damage: but being still tight, she stood away to the eastward, with a stiff breeze from the northwest. At five o'clock in the morning of the fifteenth, a large sail was discovered, nearly ahead; the ship immediately hauled up in the wind, when three more sail were discovered; in chase. At day-light, the nearest ship, which was a razee, commenced firing from her bow gun, but without effect, the shot falling short; and it was soon found that the President had distanced the razee. The wind at this time growing light, the other ships evidently gained on her, particularly one ship, a heavy frigate, neared her fast. As the only alternative, the Commodore ordered the ship to be lightened; provision were thrown overboard, water started, and every exertion made, that could facilitate her sailing; and the sails kept constantly wet. At ten o'clock another sail appeared, on the weather beam; she was a sloop of war, and was standing down for the President. At three o'clock the nearest ship had got within gun-shot, and commenced, and kept np a constant fire, from her bow guns, which was immediately returned, but with little effect on either side, there being a high irregular sea. Every hope of escape, as the wind then was, without coming to close action, had vanished. The gallant Cominodore then conceived the bold design, of closing and boarding the enemy; the boarders were called, and all hands greeted him with three hearty cheers.

"It was truly astonishing (says an eye-witness on board) to see the cool, deliberate courage and cheerfulness, that prevailed among the officers and crew, in the face of an enemy more than four times their force. From this you may concieve what we would have done, had we any thing like

an equal force to contend with. Every arrange ment was now made, to close with the leading ship, which had at this time ranged up nearly within pistol shot; our brave commodore placing himself at the head of the boarders. At 5 P. M. we wore short round, with the intention of laying him on board-but, as if he had anticipated our design, he immediately wore, and hauled to the wind, fearing to close, although the whole squadron were coming up fast: he having the wind, it was impossible to close for boarding; we then opened our fire, and in fifteen minutes his sails were very much cut up; both ships now falling off, continued engaging before the wind, for an hour and a half; in which time his spars, sails and rigging were literally cut to pieces, and his fire nearly silenced, only firing single guns at long intervals. We now quit him, and in hauling up, had to expose ourselves to a raking fire, but he was so much cut up that he could not avail himself of the advantage, and only fired three or four shot; we then, astonishing to relate, went out of action with every sail set, and soon left our antagonist out of sight. We were now going off, with every thing set, our damage but trifling; sails all wet again, and began almost to flatter ourselves on the probability of escaping. Had thick weather set in, of which there was every appearance, no doubt but we should have succeeded-on the con. trary it continued fine, and the three other ships plainly discernible, making their night signals, two in particular, nearing us fast, as the concussion of our guns had destroyed the wind, whereas they were bringing up the breeze with them.

"About two hours from the time we left the ship we had engaged, one of the enemy had approached within half gun shot, the other taking a raking

position: being now assailed by so superior a force, without any probability of escape, our brave commodore with great reluctance, being dictated by motives of humanity, ordered a signal of surrender to be made; notwithstanding, they continued to fire into us for more than fifteen minutes, through mistake. We were now taken possession of by the Pomone and Tenedos of 38, and Majestic razee of 62 guns; and found the ship we had engaged was the Endymion, mounting 51 guns, long 24 pounders on her gun deck. Our loss, as you may suppose from the length of the action, was very great; as near as I could learn, we had twenty-four killed and fifty-four wounded. Commodore Decatur received a severe contusion on the breast. Among our killed, were our first, fourth, and fifth lieutenants. The first, Mr. Babbit, was killed early in the action; he was an officer of the greatest merit and bravery, in whom the service has lost one of its brightest ornaments. Messrs. Hamilton and Howell were also officers of great merit. Among the wounded, was the master, and one midshipman.

"The loss of the enemy has been very severe : from their endeavours to conceal it, I have not been able to learn the number, though some of our officers state, who were taken on board the Endymion, that ten men were thrown overboard the night after the action, from that ship. The day after the action was remarkably fine, and gave them an excellent opportunity to secure the masts, &c. but they being so elated with ther suc cess, it was in a manner neglected. At ten, that night, there came on a most violent gale of wind, and continued with unabated fury for thirty hours. Next morning all our masts went by the board within an hour of each other; our situa

tion now became truly alarming-the wreck of the masts beating against the ship's bottom-very few of the guns secured-some loose, going from side to side-The ship rolling gangways under, lying in the trough of the sea; which at times was making free passage over her, and seven feet water in the hold. The crew were nearly worn out, and quite disheartened, but by the exertions of a few of our crew, who were left on board to take care of the sick, the wreck of the masts was with great difficulty cleared away. The ship then lay much easier, and by fresh exertions at the pumps, we had the joy to find we gained on the leak, and by night had the pleasure of finding the pumps to suck. Notwithstanding it continued to blow excessive hard, we began to have confidence that she would weather the gale. Our poor wounded men suffered very much; some, from the nature of their wounds, were not able to lay in their hammocks, and were tossed from side to side with the violent rolling of the ship, which hastened the death of several. The gale moderating next day, they commenced getting up jury masts, and in ten days arrived at Bermuda, where we found the Pomone and Endymion; the latter had lost all her masts and bowsprit, had hove all her upper deck guns overboard in the gale, and was very near foundering.'

وو

Commodore Decatur arrived at New-London in fourteen days from Bermuda, on the twentysecond day of February, in the Narcissus frigate, Captain Gordon. On his landing, the populace placed him in a carriage, and drew him through the principal streets of New-London, amidst the shouts of thousands of the citizens of that town and the vicinity. On setting him down at Brown's Hotel, the Commodore attempted to address the

multitude, but the acclamations were so loud and incessant, that he could not be heard. In the evening, Commodore Decatur, Commodore Shaw, and other officers of the United States' navy, and of the army; together with Captain Garland of the Superb, Captain Gordon of the Narcissus, and upwards of forty other officers of the British squadron off New-London, attended an elegant ball, which was given in celebration of peace and the birth day of Washington.

The affairs of the United States with Algiers, assuming a hostile appearance, the Commodore was despatched in the summer of 1815, with a squadron, to the Mediterranean, to reduce that regency to a more pacific disposition. He was to be succeeded by another squadron under Commodore Bainbridge. Panting for glory, Decatur hoisted his flag on board the United States' frigate Guerriere, and sailed with his squadron from NewYork on the 18th of May, for his destination, with all possible despatch; in order to settle affairs with the Algerines before the arrival of the second squadron, and thus secure to himself the honours which would otherwise entwine another's brow. On his passage thither, he had the good fortune to fall in with the Algerine Admiral Rais Hammida, who was cruising against the Americans. Finding it impossible to escape, the Turk determined to defend his ship to the last, nor was the crescent lowered, until her gallant commander was no more. This ship was called the Mirboha, of 46 guns, and between four and five hundred men, and struck in twenty-five minutes after the action begun. The number of prisoners were four hundred and six, and upwards of thirty killed. The action was fought off Cape de Gatt, on the 17th of June, 1815, On the 19th of the same