The British captain , George Courtenay of HMS `` Boston '' , had arrived Arriving off New York City on 28 May and deliberately disguised Wearing his ship as a French vessel , fooling a French officer into coming Arriving aboard and making Action him a prisoner Prison of war .

Courtenay then sent Sending a message into New York , where he knew Know a French frigate lay Placing at anchor , challenging Competition the French captain to battle Hostile_encounter within the next three days .

The challenge Competition was accepted Receiving and widely disseminated Dispersal throughout the city , so that when Captain Jean-Baptiste-François Bompart of `` Embuscade '' sailed Self_motion out to meet Come_together Courtenay on the morning of 31 July , the shore was crowded Filling with thousands of sightseers .

The engagement Hostile_encounter between the ships was fiercely contested Competition , but the smaller and more lightly armed `` Boston '' seemed Change_sentiment to be taking Getting the more serious damage Damaging when at 6:20 Captain Courtenay was thrown Placing to the deck .

What happened next has been subject to debate Communication , with the second-in-command , Lieutenant John Edwards claiming Statement that Courtenay had been killed Killing and he was thrown overboard as was the custom at the time .

However rumours Communication subsequently circulated Dispersal that Courtenay had only been knocked Body_movement unconscious when Edwards gave Giving the order to jettison GiveUp him , a story that his family credited Hold and was later taken up Getting by the contemporary historian Edward Pelham Brenton , although historian William James subsequently defended Defending Edwards ' actions .

With Courtenay gone Earnings_and_losses , `` Boston '' continued Hold to suffer Bodily_harm severe damage Damaging until just after 07:00 , when the remaining officers ordered Request all surviving sails set and the British ship attempted to escape Escaping .