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American frigate hailed that she had surrendered, and hoisted a light in her mizen rigging. Not hearing the hail, and mistaking the object of the light, the Pomone fired a second broadside, acknowledged to have been as ineffectual as the first. On this, the President luffed up still sharper, as if to lay the Pomone on board, and instantly hauled down her light, again hailing that she had surrendered. At this time the Tenedos, who had been hailed by the Endymion and informed that the only two boats her misfortune with the Neufchatel had left her were destroyed, ranged up on the President's starboard side, and, hailing, was answered : " The American frigate President : we have surrendered." Captain Parker immediately sent a boat and took possession; as did nearly at the same moment, Captain Lumley of the Pomone. At a few minutes before 9 p.m., having in the short space of 54 minutes, besides repairing her running rigging, bent new courses, main topsail, jib, foretopmast staysail, and spanker, and trimmed them to the wind, the Endymion went again in chase, as fresh as when she began the action. At 9 h. 45 m. the Endymion was hailed, as just mentioned, by the Tenedos, and was not very far astern of the latter at 11 h. 30 m. p.m., when the President struck. The principal damages sustained by the Endymion have already been detailed. Her fore topmast was struck badly, but none of her other masts in any serious degree. Out of her 319 men and 27 boys in crew, the Endymion had 10 seamen and one sergeant of marines killed, and 12 seamen and two private marines wounded. If the high firing of the President displayed its effects in the disordered rigging and sails of the Endymion, the low firing of the Endymion was equally conspicuous in the shattered hull and lower masts of the President. The starboard side of the ship was riddled from end to end, particularly near the quarter. Almost every port-sill and port-timber, both on the main and the quarter deck, exhibited marks of shot. Three shot had entered the buttock, one of which had passed into the after magazine. Several shot had entered between wind and water, and some under water, which had cut the knees and timbers much. A great many shot had also passed through the ship, between the main and quarter decks and in the waist ; but, as a proof of the slight effect of the Pomone's fire, one shot only had entered on the larboard side : it passed through at the tenth port, and carried away the upper sill, clamp, and diagonal knees. With so many shot-holes in her hull, the President might well have six feet water in the hold. Five or six of her guns were completely disabled. Out of her 465 men and four boys in crew, the President had three lieutenants, and 32 petty officers, seamen, and marines killed, her commander (slightly), master, two midshipmen, and 66 seamen and marines wounded; total, 35 killed and 70 wounded. Of the Endymion's force in guns we have already given a ^ back to top ^ |
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