A substantial number o/Eagle's prize vessels were actually the re-captures ofpreviously seized American ships, which had been taken as prizes by the French. In this painting, Eagle is depicted firing on the French privateer Reliance, from which Campbell and his crew regained control ofthe American ships Nancy, a New Bedford whaler, and Mehitable, homeward bound to New England from Suriname.
she seized a French privateer and recaptured two A m erican vessels-a sloop and a schooner. Campbell 's combat record res ted on hi s so und lead ers hip , the prop er maintenance of his sh ip, and care of his crew. But combat also required so und judgement. Campbell had to rake risks and know when to press an attack and when not to. In early February 1800, he spotted two strange vessels, pursued them , a nd discovered the ships were French privateers with a fighting strength twice his own. H e outsailed the privateers, but not without suffering numerous hits from their guns. In June, Eagle encountered an enemy privateer in company with three prize ships off Sr. Barthelemy (a.k.a. Sr. Barths). Campbell attacked, but Eagle's sails and rigging were badly damaged before the privateer fled. Meanwhile, the three prize ships ran ashore, robbing Campbell of their salvage value.
SEA HISTORY 153, WINTER 2015- 16
Eagle had the good fortune to capture two French ships in June 1800, and to take a third in August. These vessels would be the last captures of Campbell 's two-year camp aign in the Caribb ean. D espite spending consid erable time escort ing convoys and refitting at home, Ca mpbell 's Eagle captured, or assisted in the capture, of twenty-two privateers, prize ships, and enemy merchantmen, and destroyed several more enemy ships run ashore. Campbel l not only h ad command presence and seafaring ability, he had a lot of luck. By September 1800, Eagle was in rough shape with half her copper sheath ing gone and much of her hull planking infested with shipworms. Campbell received orders to escort a convoy north, together with the 26 -gun sloop USS Maryland, and then sa il home for a refit. While Eagle rode at anchor at St. Thomas, waiting for her convoy's fifty merchantmen to asse mble, a maj or hurricane swirled farther to the north,
forc ing other A merican warships to a fight for their survival. Top-heavy with thick m asts and spa rs and dozens of large cannon s, the frigate USS I nsurgent was likely the storm's first victim. She va nished from the sea's surface with her entire crew of 340 officers and men. The next victim was Eagle's sister ship Pickering, which had recently triumphed over the powerful privateer l'Egypte Conquise. But the victor was va nquished as the heroic cutter lost her battle with Mother Nature in the same storm. The next day, all that rem ained of Pickeringwas an overturned hull. Another of Eagle's sister ships, Scammel, survived the storm only by dumping her guns and excess gear. W hat the enemy had failed to do against the American squ adron in months of naval warfare, a violent storm executed in just hours. After the hurricane passed, Ca mpbell and his crew raised anchor and sailed north with the convoy, not knowing that their course took them
35