Capture of HMS Epervier The capture of HMS " Epervier " was a naval action fought off the coast of Florida near Cape Canaveral on 28 April 1814 , between the ship - rigged sloop of war USS " Peacock " , commanded by Master Commandant Lewis Warrington , and the " Epervier " under Commander Richard Wales . The Americans captured the British vessel after a one - sided cannonade . Prelude . USS " Peacock " was one of a class of three heavy sloops of war designed by William Doughty , and was named after the victory the previous year over the Royal Navy brig . " Peacock " sortied from New York on 12 March 1814 and , having eluded the British blockade , delivered some stores to St . Marys , Georgia . The " Peacock " was then supposed to rendezvous with the frigate USS " President " , but the " President " had been unable to break out of New York . While waiting for the " President " to appear , Warrington cruised around the Bahamas , hoping to intercept British merchant ships sailing from Jamaica . Early on the morning of 28 April , she sighted several sail to windward . They belonged to a small convoy that had sailed from Havana on 23 April , escorted by the " Epervier " . When the convoy sighted " Peacock " the merchant ships made all sail to escape , while " Epervier " prepared to engage . The British vessel was more lightly armed than the American . " Epervier " carried sixteen 32 - pounder carronade s and two 18 - pounder carronades as bow chasers . " Peacock " carried twenty 32 - pounder carronades and two 12 - pounder guns . The ratio of the vessels ' broadsides was 256 pounds to 320 . Battle . As the two vessels made toward each other , the wind shifted to the southward , giving neither " Peacock " nor " Epervier " the advantage of the windward position . At about 10 : 20 in the morning , both ships fired their starboard broadsides on opposite tacks , aiming high to disable their opponent ' s rigging . Both vessels received damage aloft , after which " Epervier " turned downwind and engaged " Peacock " on a parallel course . " Peacock " directed her fire against " Epervier " s hull with great effect . The British fire fell away rapidly , and " Epervier " probably scored no hits after the first broadside from the port battery . After 40 minutes , " Epervier " was badly damaged , with 45 shot holes in the hull , and of water in the hold . Commander Wales summoned boarding parties to muster , intending to board and capture " Peacock " , but his crew refused . At 11 : 05 , " Epervier " struck her colours . " Epervier " had lost eight men killed and 15 wounded , about 20 percent of the crew . Aftermath . The Americans repaired the damage to " Peacock " s rigging within an hour . " Peacock ' s " first Lieutenant took charge of the prize and succeeded in preventing it from sinking ; the prize crew had the brig ready to sail by nightfall . " Epervier " was found to be carrying $ 118 , 000 in specie , which was private rather than Government property . The next day , The Americans sighted two British frigates . " Peacock " successfully decoyed them away from " Epervier " and also herself escaped with the result that both vessels reached Savannah , Georgia a few days later . The Americans repaired " Epervier " and took her into the United States Navy as USS " Epervier " . Warrington set out again in " Peacock " and made a successful raiding cruise in British waters , capturing 14 merchant vessels . Results . The victory of " Peacock " over " Epervier " was one of the most one - sided of the War of 1812 , even though the two opposing vessels were not grossly disparate in strength . It was stated that although " Peacock " s fire had dismounted some of " Epervier " s carronade s , more of them fell from their mounts when they were fired . Wales had carried out little of the gunnery practice that would have revealed defects in the guns or carriages before it was too late to remedy them . Wales had also reported disaffection and unrest among his crew and , unusually for the Royal Navy in the War of 1812 , they failed in their duty to fight to their utmost . The court martial ( on 20 January 1815 ) revealed that " Epervier " had the worst crew of any vessel on her station . In particular , her crew consisted mostly of invalids from the hospital .