The day after Capt. Joseph Turpin captured the St. James, he was spotted by the British sloop Falcon and her tender the General Clinton. Capt. Turpin tried to bring his prizes into Charleston, but the Falcon pursued him. As he reached Charleston his prize ship ran aground three miles northeast of Fort Johnson, and Capt. Turpin was forced to abandon it after setting it on fire.

Capt. John Linzee of the Falcon sent Capt. William Stacey and the General Clinton to try to put out the fire, but Capt. Turpin fired on the General Clinton. The guns of the Comet did not cause any damage due to the distance, but the St. James and her cargo was a total loss.

The next day, Capt. Turpin and his Comet quickly overtook the General Clinton, and for the first time the SC Navy defeated a British warship. The Comet captured the General Clinton, along with several pilots who had been helping the British, and now the British had none to assist them in their navigation of the Charleston Harbor.

This first small victory for the SC Navy would have a significant impact on the near future of Charleston.

SC Provincial Navy brig. Comet - Capt. Joseph Turpin, with eighteen 6-pounders

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Sloop HMS Falcon - Capt. John Linzee, with 14 guns

Sloop HMS General Clinton - Capt. William Stacey, with twleve seamen, six Choehorn mortars, and ten swivel guns