sustained considerable damage, and that he had received some injury in the stern. I now endeavoured, by altering course half a point to port and wetting our sails, to gain a more effectual position on his starboard quarter, but soon found myself losing ground. After this a similar attempt was made at his larboard quarter,but without any better success, as the wind at this time being very light, and both ships sailing so nearly alike that by making an angle of only half a point from the course he steered enabled him to augment his dis tance: no hope was now left of bringing him to close action, except that derived from being to windward, and the expectation the breeze might favour us first: I accordingly gave orders to steer directly after him, and to keep our bow chase guns playing on his spars and rigging, until our broadside would more effectually reach him. At 5, finding from the advantage his stern guns gave him, that he had done considerable injury to our sails and rigging, and being within point blank shot, I gave orders to put the helm to starboard and fire our main deck guns; this broadside did some further damage to his rigging, and I could perceive that his fore top sail yard was wounded, but the sea was so very smooth, and the wind so light, that the injury done was not such as materially to effect his sailing. After this broadside our course was instantly renewed in his wake (under a galling fire from his stern chase guns, directed at our spars and rigging) and continued until half past six; at which time being within reach of his grape, and finding our sails, rigging, and several spars (particularly the main yard, which had little left to support it except the lifts and braces) very much disabled, I again gave orders to luff across his stern, and gave him a couple of broadsides. The enemy at this time finding himself so hardly pressed, and seeing, while in the act of firing, our head sails to left, and supposing, that the ship had in a measure lost the effect of her helm, he gave a broad yaw, with the intention of bringing his broadside to bear finding the President, however, answered her helm too quick for his purpose, he immediately resumed his course, and precipitately fired his four after main deck guns on the starboard side, although they did not bear upon us at the time by 25 or 30 degrees, and he now commenced lightening his ship, by throwing over-board all his boats, waste anchors, &c. &c. and by this means was enabled by a quarter before seven to get so far ahead as to prevent our bow chase guns doing execution; and I now perceived, with more mortification than words can express, that there was little or no chance left of getting within gunshot of the enemy again. Under every disadvantage of disabled spars, sails, and rigging, I however continued the chase with all the sail we could set, until half past 11 P. M. when perceiving he had gained upwards of three miles, and not the slightest prospect left of coming up with him, I gave up the pursuit, and made the signal to the other ships as they came up to do the same. During the first of the chase, while the breeze was fresh and sailing by the wind, I thought the whole of the squadron gained upon the enemy. It was soon discoverable, however, the advantage he acquired by sailing large, and this I conceive he must have derived in so great a degree by starting his water, as I could perceive, upwards of an hour before we came within gun shot, water running out of his scuppers. While in chase it was difficult to determine whether our own situation or that of the other vessels of the squadron was the most unpleasant. The superior sailing of the President was not such (off the wind) as to enable us to get upon the broadside of the enemy; the situation of the others was not less irksome, as not even the headmost, which was the Congress, was able at any time to get within less than two gun shots distant, and even at that but for a very little time. In endeavouring to get alongside of the enemy the following persons were killed and wounded; 16 of whom were killed and wounded by the bursting of our own gun, viz. Commodore Rodgers. WOUNDED. Thomas Gamble, lieutenant, severely. Frank Ellery, midshipman, slightly. Lawrence Montgomery, midshipman, lost his left arm. John Barrett, quarter-gunner, severely. John Beasley, do. slightly. David Basset, do. severely, since dead. Andrew Matthews, do. slightly. John Smith, 5th boy, severely. NOTE-The greater part of the wounded have since nearly recovered. List of vessels captured, re-captured, and destroyed. July 2d. Brig Traveller, 277 tons, James Amery master, of Newcastle, England, 10 men, bound from the bay of Fundy, owned by George Dunn, George Watson, Matthew Dunn, and John Stocker, cargo timber. Burnt. July 4th. Brig Dutchess of Portland, 6 guns, 11 men, of Newcastle, England, bound from Newcastle to Nova Scotia, in ballast. Burnt. July 9th. Brig Dolphin, 241 tons, 12 guns and 20 men, Philip Cabbot, of Jersey, England, bound from Jersey to Newfoundland, in ballast and some cargo, owned by Winter and Nicoll-sent into the United States. July 24th. Ship John, of Lancaster, 16 guns and 30 men, bound from London