A very interesting fight was made by the Mosquito fleet on July 14, 1813. The American schooners _Scorpion_ and _Asp_, of the Chesapeake Bay defence fleet, each armed with three small guns, were chased by a flotilla of boats from the British blockading squadron. The _Scorpion_ was fleet-winged and escaped up the bay, but the _Asp_ was too slow for that, and took refuge in Yeocomico River. The British followed and were beaten off, but they returned in fire-boats with about one hundred men, and, enraged at this first failure, gave no quarter. The _Asp_ was commanded by Midshipman Sigourney. He was shot through the body at the first attack, but remained on deck in a sitting posture to inspire his men when the enemy returned. And when the enemy had killed or driven overboard all the Americans except Sigourney, a British marine deliberately put his musket to Sigourney’s head and fired, blowing his brains out. Sigourney had served under Lawrence in the _Hornet_ when she sank the _Peacock_, but it is unlikely that the Englishman knew this fact. After setting fire to the _Asp_, the British went away, and then the Americans returned on board and extinguished the fire unmolested. It is worth noting that on a considerable number of occasions during this war the Englishmen gave no quarter--it is worth noting as showing how greatly they were exasperated by their numerous defeats afloat. Indeed, after Barney’s attack on the _Loire_ and _Narcissus_, British sailors (who were, it must be remembered, commanded by Admiral Sir George Cockburn), in their landing parties, not only robbed the defenceless citizens, but assaulted the women who happened to fall into their hands. And when they captured Washington, they not only destroyed such property as might be destroyed legitimately, but they repeated the universally execrated crime of Alexandria--they repeated the crime of which the fanatical priests of Spain were guilty among the civilized people of Yucatan--they deliberately burned the national library. The Knighted Admiral with his own hands took part in this work of destruction. Allen honors this British officer with a full-page engraving, in his history of the British Navy, only fifteen others being so distinguished in Volume II. of that work.