Editing History of the Falkland Islands (section)

===USS ''Lexington'' raid===
{{See also|Falklands Expedition}}
In 1831, Vernet attempted to assert his monopoly on seal hunting rights. This led him to capture the American ships ''Harriet'', ''Superior'' and ''Breakwater''. As a reprisal, the United States consul in Buenos Aires sent Captain [[Silas Duncan]] of USS ''Lexington'' to recover the confiscated property. After finding what he considered proof that at least four American fishing ships had been captured, plundered, and even outfitted for war, Duncan took seven prisoners aboard ''Lexington'' and charged them with piracy.

Also taken on board, Duncan reported, "were the whole of the (Falklands') population consisting of about forty persons, with the exception of some 'gauchos', or cowboys who were encamped in the interior." The group, principally German citizens from Buenos Aires, "appeared greatly rejoiced at the opportunity thus presented of removing with their families from a desolate region where the climate is always cold and cheerless and the soil extremely unproductive". However, about 24 people did remain on the island, mainly gauchos and several [[Charrúa people|Charrúa]] [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indians]], who continued to trade on Vernet's account.

Measures were taken against the settlement. The log of ''Lexington'' reports destruction of arms and a powder store, while settlers remaining later said that there was great damage to private property.<ref>FitzRoy, R. 1839. [http://darwin-online.org.uk/content/frameset?viewtype=text&itemID=F10.2&pageseq=326 Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's Ships Adventure and Beagle. Proceedings of the second expedition, 1831-36. Chapter XVIII.]</ref> Towards the end of his life, Luis Vernet authorised his sons to claim on his behalf for his losses stemming from the raid.  In the case lodged against the US Government for compensation, rejected by the US Government of [[Grover Cleveland|President Cleveland]] in 1885, [[Luis Vernet#Vernet's role in the dispute over the Falkland Islands|Vernet]] stated that the settlement was destroyed.<ref name="Tatham pp. 544">{{cite book|chapter = Luis Vernet| last = Peter Pepper| first = Graham Pascoe |editor=David Tatham |editor-link=David Tatham |title=The Dictionary of Falklands Biography (Including South Georgia): From Discovery Up to 1981|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0D0VNAAACAAJ|access-date=15 August 2011|date=1 June 2008|publisher=D. Tatham|isbn=978-0-9558985-0-1|page=544}}</ref>