action july action july inconclusive engagement british_royal_navy frigate french frigate new_jersey coastline year french revolutionary wars british captain arrived new_york_city deliberately disguised ship french vessel french officer coming aboard making prisoner war sent message new_york knew french frigate lay anchor challenging french captain battle days challenge accepted widely city captain sailed meet morning july shore crowded thousands engagement ships fiercely contested smaller lightly armed boston taking damage captain thrown deck happened subject debate second command lieutenant claiming killed thrown overboard custom time rumours subsequently circulated knocked unconscious edwards gave order story family credited later taken contemporary historian historian subsequently defended edwards actions gone boston continued suffer severe damage remaining officers ordered surviving sails set british ship attempted escape pursued strain proved ship fell close encounter french ships boston eventually escaped newfoundland refitted new_york background february newly formed declared war great_britain extending french revolutionary wars begun year continent french_navy state social consequences french revolution result found disadvantage royal_navy preparing war june response french sent frigate squadrons sea including newest ships best sailors officers attempt disrupt british commerce early stages war squadron sent april united_states carrying french ambassador united_states ambassador disembarked squadron command captain dispersed raid british shipping coast capturing destroying merchant vessels retiring american ports repairs french threat met royal_navy frigates operating halifax nova scotia orders watch blockade french movements american ports ship gun frigate small old vessel command captain orders watch new_york_city frigates known anchor june boston arrived new_york deliberately ship resemble french vessel having french speaking members crew talk loudly quarterdeck american pilot boat french ship new_york ship large powerful vessel built years carried combined broadside weight pounds pounds boston sighting strange ship harbour sent boat lieutenant american boston named men investigate suspicious strange vessel finally convinced ship french vessel pilots came aboard discover error seized men prisoners war suggested prisoner keen meet battle agreed send message new_york pilot boat challenge bring neutral harbour meet boston pilot initially unable locate french captain instead posted challenge city news spread rapidly came learn spent days preparing warship historian claimed joined armed american volunteers calls violation law nations consultation french officers sailed new_york night july forced miss rendezvous afternoon july large french battle squadron ships line frigates smaller vessels passed northwards new_jersey coast heading new_york face powerful force boston temporarily forced withdraw open water squadron investigate frigate passed new_york harbour nightfall allowing return station battle boston reported large ship approaching northeast ship battle ship passed distance nautical miles shortly recognised frigate flying french unsure newcomer identity raised flag response strange ship raised blue flag bearing white cross identifying come meet challenge ships turned eastwards continuing minutes boston slowed raised british colours british ship slowed french vessel overtook nautical miles distance boston french ship slowing frigate passed starboard broadside boston fired followed immediately volley ships time approximately nautical miles southeast new_jersey news impending battle spread rapidly countryside thousands spectators gathered new_jersey beaches watch engagement minutes combat boston lost cross jack yard suffered significant damage rigging sails rendering ship significantly main knocked mast badly damaged minutes later men greater efforts struck rail captain lieutenant standing butler killed instantly fell deck possibly killed believing commander dead lieutenant assumed command bodies thrown overboard effort prevent sailors losing morale death captain boston continued suffer heavier guns french ship mast close collapse remaining rigging shot away casualties mounted badly wounded blinded struck head briefly rendered unconscious officers gone ship increasingly battered state panic began spread british crew response edwards assisted deck assumed command confusion overtook boston remained command ship despite heavy casualties british ship stern intending finish battle broadside difficulty edwards wore away threat recognised continued resistance futile turning boston open sea away setting remaining sail escape began pursuit ship damaged match speed smaller british vessel boston nautical miles ahead stretching distance french captain abandoned chase turned new_york aftermath badly damaged ship able dock new_york august repairs vessel including replacement masts completed october accounts battle american media claimed losses amounted men killed wounded action crew men boston southwards desperate need repairs initially attempted anchor taking pilot informed french frigates anchored aware ship rapidly overwhelmed force edwards disembarked pilot sailed north eventually bringing battered vessel newfoundland losses aboard boston amounted killed wounded crew dead including captain recognition service widow presented pension equivalent children edwards subsequent career shortened injury presented gold medal return france remained prominent figure french_navy serving glorious june leading french expeditionary force unsuccessfully attempted invade ireland destroyed battle island edwards report contained account death battle widely accepted time rumours began circulating killed merely stunned blow death come result edwards order thrown overboard second account accepted family shortly edwards death january effects wound received action naval officer historian published work naval history great_britain year wrote action soon began continued great bravery sides iron rail quarter deck struck shot took captain sic neck fell blood followed lieutenant immediately caused body thrown overboard said people precaution hauled away enemy follow version events refuted historian wrote response james extraordinary statement james account taken chiefly boston log book reason subsequent inquiries believe incorrect subsequent histories including book follow james reprint defended account named second lieutenant boston action source year magazine article written niece captain continued repeat allegations stating improper conduct lieutenant edwards responsible commander death battle ladies launched subscription celebrate crew hand population new_york golden medal honour crew accepted medal condition wear banned medals
Action of 31 July 1793