The two ships finally met off Monhegan, where spectators from the local area had flocked to the shoreline to watch. Within very close range, the two ships opened fire. Captain Blyth of the HMS Boxer was killed when an 18-pounder shot cut him in half.
Just minutes later, Burrows was hit by a canister that tore through his leg and lodged in his groin. He refused to be carried below until the battle was over and the Boxer had surrendered.
For half an hour, the two ships pounded each other until their masts were broken and hanging overboard and their rigging was shot away.
As the Enterprise was maneuvering for a killing rake, the surviving lieutenant on the Boxer, unable to strike the colors because they were nailed to the mast, hailed the Enterprise and said he was striking the colors.
Only the HMS Boxer's quarterdeck guns were still manned (under the direction of the purser). When offered Blyth's sword, Burrows declined it and requested that it be sent to the dead man's family. He died a short time later and command of the Enterprise was handed over to Lt. Edward McCall who took the two battered ships and their complement of dead and wounded into nearby Portland, Maine.
Quite the Battle. --Brock-Perry
No comments:
Post a Comment