Combat· Quasi-War with France
Boston vs Berceau
Cruising the West Indies between Boston and Guadeloupe to protect American commerce, Captain George Little's frigate Boston engaged the French corvette Berceau in a hard fight.
The Marines of the Boston, about thirty of them under Lieutenant Church, traded fire with the Berceau's larger Marine complement of sixty as the two ships battered each other; the great guns did heavy damage on both sides. The Berceau lost 34 killed and 18 wounded of a crew of 200 and was beaten into surrender; the Boston had 7 killed and 8 wounded of 230. Among the Boston's Marine casualties, Private William McKee was killed in action and Fifer Thomas Hartley was mortally wounded. Unknown to either crew, the war had already been settled by treaty, so the captured Berceau was repaired at American expense and returned to France.
Podcast episodes on Quasi-War with France
Record no. 79