It seemed as if every shot splintered some part of the rigging or hull and killed and wounded men right and left.

The exasperating feature of this awful business was that neither Captain Carden nor his aids, who were directing operations from the quarter deck, could discover any corresponding damage on the American ship.

Her mizzen topgallant mast had been carried away, but it looked as if all the other shots sent in her direction sped past without harm.

She was wrapped in an immense volume of smoke made by her own broadsides, and through it constantly shot tongues of crimson flame, while the roar of the rapidly discharged guns was incessant.
Now and then a rift appeared in the billows of vapor, through which the Stars and Stripes were seen fluttering, while the men worked as coolly at their guns as if going through manoeuvres in time of peace.

Finally the smoke became so dense that the Americans were unable to see through it.