In the second phase, fire badly damaged América and forced its crew to abandon the sloop. Royalist boarding pressure then fell on Veinticinco de Mayo, whose inexperienced crew left Bouchard rather than defend the vessel. Invencible was surrounded and boarded while the troops ashore remained unable to assist. Azopardo prepared to blow up the munitions, but the wounded begged him not to, so he surrendered. The defeat eliminated the revolutionary fleet until William Brown began building a new one from 1813.
Chapter · 39:15-41:50
The revolutionary squadron collapses
The renewed Royalist attack disabled América, broke the defence of Veinticinco de Mayo, and forced the capture of Invencible.