Essex's declining fire reflected disabled guns as well as the difficulty of reaching Phoebe. Many guns had been shot from their carriages or damaged in other ways. Loose powder then exploded beside the main hatch. Spilled powder was an expected battle hazard, and water or sand should have been ready for a gunner's mate or another crew member to smother it. The unattended spill supports the interpretation that confusion had overwhelmed the ship's command and damage-control routines.
Notable Point · 2:00:47-2:02:33
A powder explosion revealed Essex's collapsing command system
Disabled guns and an unattended powder spill indicate how Essex's crew lost the ability to sustain organized resistance.