Another Gallant Action.

Manawatu Herald, 29 October 1896, Page 3

Another Gallant Action.

(Concluded.)

THE FIGHT ON THE DECK.

Hamilton sent his men down to assist in the fight, waiting alone on the quarterdeck till his other boats boarded. Here four Spaniards ru9hed suddenly upon him ; one struck him over the head with a musket with a force that broke the weapon itself, and knocked him semi-senseless upon the combings of the hatchway. Two British sailors, who saw their commander's peril, rescued him, and with blood streaming down from hia battered head upon his uniform Hamilton flung himself into the fight at the gangway. At this juncture the black cuttov, in command of the first lieutenant, with the Surprise's marines on board, dashed up to the side of the Hermione, and the man canio tumbling over the larboard gangway. They had made previously two unsuccessful attempts to board. They came up first by the atep3 of the larboard gangway, the lieutenant leading. He was knocked down, and tumbled all his men with him as he fell back into the boat. They then tried the starboard of the Hermione, and ware again beaten back, and only succeeded on a third attempt.

Three boats' crews of the British were now together on the deck of the Hermoine. They did not number 50 man in all, but the marines were instantly formed up, and a volley was fired down the after hatchway, M(L following the flash of their muskets, with the captain leading, the whole party leaped down upon the main-deck, driving the Spaniards before them. Some sixty Spaniards took refuge in the cabio, and shouted they surrendered, whereupon they were ordered to throw down their arms, aud the doors were locked upon them, turning them into prisoners. Oq the main deck and under the forecastle, however, the fighting was fierce and deadly, but by the time the other boats had come up, tha cables fore and afw were cut, as had been arranged. The men detailed for that task had raced up the Spaniard's rigging, and while the desperate fight raged below, had oast loose the topsails of the Hermione. Three of the boats, too, had taken her in tow. She began to move seaward, and that movement, with the sound of the rippling water along the ship's sides, appalled the Spaniards, and perloaded them the ship was lost.

Oo the quarter deck the gunner Mid two men — all three wounded — itood at the wheel, and flung the head of the Hermione seaward. They were fieroely attacked, but While one man clung to the wheel, and kept control of the chip, the gunner and his mate kept off the Spaniards. Presently the foretopsail filled with the land breeze, the water rippled loader along the sides of the moving vessel. The batteries by this time were thundering from the shore, bat though they shot away many ropes, they fired with signal ill-success. Only 50 British sailors and marines, it must bo remembered, were actually on the deck of the Hermione, and amongst the crowd of sullen and exasperated Spaniard? below, who had surrendered, but were still furious with the astonishment of the attack and tha passion of the fight, there arose a shout to "blow-up the ship." The British bad to fire down through the hatchway upon the swaying crowd to enforce order. By 2 o'clock the straggle was over, the Hermiona was beyond the fira of the batteries, and the crew 3of the boats towing her came on board.

There is no more surprising fight in British history. The mare swiftness with which the adventure was Cfcrried out is marvellous. It was past 6 p.m. when Hamilton disclosed his plan to his officer*, tha He-rmi-one at that moment lying Boma ten miles distati-. ; by two o'clock tho ctptured ship, with the British flag flying from her ppak, was clear of the harbour ! Only half a hundred men actually got on board the Hermione, but what resolute, bard fighting hearts cf oak they were may be judged by the results. Of the Spaniards, 119 were killed and 97 wounded, most of them dangerously.

Hamilton's 50 men, that is, in those few minutes of fierce fighting, cot down four times their own number ! Not one of the British, as it happened, was killed, and only twelve wounded, Captain Hamilton himself receiving no less than five serious wounds. The Eermione was restored to her place in the British navy-list, but under a new name— the Retribution— and the story of that heroic night attack will be for all time one of the most etirring incidents in the long record of brave deeds performed by British seamen.