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It's four o'clock in the afternoon, on September 5th, 1781, at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, and the American Revolutionary War is underway. A French gunner stands beside his cannon on the lower deck of his warship,

waiting for the order to fire. He glances at the grim faces at the sailors around him. More than a dozen other gunners stand with tapers in their hands. Others stand at the safe distance, knowing the cannons

will rocket back when they fire. A few young boys scurry along the deck

carrying pouches of gunpowder. When the gunner hears the order to fire, he places his

taper against the cannon's fuse. A few seconds later, the gun roars and rolls back a couple

of meters. The next few seconds are a cacophony of noise

as other cannons fire, and the deck fills with smoke. But the gun crew barely pauses before

launching into action, pushing their cannon back into position, cleaning the barrel and preparing a

new shot. The gunner winces as an enemy cannonball crashes into the other end of the deck,

scattering the sailors who were unlucky enough to be in its way. But he cannot afford to be distracted.

As the smoke clears from the first broadside, the gunner peers along the barrel and checks to make

sure his cannon is aiming high. The British might be aiming

at his gun deck, but he has orders to fire at the sails and rigging of the enemy ship.

When the gunner is satisfied with his aim, he lights the fuse and the cannon fires again.

This time, when the smoke clears, the gunner sees

that the foremast of the enemy ship has been hit and it's leaning at an angle. Already, the

enemy ship is slowing and beginning to list. He allows himself a satisfied smile. The first

round in this naval battle in American waters has gone to the French.

...