29 May 1781

Early in May 1781, the Continental frigate Alliance sailed home from France. Between the Newfoundland Banks and the Amer­ican coast she moved cautiously for that stretch of water was dominated by the enemy. The weather, however, proved to be more destructive. Amid booming rolls of thunder and a heavy sea on the 17th, a bolt of lightning struck the main topmast, carrying away the mainyard and springing the foremast. A new topmast was stepped in and the foremast fished, and the Alliance continued her course. His Majesty’s sloops-of-war Atalanta and Trepassey cleared St. John’s, Newfoundland, early in May on a cruise against the rebels. On the afternoon of 28 May, they observed a large sail four leagues to the southwest. With darkness coming on, the two sloops hauled their wind, and sailed within sight of her all night. At sunrise on the 29th , they hoisted English colors and their drummers beat the crew to quarters. Across a league of mirror-smooth water, Captain John Barry in the Alliance did likewise. As the distance between the opponents dwindled, he opened the engagement with a thundering broadside. Floating is a sea of smoke, Marines in the fight ing tops at­tempted to find their mark. Below the roar of cannon fire was almost incessant, punctuated by the crack of Marine muskets, the screams of the wounded and dying, the shouts of sweaty, powder­ covered combatants -“a living hell on the face of the placid ocean .” Shortly before three in the afternoon, a wind sprang up which slowly swung the Alliance about. The entire starboard battery was then brought to bear upon the enemy. The Trepassey’s colors came down after one blistering broadside. The Atalanta still showed fight, but one more broadside ended her resistance.

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