Captain David Porter of USS Essex had proposed a Pacific voyage to the Secretary of the Navy for exploration and colonization before the War of 1812 had begun.

Once the war was declared, Porter flew his iconic white ensign with the words "Free Trade and Sailors rights" from Essex which was copied on USS Chesapeake by James Lawrence.

[3] Porter arrived in Valparaíso on 15 March 1813 where he received a warm welcome from the revolutionary government, and he took advantage of this to take on food, water, and stores for Essex.

He armed two of his prizes as auxiliary support and detached them to capture others, and two more ships were returned to their captains to ferry the prisoners to Valparaíso.

Despite that, the only prize to reach the United States was the whale ship Atlantic which Porter armed and renamed Essex Junior.

[4] By September 1813, Essex needed a major refit and Porter picked up rumors that a British squadron was searching for him.

[5] Porter next sailed to Valparaíso in the hope of encountering a British frigate, and he left Nuka Hiva on 13 December with a small squadron of prizes.

[7] To get to the Pacific, Porter had to cross the waters of the British Brazil Station which was full of ships trading in specie from South America.

On 3 April 1813, Captain Heywood of Nereus reported that Essex had arrived in Valparaíso on 15 March intent on a short stay to Rear Admiral Manley Dixon in the 74-gun HMS Montagu.

Dixon detached Cherub and Racoon to guard the whaling fishery, while Phoebe's mission was modified, becoming to seek out and capture or destroy Essex.

Dixon would assert that the specie trade was a priority and that only once Phoebe had arrived, would Cherub and Racoon safely get to the Pacific as if Essex had encountered the two sloops on their own, the ships being much smaller, would have surely been captured.

[5] Bowles successfully blocked Porter's ability to sell some prizes at Valparaíso through letters from Buenos Aires.

[5] On 12 July 1813 Hillyar in Phoebe sealed orders for rendezvous and locations to renew stores for Isaac Todd, Cherub, and Racoon without contact of the South American mainland.

While rounding Cape Horn, the ships became separated from Isaac Todd and in October, Hillyar received information that Essex had taken her.

Hillyar found that Essex had been sighted at the Juan Fernández Islands, Valparaíso, and the Galapagos, but didn't know where exactly to find her.

[11] Bowles received information that Essex had arrived in Valparaíso, Chile had fallen into civil war and the Carrera family were no longer in power and forwarded it to Dixon in Rio de Janeiro and to the Admiralty in London.

[12] Comparison of combatant vessels (English measurement methods used for both ships;[13]) On 3 February the 36-gun frigate Phoebe and the 18 gun ship-rigged sloop Cherub arrived at Valparaíso.

[15] The next day, Porter hoisted his ensign written "Free Trade and Sailors' Rights" to the fore topgallant masthead.

[further explanation needed] Despite his permission, Hillyar did not engage as such a violation of neutrality might be beyond the power of the governor to ignore as the United States would protest.

Dixon received information that the United States 44-gun super-frigates would sortie from American ports and attempt to join up with Porter.

[22] As Tagus and Nereus, 18-pounder frigates, both more powerful than Essex, began to approach the Pacific, Porter received information of their arrival.

[22] Hillyar was warned that Porter would sortie on 23 March by British merchants desperate to resume trade once the threat of being captured by Essex no longer existed.

That night, Porter sent Lieutenant Maury out to sea in one of Essex's boats carrying blue lights and launching rockets.

Both Phoebe and Cherub hoisted St George's flag written on them were the words "God and Country, British Sailors Best Rights.

Porter was unable to sail back into the port and dropped anchor in a small bay out of sight of the nearest Chilean fort at 3:45 at 9+1⁄2 fathoms (57 ft; 17.4 m) from the shore.

Heavy fire from Essex's long 12-pounder chase guns caused badly wounded Commander Tucker of Cherub to move alongside Phoebe.

[28] Porter ordered Essex to be run ashore and blown up as James Lawrence had said about USS Chesapeake when HMS Shannon took her.

[28] In his final report, David Porter claimed that the British had violated neutrality, conducted themselves dishonorably and inhumanely, and plundered his personal property after the engagement.

He stated that the loss of Essex was simply due to a series of misfortunes and blamed Paul Hamilton for his all short range carronade armament.

Hillyar would help reconcile the Peruvian and Chilean governments, which the British gave more attention to as the War of the Sixth Coalition had ended and Napoleon was exiled.