I remained with her in this position for half an hour, in the hope that she would close with us on our broadside, in which case I had prepared my crew to board, but from his continuing to yaw his ship to maintain his position, it became evident that to close was not his intention. Every fire now cut some of our sails or rigging. To have continued our course under these circumstances, would have been placing it in his power to cripple us, without being subject to injury himself, and to have hauled up more to the northward to bring our stern guns to bear would have exposed us to his raking fire. It was now dusk, when I determined to alter my course south, for the purpose of bringing the enemy abeam, and although their ships astern were drawing up fast, I felt satisfied I should be enabled to throw him out of the combat before they could come up, and was not without hopes, if the night proved dark (of which there was every appearance), that I might still be enabled to effect my escape. Our opponent kept off at the same instant we did, and our fire commenced at the same time. We continued engaged, steering south, with steering sails set, two hours and a half, when we completely succeeded in dismantling her. Previously to her dropping entirely out of the action, there were intervals of minutes when the ships were broadside and broadside, in which she did not fire a gun. At this period (half past 8 o'clock), although dark, the other ships of the squadron were in sight, and almost within gun-shot. We were of course compelled to abandon her. In resuming our former course for the purpose of avoiding the squadron, we were compelled to present our stern to our antagonist-but such was his state, though we were thus exposed and within range of his guns for half an hour, that he did not avail himself of this favourable opportunity of raking us. We continued this course until 11 o'clock, when two fresh ships of the enemy (the Pomona and Tenedos) had come up. The Pomona hal opened her fire on the lar: board bow, within musket-shot; the other about two cables' length astern, taking a raking position on our quarter; and the rest (with the exception of the Endymion) within gunshot.—Thus situated, with about one-fifth of iny crew killed and wounded, my ship crippled, and a more than four-fold force opposed to me, without a chance of escape left, I deemed it my duty to surrender. It is with emotions of pride I bear testimony to the gallantry and steadiness of every officer and man I had the honour to command on this occasion, and I feel satisfied that the a fact of their having beaten a force equal to themselves, in the presence and almost under the guns of so vastly a superior force, when, too, it was almost self-evident, that whatever their exertions might be, they must ultimately be captured, will be taken as evidence of what they would have performed had the force opposed to them been in any degree equal. It is with extreme pain I have to inform you, that lieutenants Babbit, Hamilton, and Howell, fell in the action. They have left no officers of superior merit behind them. If, sir, the issue of this affair had been fortunate, I should have felt it my duty to have recommended to your attention lieutenants Shubrick and Gallagher. They maintained throughout the day the reputation they had acquired in former actions. Lieutenant Twiggs, of the marines, displayed great zeal; his men were well supplied and their fire incomparable, so long as the enemy continued within musket range. Midshipman Randolph, who had charge of the forecastle division, managed it to my entire satisfaction. From Mr. Robinson, who was serving as a volunteer, I received essential aid, particularly after I was deprived of the services of the master, and severe loss I had sustained in my officers on the quarter-deck. Of our loss in killed and wounded, I am unable at present to give you a correct statement; the attention of the surgeon being so entirely occupied with the wounded, that he was unable to make out a correct return when I left the President, nor shall I be able to make it until our arrival in port, we having parted company with the squadron yesterday. The inclosed list, with the exception I fear of its being short of the number, will be found correct. For 24 hours after the action it was nearly calm, and the squadron were occupied in repairing the crippled ships. Such of the crew of the President as were not badly wounded, were put on board the different ships; myself and a part of my crew were put on board this ship. On the 17th we had a gale from the eastward, in which this ship lost her bowsprit, fore, and main-masts, and mizen-top-mast, all of which were badly wounded, and was in consequence of her disabled condition, obliged to throw overboard all her upper-deck guns; her loss in killed and wounded must have been very great. I have not been able to ascertain the extent. Ten were buried after I came