the tenth military district, where he was stationed. Beside his military rank, he has receivedmany testimonials of respect: among which are a a vote of thanks, and a medal, from Congress; a sword presented by the citizens of his native place, Petersburg; a sword and vote of thanks from the Legislature of Virginia; and his name has been given to a new county of that state. In addition to these civil honours, he received a literary one from Princeton College, which was conferred in a very flattering manner.

He repaired to Baltimore and assumed his command a short time after the enemy had retreated from before that city. He was received with much distinction. General Smith of the Maryland Militia, the hero of Mud Fort, in the revolutionary war, who commanded during the attack on that place, immediately resigned. It was thought by the inhabitants, that General Scott had not treated him, on his arrival, with that respect that delicacy and politeness required-At least such was the reason assigned at the time, for General Smith's resignation. After Peace was restored on the reduction of the army, General Scott was retained in the service, over the heads of men who had grown grey in service. Having obtained a furlough, he visited England and France,and on his return he was appointed to command, with his head-quarters at Philadelphia, and afterwards transferred to New-York, where he at present remains. He married a lady of Virginia, of one of the first families in his native state. The Generak is rising six feet in height, and tall and slender in his person.

He is accused of proneness to intrigue, and is said to have derived much of his fame and military consequence from that circumstance. Whether

he merits the exalted rank he now holds, or the charge alleged against him by his adversaries, time only can develope. His present biographer is averse to every species of flattery, and can only speak of him from the materials laid before the public eye, as he is not intimately acquainted with his private history.'

CAPTAIN

ISAAC HULL

Was born at Derby, in the state of Connecticut, about ten miles from New-Haven. After receiving a school education, he adopted the profession of a seaman, in which he afterwards became master of a vessel. He was in this situation at the first establishment of the navy, and, at that time, received the appointment of a lieutenant. He always ranked high as an excellent seaman; an attentive and vigilant officer. It is only since the declaration of the war with Great Britain, that Captain Hull has become an object of public attention by two brilliant exploits; the one exhibiting an instance of admirable skill as a seaman, and the other, of his gallantry as an officer.

Leaving Chesapeake Bay on the 12th of July, 1812, in the Constitution, of forty-four guns, he, on the 17th, fell close in with a British squadron, consisting of one ship of the line, four frigates, a brig and a schooner, the nearest frigate within gun, shot. It was a dead calm, and the only headway to be made was by towing. The enemy attached all his boats to two frigates, and by so doing, gained on the Constitution, so as to bring some

of his bow guns to bear on her. In this situation they continued all day, the Constitution occasionally firing her stern chasers; and it was not until the next morning that a light breeze enabled her to escape from an enemy so much superiour in force, as to render a contest desperate. The whole chase lasted sixty hours, and during all that time the gallant crew remained at their stations without a murmur. Nothing can evince a more decided superiority of activity and skill on the part of the Americans, than this extraordinary escape from two frigates towed by the boats of a squadron of seven vessels. It is related on good authority, that the enemy himself expressed his admiration of the skill with which Captain Hull manoeuvred his vessel and effected his escape.

The public notice taken of this affair, and the praises bestowed on Captain Hull, induced him, on arriving at Boston, to insert the following card in the books of the Exchange Coffee-House.

"Captain Hull finding that his friends in Boston are correctly informed of his situation when chased by the British squadron off New-York, and that they are good enough to give him more credit for having escaped it than he ought to claim, takes this opportunity of requesting them to transfer their good wishes to Lieutenant Morris and the other brave officers, and the crew under his com. mand, for the very great exertions and prompt attention to his orders, while the enemy were in chase. Captain Hull has great pleasure in saying, that notwithstanding the length of the chase, and the officers and crew being deprived of sleep, and allowed but little refreshment during the time, not a murmur was heard to escape them."

On the nineteenth of August, 1812, Captain Hull, with the same vessel, the same officers, and

the same crew, fell in with a large frigate, which struck to him after a close action of thirty minutes. She proved to be his Majesty's ship the Guerriere, rated at thirty-eight guns, and carrying fifty; commanded by Captain J. R. Dacres, who some time before had politely endorsed on the register of a merchant ship, an invitation to Captain Hull to give him a meeting of this kind. We give the particulars of the action in his own words.

United States' frigate Constitution, off

Boston Light, August 30, 1812.

SIR-I have the honour to inform you, that on the 19th instant, at two P. M. being in latitude 41, 42, and longitude 55, 48, with the Constitution under my command, a sail was discovered from the mast-head, bearing E. by s. or E. s. E. but at such a distance we could not tell what she was. All sail was instantly made in chase, and soon found we came up with her. At three P. M. could plainly see that she was a ship on the starboard tack, under easy sail, close on a wind; at half past three P. M. made her out to be a frigate; continued the chase until we were within about three miles, when I ordered the light sails to be taken in, the courses hauled up, and the ship cleared for action. At this time the chase had backed his main-top-sail, waiting for us to come downA soon as the Constitution was ready for action, I bore down with an intention to bring him to close action immediately, but on our coming within gun shot, she gave us a broadside, and filled away, and wore, giving us a broadside on the other tack, but without effect; her shot falling short. She continued wearing and manoeuvring for about three quarters of an hour, to get a raking position, but finding she could not, she bore up, and rus

under her top-sails and jib, with the wind on the quarter. I immediately made sail, to bring the ship up with her, and five minutes before six P. M. being along side within half pistol shot, we commenced a heavy fire from all our guns, double shotted with round and grape, and so well directed were they, and so warmly kept up, that in fifteen minutes his mizen-mast went by the board, and his main yard in the slings, and the hull, rigging and sails very much torn to pieces. The fire was kept up with equal warmth for fifteen minutes longer, when his main-mast and fore-mast went, taking with them every spar, excepting the bowsprit. On seeing this we ceased firing, so that in thirty minutes after we got fairly alongside the enemy, she surrendered, and had not a spar standing, and her hull below and above water so shattered, that a few more broadsides must have carried her down.

After informing you that so fine a ship as the Guerriere, commanded by an able and experienced officer, had been totally dismasted, and otherwise cut to pieces so as to make her not worth towing into port, in the short space of thirty minutes, you can have no doubt of the gallantry and good conduct of the officers and ship's company I have the honour to command. It only remains with me to assure you, that they all fought with great bravery; and it gives me great pleasure to say, that from the smallest boy in the ship, to the oldest seaman, not a look of fear was seen. They all went into action, giving three cheers, and requesting to be laid close alongside the enemy.

Enclosed I have the honour to send you a list of killed and wounded on board the Constitution, and a report of the damages she has sustained;