Commodore Lewis assisted a civilian in an attempt to win that bounty as put forward by the Torpedo Act. The civilian crew brought a small schooner loaded with foodstuffs within range of Admiral Hardy's flagship Ramillies. They connected one of the barrels to a charge of gunpowder.
Lewis anticipated that the British would capture the ship and bring it alongside the Ramillies to be unloaded. removing the barrel would trigger an explosion.
As predicted, the warship sent boats to capture the schooner. However, winds prevented the British sailors from bring it alongside. Instead, they unloaded the cargo into a ship's boat. The resulting explosion killed an officer and ten seamen.
Afterwards, British captains exercised greater caution in dealing with captured vessels.
Sneaky Americans. --Brock-Perry
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