war seems to some to have been an "unwar." But America was never the same after the War of 1812, either in its own eyes or in the eyes of the British, especially the British. A few events effected this outcome. These were not connected in any militarily planned way, but they changed the war, and changed America's image.
    The War of 1812 was fought primarily over a nation's right to remain neutral while others are in conflict. England and France were at war at the time, as they usually were back then, and in some ways still are. The English however, were boarding American ships and forcing American sailors into service in the Royal Navy. An occasional merchantman or fisherman would have been one thing, but between 1803 and 1812 the British boarded 1500 ships and impressed more than 10,000 sailors.
    The American Navy, established in 1798, had a limited number of ships. Privately owned and operated vessels were brought into service, armed and offered possession of anything they could take from the enemy. They would bring the cargo or the boat and cargo into port and sell it. These privateers became a significant part of American naval forces at the time. They operated more for profit than patriotism. It was a dangerous business at a time when merchant ships that were often armed with cannon. The job of the British warships was to protect the merchant ships.
    The vessels, whether owned by the captain or sailed by him for the owners, had varied success. Not all were willing to fight to take a prize (as captured ships were known) in the face of life threatening force. It was after all, piracy, at least to the side that did not sanction it. The crew was paid a share of the take and could influence a captain's decision to take a prize when he may have questioned the risks.
    Some privateers did well, some fortunes were made in the business. After considering the effects of good and bad luck, the privateers' success relied on the ability of the captain. Some found prizes by the dozen and others got nothing for months. But being good at it was based on an intimate knowledge gained from experience. Knowledge of trade routes, seasonal changes in commerce and the behavior of merchant captains while in convoys or traveling alone was part of what made the difference. Sailing well to windward to avoid the square rigged escorts, speed and boldness in snatching the prey, perseverance in following a convoy and avoiding risks were all desirable abilities.
    The Navy also used converted schooners. Changed to brigantine rigs, (two square-rigged masts rather than two gaff-rigged masts) reinforced and armed with cannon, these smaller war ships patrolled the coast. On September 1st, 1813 one of these converted schooners, the brig Enterprise, left Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with Lieutenant William Burrowes in command. The Enterprise carried 14 eighteen-pound cannon and 2 long nine-pounders. Officers and crew numbered 102.
    Born in Philadelphia, Burrowes received a midshipman's warrant in 1799 at the age of 14. He soon sailed on various ships including the Constitution under Commodore Preble. At 28 he was about to resign for want of his own command when he was assigned to the Enterprise. He enthusiastically equipped his ship and rigorously trained his crew. The Enterprise sailed the coast in light weather until early on the morning of September 5th, when a brig was seen inshore just getting underway off Pemiquid Point.
    The ship he saw was the HMS Boxer, under the command of Samuel Blyth. Blyth too had waited a long time for a command of his own. A year earlier he was assigned to the Boxer and not long before this September morning had sailed his ship from England for his first assignment. The Boxer carried 16 eighteen-pound cannon, with 2 long nine-pounders on deck and a crew of seventy. The much-experienced and often wounded Blyth was determined to make a name for himself with his first ship. He had been sent out of Halifax, Nova Scotia to harass the Maine coast, and he, like Burrowes, was anxious for a substantial engagement.
    As the two approached they were becalmed for hours just out of range of each other. When a breeze finally came up Burrowes had the weather in his favor, but he held off for two hours testing his ship's sailing qualities against the British brig maneuvering in the distance. He also shifted one of his long nine-pound cannons aft, projecting it out his stern cabin window.
    It was two in the afternoon when he decided to close and went straight into action. Neither side attempted to gain advantage during the approach. Both ships held their fire until close alongside - amazingly within about ten yards. Burrowes paced quickly to and fro on the quarter-deck. The Boxer came up into the wind, both crews cheered and let roar broadsides that sent 18-pound solid iron balls the size of grapefruit smashing into hulls, deck houses, masts, rigging and men.
    Those first rounds were the best aimed and most deadly. In fact, Blyth was shot through the body by an 18-pounder and fell dead. Burrowes soon after was hit by grapeshot in the thigh and lay on deck dying. He refused to be taken below; his crew propped him up where he could observe the battle.
    Both ships were firing as fast as possible. The Enterprise drew ahead of the Boxer raking her with the aft-mounted nine-pounder. Raking was firing cannon balls along the enemies deck. It was having like having high speed bowling balls smashing, splintering, ricocheting off cannon and wood, several at once. In the first eight minutes, the Englishmen's main topmast and topsail yard had been blasted away. The Enterprise was able to swing around and cross Boxer's bow, raking her repeatedly.
    In thirty minutes of firing the battle was won - the Boxer surrendered, beaten into a wreck, a third of her men killed or wounded. The Enterprise sustained much less damage and fewer casualties. The Royal Navy remarkably and no doubt painfully, attributed the defeat to "the superiority of the enemy's force" and "the greater degree of skill in the direction of her fire." Burrowes had never been in a battle before and McCall, the senior surviving officer who took command when Burrowes was wounded, had never seen hostile fire.
    McCall took the Enterprise and her prize into Portland. The bodies of Burrowes and Blyth were buried with all the ceremony the City of Portland, local military and naval authorities could put together. The procession included the Portland Rifle Company. The two bodies were brought ashore from their respective ships in boats rowed by each ship's masters, amid the discharge of minute guns. Landed at Union Wharf, the bodies were borne along many streets and eventually to the cemetery. They were accompanied not only by the commander of the Constitution, Isaac Hull, and the crews - captive and free - of both ships, but by everyone of note in official positions. Selectmen, sheriff, judiciary, presidents and officers of banks and citizens in general were in attendance. Blyth was buried next to Burrowes and his ship's company put a stone over his grave.