When the two brigs opened fire, Samuel Blyth exclaimed, "Great God, what shots!" an instant before he was killed in the first shots of the battle. Moments later, while helping his crew run out a carronade, a musket ball tore through Burrows' thigh, a fatal wound, but he stayed on deck.
The fierce contest ended in 30 minutes. Command of the Enterprise devolved to Lieutenant Edward McCall. (I have been writing about him this last week in my Cooter's History Thing blog about the USS McCall (DD-28) named after him. I will also be writing about the second USS McCall (DD-400) in my Tattooed on Your Soul: World War II blog this week.)
While, on board the HMS Boxer, Lieutenant David McGrery had assumed command of that badly cripple ship. Towards that end, he described his new command as a complete wreck, with three feet of water in the hold. The flags on the mainmast had been shot away, but the colors that had been nailed to the foremast were still there.
McGery surrendered the Boxer and was towed to Portland by the Enterprise.
Newspapers in the United States rejoiced in "another brilliant naval victory."
After two days of planning in Portland, an impressive state funeral was held for the two commanders, who were buried side-by-side in Portland's Eastern Cemetery. They remain there to this day.
--Brock-Perry
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