweredischargingthemattheenemy;buttheofficersofdivisionsconcealedtheirmenbehindthebulwarkswhentheordertoboarddidnotcome.
Christysawtheperplexityofthecommanderathisside,anditwasevidenttobothofthemthatsomeunusualstrategywastobeadopted,andCaptainBreakerdidnotintendtofallintoatrapifhecouldavoidit.
Theycouldseenothingthatlookedsuspiciousexceptthepositionoftheenemy’sforceonthestarboardsideoftheship.
Beforethecaptaincouldstophim,thefirstlieutenanthadleapedintothemizzenrigging,andascendedfarenoughtoobtainaviewofthequarterdeckoverthebulwarks,whilethecommanderwalkedaftfarenoughtoaccomplishthesamepurposebylookingthroughtheaperturemadebytheshotwhichhadcarriedawaythewheeloftheenemy,withoutexposinghimselftothefireoftheseamenonboardofher.
Christy’sactionoccupiedbutthefractionofaminute;butseveralmusketsandrevolversweredischargedathiminthisbrieftime.
Lettinggohisholdoftherigging,hedroppedtothedeckbeforethecaptaincouldseewhathewasdoing;anditwassupposedthatthedaringofficerhadbeenbroughtdownbytheshotsfiredathim.
“Seconddivision,followme!”hecried,ashepickedupthecutlasshehaddropped.
Aboutthirtymenrushedtothequarter-deck,hurriedonbyMr.Walbrook.
Christyleapedupontherail,withthecutlassinhisrighthand,andtherevolverinhisleft,anddroppeddownuponthequarterdeckoftheTallahatchie,uponasquadofseamenwhowerelyinglowbehindathirty-pounder,whosecarriagewasclosetothebulwark,thepiecepointedforward.
ThefirstlieutenanthadseenfromhispositioninthemizzenriggingthetrapwhichhadbeensetforthecrewoftheBellevite.
Theywereexpectedtoleaptotherail,andcutawaytheboardingnettings—notalwaysused,butwereonthisoccasion—andthendropdowntothedeck.
Thefirstcommandwouldnaturallyhavebeento“Repelboarders;”butthiswasnotgiven,andnofightingwastobedonetilltheboardersreachedtheship,whenthethirty-pounder,doubtlessloadedwithgrapeorshrapnel,wastomowdowntheinvadersofthedeck.
Christy’smenpoureddownafterhim,andbeforethecrewofthegun,whohadnodoubtbeenorderedtoconcealthemselves,couldgetupontheirfeettheywerecutdownbytheimpetuoustarsfromtheBellevite.Itwastheworkofbutamoment.
ChristyhadtakensomepainstohavetheopinionofCaptainRomboldthatAmericanseamenwereinferiortoBritishcirculated,andthemenevidentlyintendedtoprovethattheyweretheequalsofanysailorsafloat.
“Swingthemuzzleoftheguntostarboard!”shoutedChristy,ashetookholdwithhisownhandstopointthepiece,whichwasinpositioninamoment.
CaptainRomboldstoodbutashortdistancefromthestumpofthemizzenmastwithacutlassinhishand.
Herushedforwardtorallyhiscrew;andheseemedtoberendereddesperatebythefailureoftheschemetowhichhehadresorted.
AtthismomentChristyheardCaptainBreakershouttheordertoboard,andthemenwerespringingtotherail,andtearingawaytheboardingnetting.
“Standbythelanyard!”criedthefirstlieutenantonthequarter-deckoftheenemy,andhehadsightedthepiecehimselfintheabsenceofanyregularguncrew.“Fire!”
Thecloudofsmokeconcealedallofthedeckforwardofthemizzenmast,andChristycouldnotseewhateffecthadbeenproducedbythechargeofgrape,orwhateveritwas.
Atanyratethementhecommanderhadralliedforachargedidnotappear.
Thesmokewasblownawayinaminuteorso,andtheBellevite’ssailorshadmadealodgmentonthedeckoftheenemy.
