1812	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	100

Grant, was wounded very severely. In a few minutes the two ships got clear. Having disentangled her bowsprit from her opponent's mizen rigging, the Guerrière now came to a little, and was enabled to bring a few of her foremost guns on the starboard side to bear. Some of the wads from these set fire to the Constitution's cabin, but the flames were soon extinguished. The Guerrière's bowsprit, at that moment striking the taffrail of the Constitution, slacked the fore stay of the Guerrière, and, the fore shrouds on the larboard or weather side being mostly shot away, the mast fell over on the starboard side, crossing the main stay : the sudden jerk carried the mainmast along with it, leaving the Guerrière a defenceless wreck ; rolling her maindeck guns in the water." *

At about 6 h. 23 m. � the Constitution ranged ahead ; and the Guerrière soon began clearing away the wreck of her masts, to be ready to renew the action. Just, however, as she had succeeded in doing so, her spritsail yard, upon which she had set a sail to endeavour to get before the wind, was carried away. The Guerrière now lay an unmanageable hulk in the trough of the sea, rolling her maindeck guns under water : to secure which required increased efforts, the rotten state of the breechings, as well as of the timber-heads through which the long-bolts passed, having caused many of them to break loose. While the British frigate was in this state, the Constitution, at 6 h. 45 m. p.m., having rove new braces, wore round and took a position, within pistol-shot on her starboard quarter. It being utterly in vain to contend any longer; the Guerrière fired a lee gun, and hauled down the union jack from the stump of her mizenmast. The following diagram will show the progress of this action, from the two ships closed to the moment of the Guerrière's surrender.

Much to his credit, the moment the Constitution hoisted her colour, Captain Dacres ordered seven Americans, that belonged to his reduced crew, to go below: one accidentally remained at

* Brenton, Vol., v., p. 51. � See diagram.

^ back to top ^