“I had no idea of meeting these rebels,” the colonel then explained.  “I took the men out for a little practice marching, but before we had gone far we encountered these sharpshooters, and later discovered that they had all these men about a mile and a half away.  Then we decided to return to camp as quickly as possible, to get more ammunition, and we felt, too, that we would stand a better chance of resisting them here among the trees.  But now we will soon finish them up, if you will just send a man out to tell the admiral of our plans.”  Archie immediately volunteered to carry the information, and as he could be spared better than one of the soldiers or sailors, he was permitted to undertake the mission.  So he started out, and was on board the cruiser in a very short time.  The admiral was dumbfounded to learn that American troops were encamped on the shore, and in imminent danger of being defeated, and he at once set about giving orders with great vigour.  “We will show them how they can attack a small regiment of Americans with their ridiculous army,” he declared, and at once gave orders for the vessel to move inshore.  “But wait,” he cried, a minute later, “I see by my chart that there is a deep stream about a mile up the coast, and if I am not mistaken we can enter this stream and perhaps get very near the advancing rebels.  We may even be able to destroy them before they have a chance at our soldiers,” and the old admiral almost danced in the enthusiasm of this idea.  So the cruiser steamed rapidly up the coast, and was soon at the mouth of the stream, which seemed to be the estuary of some great river.  Then she steamed up-stream, and, sure enough, the admiral soon discovered the rebels marching rapidly along the road, about half a mile away.  They had evidently not perceived the cruiser, on account of the high reeds growing along the banks, and the admiral gave orders to begin firing.

The first shell rose high in the air and exploded with a deafening thunder, and when the smoke cleared away it was seen that the insurgents were almost paralysed with fright, and had just discovered the cruiser in the river.  But this first shell had not hurt any one, and another was immediately ignited.  This one exploded over the very heads of the troops, and many of them must have been killed.  Those who were not either killed or wounded turned about and began to run, and their leaders were powerless to make them stand their ground.  One shell followed another from the cruiser, and hundreds must have been killed outright among the insurgents.  Finally they were all running, and it was soon perceived that the Americans had advanced, and were now pursuing them with great energy.  So the cruiser could fire no more shells, and the admiral ordered her about and back to the anchorage onshore.

It would take many pages to describe in detail the events of the remainder of that afternoon, as Archie witnessed them from the deck of the cruiser, and learned of them later from Bill Hickson.  The insurgents were nearly all killed or taken prisoners, and it was found that they numbered nearly two thousand.  So it was a great achievement to have vanquished them all.  The affair turned out to have been the greatest victory of the war, so far.