The guns were spiked and the garrison made prisoners.
"Set fire to the shipping!" he commanded to his men, while he, with only a single companion, ran for a second fort some distance away and spiked the guns in that.

Then he hurried back to the first fort and found to his surprise that the fire had not been started.
"The candles have given out," was the reply to his angry inquiry.
It being broad daylight, his men expected him to jump into the boat and order them to return with all haste to the ship; but, instead of doing so, he darted into one of the nearest houses, procured some tinder and candles and began himself the work of destruction.

Fixing his attention upon a large vessel, he climbed quickly aboard and started a fire in her steerage.

To help matters, he flung a barrel of tar over the flames and in a few minutes they were roaring fiercely.

It meant prodigious damage, for the vessel was surrounded by more than a hundred others, none of which could move, since they were aground and the tide was out.
As may be supposed, there was great excitement by that time.