Theywereledbytheofficersofthedivisions,andwererushingovertothestarboard,wheretheenemy’smenhadbeenconcentrated.
Theywerebravemen,whetherEnglishornot,andthemomenttheycouldseetheboarders,theyrushedatthembycommandoftheirofficers;buttheypushedforward,asitwere,outofaheapofkilledandwounded,thosewhohadfallenbythegrape-shotintendedtodecimatetheranksoftheloyalband.
Christyralliedhismenassoonastheyhaddonetheirworkinthevicinityofthethirty-pounder,andorderedthemtojointheirdivisionunderthecommandofthethirdlieutenant.
ButtheseamenonthepartoftheConfederatesseemedtobedispiritedtosomeextentbythebadbeginningtheyhadmade,andbytheheapofslainnearthem.
CaptainRomboldlayuponthedeck,proppedupagainstthemizzenmast.
Helookedaspaleasdeathitself;buthewasstilldirectingtheaction,givingorderstohisfirstlieutenant.
Twoofhisofficerswerenearhim,butbothofthemappearedtobeseverelywounded.
Thebattlewasragingwithfearfulenergyonthepartoftheloyaltars,andwithhardlylessvigoronthepartoftheenemy,thoughthelatterfoughtinasortofdesperatesilence.
Thewoundedcommanderwasdoinghisbesttoreinspirethem;buthisspeechwasbecomingfeeble,andperhapsdidmoretodiscouragethantostrengthenthem.
AtthisstageoftheactionGraines,closelyfollowedbyhistwentymen,sprangoverthestarboardbulwarks,andfellupontheenemyintherear.
Findingthemselvesbetweenanenemyinfrontandrear,theycoulddonomore;foritwassuredeathtoremainwheretheywere,andtheyfledprecipitatelytotheforecastle.
“Quarter!”shoutedthesemen,andthesamecrycamefromtheotherpartsofthedeck.
“Hauldowntheflag,Mr.Brookfield!”saidthecommanderinafeebletone.
ThefirstlieutenantoftheTallahatchie,withhishandkerchieftiedaroundhisleg,directedawoundedquartermastertostrikethecolors,andthreetremendouscheersfromthevictoriouscrewoftheBelleviterenttheair.
CaptainBreakerhadcomeonboardoftheenemy,swordinhand,andhadconductedhimselfasbravelyastheunfortunatecommanderoftheprize.
ThemomenthesawChristyherushedtohimwithbothhandsextended,andwithasmileuponhisface.
Thefourhandswereinterlocked,butnotawordwasspokenforthefeelingsofbothweretoobigforutterance.
AloyalquartermasterwasorderedtohoisttheAmericanensignovertheConfederateflagwhichhadjustbeenhauleddown.
Thesituationonboardoftheprizewassoterriblethattherewasnodangerofanattempttorecapturethevessel,andimmediateattentionwasgiventothecareofthewounded,thesurvivorsineachvesselperformingthisdutyunderitsownofficers.
Mr.Brookfield,theexecutiveofficeroftheTallahatchie,waswoundedinthelegbelowtheknee,buthedidnotregardhimselfasdisabled,andsuperintendedtheworkofcaringforthesufferers.
Mr.Hungerford,thesecondlieutenant,appearedtobetheonlyprincipalofficerwhohadescapeduninjured;whileMr.Lenwold,thethirdlieutenant,hadhisarminaslinginconsequenceofawoundreceivedfromasplinterintheearlypartoftheaction.
Thesegentlemen,whohadseemedlikedemonsonlyafewminutesbefore,soearnestweretheyinthedischargeoftheirduties,werenowastenderanddevotedassomanywomen.
CaptainBreakerdirectedhisownofficerstoreturntothedeckoftheBelleviteandprovideforthewoundedthere;buttheywerefewinnumbercomparedwiththosestrewedaboutthedeckoftheprize.
WhiletheConfederateshiphadbeenunabletodischargeherguns,andtheofficerswereusingtheirutmostexertionstorepairthedisabledsteeringapparatus,theBellevitehadhadabriefintermissionofthedinofbattle,duringwhichthewoundedhadbeencarriedbelowwherethesurgeonandhismateshadattendedtotheirinjuries.
