He was confined for a time aboard the HMS Pearl in New York's harbor; while imprisoned there he witnessed the Great Fire of New York.
Lieutenant Robert Maynard of HMS Pearl was given command of two commandeered sloops, to approach the town from the sea.
He was given 57 men-33 from HMS Pearl and 24 from HMS Lyme.
She transferred the pennant of flagship to HMS Pearl and sailed for Portsmouth on 16 October 1873.
Select officers from the Lexington were taken onto the HMS Pearl as prisoners, Dale included, although a sudden gale permitted the rest of the America crew to escape.
Marks reported that the Chinese treated him like a prisoner while on board the sampan and tried to avoid Green Island where the HMS Pearl was anchored.
HMS Pearl may refer to:
HMS Pearl was anchored off Green Island at the time and she eventually recovered both the merchantman and the survivors.
Ships of foreign navies - the British HMS Pearl and the French Coetlogon - were standing by neutrally during the conflict.