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 important success after all But when they saw the smoke of the American flank movement gaining onwards and onwards up the south-eastern slope; still more, when they perceived that the thunders of the battle were growing inland across the valley from the ridge of Roche’s Tower, they knew that Redhill must have been outflanked, and that all was lost. Then the human imstincts of life and safety took the place of emulation and self-sacrifice; they had done all that men could do; and the Admiral signalled to cease firing, and struck his flag.

In a few minutes all was quiet on the water, and the heavy canopy of smoke lifted slowly from the basin of Cork Harbour, which lay calm and blue in the mellow October sunset. But, for two hours afterwards, the men in the ships could hear the roar of the pursuit on land rolling away past Midleton toward Youghal, until darkness put an end to slaughter and savagery, but not to untold miseries, which lay overborne by the headlong torrent of rout.