The battle was joined with the greatest ardour. In the wings there was some manœuvring, either side hoping to gain an advantage by seamanship; but in the centre the ships sought each other with direct and fearful attack. They came on with sparkling armour, many-coloured plumes, floating banners – a glorious sight, which was soon to be turned to a ruin of death and wreck. Once the lines were engaged, the battle was a collection of combats of vessels in pairs. The commanders sought each other, and the encounter of the flag-ships is that which is shown to us as the most brilliant and obstinate of the day. As the deck on either side was cleared by balls, or arrows, or by the rush of the boarders, it was remanned from some of the smaller craft, and the battle renewed. So it was with the ships all over the fleet. The slaughter was immense. The decks ran blood and reddened the waters. Pity was not there. The disabled, the wounded, were slain and cast to the waves. One has seldom read of such havoc.
The first great witness of victory was seen in the hauling down of the standard of the Prophet on board the Turkish flag-ship, and the running up of a cross in its place. The Infidel admiral had fallen, had been put to death, and his galley was taken. In almost every combat the result was against the Turks, who fought bravely and obstinately, nevertheless. Their ships were sunk or their crews were destroyed. As the League began to get the upper hand, two Christian ships could often assail one Turkish galley, and so make sure of overpowering it. The success of the centre of the combined fleets had scarcely been doubtful from the first.
It was otherwise with the wings. Barbarigo was wounded to death early in the battle, and it went hard for a time with his division. But his crews were Venetian, animated not only by a thirst for honour, but also by an implacable desire of vengeance for the diabolical cruelties inflicted on their countrymen in Cyprus. They rallied and turned the tide of battle. They neither asked nor gave quarter. The Pasha of Alexandria fell, as did nearly all his chiefs and captains. There was no withstanding the Venetian fury. At last the Turkish right wing was in as bad case as the Turkish centre.
If there were any remissness in the Christian host it was in Don John's right wing, where Doria was either over-cautious or over-matched in seamanship; for the Viceroy of Algiers contrived to get round his flank and finally to escape, being one of the very few Pashas who came safe and sound out of this fiercely fought battle.
The battle began about half an hour after noon and ended at four o'clock, by which time death, carnage, and wreck made the face of the bay for miles such a scene as has been seldom witnessed in the history of the world. Notwithstanding the destruction, enormous spoil was acquired by the victors, for the Turks of all ranks had a habit of taking their money to sea with them, as well as wares of the richest and most splendid kind. Prisoners, held to ransom or sold for slaves, were also productive of an immense booty. Two sons of the Turkish admiral were taken alive in one of the captured ships. They were disposed of by Don John as his own prize, and he generously protected them. One died in Italy, the other he set at liberty. Indeed, his behaviour, with regard to the results of the great sea-fight, was eminently generous and chivalrous.
