It was like the swift blast of a hurricane.

Lawrence fell, mortally wounded.

Ludlow, his first lieutenant, was carried below.

The second lieutenant was stationed between decks, and the third forsook his post to assist those who were carrying Lawrence below to the gun deck.

Not an officer remained on the spar deck and not a living man was left on the quarter deck when the _Chesapeake_ drifted against the _Shannon_ after four minutes of this infernal destruction.