to Martinique, in ballast-sent into the United States. August 2d. Brig Argo, 168 tons, 10 guns and 10 men, William Middleton master, of London, bound from Pernambuco to London, laden with cotton, fustic, and about $ 8000 in goldordered for the United States. August 17th. Schr. Adeline, of London, 10 men, bound from Hayti to London, laden with coffee-ordered her for the United States. August 25th. Schr. Betsey, of Marblehead, from Naples, laden with brandy, re-captured from the Guerriere, who had ordered her for Halifax; 4 men and a midshipman (prize master) -ordered her for the United States. JOHN RODGERS. Sir, Copy of a Letter from Captain Hull to the Secretary of the Navy. United States' Frigate Constitution, August 28, 1812. The enclosed account of the affair between the President, commodore Rodgers, and the British frigate Belvidera, fell into my hands by accident. It clearly proves that she only escaped the commodore by superior sailing, after having lightened her, and the President being very deep. As much has been said on this subject; and commodore Rodgers has not arrived to give you his statement of the affair, if it meet your approbation I should be pleased to have this account published, to prevent people from making up their minds hastily, as I find them willing to do. I am confident could the commodore have got alongside the Belvidera, she would have been his, in less than one hour. I have the honour to be, with great respect, sir, your obedient servant, The Honourable Paul Hamilton, &c. ISAAC HULL. An Account of the Proceedings of his Majesty's ship Belvidera, Richard Byron, Esq. Captain, 23d day of June, 1812. A. M., 4, 40, Nantucket Shoal bearing S. W. saw several sail, made sail towards them; at 6, 30, they bore S. W. S. made them out to be three frigates, one sloop, and one brig of war, standing to the S. E. under a press of sail. Observed them to make signals, and haul up in chase of us, hauling down their steering sails, in a confused and irregular manner. Tacked ship, and made the private signal, which was not answered; made all sail possible. N. E. by E. at eight, moderate and fine weather, the headmost ship of the chase S. S. W. W. apparently gaining ground on us at times, and leaving her consorts. At 11, 30, hoisted our colours and pendant, the chase hoisted American colours, two of them hoisted commodores' broad pendants, at noon the commodore and the second head most ship of the chase S. W. W. about 2 of a mile, Nantucket Shoal N. 4 00 E. 48 miles, moderate and fine weather, cleared ship for action, commodore of chase gaining, the other ships dropping, observed the chase pointing her guns at us; at 3, 30, the commodore fired three shots, one of which struck the rudder coat, and came into the after gun-room, the other two came into the upper, or captain's cabin, one of which struck the muzzle of the larboard chase gun, the other went through the beam under the skylight, killed William Gould, seaman; wounded John Hill, armourer, mortally; Joseph Lee, seaman, severely; George Marlon, ship's corporal, badly; Lieutenant Bruce, James Kelly, and James Larmont, seamen, slightly. At 3, 45, commenced firing with our stern guns, shot away her larboard lower steering-sail, keeping our ship a steady course N. E. by E. At four the chase bore up and fired her larboard broadside, which cut our rigging and sails much, the long bolts, breeching hooks, and breechings of the guns and carronades frequently breaking (by one of which captain Byron was severely wounded in the left thigh), all of which was instantly replaced. Kept up a constant fire, which was returned by our opponent with bow chase guns, and at times by broadsides, which, by her superiority of sailing, she was enabled to do till 6, 45, when we cut away our spare sheet, and small bower anchors, barge, yawl, and jolly-boats, and started fourteen tons of water; we then gained on him, when he bore up and fired three broadsides, part of which fell short of us; at seven our opponent ceased firing, and the second frigate commenced, but finding her shot fall short, ceased again. Employed fishing our cross-jack yard, and main top-mast (both badly wounded), knotting and splicing our rigging, which was much cut and damaged. At eleven altered our course to E. by S. S. and lost sight of our oppo nents. ESCAPE OF THE CONSTITUTION. United States' Frigate Constitution, at Sea, Sir, July, 21, 1812. In pursuance of your orders of the 3d instant, I left Annapolis on the 5th instant, and the capes on the 12th, of which I advised you by the pilot who brought the ship to sea. For several days after we got out, the wind was light and a-head, which with a strong southerly current prevented our making much way to the northward. On the 17th, at two, P. M., being in 22 fathoms water off Egg Harbour, four sail of ships were discovered from the mast head, to the northward and in shore of us, apparently ships of war. The wind being very light all sail was made in chase of them, to ascertain whether they were the enemy's ships or our squadron having got out of New York, waiting the arrival of the Constitution, the latter of which I had reason to believe was the case. |