fence; and the constant fire which was kept up from those who remained upon deck, enabled those officers to carry their point after a most dreadful slaughter. The firing that was kept up on board by both parties, made it uncertain to those on shore who had possession of the ship; consequently they did not know when to begin their fire; and before the batteries opened, the Hermione, by means of the boats towing, and the sails, had considerably increased her distance from the shore. The forts commenced a tremendous cannonade nearly at the same instant; but the lightness of the wind prevented them from pointing their guns direct to the object, the smoke not clearing away for a considerable time after the discharge. Several shot struck the Hermione; one, a 24-pounder, passing through her under-water, obliged the captors to rig the pumps immediately, and it was with difficulty the leak was kept under by heeling the ship. The main and spring stays were both shot away; and there being a great headswell, the mast was with difficulty secured. When the ship had been towed out of gun-shot of the batteries, the boats were called alongside; then, and not until then, had any of those people put their feet on board, being constantly employed towing, and greatly exposed to the enemy’s fire. At noon on the same day, the whole of the prisoners were put into an American schooner, to be landed at Porto Cabello.
The future historian might doubt the credibility of the fact, were it not so well authenticated, that on this memorable occasion the assailants had no more than 1 officer, Mr. John Busey, acting Lieutenant, killed, and 12 officers and men wounded. Amongst the latter number was Captain Hamilton, who, besides a tremendous blow from the butt-end of a musket, which broke over his head and knocked him down senseless on the deck, received a severe wound by the cut of a sabre on the left thigh, another by a pike in the right thigh, and a contusion on the right shin bone by a grapeshot; one of his fingers was much cut, and his loins and kidneys so much bruised as at times to require the highest medical advice and assistance; it is also to be lamented, that he still occasionally suffers considerable pain from these last bruises.
As generosity and humanity are generally allied to true courage and magnanimity, we cannot resist in this place giv-
