By the time the salvo struck, the morale of the entire Red Beard fleet had already begun to collapse rapidly.
Victory in line-of-battle tactics was paramount, requiring greater obedience to command than the enemy and courageous fighting. Success or failure hinged on persistence.
When one could no longer persist, that was the beginning of utter defeat!
Most could no longer spare a thought for retaliation; they were all frantically trying to plug leaks in their warships.
"Quick, quick, the planks! Bring over the planks!"
"The gunports on the lower deck are leaking too! We've run out of oakum! Carpenter, quickly!"
Whether on a pirate ship or a warship, the job of "plugging holes" during a cannonade was indispensable.
When the battle reached this stage and the hulls near the waterline were hit, even the ship's carpenters effectively became combat personnel.
