The Americans resisted fiercely and had the advantage of height and anti-boarding netting. Lockyer was wounded, his number two killed and his barge suffered heavy loss. When a second took its place it was sunk but by sheer weight of numbers the British boats prevailed. They cut away the nettings and subsequently all the gunboats were taken. 41 Americans and 94 British were killed or wounded.

On the immediate left in the foreground a grass-covered bank is visible, and water has been portrayed beyond with splashes from small-arms fire. Beyond and across the picture a group of British boats have been portrayed from astern. One of them in the centre has been hit and sunk. They are closing on the five gunboats that are grouped across the picture beyond them, identifiable from their American flags and rigged anti-boarding nets. Jones's gunboat is just right of centre, in starboard-broadside view, and has been boarded by Lockyer's barge.

Hornbrook was a successful oil painter of local naval scenes in Plymouth. He exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1836 and 1844. He became Marine Painter to the Duchess of Kent and her daughter, the future Queen Victoria, in about 1833.