Porter ordered Essex run ashore and blown up, but the wind failed before she could reach safety. Many boats had been destroyed, and badly wounded men could not escape by jumping into the water. Between sixty and seventy sailors reportedly abandoned ship using surviving boats or attempting to swim. British boats recovered many, while about forty reached land. Porter struck his colors at 18:20, but the crowded flags and damaged rigging delayed recognition aboard Phoebe by about ten minutes.
Notable Point · 2:02:40-2:06:33
Wind, casualties, and too many flags complicated Essex's surrender
Essex could neither beach nor destroy herself, sailors abandoned ship under fire, and the British took about ten minutes to recognize that Porter had struck his colors.