Complex sentence: Within an hour of hauling in chase Truxtun was close enough to make private signals to identify if the ship he was pursuing was British or not, with no answer he proceeded to chase "L'Insurgente" down clearing for action and beating to quarters.
Split into simpler sentences: Within an hour of hauling in chase Truxtun was close enough to make private signals to identify if the ship he was pursuing was British or not. With no answer, he proceeded to chase "L'Insurgente" down, clearing for action and beating to quarters.