<human>:  Why did the British lose at the Battle of Wilmington?
<bot>: The British were outnumbered by the colonials. The British had a lot of ships, but they were mostly small wooden ships that were easily damaged. The British also had a smaller number of cannons than the colonials, and they were not very accurate. The colonials had a lot of cannons, but they were made of iron and were very durable. The British had no way to defend themselves against the cannon fire. The British also had to fight in a winter storm, which made it harder for them to maneuver.