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2GG
MISSISSIPPI
take station near the Malheureux islands. About 2 p. m., on the 13th, the British boats were at Pass Christian. The water was so low because of westerly wind, that three of the gunboats could not be got afloat, even by throwing overboard all that could be' spared, until flood tide at 3:30. Three of the British boats entered bay St. Louis, to cut off the schooner Seahorse, that Jones had sent in to remove the stores deposited there. A few shots drove the barges out of range, but they were reinforced by four others, and the attack renewed. Sailing-master Johnson, of the Seahorse, was supported in the fight by a shore battery of two G-pounders, and after a sharp action of 30 minutes, the enemy drew off, with one boat damaged and several men killed or wounded. But it was necessary, at 7:30, to blow up the schooner, and burn the public store house. Early in the morning of the 14th Jones was compelled by a failure of wind to drop anchor ?in the west end of the Malheureux island passage.? At daylight the calm continued, and the British rowboats, anchored about nine miles distant, prepared to advance. Jones called his subordinates on board his flagship, gunboat No. 156, and gave orders. The boats took position in a close line across the channel, anchored by the stern with springs on the cable, against the strong curren of ebb tide. ?Thus we remained,? he wrote in his report, ?anxiously awaiting an attack from the advancing foe, whose force I now clearly distinguished to be 42 heavy launches and gun-barges, with three light gigs, manned with upwards of one thousand men and officers.? He had, as stated, five gunboats, with 23 guns and 182 men, under the command of Lieutenants John D. Ferris, Isaac McKeever, Thomas A. C. Jones, Robert Spedden and George Ulrick. The sloop Alligator, 1 gun and 8 men, under Master R. S. Shepperd, was two miles away to the southwest, held by the calm. This boat was first captured by a detachment of Lockyer?s boats, after which the attacking force was united. ?At 10:30,? says Jones, ?the enemy weighed, forming a line abreast in open order, and steering direct for our line, which was unfortunately in some degree broken by the force of the current, driving Nos. 156?and 163 about 100 yards in advance. As soon as the enemy came within reach of our shot, a deliberate fire from our long guns was opened upon him, but without much effect, the objects being of so small a size. At 10 minutes before 11, the enemy opened a fire from the whole of his line, when the action became general and destructive on both sides. About 11:49 the advance boats of the enemy, three in number, attempted to board No. l-'ifi. but were repulsed with the loss of nearly every officer killed and wounded, and two boats sunk. A second attempt to board was then made by four other boats, which shared almost a similar fate. At this moment I received a severe wound in my left shoulder, which compelled me to quit the deck, leaving it in charge of Mr. George Parker, master?s mate, who gallantly defended the vessel until he was severely wounded, when the enemy, by his superior numbers, succeeded in gaining possession of the deck about 10 minutes past 12 o?clock. The enemy immediately turned