A British Royal Navy force blockading the Rappahannock River in Virginia sent several hundred men in boats to attack four American privateers.

[3] On April 1, 1813, a British squadron consisting of the ships-of-the-line San Domingo and Marlborough, four frigates Acasta, Narcissus, Maidstone and Statira, two brigs, Mohawk and Fantome and one schooner, Highflyer blockaded the Rappahannock from Lynnhaven Bay.

He decided to offer resistance and anchored his ships in line of battle with portside guns facing the mouth of the Rappahannock where the British would originate.

When the British came within sight of the American line, they first stopped to wait for the wind and the remaining twelve boats to come up so Polkinghorne took the time to rally his men.

Polkinghorne sent a boat with the 12-pounder forward to commence an artillery duel with the intention of delaying the Americans but this failed when Stafford's ships all opened fire with a combined broadside.

Lieutenant Polkinghorne decided to stop waiting at this point and he led his boats directly for the center two American ships, Racer and Lynx, each of 280 tons and with crews totaling seventy-six men.

When Polkinghorne went for Dolphin, Captain Stafford put up a stubborn fight and it reportedly took fifteen minutes to secure the vessel.

A replica of Lynx now spends its time on an educational mission sailing back and forth between the Great Lakes and Florida's Gulf Coast.