58 Naval War of 1812 



these, came steadily on; at 8.38 the Avon fired a 

 shot from her stern-chaser, 47 and shortly afterward 

 another from one of her lee or starboard guns. At 

 20 minutes past 9 the Wasp was on the port or 

 weather-quarter of the Avon, and the vessels inter 

 changed several hails; one of the American officers 

 then came forward on the forecastle and ordered the 

 brig to heave to, which the latter declined doing, 

 and set her port foretop-mast studding sail. The 

 Wasp then, at 9.29, fired the 12-pound carronade 

 into her, to which the Avon responded with her 

 stern-chaser and the aftermost port guns. Capt. 

 Blakely then put his helm up, for fear his adver 

 sary would try to escape, and ran to leeward of her, 

 and then ranged up alongside, having poured a 

 broadside into her quarter. A close and furious 

 engagement began, at such short range that the only 

 one of the Wasp's crew who was wounded, was hit 

 by a wad; four round shot struck her hull, killing 

 two men, and she suffered a good deal in her rig 

 ging. The men on board did not know the name of 

 their antagonist; but they could see through the 

 smoke and the gloom of the night, as her black hull 

 surged through the water, that she was a large brig ; 

 and aloft, against the sky, the sailors could be dis 

 cerned, clustering in the tops. 48 In spite of the 

 darkness the Wasp's fire was directed with deadly 



47 James, vi, 432. ** Captain Blakely's letter. 



