of her prizes she had put into
Valparaiso. The American was no match, even with the aid of the whale
ship, for two such vessels, and kept in port, the British vessels
keeping up a strict blockade for six weeks.[23] At length, on the 28th
of March, tired of the blockade, Porter attempted to escape, when
Captain Hillyard succeeded in bringing her to action, in the roads of
Valparaiso, before she could get back, and without the aid of her
lesser consort. The American ship, in the hurry to escape, had spread
every stitch of canvas, to run past the _Phoebe_, and as she was
doubling the point a squall struck her, carrying away the main topmast.
Both ships immediately gave chase, and being unable to escape in his
crippled state, Porter attempted to regain the harbor. Finding this to
be impracticable, he ran into a small bay and anchored within pistol
shot of the shore. The contest, which was a most unequal one, now
commenced. Both the attacking vessels at first got into raking
positions, and did great execution. Nevertheless, Captain Porter fought
gallantly. Hillyard's ship having sustained serious damage in her
rigging, and having become almost unmanageable, on that account, hauled
off to repair damages, leaving the _Cherub_ to continue the action.
Hillyard manoeuvred deliberately and warily. He knew that his
antagonist was in his power, and his only concern was to succeed with
as little loss to himself as possible. Hillyard again attacked, and the
_Essex_ hoisting her foresail and lifting her anchor, managed] to run
alongside of the _Phoebe_. The firing was now tremendous, and the
_Essex's_ decks were strewed with dead. Both attacking ships then edged
off, and fired into the _Essex_, at convenient range, until she struck.
The _Cherub_ raked the _Essex_, while the _Phoebe_ exchanged broadsides
with her. The _Essex_ had twice taken fire during the action. The loss
on board the _Essex_ was fifty-eight killed, thirty-nine wounded
severely, twenty-seven slightly, and thirty-one missing. On board both
British vessels only five were killed and ten wounded. It is said that
there were nearly a hundred sailors on board the _Essex_, when the
engagement commenced, who jumped overboard, when it was likely she
would be taken; that of these forty reached the shore, while thirty-one
were drowned, and sixteen picked up when on the point of drowning, by
the British. On the other hand it is alleged that when the _Essex_ took
fire aft, a quanti