The losses of the _Essex_ were fifty-eight killed and mortally wounded, thirty-nine severely wounded, twenty-seven slightly wounded, and thirty-one missing, the most of whom, if not all, were drowned in trying to swim ashore when the _Essex_ was on fire. These numbers were given by the American officers. Hillyar reported that the _Essex_ lost one hundred and eleven in killed or wounded. The difference in these official reports is unquestionably due to the fact that Hillyar, naturally enough, did not count as wounded those of his prisoners who had received minor scratches and contusions, even though these wounds had temporarily disabled the men during the battle. Nevertheless, the favorite British historian James, although he had read Hillyar’s letter, wrote: “The _Essex_, as far as is borne out by proof (the only safe way where an American is concerned), had twenty-four men killed and forty-five wounded. But Captain Porter, thinking by exaggerating his loss to prop up his fame, talks of fifty-eight killed and mortally wounded, thirty-nine severely, twenty-seven slightly.” And Allen, whose latest edition appeared in 1890, follows the false statement of James. The British loss was, of course, trifling. They had five killed and ten wounded. But it is not unconsoling to reflect that the _Phœbe_ received in all eight shot at and under the water-line, and that she and the _Cherub_ were not a little cut up aloft--in short the damage inflicted by the _Essex_ was greater than the British _Java_, _Macedonian_, and _Guerrière_ all together inflicted on the American ships in their battles. Captain Hillyar had good reason for writing to his superior that “the defence of the _Essex_, taking into consideration our superiority of force and the very discouraging circumstance of her having lost her maintopmast and being twice on fire, did honor to her brave defenders.” As Roosevelt says, “Porter certainly did everything a man can do to contend successfully with the overwhelming force opposed to him. As an exhibition of dogged courage it has never been surpassed since the time when the Dutch Captain Kaesoon, after fighting two long days, blew up his disabled ship, devoting himself and all his crew to death, rather than surrender to the hereditary foes of his race.” While no one can justly criticise Captain Hillyar for his handling of his ship during the battle, there is something to be said about his having made an attack on the American ship under the circumstances. And this cannot be better said than in the words of Roosevelt, whose fairness has been acknowledged by the English in the most emphatic manner. He says: