the British retreat was no victory for Jones’s men. Although the Americans on the Sea Horse had fought off this first attack, they remained trapped—and they understood they would not be able to hold off a second assault. Unwilling to let the ship fall into enemy hands, they made a painful decision. At 7:30 p.m., a tremendous explosion rent the air, sending flames high into the sky. The Americans had blown up the Sea Horse and the supplies. Neither would be of any use to the British.
