two wounded, the greater part slightly. According to the American official account, the President lost altogether, two midshipmen and one marine killed, the commodore, one lieutenant, one lieutenant of marines, three midshipmen, and twelve seamen wounded. This alone was a high price to pay for the day's amusement, but this was not all, as the homeward bound fleet, through Capt. Byron's judgment in leading the American squadron, so long a dance, arrived safely on the 23rd August, in the Downs, Com. Rodgers only falling in with a fleet, not of ships, but, of cocoa nuts, orange peel, &c. To complete his misfortunes, the scurvy broke out among the men, and thus conferred an additional value on the oranges and lemons that were known to be in such profusion in the much coveted vessels. fleet as compared with that of the British. It had been intended that the frigate Essex Manning of American should have formed part of Commodore Rodgers' squadron, but she could not be got ready in time; the complement of this vessel, as acknowledged by Capt. Porter, was three hundred and twenty-eight men. Another confession was also made by Capt. Porter, (one for which his government did not thank him), that, out of his three hundred and twentyeight men, there were but eleven landsmen. To those cognizant of the material from which the complement of a British ship is made up, this admission must appear most extraordinary, and establishes the very important fact that, no pains were spared by the Americans to send their vessels to sea equipped and manned in the most complete way. We will now show the importance that was attached to the re tention of British seamen on board the American ships of war, and this should be held in remembrance by all who desire to judge fairly of those encounters between British and American ships, of which we are now about to begin the account. refusing to become a traitor to his country:— "A New York newspaper, of June 27th, 1812, contains the following as the substance of the formal deposition of the victim of Capt. Porter's unmanly treatment. The deposition states, that John Erving was born in Newcastleupon-Tyne, England; that he has resided within the United States, but has never been naturalized; that, on the 14th October, 1811, he entered on board the Essex, and joined her at Norfolk; that Captain Porter, on the 25th June, 1812, caused all hands to be piped on deck, to take the oath of allegiance to the United States, and gave them to understand, that any man who did not choose to do so should be discharged; that, when deponent heard his name called, he told the Captain that, being a British subject, he must refuse taking the oath; on which the captain spoke to the petty officers, and told them they must him into the launch which lay alongside the pass sentence upon him; that they then put frigate, and there poured a bucket of tar over him, and then laid on a quantity of feathers having first stripped him naked from the waist; that they then rowed him ashore, stern foremost, and landed him; that he wandered about, from street to street, in this condition, until a Mr. Ford took him into his shop, to save him from the crowd then beginning to gather; that he staid there until the police the city prison for protection, where he was magistrate took him away, and put him into cleansed and clothed. None of the citizens molested him or insulted him." He says he gave as an additional reason to the Captain why he did not choose to fight against his he would certainly be hung. This, as we recountry, that, if he should be taken prisoner, marked above, if true, is a significant fact, and shows the importance attached to the retention of a good seaman. So much has been already written on the way in which British vessels are manned, that it is almost unnecessary to remark, that there was no great cause for wonder that, seduced by promises of high pay, good seamen should enter the American service, and fight desperately; especially with a noose dangling from the foreyard arm ever before their eye when in sight of a Britisk man-of-war. The first fatal consequence of the disregard First consequences of the faceting of unequal forces. Loss of the Gu erriere. of the difference of size dervaluing their opponents' strength, was ex- strength. So heavy indeed had been the fire* that after removing the officers and crew it *SIR,-I am sorry to inform you of the capture of His Majesty's late ship Guerrière, by the Amer|ican frigate Constitution, after a severe action on the 19th August, in lat. 40 deg. 20 minutes N. and long. 55 deg. W. At 2 P. M. being by the wind on the star-board tack, we saw a sail on our weather beam, bearing down on us. At 3, made her out to be a man-of-war, beat to quarters and pre pared for action. At 4, she closing fast, wore to prevent her raking us. At ten minutes past 4, hoisted our colors and fired several shot at her: at twenty minutes past 4, she hoisted her colors and returned our fire, wore several times to avoid being raked, exchanging broad-ides. At 5, she The respective force is thus officially stated, -Guerrière forty-eight guns, throwing one thousand and thirty-four pounds of shot: erew, two hundred and forty four: tons, one thousand and ninety-two;-Constitution fifty-closed on our starboard beam, both keeping up a six guns, throwing fifteen hundred and thirtysix pounds of shot: crew, four hundred and sixty: tons, fifteen hundred and thirty-eight. Even this statement will fail to convey an adequate idea of the real inequality that existed between the vessels, as it should be also borne in mind that the Guerrière was on her return from a long cruise with foremast and bowsprit sprung, and in absolute need of the refit for which she was then hastening to Halifax.