In response, Ardent offered sporadic and inaccurate return fire before striking her colours to the vastly superior enemy force. At his subsequent court martial Captain Boteler blamed his failure to return fire on an inadequate supply of gunpowder for Ardent′s cannons, a statement strongly denied by the ship's gunner Archibald Macintyre who presented evidence there was enough powder for fifty minutes of vigorous engagement.
In response to the attack, Ardent fired erratically and inaccurately before being forced to retreat in defeat against the superior enemy force. Captain Boteler blamed his failure to retaliate on a lack of gunpowder for Ardent's cannons, but this was disputed by the ship's gunner Archibald Macintyre who insisted there was enough powder for fifty minutes of sustained combat.