A running fight followed, but the _President_ was overmatched in every respect.

In his official report Decatur said: "Two fresh ships of the enemy, the 38-gun frigates _Pomone_ and _Tenedos_, had come up.

The _Pomone_ had opened fire on the port bow, within musket shot, the other, about two cables' length astern, taking a raking position on our quarter, and the rest, with the exception of the _Endymion_, within gunshot.

Thus situated, with about one-fifth of my crew killed and wounded, my ship crippled and a more than fourfold force opposed to me, without a chance of escape, I deemed it my duty to surrender." The British senior officer of the squadron to whom Decatur offered his sword showed his appreciation of the American's gallantry and of his chivalrous treatment of Captain Carden, when the situations were reversed, by handing the weapon back to Decatur with the remark that he was proud to return the sword of an officer who had defended his ship so nobly.
Shortly after this misfortune news reached this country of the signing of a treaty of peace, though several encounters took place on the ocean before the tidings could reach the various ships.
Turning back to the earlier part of the war, mention must be made of another American hero, James Lawrence, who was born in Burlington, N.J., in 1781 and was active in the war with Tripoli.

He was commander of the _Hornet_ when she captured the _Peacock_ in an engagement which lasted only fifteen minutes, with the loss of one American killed and two wounded.