▁finding ▁the ▁har bor ▁still ▁occupied ▁by ▁Spanish ▁forces , ▁the ▁American ▁squad ron , ▁consisting ▁of ▁the ▁gun bo ats ▁USS ▁Ann apolis ▁and ▁USS ▁To pe ka , ▁the ▁armed ▁t ug ▁USS ▁Ley den ▁and ▁the ▁armed ▁y acht ▁, ▁man eu ver ed ▁through ▁a ▁mine field ▁to ▁eng age ▁the ▁Spanish ▁forces . ▁Jorge ▁Juan ▁opened ▁fire ▁on ▁W asp ▁and ▁Ley den , ▁but ▁they ▁quickly ▁s ank ▁her ▁with ▁help ▁from ▁Ann apolis . ▁While ▁the ▁other ▁three ▁ships ▁were ▁eng aging ▁Jorge ▁Juan , ▁To pe ka ▁sil enced ▁the ▁har bor ▁for ts ▁and ▁fired ▁on ▁other ▁Spanish ▁works ▁in ▁the ▁har bor . ▁ ▁After math ▁See ing ▁the ▁hop eless ness ▁of ▁the ▁situation , ▁the ▁Spanish ▁sa iled ▁the ▁small ▁gun bo at ▁Bar aco a ▁up river ▁and ▁sc utt led ▁her ▁to ▁prevent ▁her ▁capture ▁by ▁the ▁superior ▁American ▁force . ▁Just ▁as ▁the ▁fighting ▁came ▁to ▁an ▁end , ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁personnel ▁board ed ▁Jorge ▁Ju ans ▁s inking ▁h ulk , ▁stri pping ▁several ▁items ▁from ▁it ▁as ▁tro ph ies . ▁One ▁such ▁tro phy ▁was ▁the ▁Jorge ▁Ju ans ▁battle - flag , ▁which ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁sail ors ▁from ▁Ann apolis ▁and ▁now ▁res ides ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁Tro phy ▁Flag ▁Collection . ▁The ▁Americans ▁suffered ▁few , ▁if ▁any , ▁cas ual ties ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁after ▁the ▁battle ▁the ▁small ▁squad ron ▁received