American Privateer Anaconda-- Part 3: Capture of the Express

At day-light the next morning, finding her too close on us,  shewed our colours, and gave her a stern-chase gun on which she shewed Spanish colours; but on giving her a second, she hoisted American colours, and a running fight was kept up till a quarter before seven.

At this time she ranged upon our weather quarter, and brought us to close action, which we maintained with spirit until eight, when we found our ship to be quite unmanageable, our sails cut to pieces, the fore and main-masts shot through,  maintop-mast completely gone, and the whole of our yards badly wounded-- all our standing and running rigging cut to pieces, momentarily expecting the masts to go by the board-- four of our starboard guns, out of six, dismounted-- many shot between wind and water, and three and a half feet of water in the hold.

In Other Words, the Express Was Pretty Well Cut Up.  --Brock-Perry