It is proper to note, that after the battle was fought, and the British commander had calmly considered the possible consequences of his violation of the neutrality laws, he attempted to make it appear that the Americans themselves were the aggressors.  His plea, as made in a formal report to the admiralty, was that he had sent four boats to discover the character of the American vessel; that they, upon hailing her, had been fired upon and suffered severe loss, and that accordingly he felt that the affront to the British flag could only be expiated by the destruction of the vessel.  The explanation was not even plausible, for the British commander, elsewhere in his report, acknowledged that he was perfectly informed as to the identity of the vessel, and even had this not been the case, it is not customary to send four boats heavily laden with armed men, merely to discover the character of a ship in a friendly port.

The withdrawal of the British boats gave Captain Reid time to complete the removal of his vessel to a point underneath the guns of the Portuguese battery.  This gave him a position better fitted for defense, although his hope that the Portuguese would defend the neutrality of their port, was destined to disappointment, for not a shot was fired from the battery.

[Illustration:  “STRIVING TO REACH HER DECKS AT EVERY POINT”]

Toward midnight the attack was resumed, and by this time the firing within the harbor had awakened the people of the town, who crowded down to the shore to see the battle.  The British, in explanation of the reverse which they suffered, declared that all the Americans in Fayal armed themselves, and from the shore supplemented the fire from the “General Armstrong.”  Captain Reid, however, makes no reference to this assistance.  In all, some four hundred men joined in the second attack.  Twelve boats were in line, most of them with a howitzer mounted in the bow.  The Americans used their artillery on these craft as they approached, and inflicted great damage before the enemy were in a position to board.  The British vessels, though within easy gun-fire, dared not use their heavy cannon, lest they should injure their own men, and furthermore, for fear that the shot would fall into the town.  The midnight struggle was a desperate one, the enemy fairly surrounding the “General Armstrong,” and striving to reach her decks at every point.  But though greatly outnumbered, the defenders were able to maintain their position, and not a boarder succeeded in reaching the decks.  The struggle continued for nearly three-quarters of an hour, after which the British again drew off.  Two boats filled with dead and dying men, were captured by the Americans, the unhurt survivors leaping overboard and swimming ashore.  The British report showed, that in these two attacks there were about one hundred and forty of the enemy killed, and one hundred and thirty wounded.  The Americans had lost only two killed and seven wounded,