By the middle of February 1813 the U.S. Sloop of War Hornet ( Master Commandant James Lawrence) had been cruising the Atlantic for nearly four months, sometimes in company with the big frigate Constitution, but by herself since early January. She had spent half of December and most of January off Bahaia, Brazil, blockading the British sloop of war Bonne Citoyenne, and subsequently captured a couple of merchantmen.

On the 24th, still operating off northern South America, Hornet encountered HMS Peacock, a somewhat smaller and less powerful brig-rigged sloop of war. The two warships closed from opposite directions and, shortly before half-past five in the afternoon, opened fire on each other. Hornet's gunnery was so much more effective that Peacock surrendered within fifteen minutes, having lost her commanding officer and seven men killed or mortally wounded. The Royal Navy brig-sloop was so badly shot up that she sank in shallow water shortly after the end of the action.

Hornet, which had suffered one fatality among her crew, took aboard Peacock's survivors (except for a few who escaped to shore) and quickly repaired her own damages. Badly overcrowded, she then sailed for the United States, arriving at Martha's Vineyard on 19 March.

This page features all the views we have related to the action between USS Hornet and HMS Peacock.

Click the photograph to prompt a larger view.

Photo #: NH 42073 Action between USS Hornet and HMS Peacock, 24 February 1813 Artwork depicting Peacock's mainmast collapsing at the close of the engagement. The text below the image is reproduced in Photo # NH 42073 (extended caption). Courtesy of Mr. Beverly R. Robinson, March 1937. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 138KB; 740 x 615 pixels
Photo #: NH 1167 Action between USS Hornet and HMS Peacock, 24 February 1813 Contemporary print, depicting Peacock sinking at the end of the action, while boats remove her crew. Courtesy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1936. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 88KB; 665 x 675 pixels
Photo #: NH 1392 Captain James Lawrence, USN, Commanding Officer of USS Hornet and USS Chesapeake. Engraving of the medal authorized by the United States Congress in honor of Captain Lawrence's 24 February 1813 victory in the action between USS Hornet and HMS Peacock. The Congress ordered gold version of the medal and requested that the President present it to his nearest male relative. A silver version was presented to each commissioned officer who served under him in Hornet. The engraving was published in Lossing's "Field Book, War of 1812", page 700. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 126KB; 740 x 395 pixels
Photo #: NH 48249 Captain James Lawrence, USN (1781-1813) Stipple engraving by David Edwin, after Gilbert Stuart, printed with a line engraving by Francis Kearny depicting HMS Peacock sinking after she was captured by USS Hornet, under Lawrence's command, on 24 February 1813. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph Online Image: 161KB; 405 x 765 pixels

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To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.