Butler convinced either acting captain Hendrick Fisher or local customs officials to transport a cargo of wool to his slave plantation on St. Simons Island using Eagle.

The sloop fired a shot across the cutter's bow as a signal for it to stop; Fisher responded by attempting to heave to, but Butler ordered him to continue ahead.

As Lynx had drawn too much water to continue the chase, Beresford ordered that the ship's pinnace and cutter, under Lieutenant Alex Skene's command, to pursue Eagle.

After learning the Eagle was a United States Revenue-Marine vessel, Skene and his men returned to their boats and went back to Lynx, allowing the Americans to continue unmolested.

Once news of the encounter spread, the American public was outraged; in response to being questioned over the incident, Beresford stated that Lynx was outside the 12-nautical-mile (22 km; 14 mi) limit of U.S. territorial waters and noted that the cutter was not flying a flag.