Chapter 6

           Notonemanwhoparticipatedinthatterribleraidcouldeverbeinducedtosayawordconcerningit,andeveryfragmentofthevaguedatawhichsurvivescomesfromthoseoutsidethefinalfightingparty.Thereissomethingfrightfulinthecarewithwhichtheseactualraidersdestroyedeachscrapwhichboretheleastallusiontothematter.Eightsailorshadbeenkilled,butalthoughtheirbodieswerenotproducedtheirfamiliesweresatisfiedwiththestatementthataclashwithcustomsofficershadoccurred.Thesamestatementalsocoveredthenumerouscasesofwounds,allofwhichwereextensivelybandagedandtreatedonlybyDr.JabezBowen,whohadaccompaniedtheparty.Hardesttoexplainwasthenamelessodorclingingtoalltheraiders,athingwhichwasdiscussedforweeks.Ofthecitizenleaders,Capt.WhippleandMosesBrownweremostseverelyhurt,andlettersoftheirwivestestifythebewildermentwhichtheirreticenceandcloseguardingoftheirbandagesproduced.Psychologicallyeveryparticipantwasaged,sobered,andshaken.Itisfortunatethattheywereallstrongmenofactionandsimple,orthodoxreligionists,forwithmoresubtleintrospectivenessandmentalcomplexitytheywouldhavefaredillindeed.PresidentManningwasthemostdisturbed;butevenheoutgrewthedarkestshadow,andsmotheredmemoriesinprayers.Everymanofthoseleadershadastirringparttoplayinlateryears,anditisperhapsfortunatethatthisisso.LittlemorethanatwelvemonthafterwardCapt.