Out-Numbered - Geoff Hunt

British squadron closing in on USS President, 15th January 1815 

"Commodore Hayes, commanding His Britannic Majesty's frigates Endymion, Pomone and Tenedos, carrying his flag in the Majestic, was on blockade duty off New York in early January 1815. Blown off station by a violent snow-storm on the 14th, he guessed that Commodore Decatur would seize this opportunity to get his USS President out to sea, and further correctly guessed Decatur's likely course. Consequently, at daylight on the 15th, President appeared "as if by rendezvous". some five miles ahead of the British squadron. The chase was on. The day began with strong winds but these eased progressively until by the afternoon there was so little wind that all ships were carrying every stitch of canvas.

Following crushing defeats in single-ship frigate actions earlier in the war, the Royal Navy had realised that its standard frigate classes were no match for American heavy frigates such as President, which was some fifty percent larger, stronger and more heavily armed. But by 1815 the British had formulated responses to this threat, and Hayes' squadron was a perfect example. His flagship Majestic was a "razee", a cut-down 74-gun battleship, and more than a match for the President if it could only catch it. Endymion...was the nearest equivalent the British had to President, a heavy frigate not far short of the American's size and weight of fire. The squadron had two other frigates as well.

Most importantly on this day, Endymion had the speed to catch the American...Endymion surged on ahead and after a chase of seven hours gradually began to overhaul President despite every resource Decatur employed to escape. The two ships were firing steadily at each other from 2 pm onwards. The winter sunset was at 4.45 pm; still they fought on at close range. Around 8 pm aboard Endymion it seemed that President had ceased fire and they even believed that Decatur had surrendered; but the American dismantling shot had wrecked Endymion's sails and she had no boats left to take the surrender, so she stood off to bend six new sails...before resuming the chase. By now the rest of the British squadron had caught up, and at 11.40 pm it was HMS Tenedos that finally took the American flagship's surrender." - Geoff Hunt PPRSMA

 NEW - Signed and numbered limited edition print.

Edition of 500 on paper and 150 on canvas.

On Paper: 
Image size: 15 x 21 inches (38 cm x 53 cm)
Paper Size::  20.5 x 26 inches (52 cm x 66 cm) 

On Canvas: 
Image size: 17 x 24 inches (43 x 61 cm).
Varnished, 2-inch margins.