* The Constitution was seventeen days from port, and in all respects as well prepared for an engagement as the greatest care could make her. At half-past four the frigates came to close quarters, and by half-past six the unequal contest was ended by Capt. Dacres lowering his flag, the Guerrière being, by this time, an unmanageable wreck, rolling her main deck guns under, with her three masts gone by the board. No imputation can be attached to Capt. Dacres on this occasion, he fought and handled his ship well, and he with his crew yielded only to the irresistible superiority of physical "The Guerrière had nearly expended, not only her water and provisions, but her boatswain's and carpenter's stores; her gunner's stores were also deficient; what remained of her powder, from damp and long keeping, was greatly reduced in strength; her bowsprit was badly sprung, her mainmast, from having been struck by lightning, in a tottering state, and her hull, from age and length of service, scarcely seaworthy. No one henwill deny that this rencontre was rather unfortunate; in fact, such was the state of general decay in which the Guerrière, at this time, was, that, had the frigate gone into Portsmouth or Plymouth, she would, in all probability, have been disarmed and broken up." heavy fire and steering free, his intention being The loss of the ship is to be ascribed to the early fall of her main-mast, which enabled our opponent to choose his position. I am sorry to say, we suffered considerably in killed and wounded, and mostly while she lay on our bow, from her grape and musquetry; in all, fifteen killed and sixtythree wounded, many of them severely; none of the wounded officers quitted the deck until the firing ceased. The frigate proved to be the United States' ship Constitution, of thirty 24-pounders on her main deck and twenty-four 32-pounders, and two 18's on her upper deck, and 476 men: her loss in com. parison with ours is trifling, about twenty: the first lieutenant of marines and eight killed; the first lieutenant and master of the ship, and eleven men wounded; her lower masts badly wounded, and stern much shattered, and very much cut up about the rigging, was found by the captors impossible to keep time of her sailing, no opportunity of course this, their first naval trophy, afloat, and the had since that period offered itself for disGuerrière was accordingly set on fire and charging them. Capt. Dacres, however, conblown up. This must have been the more ceiving it to be unjust in the extreme, to mortifying, as this ship had been made par- compel them to fight against their countrymen, ticularly obnoxious to the Americans, although ordered them to quit their quarters and go the causes of quarrel arose before Capt. Dacres below. This conduct contrasts most favorably joined and while Capt. Pechell commanded with the attempts made by Capt. Hull and her, still it was the same ship, and most ac- his officers to inveigle the crew of the Guerrière ceptable would her acquisition as a trophy and induce them to turn traitors. One of the have been. It is not unworthy of remark, means resorted to was to keep his prisoners that on board of the Guerrière, at the time of manacled and chained to the deck during the this engagement, there were ten American night and the greater part of the day. seamen who had for a number of years belonged to her; but as the declaration of war by the United States was not known at the well. The reason assigned by Capt. Hull for this unusual severity was, that there were so many of his own crew who considered the Guerrière's well they might, some degree of shame at their men as their countrymen, (and who felt, as own fallen state), he was apprehensive the two bodies united would overpower him and the Americans, and carry the Constitution to IIalifax. The more probable reason seems to have been to render the prospect of liberty the more alluring to those who would turn traitors. Capt. Hull calculated, it may be supposed, that any whom he could persuade to enter, would fight in the most desperate manner, rather than be taken and turned over to their former commanders, from whom they could only expect to receive a certain and well merited fate. Capt. Dacres bears testimony, in other respects, to Capt. Hull's treatment of himself and crew, and the care that was taken to prevent their losing the smallest trifle. The author of the American "Naval His I hope, though success has not crowned our efforts, you will not think it presumptuous in me to say, the greatest credit is due to the officers and ship's company for their exertions, particularly when exposed to the heavy raking fire of the enemy. I feel particularly obliged for the exertions of lieut. Kent, who, though wounded early by a splinter, continued to assist me; in the second lieutenant the service has suffered a severe loss; Mr. Scott, the master, though wounded, was particularly attentive, and used every exertion in clearing the wreck, as did the warrant officers.lieutenant Nicholl