On the rainy and foggy night of June 12, 1813, the British frigate Narcissus attacked the US Revenue Cutter Surveyor which lay at anchor in the York River not far from where TCYorktown is now located. Manned by only 15 men, she was attacked by a boarding party of 50 Englishmen in boats from the Narcissus, Lieutenant John Crerie, R.N. The boarders approached with muffled oars, from such an angle that Captain Samuel Travis, in the Surveyor, was unable to bring his guns to bear. He therefore gave his men two muskets each and bade them hold their fire until command. No sign or sound went up from the Surveyor to show that the attackers had been observed until the Englishmen were within pistol range; then with a whoop the cutter men cut loose their muskets and stood by to repel boarders.
Your gallant and desperate attempt to defend your vessel against more than double your number excited such admiration on the part of your opponents as I have seldom witnessed, and induced me to return you the sword you had so ably used, in testimony of mine.
Our poor fellows have severely suffered, occasioned chiefly, if not solely, by the precaution you had taken to prevent surprise. In short, I am at a loss which to admire most-the previous arrangement on board the Surveyor, or the determined manner in which the deck was disputed inch by inch. You have my most sincere wishes for the immediate parole and speedy exchange of yourself and brave crew.
She was then used by the British on the Chesapeake. Her ultimate fate is unknown.