Enterprise, the.
the
Enterprise, fourteen guns, was an American brig that acquired the reputation of being “lucky.”
She cruised for a long time off the
New England coast, the terror of British provincial privateers, under
Capt. Johnston Blakeley, until he was promoted to the command of the new sloop-of-war
Wasp, when
Lieut. William Burrows became her commander.
On the morning of Sept. 1, 1813, she sailed from
Portsmouth, N. H., in quest of British cruisers.
On the morning of the 5th she discovered a British brig in a bay near
Pemaquid Point, which, observing the
Enterprise, bore down upon her in menacing attitude.
Burrows accepted the challenge, cleared
[
248]
his ship for action, and, after getting a proper distance from land to have ample sea-room for conflict, he edged towards the stranger, which proved to be the British brig
Boxer, fourteen guns,
Capt. Samuel Blyth.
At twenty minutes past three o'clock in the afternoon the brigs closed within half pistol-shot of each other and both vessels opened fire at the same time.
The wind was light, with very little sea, and the cannonading was destructive.
Ten minutes later the
Enterprise ranged ahead of the
Boxer, and, taking advantage of her position, she steered across the bows of her antagonist, and delivered her fire with such precision and destructive energy that, at four o'clock, the
British officer in command shouted through his trumpet that he had surrendered; but his flag being nailed to the mast, it could not be lowered until the
Americans should cease firing.
It was found that
Capt. Blyth had been cut nearly in two by an 18-pound cannon-ball.
Almost at the same moment when
Blyth fell on the
Boxer,
Burrows, of the
Enterprise, was mortally wounded.
So also was
Midshipman Kervin Waters.
Blyth was killed instantly;
Burrows lived eight hours. The latter refused to be carried below until the sword of the commander of the
Boxer was delivered to him, when he grasped it and said, “Now I am satisfied; I die contented.”
The command of the
Enterprise devolved upon
Lieut. E. R. McCall, of
South Carolina, who conducted his part of the engagement to its close with skill.
He took both Vessels into
Portland Harbor on the morning of the 7th.
The two young commanders were buried side by side in a cemetery at
Portland.
Congress presented a gold medal to the nearest masculine representative of
Lieutenant Burrows; and another was presented to
Lieutenant McCall.