The action between the Penguin and Hornet commenced at 1-45 p.m. within about pistol-shot distance. The American’s star and bar shot soon reduced the British brig’s rigging to a state of disorder; while tolerably well-directed broadsides of round and grape made a sensible impression upon her hull, meeting no adequate return, as her carronades, owing to their insecure mode of mounting, turned half round almost every time they were discharged. At 2-15 p.m., as the Penguin drifted nearer, the Hornet bore away, with the semblance of retiring from the contest, but in reality to take a more favorable position for doing execution with her gunnery. Captain Dickinson, on this, bore up with the intention to board: before, however, he could put his plan into execution, he received a mortal wound.
Lieutenant James M‘Donald, who now succeeded to the command, aware of the brig’s disabled state, saw that the only chance of success was to follow up his captain’s intention. Accordingly, at 2-25 p.m., the Penguin ran her bowsprit between the Hornet’s main and mizen rigging, on the starboard side. The heavy swell lifting the ship a-head, the brig’s bowsprit, after carrying away the Hornet’s mizen shrouds, stern davits, and spanker-boom, broke in two, and the foremast went at the same moment, falling in-board, directly upon the foremost and waist guns, on the engaged side. These guns becoming in consequence completely disabled, and the after carronades being equally so, from the drawing of the breeching-bolts, an attempt was made to bring a fresh broadside to bear ; but the Penguin was in too unmanageable a state to be got round. In this dilemma no alternative remained; and at 2-35 p.m.. Lieutenant M‘Donald hailed to say that the Penguin surrendered. After a lapse of twenty-five minutes, an officer from the Hornet came on board to take possession.
The Penguin had her commander, boatswain, and four men killed; her second lieutenant (John Elwin), master’s-mate, one midshipman (John Noyes, who lost a leg), and twenty-nine men wounded, four of whom mortally. The Hornet received a few shot in the hull, one of which was so
