Four hundred men in twelve boats, with a howitzer in the bow of each boat, were sent against the General Armstrong in one flotilla.

But not a man of the four hundred gained her deck.

Said an eyewitness: "The Americans fought with great firmness but more like bloodthirsty savages than anything else.

They rushed into the boats sword in hand and put every soul to death as far as came within their power.

Some of the boats were left without a single man to row them, others with three or four.