260 Naval War of 1812 



did good service in chasing away or capturing the 

 various Nova Scotian or New Brunswick privateers, 

 which were smaller and less formidable vessels than 

 the privateers of the United States, and not calcu- 

 lated for fighting. 



By crowding guns into her bridle-ports, and over- 

 manning herself, the Enterprise, now under the com- 

 mand of Lieutenant William Burrows, mounted 14 

 eighteen-pound carronades and 2 long Q'S, with 102 

 men. On September 5th, while standing along shore 

 near Penguin Point, a few miles to the eastward of 

 Portland, Me., she discovered, at anchor inside, a 

 man-of-war brig 54 which proved to be H.M.S. 

 Boxer, Captain Samuel Blyth, of 12 carronades, 

 eighteen-pounders and two long sixes, with but 66 

 men aboard, 12 of her crew being absent. 55 The 

 Boxer at once hoisted three British ensigns and 

 bore up for the Enterprise, then standing in on the 

 starboard tack; but when the two brigs were still 

 4 miles apart it fell calm. At midday a breeze 

 sprang up from the southwest, giving the American 

 the weather-gage, but the latter manoeuvred for 

 some time to windward to try the comparative rates 

 of sailing of the vessels. At 3 P.M. Lieutenant Bur- 

 rows hoisted three ensigns, shortened sail and edged 

 away toward the enemy, who came gallantly on. 



54 Letter from Lieutenant Edward R. McCall to Commo- 

 dore Hull, September 5, 1813. 



56 James, "Naval Occurrences," 264. The American ac- 

 counts give the Boxer 104 men, on very insufficient grounds. 

 Similarly, James gives the Enterprise 123 men. Each side 

 will be considered authority for its own force and loss. 