Itwasascertainedthatonlysixmenhadbeenkilledduringtheaction,andtheirsilentformshadbeenlaidoutinthewaist.
Seventeenmenwereintheirberthsinthehospitaloronthetablesofthesurgeon,eightofwhomhadbeenwoundedbythemusketsandrevolversoftheenemyastheshipcamealongsidetheprize.
Fourothershadjustbeenbornetothecockpitwithwoundsfrompikesandcutlasses.
ThelossoftheenemywasatleasttriplethatoftheBellevite,alargenumberofwhomhadfallenbeforethemurderousdischargeofthethirty-pounderonthequarter-deck,whichhadbeenintendedtodecimatetheranksoftheloyalboarders;and,rakingthecolumnasthemenpouredintotheship,itwouldprobablyhavelaidlowmorethanoneintenofthenumber.
ThiswasanoriginalschemeofCaptainRombold;andbutforthecoolnessanddeliberationofCaptainBreaker,andthedaringofhischiefofficer,itmusthavebeenaterriblesuccess.
Asitwas,theConfederatecommander,whowastheonlyforeignofficeronboard,“hadbeenhoistedbyhisownpetard.”
ChristyhaddoneallthatrequiredhisattentiononboardoftheBellevite,andhepaidanothervisittothedeckoftheTallahatchie,wherehedesiredtoobtainsomeinformationwhichwouldenablehimthebettertounderstandtheactionwhichhadjustbeenfought.
HewasespeciallyanxioustoascertaintheconditionoftheArmstronggunwhichhadbeendisabledbythefirstshotofBlumenhoffwiththemidshipParrot.
Ashewentondeck,hesawCaptainRombold,seatedinanarm-chairhiscabinstewardhadbroughtupforhim,withhisrightlegrestingonacampstool.
“Good-morning,Mr.Passford,”saidthewoundedcommander,withaslightsmileonhispaleface.“Commentallez-vouscematin?"(Howdoyoudothismorning?)
“Trèsbien,Monsieurlecapitaine.Jesuisbienfâchéquevousêtesblessé.(Verywell,Captain.Iamverysorrythatyouarewounded.)
Youneedtheattentionofthesurgeon,sir,”repliedtheloyalofficer.
“Itakemyturnwithmymen,Mr.Passford,andmyofficersdothesame.
Thefortuneofwariswithyouagain,andIcongratulateyouonthesuccesswhichhasattendedyou.
Isawthatitwasyouwhoupsetmyplanforreceivingyourboarders.
Iwasconfident,withthatdeviceofmine,Ishouldbeabletobeatoffyourboarders,andIintendedtocarryyourdeckbyboardingyouinturn.
IthinkyourcommandercangiveyouthecreditofwinningthevictoryfortheBelleviteinhisdespatches;forIshouldhavekilledmoreofyourmenwiththatthirty-pounderthanyoudidofmine,forIshouldhaverakedthecolumn.
YousavedthedayfortheUnitedStateswhenyouranupthemizzenriggingandunmaskedmybattery.
Youareagentlemanandamagnanimousenemy,Mr.Passford,andIcongratulateyouonyourpromotion,whichissuretocome.Butyoulookpalethismorning.”
“OneofyourrevolvershadverynearlypinkedmewhenIwasintherigging;fortheballpassedbetweenmyarmandmyside,andtookoutapieceoftheformer,CaptainRombold,”repliedChristy,whowasbeginningtofeellanguidfromthelossofblood,forthedropsofredfluidweredroppingfromtheendsofhisfingers.
“ButyouexaggeratetheserviceIrendered;forCaptainBreaker,suspectingsomethingfromthepositioninwhichyourmenweredrawnup,haddroppedahawserport,andintendedtolookthroughtheaperturemadebyoneofoursolidshots.Hewouldhavediscoveredyourtrap.”
“Hecouldnothaveseenthegunorthemen.”AtthatmomentChristysankdownuponthedeck.
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