Battle of the Delaware Capes The Battle of the Delaware Capes or the 3rd Battle of Delaware Bay was a naval engagement that was fought off the Delaware River towards the end of the American Revolutionary War . The battle took place on the 20th and the 21st December 1782 , some three weeks after the signing of the preliminary articles of peace between Great Britain and the former American colonies , and was an engagement between three British Royal navy frigates HMS " Diomede " , " Quebec " and " Astraea " on the one side , and the South Carolina Navy s 40 - gun frigate " South Carolina " , the brig s " Hope " and " Constance " , and the schooner " Seagrove " on the other . The British were victorious with only " Seagrove " escaping capture . Background . The inactivity of the British , and American and French armies , meant that the Royal Navy was free to concentrate on enemy trade . One group of British frigates , HMS " Diomede " under Captain Thomas Frederick and the sister 32 - gun frigates - HMS " Quebec " under Captain Christopher Mason , and HMS " Astraea " under Captain Matthew Squires , was blockading the the Delaware Bay . On 20 December 1782 they spotted a number of vessels coming out of the bay and chased after them . Frederick was told by the officer of watch that one of the vessels was a large frigate . This was the forty - gun " South Carolina " . " South Carolina " , under Captain John Joyner , was built at Amsterdam in 1780 . She originally was named " Indien " and belonged to France but the Americans hired her . The ship was the most heavily armed warship to sail under American colors during the revolution . Joyner was attempting to dash out of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , through the British blockade on the 19 December with several vessels . As well as the large " South Carolina " , the privateer brig " Hope " , commanded by John Prole of ten guns and carrying tobacco and flour , another privateer brig " Constance " , under Commander Jesse Harding , and the six - gun schooner " Seagrove " , under Captain Benjamin Bradhurst , which had joined them for protection . On 19 December " Seagrove " hailed a merchant vessel entering the river . Her master learned that three large sail had been seen patrolling off the Cape May Channel . With this information Joyner decided to proceed down the main channel and go straight out into the ocean . On 20 December , in the early evening , the four vessels sailed down the channel and out into the Atlantic . Battle . Between 2200 and 2230hrs the Americans sighted three large British warships ; at about the same time the British sighted the Americans . Five hours out in the cruise " South Carolina " and the " Hope " turned south and two of the British frigates turned after them . " Seagrove " turned north , with " Diomede " in pursuit . She got close enough to fire a few shots , but the schooner sent out boats and towed into the wind . Eventually " Diomede " turned south to continue the main pursuit letting " Seagrove " get away . Whilst " Diomede " was chasing " Seagrove " , " Constance " , having never strayed from her course , had continued east and surrendered to " Quebec " and " Astrea " without pointless resistance . The British pursuit of " South Carolina " then continued through the night . At sunrise the nearest British ship was about two and a half miles behind " South Carolina " . " Hope " passed " South Carolina " at least once during the pursuit , even though " Hope " was slower before the wind . Joyner suggested that Prole tow " Hope " around the British and make the pursuit into a rowing match , but Prole rejected the advice . By 1300hrs the British took " Hope " under fire and she surrendered after having nearly collided with one of the British frigates . This just now left " South Carolina " , which was only a mile in front of the British ships once " Hope " had surrendered . The pursuers skillfully took up position to limit " South Carolina " s options in trying to get away , the British windward ship attempted to mask the " South Carolina " s wind . For eighteen hours the British chased " South Carolina " . When she came in range , she fired her stern chasers at " Diomede " , which returned fire from her bow - guns . By 1500hrs the British ships were close enough to exchange shots and could each yaw , fire a broadside and return to the chase while preventing " South Carolina " from doing the same . The first of the British broadsides did major damage to " South Carolina " , leading Joyner to call his officers together to discuss whether to fight or to continue the flight . The decision was to continue to the flight . By 1700hrs " Quebec " and " Diomede " came up alongside " South Carolina " , with " Astrea " behind in support , together with " Hope " and " Constance " . The British were soon in position to fire six broadsides , five from the " Diomede " and the other from the " Quebec " , all aimed at " South Carolina " s masts , sails and rigging , which within two hours were in tatters . Joyner , now seeing the hopelessness of " South Carolina " s situation , decided to fire her guns one last time , not wishing to surrender with his cannons loaded . He then struck , ending the battle . The British took possession of " South Carolina " and transferred their prisoners over to the British ships . Aftermath . The British suffered had suffered no casualties and damage to their three frigates was light , most damage being to masts and rigging . " South Carolina " had a crew of about 466 men when captured , of whom she had lost six killed and eight wounded . " Hope " had 42 crewmen . " Constance " , with another thirty men , bought the total number of American prisoners to nearly 530 . Fifty German and eight British prisoners that the Americans had recruited out of captivity in Philadelphia were released as they had once served as soldiers in General John Burgoyne ' s army . Because of the number of men involved , the British treated their American prisoners strictly , locking them under hatches not allowing more than two to come up on deck at the same time . Prize crews then took " South Carolina " , " Hope " , and " Constance " to New York where all three vessels were tried and condemned . The Royal Navy did not purchase " South Carolina " ; the war was ending and with it the need for a large navy , and " South Carolina " s design had flaws . Instead , she was sold for service as a merchantman . Prize money for the captured vessels was awarded in 1784 . Order of Battle . Continental Navy / South Carolina Navy : Royal Navy :