The Aftermath of the Battle – HMS…

December 1782 CE

After his stunning victory, Captain James Luttrell aboard HMS Mediator assessed his position on the morning of December 13, 1782.

The Dauphin Royal and the American brig, both severely damaged, were still visible just five miles from Ferrol, Spain.
However, Luttrell judged it too risky to engage further, given his limited manpower and proximity to Spanish-controlled waters.

With only 100 British crew members to guard 340 prisoners, Luttrell wisely decided to set sail for England with his two captured ships, Alexander and Ménagère.
Mediator had suffered only seven casualties, but her rigging and masts were heavily damaged due to the enemy’s focused fire on her maneuverability.

Despite being treated well, Captain Gregory of the American brig attempted to seize Mediator:

He organized a group of prisoners to mutiny and try to take control of the ship.
After being subdued, he tried to set fire to Mediator in a last-ditch effort to destroy her.

Following Gregory’s attempted mutiny and arson, Luttrell placed all American prisoners, including Gregory, in irons.
Though the French officers had not participated in the revolt, the British tightened their security measures on them as well.

Michael Seymour, who later became a rear admiral, served as a midshipman aboard Mediator during this action.
The French vessel Aimable Eugénie, which had escaped, later wrecked on the coastal reef at Porto Plata, Saint-Domingue, in March 1783.

Luttrell and his crew eventually received the last installment of prize money for Alexander and Ménagère in October 1788—almost six years after the engagement.
This battle marked the last military action involving American forces before the Treaty of Paris (1783)formally ended the American Revolutionary War.

The battle off Ferrol, though a small-scale naval action, was a brilliant tactical victory for HMS Mediator:

Luttrell’s decisive leadership resulted in two captured enemy ships, despite being outnumbered and outgunned.
His prudent decision to withdraw prevented a potential disaster, as engaging further near Spanish waters could have led to British losses.
The prisoner mutiny and attempted sabotage highlight the challenges of naval warfare beyond combat, including the dangers of managing captured enemies at sea.
The action served as the final naval clash involving American forces before the war's formal conclusion, cementing its place in history as the last engagement of the American Revolutionary War.