of the royal marines, and his party, supported the honorable character of their tory," Mr. Clark, remarks thus upon the Gucorps, and they suffered severely. I must recommend Mr. Shaw, master's mate, who commanded errière's capture:-"It appeared in evidence the foremast main deck guns in the absence of on the court martial, that many Eng'ishmen lieutenant Pullman, and the whole after the fall of were on board the Constitution, and that many lieutenant Ready, to your protection, he having received a severe contusion from a splinter. I of these were leading men, or captains of guns." must point out Mr. Garby, acting purser, to your The officers of the Guerrière knew some of notice, who volunteered his services on deck, and them personally. One had been captain of commanded the after quarter-deck guns, and was particularly active, as well as Mr. Bannister, mid- the forecastle in the Eurydice, another had shipman. I hope, in considering the circumstan-been in the Achille at Trafalgar, and the third ces. you will think the ship entrusted to my charge, lieutenant was an Irishman, named Read. In properly defended-the unfortunate loss of our masts, the absence of the third lieutenant, second the latter end of 1816, a register of officers lieutenant of marines, three midshipmen and and others, military and naval, in the service twenty-four men, considerably weakened our crew, of the United States, was issued from the and we only mustered at quarters two hundred and forty-four men, on coming into action; the Washington press, prepared by a resolution enemy had such an advantage from his marines of Congress. Affixed to the list of names in and riflemen, when close, and his superior sailing enabled him to choose his distance. I enclose herewith a list of killed and wounded on board the Guerrière. this official document, is one column headed "State or country where born." Turning to this column, in the naval department, we find, as we descend in the list, the blanks in the Ireland, and their dependencies, and the Unicolumn of "where born" increase amazingly. ted States of America, and their territories, Of the superior officers, only three captains- and you are, with the force under your comShaw, Patterson, and Crichton-were ashamed mand, entitled to every belligerent right to to name their birth-place. Of one hundred atttack and capture, and to defend. You will and sixty lieutenants, five appear to have been use the utmost despatch to reach New York, British; but seventeen, all English or Irish after you have made up your complement of names have blanks after them. Of twenty men, &c., at Annapolis. In your way from boatswains, four were born in the United thence, you will not fail to notice the British States; the rest nowhere. Of eighty-three flag, should it present itself. I am informed sailing-masters, fifteen had no birthplace; and that the Belvidera is on our coast, but you eight appear to be British. Of twenty-five will not understand me as impelling you to gunners, three appear to have been born in battle previously to your having confidence in the United States; and out of thirty-three your crew, unless attacked, or with a reasonacarpenters and master-mates, five only could ble prospect of success, of which you are to be found to fill up the blank with the term be, at your discretion, the judge. You are to "American." The blanks in the list of able reply to this, and inform me of your progress. seamen increase surprisingly. This, however, is not to be wondered at, when we consider Captain Brenton's statement:-"It was said, and there is no reason to doubt the fact, that there were two hundred British seamen on board the Constitution." "P. HAMILTON. Capt. Hull, U. S. Frigate Constitution." This discouraging and, considered with immediate results,somewhat pusillanimous order, was soon followed by another of the same tenor, as follows: "Navy Department, 3rd July, 1812. "SIR,-As soon as the Constitution is ready After this analysis, Mr. Clark's remarks on the capture of the Guerrière can be taken at their value-" It has manifested the genuine for sea, you will weigh anchor and proceed to worth of the American tar, which has enabled | New York. him to meet under DISADVANTAGEOUS CIRCUMSTANCES (save the mark), and to derive glory from the encounter, the naval heroes of a nation which has so long ruled the waves." We have been thus particular in dwelling on all the circumstances connected with the capture of the Guerrière, as with few exceptions the same disparity of force prevailed and the same remarks apply. That the American successes were unexpected, is apparent from the instructions given to the officers in command of the vessels about to leave port, and, in fact, the first capture of an English by an American vessel was made, if not in direct breach of orders, at least contrary to the calculations of the Navy Department, and had not Hull put to sea before his countermand reached Boston, he certainly would not have made his capture of the Guerrière, nor is it probable that any capture would have been made at all, if we may judge from the tone of the following communications: "Naval Department, Washington, 18th June, 1812. "SIR,-This day war has been declared between the United Empire of Great Britain, "If, on your way thither, you should fall in with an enemy's vessel, you will be guided in your proceeding by your own