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The capture of East India Company brig ''Nautilus'' took place on 30 June 1815. Although part of the Anglo-American War of 1812, it took place long after the war ended, as the commander of the United States Sloop of war USS ''Peacock'' was unaware that the war had ended six months earlier. The commander of ''Nautilus'' hailed that the war was over but refused to haul down his flag and ''Peacock'' opened fire, killing and wounding several of the crew of ''Nautilus'', which then surrendered. Once ''Nautilus''s commander provided proof that the war had ended, the Americans released the brig and its crew. This was the last action of the war. ==Prelude== (詳細はNew York, under Commodore Stephen Decatur, which was intended to disrupt British merchant shipping in the Indian Ocean.〔Roosevelt, p.221〕 On 14 January 1815, Decatur took advantage of a blizzard and left harbour in the frigate USS ''President'', while the blockading squadron of the Royal Navy had been blown off station. However, the ''President'' went aground on the bar at the harbour mouth. When it was eventually floated off, the damaged frigate encountered the returning British squadron and was captured. The remaining vessels of Decatur's squadron (the sloops of war USS ''Peacock'', commanded by Master Commandant Lewis Warrington, and USS ''Hornet'' and the brig tender USS ''Tom Bowline'') were not aware of the ''Presidents'' fate. On 22 January, a strong north-westerly gale blew up and the three American vessels sortied in thick weather the next day. They reached open sea despite the British blockaders being plainly in sight as the Americans passed the bar.〔Roosevelt, p.236〕 The three American vessels made for a pre-arranged rendezvous with the ''President'' at Tristan da Cunha. ''Hornet'' became separated from the other two vessels during the voyage. ''Peacock'' and ''Tom Bowline'' reached Tristan da Cunha on 18 March but were driven off by a gale.〔Roosevelt, p.228〕 They returned on 23 March to find that in their absence the ''Hornet'' had arrived, and had engaged and captured HMS ''Penguin''. ''Penguin'' was too badly damaged to be repaired so ''Tom Bowline'' was sent to Rio de Janeiro as a cartel with ''Penguins'' crew. After waiting in vain for the ''President'' until 15 April, ''Hornet'' and ''Peacock'' set out together for the Indian Ocean. On 27 April, they encountered the British ship of the line HMS ''Cornwallis'', which they at first mistook for a valuable East Indiaman. When they realised their mistake, the American ships split up to escape. ''Cornwallis'' pursued the slower ''Hornet'', which evaded capture only by jettisoning all guns and small arms, most of the stores, and even substantial parts of the sloop's structure.〔Forester, pp.218-220〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Capture of East India Company ship Nautilus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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