184 Naval War of 1812 



All on board the Hornet thought her an Indiaman, 

 and "the men began to wonder what they would do 

 with the silks," when, a few minutes before four, 

 the Peacock signaled that it was a line-of-battle 

 ship, which reversed the parts with a vengeance. 

 Warrington's swift ship was soon out of danger, 

 while Biddle hauled close to the wind on the port 

 tack, with the Cornwallis, 74, bearing the flag of 

 Admiral Sir George Burleton, K.C.B., 78 in hot pur 

 suit, two leagues on his lee quarter. The 74 gained 

 rapidly on the Hornet, although she stopped to pick 

 up a marine who had fallen overboard. Finding 

 he had to deal with a most weatherly craft, as well 

 as a swift sailer, Captain Biddle, at 9 P.M., began 

 to lighten the Hornet of the mass of stores taken 

 from the Penguin. The Cormvallis gained still, 

 however, and at 2 A.M. on the 2Qth was ahead of the 

 Hornet's lee or starboard beam, when the sloop put 

 about and ran off toward the west. Daylight 

 showed the 74 still astern and to leeward, but hav 

 ing gained so much as to be within gunshot, and 

 shortly afterward she opened fire, her shot passing 

 over the Hornet. The latter had recourse anew to 

 the lightening process. She had already hove over 

 board the sheet-anchor, several heavy spare spars, 

 and a large quantity of shot and ballast; the re 

 maining anchors and cables, more shot, six guns, 



" James, vi, 564. 



