At one time, a fine, full rigged ship, flying the stars and stripes, came within sight and the British, to lure her to her destruction, hoisted the American flag over all their vessels.Shortly after, the gun which had caused the trouble was delete logical partition disabled by a skilful shot from one of the Yankee's guns.Farther and farther receded the gray curtain, and yet no ships could be seen.He immediately replied, delete logical partition that he thought she came down too boldly for an American but soon after added, 'The better he behaves, the more credit we shall gain by taking him.The 'Constitution' is the crack frigate of the American navy, cried the apologists but to this the Americans retorted by quoting the British description of the ship as a bunch of pine boards.The frigate was at the head of the line and the Essex, carefully concealing her hostile character, clapped on all sail and pressed forward, delete logical partition in the hopes of bringing on an action.This operation took so much time, that, by the time it was concluded, day dawned over the ocean and the attack upon the British frigate was abandoned.Hull made his preparations delete logical partition for action with the greatest deliberation.Boston the city which at the declaration of war had hung its flags at half mast, in token of mourning and humiliation Boston welcomed the conquerors with an ovation like to a triumph in the days of imperial Rome.In a few moments afterward, the cock pit was delete logical partition filled with wounded men.On the spar deck, only a few sailors and officers were visible to the enemy but under the taffrail lay crouched scores of blue uniformed jackies, with smooth faced middies and veteran lieutenants, ready to spring into the rigging at the word of command, or to swarm over the side and board the enemy, should the gunwales of the vessels touch.Pistols were freely used and from the tops rained down a ceaseless hail of delete logical partition leaden missiles, one of which wounded Capt.He then set an English flag at each masthead, beat to quarters, and made ready for the fight.Unclasping his sword from its place at his hip, the conquered seaman handed delete logical partition it silently to Capt.All the 'Guerriere's' masts were shot away and, as she had no sails to steady her, she was rolling like a log in the trough of the sea.