USS Hornet met the British brig HMS Peacock off the Demerara River and the two ships exchanged fire at close range. Hornet gained a position on Peacock's quarter and delivered destructive fire that killed the British commander and left the brig badly flooded and dismasted. Peacock signaled distress and sank soon afterward despite attempts by both crews to save her and the people aboard. The passage makes the material consequences of a brief single-ship action more visible than a simple victory entry in a chronology.
Notable Point · 41:00-43:00
How USS Hornet overwhelmed HMS Peacock
The February 1813 action shows a short, destructive single-ship fight ending with Peacock sinking during rescue efforts.