138 Naval War of 1812 



shattered and disabled state of the Linnet's masts, 

 sails, and yards precluded the most distant hope of 

 Capt. Pring's effecting his escape by cutting his 

 cable; but he kept up a most gallant fight with his 

 greatly superior foe, in hopes that some of the gun 

 boats would come and tow him off, and despatched 

 a lieutenant to the Confiance to ascertain her state. 

 The lieutenant returned with news of Capt. Downie's 

 death, while the British gunboats had been driven 

 half a mile off ; and, after having maintained the fight 

 single-handed for fifteen minutes, until, from the 

 number of shot between wind and water, the water 

 had risen a foot above her lower deck, the plucky 

 little brig hauled down her colors, and the fight 

 ended, a little over two hours and a half after the 

 first gun had been fired. Not one of the larger 

 vessels had a mast that would bear canvas, and the 

 prizes were in a sinking condition. The British 

 galleys drifted to leeward, none with their colors 

 up ; but as the Saratoga's boarding officer passed 

 along the deck of the Confiance he accidentally ran 

 against a lock-string of one of her starboard guns, 23 

 and it went off. This was apparently understood 

 as a signal by the galleys, and they moved slowly 

 off, pulling but a very few sweeps, and not one of 

 them hoisting an ensign. 



83 A sufficient commentary, by the way, on James' assertion 

 that the guns of the Confiance had to be fired by matches, as 

 the gun-locks did not fit! 



