five o'clock
These presently burst out , vigorously , from the next ship and , between three and four o'clock , points of light appeared upon six of the other hulks . At three o'clock Brigadier Curtis -- who commanded the Naval Brigade encamped at Europa Point -- finding that the sea had gone down , manned the gunboats and , rowing out for some distance , opened a heavy flanking fire upon the battering ships ; compelling the boats that were lying in shelter behind them to retire . As the day broke he captured two of the enemy 's launches and , finding from the prisoners that there were still numbers of men on board the hulks , rowed out to rescue them . While he was employed at this work , at five o'clock , one of the battering ships to the northward blew up , with a tremendous explosion and , a quarter of an hour later , another in the centre of the line also blew up . The wreck was scattered over a wide extent of water . One of the gunboats was sunk , and another seriously injured ; and the Brigadier , fearing other explosions , ordered the boats to draw off towards the town . On the way , however , he visited two of the other burning ships ; and rescued some more of those left behind -- landing , in all , nine officers , two priests , and three hundred and thirty-four soldiers and seamen .