1813	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	220

match. It was not in number of men only, that the disparity existed ; an acting master's mate, Hugh James, and three seamen, as proved at the court-martial assembled to try the surviving officers and crew for the loss of the Boxer, deserted their quarters in the action. So that, as the two midshipmen were absent, Lieutenant M'Creery was the only officer left after the death of the captain, and the latter, it will be recollected, was killed in the first broadside ; whereas the Enterprise, after her gallant commander fell, had still remaining two lieutenants, one or two master's mates, and four midshipmen. Her crew, also, had evidently been well practised at the guns; but the Boxer's men appear to have known very little what use to make of their guns. The sentence of the court-martial refers particularly to this disgraceful circumstance. Upon the whole, the action of the Boxer and Enterprise was a very creditable affair to the Americans ; but, excepting the Frolic's action, and that was a case sui generis, it was the first engagement in which an American vessel had succeeded against a British vessel nearly equal to her in guns ; and, even in this case, the American vessel was doubly superior in crew, better formed in every respect, nearly a third larger, and constructed, as we have already stated, of much stouter scantling.

On the 7th of September the gallant commanders of the two brigs were buried at Portland with military and civic honours; and the few surviving officers of the Boxer, to testify their regard for their late commander, caused a tombstone, with a suitable inscription, to be placed over his grave. None of the praises lavished upon the " fine brig of war Boxer " could gain her a place among the national vessels of the United States. She was put up to auction, and sold as a merchant brig; for which service only, and that in peaceable times, she was ever calculated.

On the 12th of August, at 6 h. 30 m. a.m., the British 18-gun brig-sloop Pelican, Captain John Fordyce Maples, anchored in Cork from a cruise. Before the sails were furled, Captain Maples received orders to put to sea again, in quest of an American sloop of war, which had been committing serious depredations in St.-George's Channel, and of which the Pelican herself had gained some information on the preceding day. At 8 a.m., having supplied herself with a few necessary stores, the Pelican got under way, and beat out of the harbour against a very strong breeze and heavy sea ; a proof of the earnestness of her officers and crew.

On the 13th, at 7 h. 30 m. p.m., when standing to the eastward with the wind at north-west, the Pelican observed a fire ahead, and a brig standing to the south-east. The latter was immediately chased under all sail, but was lost sight of in the night. On the 14th, at 4 h. 45 m. a.m., latitude 52� 15' north, longitude 5� 50' west, the same brig was seen in the north-east,

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