Battle off Barbados The Battle off Barbados was fought in March 1778 during the American Revolutionary War . While escorting a fleet of American ships in the West Indies , the frigate USS " Randolph " was attacked by the British ship - of - the - line HMS " Yarmouth " . The following action resulted in America ' s most costly naval defeat , in terms of human lives , until the sinking of USS " Arizona " in 1941 . Battle . The young twenty - eight - year - old Captain Nicholas Biddle was in command of the thirty - six gun " Randolph " at the time , having received orders from John Rutledge to break the enemy blockade of Charleston , South Carolina . A large number of merchantmen had been trapped there so after breaking the blockade , Biddle was to sail south into the South Atlantic . Four other armed ships accompanied the " Randolph " in this mission , the " General Moultrie " , " Notre Dame " , " Fair American " and the " Polly " . However , after sailing out to meet the British off Charleston on February 14 , the enemy was nowhere in sight so the American fleet headed for the West Indies where Biddle would raid commerce . On February 16 , the fleet burned a British ship which had been dismasted by a privateer and on March 4 , the " Polly " captured a small schooner which was added to the fleet as a tender . Three days after that , at about 5 : 30 pm , on March 7 , 1778 , the Americans were sailing off the eastern coast of Barbados when lookouts spotted a large ship to the windward . Captain Biddle assumed the vessel to be a man - o - war so he directed most of his ships to continue on while he remained behind to engage with the " Randolph " and the eighteen gun ship " General Moultrie " . The enemy ship turned out to be the sixty - four gun HMS " Yarmouth " under the command of Captain Nicholas Vincent . After a few hours of maneuvering , the engagement began at about 9 : 00 pm when the Americans raised their colors and opened fire on the " Yarmouth " with a broadside . The British responded with one of their own and for twenty minutes a bloody battle raged . Captain Biddle was wounded early on in the action but he continued to fight for a few minutes , the shots that wounded him are thought to have come from the " General Moultrie " which accidentally struck the " Randolph " . The Americans seemed to be on the verge of victory when a spark entered the " Randolph " s powder magazine , causing a large explosion which completely destroyed the frigate in an instant . USS " Randolph " then sank with a loss of 301 men , only four others survived and Captain Biddle died ten days later from his wounds . According to Captain Hall of the " Notre Dame " , Biddle and his men heavily damaged the " Yarmouth " within twelve to fifteen minutes while the American ships were still mostly unharmed . The " Yarmouth " lost her bowsprit and her topmasts , a portion of which fell down and damaged the poop . Another portion of the topmasts fell into the top - gallant sails and then onto the cap . Five British sailors were killed and another twelve men received wounds . After sinking the " Randolph " , Captain Vincent tried to go after the other American ships but they dispersed in separate ways . Damage to the " Yarmouth " s sail also gave the Americans the advantage to slip away . The four survivng Americans were not captured right away but five days later . HMS " Yarmouth " came across them on March 12 while she was chasing a ship west . The four were clinging to some wreckage and had survived by sucking rain water out of a blanket . The death of Captain Biddle was considered a severe blow to the Continental Navy ; well respected , Biddle was regarded as a professional sailor and a strong leader . Popular Culture . On the Death of Captain Nicholas Biddle WHAT distant thunders rend the skies , < br > What clouds of smoke in volumes rise , < br > What means this dreadful roar ! < br > Is from his base Vesuvius thrown , < br > Is sky - topt Atlas tumbled down , < br > Or Etna ' s self no more ! Shock after shock torments my ear ; < br > And lo ! two hostile ships appear , < br > Red lightnings round them glow : < br > The Yarmouth boasts of sixty - four , < br > The Randolph thirty - two — no more - - < br > And will she fight this foe ! The Randolph soon on Stygian streams < br > Shall coast along the land of dreams , < br > The islands of the dead ! < br > But fate , that parts them on the deep , < br > Shall save the Briton , still to weep < br > His ancient honors fled . Say , who commands that dismal blaze , < br > Where yonder starry streamer plays ; < br > Does Mars with Jove engage ! < br > ' Tis Biddle wings those angry fires ; < br > Biddle , whose bosom Jove inspires < br > With more than mortal rage . Tremendous flash ! and hark , the ball < br > Drives through old Yarmouth , flames and all ; < br > Her bravest sons expire ; < br > Did Mars himself approach so nigh , < br > Even Mars , without disgrace , might fly < br > The Randolph ' s fiercer fire . The Briton views his mangled crew ; < br > " And shall we strike to Thirty - Two " < br > ( Said Hector , stained with gore ) ; < br > " Shall Britain ' s flag to these descend - - < br > Rise , and the glorious conflict end , < br > Britons , I ask no more ! " He spoke — they charged their cannon round , < br > Again the vaulted heavens resound , < br > The Randolph bore it all , < br > Then fixed her pointed cannons true - - < br > Away the unwieldy vengeance flew ; < br > Britain , the warriors fall . The Yarmouth saw , with dire dismay , < br > Her wounded hull , shrouds shot away , < br > Her boldest heroes dead - - < br > She saw amidst her floating slain < br > The conquering Randolph stem the main - - < br > She saw , she turned , and fled ! That hour , blest chief , had she been thine , < br > Dear Biddle , had the powers divine < br > Been kind as thou wert brave ; < br > But fate , who doomed thee to expire , < br > Prepared an arrow , tipped with fire , < br > And marked a watery grave , And in that hour when conquest came < br > Winged at his ship a pointed flame < br > That not even He could shun - - < br > The conquest ceased , the Yarmouth fled , < br > The bursting Randolph ruin spread , < br > And lost what honor won . < br >