▁side ▁by ▁side ▁almost ▁at ▁gun shot ▁distance ▁as ▁Dir on ▁attempted ▁to ▁as certain ▁the ▁identity ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁vessels ▁and ▁to ▁position ▁his ▁ship ▁off ▁Domin icas ▁star board ▁bow . ▁At ▁ 1 2 : 3 0 ▁pm ▁the ▁Americans ▁learned ▁that ▁their ▁pre y ▁was ▁a ▁sch oon er - of - war ▁when ▁Lieutenant ▁B aret te ▁raised ▁the ▁British ▁flag ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁fle e ▁with ▁the ▁merchant man . ▁ ▁Capt ure ▁At ▁about ▁ 1 : 3 0 ▁pm ▁Domin ica ▁fired ▁when ▁it ▁man eu ver ed ▁in ▁for ▁an ▁attack , ▁but ▁the ▁shot ▁fell ▁short . ▁Although ▁Domin ica ▁was ▁more ▁heavily ▁armed ▁than ▁Dec atur , ▁Dir on ▁chose ▁to ▁eng age ▁her . ▁The ▁Americans ▁then ▁raised ▁their ▁colors ▁and ▁beat ▁to ▁qu arters . ▁To ▁ensure ▁that ▁none ▁of ▁his ▁men ▁fled ▁below , ▁Captain ▁Dir on ▁ordered ▁all ▁the ▁h atch es ▁closed ▁after ▁all ▁the ▁am mun ition , ▁water ▁and ▁gra pp ling ▁hook s ▁were ▁brought ▁on ▁deck . ▁Dir on ▁planned ▁to ▁get ▁as ▁close ▁as ▁possible ▁to ▁Domin ica ▁without ▁firing ▁a ▁shot ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁release ▁a ▁broad side ▁and ▁a ▁dis charge ▁of ▁mus ket ry ▁before ▁board ing ▁under ▁cover ▁of ▁the ▁smoke . ▁It ▁was ▁around ▁ 2 : 0 0 ▁pm ▁when ▁Dec atur ▁man eu ver ed ▁for ▁this ▁but ▁the ▁Americans ▁were ▁answered ▁with ▁a ▁broad side ▁and ▁a ▁dead ly ▁du el ▁en su ed