The signal was promptly given for manning the gun, and seventeen men immediately sprang to their stations.

The men were armed with cutlasses, muskets, battle-axes, pistols, and pikes, which were so disposed as to be in readiness for boarding the enemy, or repelling boarders.
"A solid shot, and aim at the pivot gun of the enemy," said Christy in a low tone to the second lieutenant, who had the reputation of being an expert in the handling of guns of the largest calibre.
There were two captains to the pivot gun, one on each side, stationed nearest to the base of the breech.

Seventeen men were required to work the pivot gun, whose duties were defined in the names applied to them, the powderman being the odd one.

The first and second captains were numbers one and two; the odd numbers being on the right, and the even on the left of the piece: number three was the first loader, four the first sponger, five the second loader, six the second sponger, seven the first shellman, eight the second shellman, nine the first handspikeman, ten the second handspikeman, eleven the first train tackleman, twelve the second train tackleman (the last two at the breech, next to the captains), thirteen first side tackleman, fourteen second side tackleman, fifteen first port tackleman, sixteen second port tackleman.
The gun crew had been frequently drilled in the management of the piece, and the men were entirely at home in their stations.

Other hands had been trained in serving the gun, so that the places of any disabled in action could be replaced.