, ▁opening ▁the ▁block ade ▁and ▁providing ▁a ▁path ▁for ▁the ▁fleet ▁to ▁take ▁to ▁high ▁water . ▁Sea vers ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁cas ual ty ▁of ▁the ▁battle . ▁The ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁friend ▁and ▁com rade ▁imp elled ▁Brown ▁to ▁launch ▁a ▁full ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁Spanish ▁as ▁Argent ine ▁mor ale ▁was ▁low ▁at ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁this ▁experienced ▁officer ▁so ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁eng agement . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁March ▁ 1 8 1 4 ▁the ▁Her cules , ▁joined ▁by ▁the ▁Juli eta , ▁the ▁T ort ug as , ▁the ▁Fort un ata ▁and ▁the ▁fel u cca ▁San ▁Luis , ▁faced ▁the ▁strong ▁Spanish ▁naval ▁fleet ▁commanded ▁by ▁Captain ▁Jac into ▁de ▁Rom ar ate . ▁The ▁Spanish ▁arm ada ▁had ▁six ▁war ▁ships , ▁brig s , ▁gun bo ats ▁and ▁a ▁land ▁battery ▁with ▁four ▁can n ons . ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁fier ce ▁combat ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁Her cules ▁was ▁str and ed . ▁American - born ▁officer ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin ▁Se aver , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Juli eta , ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁action . ▁The ▁Her cules ▁ ▁def ended ▁herself ▁until ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁at ▁ 1 0   am . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁combat ▁Commander ▁E lias ▁Smith , ▁Lieutenant ▁Robert ▁St acy ▁and ▁forty - five ▁sail ors ▁were ▁killed ▁by ▁g rap es hot . ▁There ▁were ▁about ▁fifty ▁wounded , ▁which ▁im posed ▁a ▁heavy ▁task ▁for ▁the ▁sur