idea of the
identity of their assailant, but, by the flashes of the guns, could
see that she was a heavy brig. Her ports gleamed brightly with
battle-lanterns; and the crowds of sailors in the tops, and the
regularity of her fire, showed that she was a man-of-war with a
well-disciplined crew, and no mere marauding privateer. For a time
this running fight continued at such short range that the only
American injured was struck by a wad from the enemy's cannon. The
British gunners were poor marksmen, and the "Wasp" suffered but
little; but it was evident that the American fire was taking effect,
for gun after gun on the enemy was silenced. At ten o'clock the
Americans, receiving no response to their carronade, stopped firing;
and Capt. Blakely, seizing a speaking-trumpet, shouted across the
water, "Have you struck?" No answer came, and the enemy began a feeble
fire. The "Wasp" let fly another broadside, and Blakely repeated the
question. This time an affirmative response came through the darkness;
and the "Wasp" stopped firing, and made preparations to take
possession of her prize. Just as the boat was being lowered from the
davits, the lookout's cry of "Sail, ho!" checked the proceedings.
Through the black night a cloud of canvas could be seen far astern,
denoting the presence of another ship, probably an enemy. The drums of
the "Wasp" beat fiercely; and the men trooped back to their quarters,
ready for a second battle. But in the mean time two more sail hove in
sight, and there remained to the "Wasp" nothing but flight. She
accordingly made off into the darkness, receiving one broadside from
one of the newly arrived men-of-war as she departed. So suddenly was
she forced to fly, that she was unable to learn the name and condition
of the vessel she had forced to surrender.

It became known in the United States later that the "Wasp's" adversary
in the battle in the darkness was the British sloop-of-war "Avon," of
eighteen guns. She was badly cut up by the fire of the American
gunners, losing her mainmast early in the action. At the time she
surrendered, she was in a sinking condition; and, had it not been for
the timely arrival of the brig-sloop "Castilian" and the "Tartarus,"
both British, the crew of the "Avon" would have been prisoners on the
"Wasp," or carried to the bottom in the shattered hulk of their own
ship. The loss on the "Avon" was ten killed and thirty-two wounded,
while on the "Wasp" but three men were injur