He now made sail to bring the Constitution up with
her antagonist, and at five minutes before six P.M., _being alongside
within half pistol shot_, he commenced a heavy fire from all his guns,
_double shotted with round and grape_; and so well directed, and so well
kept up was the fire, that in sixteen minutes the mizzenmast of the
Guerriere went by the board, and her mainyard in the slings, and the
hull, rigging, and sails were completely torn to pieces. The fire was
kept up for fifteen minutes longer, when the main and foremast went,
taking with them every spar except the bowsprit, and leaving the
Guerriere a complete wreck. On seeing this Hull ordered the firing to
cease, having brought his enemy in thirty minutes after he was fairly
alongside to such a condition, that a few more broadsides must have
carried her down.
The prize being so shattered that she was not worth bringing into port,
after removing the prisoners to the Constitution, she was set on fire
and blown up. In the action, the Constitution lost seven killed, and
seven wounded; the Guerriere, fifteen killed, sixty-two
wounded--including the captain and several officers, and twenty-four
missing.
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