On the Ocean 115 



as the Essex discovered the Alert she put out drags 

 astern, and led the enemy to believe she was trying 

 to escape by sending a few men aloft to shake out 

 the reefs and make sail. Concluding the frigate to 

 be a merchantman, the Alert bore down on her; 

 while the Americans went to quarters and cleared 

 for action, although the tompions were left in the 

 guns, and the ports kept closed. 13 The Alert fired 

 a gun and the Essex hove to, when the former 

 passed under her stern, and when on her lee quarter 

 poured in a broadside of grape and canister ; but the 

 sloop was so far abaft the frigate's beam that her 

 shot did not enter the ports and caused no damage. 

 Thereupon Porter put up his helm and opened as 

 soon as his guns would bear, tompions and all. 

 The Alert now discovered her error and made off, 

 but too late, for in eight minutes the Essex was 

 alongside, and the Alert fired a musket and struck, 

 three men being wounded and several feet of water 

 in the hold. She was disarmed and sent as a cartel 

 into St. Johns. It has been the fashion among 

 American writers to speak of her as if she were 

 "unworthily" given up, but such an accusation is 

 entirely groundless. The Essex was four times her 

 force, and all that could possibly be expected of her 

 was to do as she did exchange broadsides and 

 strike, having suffered some loss and damage. The 



by Captain Laugharne; it contains either 100 or 101 names 

 of the crew of the Alert, besides those of a number of other 

 prisoners sent back in the same cartel. 

 18 "Life of Farragut," p. 16. 