judgment, bearing in mind, however, that you are not voluntarily to encounter a force superior to your own. On your arrival at New York, you will report yourself to Commodore Rodgers. If he should not be in that port, you will remain there untill further orders. "P. HAMILTON." The Constitution, on her way to New York was chased by a British squadron and prevented from getting into that port, so that her stealing to sea from Boston, into which she had been driven, and her encounter with the Guerrière was purely accidental and in contravention of orders, for even after his escape into Boston, a new order was despatched : Navy Department, 29th July, 1812. "SIR,-Your letter of the 20th instant, just received, has relieved me from much anxiety. "I am truly happy to hear of your safety. Remain at Boston until further orders. "P. HAMILTON." Before receiving this order Capt. Hull had put to sea and escaped the doom, which his affrighted Government had prepared for him nine, throwing two hundred and sixty-two -to be laid up in port. pounds of shot, with two twelve-pounder hundred and eighty-four tons. Wasp, broadside, nine guns, throwing two hundred and sixty-eight pounds of shot, with two brass A second action, tending to augment the carronades,-crew, ninety-two,-size, three Frolic and Wasp. confidence of Americans in themselves, took place on the 18th October, between H. M. brig Frolic, Captain Whinyates, and the United S ates sloop of war Wasp, four-pounders,-crew, one hundred and thirCaptain Jones. The Frolic was the convoy of the homeward bound fleet from the Bay of Honduras, and was repairing the damages her masts and sails received in a violent gale on the night of the 16th, in lat. 36° north, lon. 64°, in which she had carried away her main-yard, sprung her main-topmast, and lost both her topsails, when a vessel was made out which immediately gave chace to the convoy. ty-five,-size, four hundred and thirty-four tons. Nearly matched as these vessels were, the superiority if anything leaning towards the side of Wasp, yet the usual exaggerations of American officers made it a victory over a superior force. Seven days after this affair, on the 25th of Macedonian, and October, in lat. 29° north, United States. lon. 29° 30' west, the thirAlthough in the crippled state above menty-eight gun frigate Macedonian, Captain Carden, fell in with and brought to action the tioned, Captain Whinyates determined to save his convoy, and a close and spirited action U. S. frigate, United States, Commodore ensued, which was maintained until the brig Decatur. The action lasted for upwards of became, from her previous shattered condi- two hours, when, with one hundred shot in her tion, unmanageable. The Wasp taking advan-hull, several of them between wind and water, tage of this shot ahead, and raked the Frolic, her mizen mast gone by the board, main and which was unable to bring a gun to bear. She fore topmasts shot away by the cap, her main now fell with her bowsprit between the main yard in the slings, two remaining lower masts and mizen rigging of the enemy, and was badly injured, and but few guns effective, the Macedonian surrendered. Of her complement then immediately carried by boarding, after an action of an hour's duration. Such was the of two hundred and fifty-four men, deducting obstinacy with which she had been defended eight foreigners who refused to fight, thirtythat, on the Americans taking possession of six were killed and sixty-eight wounded. their prize, but three officers and the man at the wheel were found alive on the deck. In this dreadful conflict the British loss was thirty killed, and between forty and fifty woun. ded. The vessels were nearly equal in point of strength, both as regarded guns and men, and her previous crippled state alone brought on this disastrous and speedy issue. On the afternoon of the same day H.M. ship Poictiers, seventy-four guns, fell in with and captured both vessels, sending them into Bermuda, Congress awarded to Captain Jones a gold medal, to his officers a silver one, and to the crew generally, twenty-four thousand dollars, in testimony of their gallantry in capturing a British vessel of superior force. This may be accounted for, as Captain Jones in his official despatch, gave the Frolic two extra guns, and lows:-Macedonian-weight of broadside, five judiciously said nothing of her previous disabled state. The reader may, however, judge in what the superior force consisted from the statement here given :-Frolic, broadside guns, Commodore Decatur, in his official despatches, makes very light of the damage done to his vessel; either in loss of men or injuries to hull or rigging, reporting only five killed and six wounded. Captain Carden, however, represents that the United States "was pumped out every watch till her arrival in port, from the effects of shot received between wind and water, and that two eighteen pounders had passed through her mainmast in a horizontal line." There is very little doubt, also, from what may be gathered from his account, but that these numbers were very far from representing the actual loss in killed and wounded. The comparative force of the two combatants may be with correctness stated as fol hundred and twenty-eight pounds; crew, two hundred and fifty-four; size, one thousand and eighty-one tons. United States-broadside, weight of metal, eight hundred and sixty |