Seventeen men were required to work
the pivot gun, whose duties were defined in the names applied to them,
the powderman being the odd one. The first and second captains were
numbers one and two; the odd numbers being on the right, and the even
on the left of the piece: number three was the first loader, four the
first sponger, five the second loader, six the second sponger, seven the
first shellman, eight the second shellman, nine the first handspikeman,
ten the second handspikeman, eleven the first train tackleman, twelve
the second train tackleman (the last two at the breech, next to
the captains), thirteen first side tackleman, fourteen second side
tackleman, fifteen first port tackleman, sixteen second port tackleman.
The gun crew had been frequently drilled in the management of the piece,
and the men were entirely at home in their stations. Other hands had
been trained in serving the gun, so that the places of any disabled in
action could be replaced. The service at the Parrot was not all that was
required of the men forming the gun crew, for each was also a first or
second boarder, a pumpman, or something else, and to each number one
or two weapons were assigned, as musket and pike, sword and pistol,
battle-axe. When the order to board the enemy was given, every man
knew his station and his proper officer.
"Silence, men!" commanded the second lieutenant, "Cast loose and
provide!"
These orders were repeated by the first captain of the gun.
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