TO Naval War of 1812 



tain Reid then anchored, with springs on his cables, 

 nearer shore, to await the expected attack, which 

 was not long deferred. At 8 P.M. four boats from 

 the Plantagenet and three from the Rota, containing 

 in all 1 80 men, 61 under the command of Lieutenant 

 William Matterface, first of the Rota, pulled in tow 

 ard the road, while the Carnation accompanied 

 them to attack the schooner if she got under way. 

 The boats pulled in under cover of a small reef of 

 rocks, where they lay for some time, and about mid 

 night made the attack. The Americans opened with 

 the pivot gun, and immediately afterward with their 

 long 9*8, while the boats replied with their carron- 

 ades, and, pulling spiritedly on amid a terrific fire 

 of musketry from both sides, laid the schooner 

 aboard on her bow and starboard quarter. The 

 struggle was savage enough, the British hacking at 

 the nettings and trying to clamber up on deck, while 

 the Americans fired their muskets and pistols in the 

 faces of their assailants and thrust the foremost 

 through with their long pikes. The boats on the 

 quarter were driven off; but on the forecastle all 

 three of the American lieutenants were killed or dis 

 abled, and the men were giving back when Captain 

 Reid led all the after-division up and drove the Brit 

 ish back into their boats. This put an end to the 



61 James, vi, 509: Both American accounts say 12 boats, 

 with 400 men, and give the British loss as 250. I take each 

 side's statement of its own force and loss, as usual. 



