Brown received command after a challenge from Benjamin Franklin Seaver, whose own experience still made him an important subordinate. In the March 1814 fighting against Romarate, Seaver was killed and Brown’s flagship Hércules suffered heavy casualties and dozens of hits. The crew repaired her in the war zone with plates, hides, and tar, earning the nickname Black Frigate. Brown renewed the attack at Martín García and organized a landing while musicians played Saint Patrick’s Day in the Morning to steady the troops. The episode shows the professionalism and resilience that the revolutionary navy had lacked at San Nicolás three years earlier.
Chapter · 2:38:44-2:43:59
Brown’s battered squadron captured Martín García
Brown’s 1814 force survived heavy losses, repaired under fire, and combined naval action with a morale-conscious landing at Martín García.