Sinking of HMS Peacock The sinking of HMS " Peacock " was a naval action fought off the mouth of the Demerara River , Guyana on 24 February 1813 , between the sloop of war USS " Hornet " and the " Cruizer " - class brig sloop . After an exchange of broadside s , " Hornet " was able to rake " Peacock " , forcing her to strike . " Peacock " was so damaged that she sank shortly after surrendering . Prelude . On 26 October 1812 , the frigate USS " Constitution " and sloop " Hornet " sortied from Boston , Massachusetts . ( The frigate USS " Essex " was supposed to accompany them but was undergoing repairs . Several rendezvous were assigned for the " Essex " to meet the other two ships , but the arrangements miscarried . ) On 13 December , the two American ships arrived off Salvador , Bahia on the coast of Brazil , where they found the British sloop of war HMS " Bonne Citoyenne " . Commodore William Bainbridge , commanding the " Constitution " , sent a letter to the captain of the " Bonne Citoyenne " , challenging him to fight the " Hornet " , an equal match . The British captain refused , as his ship was carrying a valuable cargo of bullion . Bainbridge left " Hornet " to blockade " Bonne Citoyenne " and cruised to the south , looking for other prizes . Eventually he found and sank the frigate . Aboard " Hornet " , Master Commandant James Lawrence was aware from Portuguese sources that a British ship of the line was expected . On 24 January 1813 , appeared and Lawrence retreated into Portuguese territorial waters . After dark , he headed north along the South American coast . On 14 February , " Hornet " encountered and captured the British packet brig " Resolution " , which was carrying twenty thousand dollars in gold and silver . Battle . On 24 February , Lawrence pursued a British merchant brig into the mouth of the Demerara River . As evening drew on , Lawrence then noted a British brig sloop , , at anchor in the river , and another , the " Peacock " , approaching from seaward . " Hornet " beat to windward and gained the advantage of the windward position . Lawrence then tacked , and as " Hornet " and " Peacock " passed each other on opposite tacks they exchanged broadsides at " half pistol shot " . Even at this close range , the British fire went high . Some American sailors were killed and wounded at the mastheads . " Peacock " suffered heavy damage to the hull . Captain Peake of " Peacock " turned downwind to bring his opposite battery to bear , but Lawrence had carried out the same manoeuvre more rapidly . The starboard bow of the " Hornet " came up against the stern of the " Peacock " from where the British could bring no guns to bear , and from this position , " Hornet " s gunners shattered the " Peacock " in a mere four minutes . Peake was killed , and his First lieutenant surrendered and almost immediately made a distress signal . The British lost 5 men killed and 33 wounded ( three mortally ) ; the Americans lost only one man killed and four wounded ( one mortally ) , most to " Peacock " s first broadside . Both vessels anchored . An American prize crew went aboard the " Peacock " and tried to plug the holes below the waterline and throw the guns overboard to lighten the brig , but " Peacock " sank suddenly . Three Americans and nine British sailors were trapped below deck and drowned . " Peacock " sank in only of water , and four British sailors saved themselves by climbing the foremast , the top of which remained above the water . Four others escaped to the shore in a boat in the confusion . Although " Peacock " was more lightly armed than " Hornet " , mounting eighteen 24 - pounder carronade s to the " Hornet " s eighteen 32 - pounder carronades , the overwhelming defeat was more probably due to poor training and lack of practice at the guns . It was said that Captain Peake had concentrated on the appearance of his command rather than its fighting efficiency . Aftermath . The survivors of the " Peacock " were taken aboard the " Hornet " , where they joined some other prisoners from captured British merchant vessels . Together with some American sailors from a recaptured prize , " Hornet " was now carrying 277 people . " Hornet " made for Martha ' s Vineyard , the nearest point of the American coast known not to be watched by the Royal Navy . Even so , all on board were suffering severely from shortage of water when they arrived . The surviving officers of the " Peacock " nevertheless testified to the generosity of the " Hornet " s crew . Eventually , " Peacock " s surviving officers and crew were put on a cartel on which they reached Britain in June .