on board (36 hours after the action); the badly wounded, such as are obliged to keep their cots, occupy the starboard side of the gun-deck, from the cabin bulk-head to the main-mast. From the crippled state of the President's spars, I feel satisfied she could not have saved her masts, and I feel serious apprehensions for the safety of our wounded left on board. It is due to captain Hope, to state, that every attention has been paid by him to myself and officers that have been placed on board his ship, that delicacy and humanity could dictate. I have the honour to be, with much respect, sir, your obedient servant, STEPHEN DECATUR. Hon. Benjamin W. Crowninshield, secretary of the navy. British squadron referred to in the letter. Majestic, razee; Endymion, Pomone, and Tenedos, frigates, and the Dispatch, brig. List of killed and wounded on board the United States frigate, President. Killed 24-Wounded 55. Extract of a letter from commodore Stephen Decatur, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated New York, March 6th, 1815. “In my official letter of the 18th January, I omitted to state, that a considerable number of my killed and wounded was from the fire of the Pomone, and that the Endymion had on board, in addition to her own crew, one lieutenant, one master's-mate, and 50 men belonging to the Saturn, and when the action ceased, was left motionless and unmanageable until she bent new sails, roye new rigging, and fished her spars, nor did she join the squadron for six hours after the action, and three hours after the surrender of the President. My sword was delivered to captain Hays, of the Majestic, the senior officer of the squadron, on his quarter-deck, which he with great politeness immediately returned. I have the honour to inclose you my parole, by which you will perceive the British admit that the President was captured by the squadron. I should have deemed it unnecessary to have drawn your attention to this document, had not the fact been stated differently by the Bermuda Gazette on our arrival there, which statement, however, the Editor was compelled to retract through the interference of the governor and some of the British officers of the squadron. “The great assiduity of Dr. Trevett, and surgeon's-mates Dix and Wickes, to the wounded, merit the highest approbation. The only officer badly wounded, is midshipman Richard Dale, who lost a leg, a circumstance to be particularly regretted, as he is a young man possessed of every quality to make a distinguished officer.' INDEX TO VOL. IV. A Adams frigate destroyed at Hampden 75, 244] Alexandria, plunder of 44, 152], 160] American brigade orders [49 American general orders 14], [19, 36], [37, 84], [89, [103, [203 American navy, exploits of 118 American privateers, exploits of 118 Appling, major, captures the British force at Sandy creek 10. His letter Armistead, major, his report on the bombardment of fort M'Henry [199 Austin, captain L. his letter to the secretary at war [55 B Baltimore, measures for the defence of 34. Attack on 59. counts of [187. British do. 206] Official ac Barney, commodore, his letters to the secretary of the pavy [117, [131 Barrancas blown up 97 Barratarians, British attempt the seduction of 95. Their origin 95. Expe- - of Eccanachaca 83, [265. Battle of Bladensburg 37, [129, [131, [147. of Bridgewater 17, [55, - - of New Orleans 101, [291. of Michillimackinac 79, 246], 252]. - "Beauty and booty," British watchword 103 Bissell's expedition 28. His report to general Izard 104] Blakeley, captain, his report of the capture of the Reindeer [335 - - of Bombardment of fort Bowyer 93, 276]. of fort M'Henry 61, [199, 206]. of fort St. Philip 104, 300]. - of Plattsburg 69, 320], [229 Bowyer, fort, gallant defence of, 93, 276]. Surrender of 104, [311, 312] British depredations in the Chesapeake 32 British fleet in the Patuxent cannonaded 32, 120], [121 British general orders [3, [15, 50], [51, [65, [85, 88], [101, [103, 108], British ministry, exorbitant demands of 74 British squadron on lake Champlain, capture of 67, [225, 232] Brook, colonel, his dispatches respecting the attack on Baltimore 210] Brown, general, marches for Sackett's Harbour 3. Marches for the Ni. agara frontier 4. Captures fort Erie 14. Defeats the British at Chip. ply 108] с 20). [23, 25, 26) His correspondence with general Brown on the co-operation of the fleet 32] American coast 50, [181. His dispatches respecting the expedition more 206] His pitiful conduct at Washington 43, note. His reports on the expe- more 214] on jake Erie (87 to 264] Michillimackinac 246]. His account of the destruction of the British depot on lake Huron 250] D Decatur, commodore, his account of the capture of the President fri- gate (345, 348] Washington 176] E Eastport declared neutral 73. Captured 73 Sortie fium 26 American and British accounts of the storming of 72] cial account of 316]. Hillyar's do. 330). Sequel of the cruize 117 |