The British frigate Narcissis engaged in battle with which U.S. cutter?

• A. Surveyor
• B. Eagle
• C. Jefferson
• D. Legare

Answer: (A)

In this encounter, the key idea is matching a specific Royal Navy action to the small U.S. cutter involved. The Narcissus, a British frigate, engaged a U.S. cutter named Surveyor during the War of 1812. Cutters were fast, maneuverable vessels used for coastal patrols and customs enforcement, so a large frigate would seek to overpower but not necessarily sink them in quick, decisive combat. The Surveyor’s engagement with the Narcissus is the historical pairing recorded for this question, illustrating how a smaller, agile ship could clash with a much larger warship. The other listed vessels were different American ships with separate histories and did not participate in this particular battle.