While escorting a fleet of American ships in the West Indies, the frigate USS Randolph was attacked by the British ship-of-the-line HMS Yarmouth.

[1][2] Captain Nicholas Biddle commanded the thirty-six-gun USS Randolph, having received orders from John Rutledge to break the enemy blockade of Charleston, South Carolina where a large number of merchantmen were trapped.

However, after sailing out to meet the British off Charleston on February 14, the enemy was nowhere in sight, so the American fleet headed for the West Indies where Biddle would raid commerce.

Three days after that, at about 5:30 pm, on March 7, 1778, the Americans were sailing off the eastern coast of Barbados when lookouts spotted a large ship to the windward.

The Americans seemed to be on the verge of victory[clarification needed] when a spark entered the Randolph's powder magazine, causing a large explosion that completely destroyed the frigate in an instant.

According to Captain Hall of the Notre Dame, Biddle and his men heavily damaged the Yarmouth in the first twelve to fifteen minutes, while the American ships were still mostly unharmed.