As might have been expected, the garrison of one hundred and sixty soldiers who held Fort Bowyer, which dominated the harbor of Mobile, solemnly swore among themselves that they would never surrender until the ramparts were demolished over their heads and no more than a corporal's guard survived.

This was Andrew Jackson's way.
Four British ships, with a total strength of seventy-eight guns, sailed into Mobile Bay on the 15th of September and formed in line of battle, easily confident of smashing Fort Bowyer with its twenty guns, while the landing force of marines and Indians took position behind the sand dunes and awaited the signal.

The affair lasted no more than an hour.

The American gunnery overwhelmed the British squadron.

The _Hermes_ sloop-of-war was forced to cut her cable and drifted under a raking fire until she ran aground and was blown up.