Report of Henry L. Thompson, August 29, 1837 - Page 5
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engagement, when they tried to avoid it and to get the
weather gage of me and to get me between the two Brigs.
My only means of bringing them to action was
to bring my little vessel in stays on the opposite tack—
this brought them to range right ahead. I made all
sail and closed with them as much as possible, but
they at the same time kept their luff from me and I
at length got within grape and cannister distance and
gave them our broadside from the larboard battery. [T]his
seemed to frighten them away[.] [T]he leeward Brig being
a little astern my only method was to up helm and wear
round[.] [T]his relieved my starboard guns then under
water, but equally well charged with all sorts of shot,
and which we equally as well directed, and the shot they
received immediately put them to flight for they hauled
their wind that they might get close to each other, which
they did, and then opened their fire on me, though to
little effect[.] [T]heir shot flew over and under us in every
direction but not a man was hurt or a spar of ours cut
away while our long tom spoke the Texian Language
and almost every shot told well, and with a small
assistance rendered to me the same two Brigs of war
would have been ours. But my having no aid could
get no manly play from them[.] I to save my little
vessel hauled for the Bar with a hope of enticing them
into shoal water, where I could have managed them
better. They smelt the rat and as cowards sneaked
off, we giving them the parting shot, which helped to
clear their quarter deck.
But what has distressed me much is that
I should be so unfortunate as to lose my vessel on
the Bar although she never was the vessel she was
cracked up to be.
We have now lying in this harbour the Brig
Phonix[,] Prize to the Tom Toby which we have examined
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Report of Henry L. Thompson, August 29, 1837. Texas Navy Papers, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.